The Harvest Club

by Iona Morrison

  As he stood up to leave, he touched his finger to her lips. Slowly he traced the curve of her lips to her chin, lifting her gaze up to his. “Use your head, Jess. Someone killed Gina. And now you’re going to snoop around.” His hand dropped; he turned on his heel and walked out the door. Breathless, she locked it behind him. He’d done it again. She leaned her shoulder against the door, eyes closed. He called her Jess.

  Her dreams that night were filled with images of Gina. Some were carefree and laughing, and some were tortured and frightening. At one point in the dream she saw Gina standing in front of her saying, “Help me, you can help me.” Jessie thrashed about in the night, and when she awoke the sheets and comforter were in a hopeless tangle.

  ****

  Her phone beeped, and she read a text from Katie reminding her of the concert in the park tomorrow night. Jessie returned a message. Looking forward to it.

  Putting the last touches on her face, she grabbed her keys and left for work. She tried to make sense out of something that made no sense at all. What had she really seen? And Matt, just when she thought she could write him off, he had surprised her.

  When she got to the church, she walked down the hall to the offices. As she put her key in the door, a shiver ran down her back. Someone was watching her. She could feel it. Running wasn’t an option even though she wanted to. She stood her ground and spoke out loud. “I can help you if you want me to.”

  Not that she expected to hear a voice or anything. She wasn’t sure what would happen. She hadn’t gotten that far in her plan. A simple sense of relief washed over her. Gina must have liked what she heard.

  Several times in the morning, she felt those eyes watching her. Who would ever believe her if she told them that Pastor Gina shared the same space with her. Jessie decided it was time to do the first thing on her list. She got out the church directory, found Reba’s number, and gave her a call.

  “Good morning, Reba.”

  “Jessie, I was waiting for your call this morning.”

  “How did you know I would call?” She frowned at the phone.

  “I know many things, Jessie girl. My mother was the same. I set lunch time aside, will that work for you?”

  “Yes, that’s perfect. We could meet for a salad at Java Joe’s.”

  “I will be there at noon, and Jessie, you’ve made the right decision.”

  “I’ve made the right decision about what?” Jessie wasn’t sure if she wanted Reba to answer her or not.

  “Why, helping Gina, of course.”

  “I only just decided. How could you have possibly known?” Jessie was perplexed.

  “Don’t struggle with it, Jessie, dear. It is what it is.”

  Jessie got to work on the newsletter and Sunday’s bulletin. When she finished with the newsletter and looked up at the clock, she still had about thirty minutes until lunch.

  “Excuse me, miss,” a man’s voice startled her. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

  Jessie looked at the face of an older distinguished man with silver gray hair standing at the door. “Hello.” She smiled at him. “You’re Pastor Robertson, aren’t you? I saw your photo upstairs.”

  “Yes, and who are you?” He tilted his head and smiled slightly.

  “I’m Jessie Reynolds, the new secretary.” She stood to greet him.

  “I’m here to pick up my son. We’re going to lunch.” He sat down in the reception area.

  “He’s been out for most the morning, but I expect him at any time.” She sat down in the chair beside him.

  “Do you like working here?” He smiled at her. “I know I always did, until a few months ago, that is.” His brows creased.

  “I was sorry to hear about Pastor Gina. It must have been so hard for you.” She patted his hand.

  “It was. I’m the only one that knows most of the real story.”

  Jessie stood up when she heard Pastor Rick’s voice in the foyer. She wondered what he had meant by the real story. He was definitely going on her list.

  “Dad, are you bothering my secretary?” the pastor asked sharply.

  Jessie was startled by the gruffness of his voice and replied back to him. “Actually, I was the one bothering him. We were having a nice chat and getting to know one another.” She smiled at John.

  “Let’s go, Dad. I don’t have all day.” Pastor Rick was already walking down the hall.

  “It was nice to meet you, Jessie, and I’ll be back to talk with you sometime when my son will be gone all day.” He winked at her.

