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pounced, "What was that all about? Where's Helen? How does this relate to Jim Layton's death?"
    Emily took a gulp of wine from the glass Gabby handed her. "Gabby, you sound like Mom right now."
    Gabby had the good grace to look embarrassed. She settled back into her comfy chair. "Sorry, when you're ready to talk, I'm ready to listen."
    Emily went through the entire story, including finding Duke and the trip she and Tad had made to the school and the police station. "So, I think Barnes is involved somehow. I don't know where Helen is, but I know she's no killer," she finally concluded.
    Gabby shook back her hair and checked to see that the twins were still playing peacefully. "I don't know, Em. I feel like you're telling me the plot of a mystery novel you just read. All of this"—she waved her hands over her head as if encompassing the whole ordeal—"seems unbelievable. This is Ellington, for goodness' sake. Nothing exciting ever happens here, unless you count Old Man Fillmore streaking through the town square after he'd had too much to drink last New Year's Eve."
    Emily choked on a sip of wine as she laughed at the memory. Watching the twins play with their naked dolls, Emily noticed how content and happy their little faces looked. For some reason, that thought brought Stevie to mind. Stevie looked lost, Emily thought, not content, not happy. She was explaining to Gabby about Stevie and why she was concerned when Greg walked in the back door. He immediately crossed to Gabby to plant a kiss on her forehead. As he hung up his coat, Emily pouted. "Where's my kiss?" Greg dutifully crossed to where she was sitting and plastered a sloppy, Saint Bernard-like kiss on her forehead too.
    "Watch it, Emily. That's my man you're flirting with there," Gabby joked. "For that, you get to help me finish supper."
    The adults all trooped to the kitchen. While Emily set the table, Greg filled glasses and sippy cups. "Were you talking about Stevie Davis by any chance?" he asked Emily.
    Emily turned to him in surprise, dropping one of the forks she was placing on the table. "Yeah. He's in my junior-level English class, and he's really struggling. He was close with Coach Layton. I'm worried how Jim's death may affect him. I was supposed to meet with his mom this morning, but with, well, you know"—Emily stopped to gulp in air—"I had to cancel."
    Greg patted her shoulder. "Hang in there, kid. You're tougher than you think you are."
    Emily gave him a weak smile. "How do you know him?" she asked.
    "I've worked with his mom, Arlene, on several real estate deals."
    "Of course." Emily smacked her forehead. "I had forgotten that she was in the real estate business. I need to call her first thing tomorrow and get that meeting rescheduled. I know he's capable of doing the work. I just have to figure out what his deal is."
    "I'm sure his mom will be a big help. She seems absolutely devoted to him. She's always showing me a picture or telling me some story about him whenever I run into her," Greg assured Emily.
    "Ready to eat?" Gabby interrupted, setting a large bowl of steaming mashed potatoes on the table.
    Emily realized she was starving. In all the excitement, she hadn't had much time for food. That was a new one for her. Apparently finding dead bodies would be a benefit to her hips, if not her nerves. She couldn't wait to dig into those potatoes and one of the juicy pork chops staring at her from across the table. She managed to hold herself back while the twins said their version of grace, and then she pounced. She was about to shovel in the first mouthful when she once again heard her phone ringing from the other room. "Excuse me," she murmured and raced to the couch where she'd left her purse. One glance at her phone showed that it was her mom calling again. She answered at once.
    Her mom always talked fast and furiously, but normally Emily could understand her. Not this time. "Mom, slow down. I can't understand a word you're saying." The line