Lost in Plain Sight by Marta Perry Page B

pounding.
    He stopped, holding out his hands, palms up. “Leah, it’s all right. I don’t mean you any harm. I just want my property back.”
    “This?” She held up the calendar, mind tumbling in an effort to make sense of the situation. “But what about your wife’s ring?”
    Grayson shrugged. “If the ring doesn’t turn up, it’s insured. But I have some valuable notes written in that calendar, and I’d like it back. Just give it to me, and I’ll make sure you’re not troubled again. The police will never hear a thing from my wife about that stupid ring.”
    He sounded very reasonable, but all her instincts were shouting at her that she couldn’t believe him.
    “It’s too late for that,” she said, clutching at the thought. “Mrs. Morgan went to talk with Chief Byler about the situation this afternoon.”
    For an instant Grayson’s polite mask cracked, and she saw what lay beneath. Fear. The man was afraid.
    That should make her feel better, but it didn’t. Daadi always said that when an animal was afraid, it was most likely to attack.
    “The Morgan family should learn to stay out of things that aren’t any of their business.” He bared his teeth in what was probably meant to be a smile. “Still, that doesn’t necessarily change anything. Just give me the calendar, and I’ll make sure the ring is found. You’ll be in the clear.”
    She could only stare at him, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. “You put that money in the sugar bin.”
    “You can never prove that,” he said. “Everyone will see the money as evidence that you took the ring and sold it. Or that your father was in the habit of hiding money, and that’s why the house was robbed. Nothing points to me. Now I’ll take the calendar.” He held out his hand in silent demand.
    She didn’t respond. Couldn’t.
    With a quick, impatient gesture he closed in on her, still holding out his hand. Fear swept through her. If she gave it to him, she might never be clear of this suspicion. If she didn’t—
    Grayson grabbed for the calendar, twisting her wrist as he wrenched it away from her. He spun toward the doorway and stopped dead. Three people stood there, staring at him.
    Josiah broke away from Geneva and Chief Byler, rushing to her. He grasped her arms with both hands.
    “Are you all right? Did he hurt you?” His words were soft, urgent, spoken in the dialect just to her.
    “I am all right.” She touched her wrist, and Josiah took it gently in his big hands, holding it tenderly. She went suddenly weak in the knees.
    “He has hurt her,” he said in English.
    “And in front of a police officer, too.” Chief Byler shook his head, plucked the calendar from Grayson. “I’ll just take this until we’ve established ownership.”
    “It’s mine.” Grayson made a visible effort to compose himself. “You can’t imagine I’d hurt the girl. I just wanted my property.”
    Chief Byler’s face was impassive. “Suppose you come into town with me, and we’ll have a talk about the calendar. And about the ring that your wife reported missing.”
    “I told her—“ Grayson clamped his lips closed. “That was a mistake. My wife lost the ring, but I’ve found it. There won’t be any claim on the insurance.” He seemed to be gaining assurance as he spoke. “The calendar is mine. I’m sure my wife will verify that. Just give it to me, and this unfortunate incident will be over.”
    “I’m afraid it’s not quite that simple,” Byler said. “Mrs. Morgan has been telling me about the events of the past few days. There’s still a break-in that’s unaccounted for, as well as an accusation of theft against Leah Miller. Let’s just go have that talk, and you can explain it all to me.”
    He nudged Grayson toward the door, and in a moment they were gone.
     
     
    “Phillip Grayson wasn’t really very good at wrongdoing,” Chief Byler said, wrapping his hands around the mug of coffee Leah’s mother had given