  ****

  At noon, Jessie walked across the street to meet Reba at Java Joe’s. After ordering an organic oriental chicken salad and cinnamon spice muffin, she joined Reba who had already ordered and was sitting at the table.

  “Jessie, I forgot to get your drink order.” Molly came to the table.

  “A glass of water with lemon would be great.” Jessie thanked her.

  “So you’ve seen our Gina. I can tell.” Reba reached for Jessie’s hand. “Tell me where and when.”

  Jessie explained about the first day she had seen the woman walking in front of the church and then again at the cemetery. “Until last night at the church, I thought the woman I was seeing was a living person.” She straightened in her chair. “The thing is I had the feeling the woman standing in front of the church was waiting for me. I know that must sound strange.”

  “Not really dear.” Reba patted Jessie’s hand. “We’ve all been talking about the new secretary from New York coming to work at the church for weeks now. There was anticipation in the air, and Gina must have gotten wind of it.”

  “You talk like she knows what is happening around here. That’s just a little much for me. There must be a more logical answer.”

  “You believe what you must to cope, dear.” A flicker of amusement lit Reba’s eyes.

  After their lunch arrived, Jessie picked up the story by telling Reba about last night at the church. “It was then that I realized the woman I had seen was Gina Martin.” She sipped her water and added any other pertinent information.

  “It seems you are the one she has chosen to entrust with this job. There’s a lot at stake for her children. I believe if this was an open and shut case, she wouldn’t be here at all.” Reba proceeded carefully. “Sometimes folks get stuck, if something is left unfinished in life, especially when their lives are taken suddenly. Oh, I know people think I’m strange, but there are a lot of spiritual things in this life that we don’t understand at all.”

  “But, why me, I wonder? I’ve never been open to this kind of stuff. In fact I’m still skeptical.”

  “You’re a strong woman, but you also have a tender heart. It seems to me I read somewhere that as a writer you were tenacious about getting the facts right. You’re absolutely the perfect woman for the job!” Reba’s expression became thoughtful. “I do have a word of warning, Jessie. Be very careful. Once it is known that you are asking questions, you could become the next target. In fact you will be challenged in the near future.”

  ****

  As if a ghost wasn’t enough, Reba’s warning left her apprehensive. She didn’t want to become anyone’s target. Not now, not ever!

  Right now, she had to take care of the second thing on her list. Using her cell phone, she called Rocky Pointe. “Hello, may I speak to Mrs. Bradley?”

  “This is her.”

  “My name is Jessie Reynolds. I know you don’t know me, but I’m working at the church where your daughter was a pastor. I’m also a journalist and would like your permission to do a human interest story about your daughter.”

  “What good would it do but dredge up some very hurtful stuff?” The woman’s tone was cold.

  “First of all, it would keep the unsolved murder in the news, before people, which could spark someone to remember a small detail that might be helpful to the police. And, besides that, I have been touched so much by her story I would like to see it told.”

  “I’m not sure. I would need t
o talk to my husband first. My grandkids have been through so much already. I just don’t know if it would be right.”

  “I can understand your hesitancy, and I have a suggestion that you can accept or decline. I could come and meet you and your husband. I will explain to you why I want to do the story, and you can decide. If you tell me no, I’ll walk away and leave you alone.”

  “I have your number from your call, so I’ll call you back and let you know.”

  “Thanks for considering it. I know this has been a hard time for your family.”

  Who knew what would come of that, but she had to try. Sensing she wasn’t alone, Jessie whispered, “Gina, you’re going to have to work on your mother if you want me to do this. I’ll keep trying.”

  At five, she turned off her computer, unplugged the coffee, and went back to Pastor Rick’s office to let him know she was leaving for the day. Before she knocked on his closed door, she could hear his angry muffled voice speaking on the phone. Pastor Rick didn’t sound too happy. She turned to leave, but then retraced her steps, and knocked on the door.

