Dead Silence by Brenda Novak Page B

quit searching for answers,” Madeline replied. “I’m determined to finally prove to this town that she’s as innocent as you or I. They’ve been so unfair to her—and to you and Molly and Clay.”
    After the reverend disappeared, Grace’s family was all Madeline had. Grace supposed she could’ve moved in with her cousins, but she’d never been particularly close to them. Not only that, her stubborn loyalty to Irene separated her from Joe’s family almost immediately.
    Grace pressed the cool glass to her cheek and closed her eyes. “I appreciate that, Maddy.”
    Her stepsister grew silent, then said, “We’ll be over in an hour, okay?”
    â€œMaddy?” Lowering her drink, Grace opened her eyes.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œWhere does Kennedy Archer live?”
    â€œIn the old Baumgarter place.”
    The Baumgarter place was a fabulous Georgian that sat back from the road a couple miles south of town. Grace remembered it well. Besides the fact that it was a landmark in Stillwater, Lacy Baumgarter had been one of the most popular girls in school and had held many lavish parties at that house.
    Not that Grace had ever been invited….
    â€œIt’s a beautiful home,” she said, trying to keep her voice neutral.
    â€œYou should see how Raelynn fixed it up. After the Baumgarters moved away, the Greens bought it. They wound up getting a divorce, and Ann kept the house but couldn’t afford to maintain it so it fell into disrepair. Finally, she sold it to Kennedy and Raelynn, who restored it.”
    â€œWonderful.” Grace pictured the SUV she’d spotted on Apple Blossom this morning and felt a moment’s relief. On the way home from the pizza parlor she’d realized that Kennedy’s Explorer was black and had begun to think the driver of that vehicle might’ve been him. But if he lived in the Baumgarter place, chances were fairly good he wouldn’t be on Apple Blossom at six-thirty in the morning.
    â€œWhy do you ask?” Madeline wanted to know.
    â€œI thought maybe he lived in town.”
    â€œNope. You heard he’s running for mayor, didn’t you?”
    â€œI’ve seen the signs.” They were everywhere, but it looked as though Councilwoman Nibley was running against him and launching a pretty aggressive campaign of her own.
    â€œI’ve endorsed him at the paper. Will you be around to vote?”
    Grace set the hammock moving again. “I want to support you and your paper, Maddy, but I probably wouldn’t vote for Kennedy even if I was here for the election.”
    â€œYou don’t like him?”
    Grace didn’t hesitate. “No.”
    â€œReally? Why not? He’s nice. And I feel sorry for him.”
    â€œHe comes from the most powerful family in Stillwater, he’s handsome, fit and rich. What’s to pity, Maddy?” Grace asked dryly.
    â€œHe took Raelynn’s death really hard. I’ve never seen a man cry like that at a funeral.”
    Grace remembered her mother’s mentioning the car accident that had claimed Raelynn’s life. “I feel bad about his wife,” she admitted.
    â€œThey’d been together since their sophomore year.”
    Grace had gone to high school with them, so shewas unlikely to forget that. “I know. But she was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. He didn’t deserve her.”
    A stunned silence met this response. “Do you have something specific against Kennedy Archer?”
    Besides the fact that, unlike so many of his friends, he hadn’t found her worthy of notice? Grace couldn’t decide which was worse—being taunted and used or not being good enough to get that much attention. Somehow the contempt Kennedy had shown her in high school stung more than Joe’s or Pete’s cruelty. He’d never actively abused her. But she’d always known that if he’d broken rank