  “Just a minute, I’ll be right with you. I’ve got to go, and don’t call me here again,” she heard him say. “You can come in now.” He motioned for her to be seated.

  “I thought I should tell you that I’m leaving for the day.” She sat down on the edge of the chair. “Everything is done for the week. Is there something you would like me to do extra, tomorrow?”

  “I can’t think of anything.” He looked at her. “Will you be going to the concert?”

  “Yes, I’m going with a friend.”

  “Good, I’m sure I’ll see you there.” He smiled at her.

  The way he was staring at her was unnerving. She stood up before he could say anything else. “I’ll look for you tomorrow.” She walked out of his office, got her belongings, and left the church.

  On the way home, she tried to figure out why Pastor Rick made her so uncomfortable. She couldn’t put her finger on the exact reason. The whole package just seemed to bother her, and for a moment there, she had a feeling he had wanted to ask her out. That was so not a good idea on so many levels.

  What in the world was wrong with the men here? Matt was sort of a jerk, and yet she found him intriguing. Rick was a little too slick, and there was something else. Dylan was nice, but Katie was pretty gone on him.

  She had just turned on Blue Iris Lane when her phone rang. She pulled over and answered it. “Hi, this is Jessie.”

  “Jessie, this Mrs. Bradley. My husband and I would like to meet with you on Saturday. The kids will be gone at lunch time. Would that work for you?”

  “That would be great. I appreciate having a chance to talk with you both. I’ll see you Saturday at noon.”

  How was she ever going to tell Gina’s parents that Gina was the one orchestrating all of this?

  ****

  So many questions and very few answers. She changed into her running clothes and hit the path to the marina. Hello Mr. and Mrs. Bradley, I’m not a crazy person, really. She smiled. Your dead daughter is coming to me for help. Strange, you’ve got that right! No, please, don’t call the police. I’m actually sane. Jessie nodded at several other runners along the path. Running usually helped to clear her mind. She hoped in worked tonight.

  There had to be a reason Matt wouldn’t tell her much about the murder. She had searched the public record and news articles earlier and hadn’t found much information. Something more was going on, and instinct told her to keep searching, for the second story beyond the story. How many layers would she find? One thing she knew for sure. This was not a simple murder case.

  Chapter Five

  It was the day of the concert, and Jessie hoped the day would go fast. No such luck. She waited for someone, anyone to stop by so she could ask questions about Gina, but there was no one. Not Melinda, not even Gina. She tapped her pencil on the desk to a catchy tune in her head. She doodled on her note pad and watched the clock. Lunch came, went, and still no one stopped by. She talked to Katie, cleaned out her files, and reorganized her drawers. Could there be a slower day? Her eyes glanced over and over at the slow moving hands on the clock. The silence in the building was almost maddening. Where was everyone today? Probably at the park already, but here she sat.

  Finally, when it was almost five, she jumped out of her chair tidying the office. Another glance, it was five straight up and she was done. Jessie changed into her favorite jeans and T-shirt, locked the church, and walked out to her car. With the top down and tunes playing in the background, she made the turn onto Blue Cove Drive, around the curve. She passed the village shops, the cove and marina, and made the left turn toward the old town square.

  It was hard to believe she had been here only a few weeks. All the strange incidents had completely taken her out of her normal routine. Telling Katie about Gina was a no-brainer. She needed to tell someone, and maybe Katie could help her make sense of it. If not, at least they could have a good laugh.

  Making her way to the public parking across from the town square, she slipped her car into a parking space, put up the top, and locked it as she got out. With a couple of hours yet to go until the concert, a pretty large crowd had already gathered. The park was filled with activity, bringing a smile to her face as she crossed the street.

  An animated volleyball game was in the works with intermittent cheers and high fives. On the other side of the park, a loud rowdy group of guys played flag football, punctuated by some colorful language and coarse remarks. So that’s what it would be like to have brothers. She grinned.

  The grassy area in front of the stage was filled with people on lawn chairs and blankets, already staking their claims for a choice spot. It was obvious that the town showed up in force to celebrate the coming of summer. Jessie loved it.

  Standing at the park’s entrance, she glanced back and forth through the gathering crowd, looking for Katie. Jessie spied her in a perfect spot, not too far from the stage with her blanket spread and picnic basket beside her. As she made her way toward Katie, Molly stopped her.

  “Hey, Jessie, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Kenny.” Molly’s eyes lit up as she introduced him.

  “Hi, Kenny, it’s nice to meet you.” Jessie extended her hand and smiled.

  “Molly told me you’re the new secretary at the church where the young pastor was murdered.” He grabbed her hand in his, pumping it, his blue eyes lighting up his face. “How do you like working there?

  “I’m enjoying it so far.” She shifted her weight to the other leg. Jessie liked him instantly, punk hair and all. She could tell by the way he looked at Molly that he was in love with her.

  “Molly told me it gives her the creeps just thinking about it. She could never work there.” He smiled showing off two big dimples.

  “Gina used to come into Joe’s almost every day. She was such a sweet lady.” She gave Kenny a playful push. “I was so sad when they found her murdered, that’s the real reason I couldn’t ever work there. Plus, I’ve heard stories about people seeing her around the church and cemetery. I think that’s a little creepy, although I’ve never seen her. Have you?”

  “I actually like working there. The people are nice. The writer in me likes the strange and unusual that comes with a good story.” She evaded the question and before they could ask her more, she added, “I need to find Katie. It was great seeing you, Molly. Enjoy the concert.” She waved as she walked away.

  She had thought Molly had a lot of ink and piercings, but Kenny might actually have more. In some weird way they made a cute couple.

  Winding her way through the crowd, she heard someone calling her name. She traced the sound to Reba who was waving Jessie over in her direction. Sitting on her lawn chair, dressed in a floral sundress, she looked like a queen holding court. Next to her was her prince, a very handsome, distinguished man with a head of salt and pepper hair. He had a kind face, smiling eyes that never stopped watching Reba as she spoke to Jessie.

 
“Hi, Jessie, dear, this lovely man is Lawrence. He’s been the man in my life since I was fifteen.” She patted his hand and smiled at him.

  He stood to meet Jessie. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Thomas.”

  “Lawrence, please, and the pleasure is all mine. My wife has told me so much about you, and you’re just as she described. You have nothing to fret about, young lady, for she told me only good things about you.” He smiled at her.

  “I told him you reminded me of myself when I was younger. I was ahead of my time you know. I was a strong, independent woman, working my way in a man’s world and having to fight every step of the way.”

  Jessie thought Reba sounded just like her Grandma Sadie.

  “She’s always been one feisty woman, which has kept me at her side for all these years.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

  “We won’t keep you, Jessie, but I wanted you to meet Lawrence, and I wanted him to see our famous Jessie who lights up a room and showers everyone with kindness.”

  “The rumor is you can walk on water.” Lawrence winked at her as he sat back down in his chair.

  Jessie laughed and continued to smile as she walked toward Katie.

  “What’s got you smiling?” Katie asked as she patted the ground beside her for Jessie to sit down.

  “I spent a few minutes with Reba and Lawrence Thomas. She always cheers me up.”

  “Don’t you think she’s a little weird? It’s like she knows what you’re going to say before you say it.”

  “Eccentric maybe, but she’s definitely not weird. I think they’re a very handsome couple.” Jessie sat down and watched the crowd around her.

  Everywhere she looked she saw smiling, happy faces, people greeting each other, and picnic baskets on blankets. This was how you were meant to spend an early summer’s evening.

  Not one black rain cloud loomed as a threat to what had to be the perfect summer night. The band was setting up, doing microphone checks, and tuning their instruments; children were running around the blankets with laughs and giggles intermingled with a few cries. She could get used to this lifestyle.