"How do you get all that from what she just said?" Alex asked.

Sandra was saved an answer by the arrival of their food. She managed to steer their conversation in a thousand directions, all of them directly away from Elise Danton.

After they'd eaten, Alex said, "Sandra, I need to ask you something. Do you really think Armstrong's going to arrest Bill Yadkin for the murder?"

Sandra said, "I gave up trying to figure our sheriff out long ago." She lowered her voice as she added, "I shouldn't say this, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least. I'm afraid Bill's temper is going to be his downfall." As she pulled her check from the two on the table, Sandra said, "Alex, I don't know how well you two know each other, but he needs every friend he's got right now."

She stood beside the table, and before walking to the register, Sandra added, "Alex, for your sake, I do hope Elise comes back soon. I really mean it. I know how much you miss her."

"Thanks," Alex said, amazed that Sandra was being so adult about it all. After all, he'd been the one to break their relationship off, one of the reasons being so he could pursue something with Elise. Though that hadn't materialized, Alex knew the breakup had still hurt Sandra's feelings. As he paid his own check, Alex wondered if Sandra did indeed think Elise was gone for good.

It could be she was just being gracious in her victory.

Alex decided to take Sandra's advice and pop in on Bill Yadkin before heading back to the inn.

He heard angry voices coming from the shop in back of the man's house when he arrived. Calling it a shop was quite generous. The blacksmith's building was in stark contrast with the modern efficiency of Jefferson Lee's workplace. Bill's equipment could have been taken from a smithy a hundred years before, with ma.s.sive leather bellows by his forge and a faded black anvil that looked ancient to Alex. No fire was burning in the forge, though. All of the heat was coming from Bill Yadkin as he argued with Rachel Seabock.

"I don't care. Do you hear me?" Bill shouted, the words dying as he spotted Alex behind him. "What do you want?"

"I thought you might need a friend about now," Alex said gently.

Rachel snapped, "Alex, you try pounding some sense into him, he won't listen to me."

Alex saw that the young blacksmith had a bag by his side, obviously full of clothes and some of his most precious tools. "Going somewhere, Bill?"

"I'm getting as far away from Elkton Falls as I can, if it's any of your business!"

Rachel snapped, "Bill! He just wants to help!"

Bill Yadkin threw a set of metal pincers down on his anvil so hard the steel rang. "That's the trouble with this place! Everybody just wants to help. Why don't you people get it through your thick skulls? I don't need any help!"

Alex said calmly, "The biggest mistake you can make in the world right now is running away. I'll wait until you finish your little tantrum before I tell you why." He pointed to a bucket of water beside the anvil. "Why don't you soak your head in that bucket for a while until you cool off?"

Alex fought the fear in him as the blacksmith's strong hands twisted a knot in the handle of his bag. There was a rage and an energy in the young blacksmith that was truly frightening, but Alex knew if he showed the slightest sign of weakness, it could spell disaster.

Rachel started to say something, then thought better of it and remained mute.

It took a few moments, but Bill's anger suddenly dissipated. "Yeah, maybe you're right. A good soaking might do me some good. So why shouldn't I leave before that k.n.o.bby-kneed sheriff throws me in jail?"

"If you run, it's just going to look like you really did kill Jefferson Lee. There's a lot of anger in you, isn't there?"

"I've got a temper, I'm the first to admit it, but I'd never kill anyone. I swear it."

For some reason he couldn't fathom, Alex believed him. He knew he could easily be wrong, but his gut was telling him that the young blacksmith was telling the truth.

Rachel said, "Bill, don't you see that Alex is right? You can't run away from this. I'll stay by your side; you know it's true."

Yadkin put a powerful hand on her shoulder. "I know you will, Rachel. It's just so frustrating. Everybody in town thinks I'm a killer."

"Not everybody," Alex said. "You've got Rachel and me on your side."

Bill nodded. "I thank you for that, Alex. Maybe you're right."

Alex looked at him and grinned. "Maybe?"

Bill chuckled at that. "Okay, I admit it, you're right. Alex, I'm sorry I snapped at you. You didn't do a thing in the world to deserve it." He held out a meaty paw, and Alex took it. There was power to crush in that grip, but Bill's clasp stopped at a firm warmth.

"I guess I'd better unpack this stuff before Armstrong comes along and gets the wrong idea."

"I'll be inside in a second," Rachel said as Bill Yadkin headed back into his modest house.

"Alex, I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along when you did."

"I'm glad I could help." He looked back toward the house. "Is he going to be all right?"

"I think so. I've been trying to get him to think straight since all this mess started, but that's the first time I've seen the man I care about since Jefferson Lee's murder. Alex, do you really believe him? It's important that I know you're not just saying it to keep him in town."

"I'll be honest with you, Rachel, I couldn't give you a reason that would stand up in a court of law, but I do think he's telling the truth. I'm worried, though. If he doesn't get that temper under control, it could be bad news for him. I'm not trying to scare you, but you know it's the truth."

"I'm working on it, Alex. That's all I can do." She squeezed his hand lightly as she added, "Honestly, you men are so hard to train."

"Yes, but we're worth the effort, aren't we?" Alex said with a smile.

"Sometimes," Rachel admitted as she headed for the house.

Alex had gone around town searching for answers, but he hadn't learned anything new. Something was niggling at the back of his mind; the only problem was, he couldn't put his finger on what it was.

Alex wanted to talk to Shantara again.

Maybe chewing things over with his old friend would jar something loose.

At that point, it was the best he could hope for.

As Alex walked toward Shantara's store, he had the distinct feeling that someone was watching him. Trying to be cool, he looked over his shoulder, but he couldn't see a soul paying him any attention at all.

Chiding himself for his overactive imagination, Alex hurried his pace nevertheless.

Chapter 21.

"Hey, anybody here?" Alex called out as he walked into Shantara's store.

"I'm over here," she said, and Alex followed her voice to the craft corner. Shantara was trying to hang a large, woven shawl on a hanger from a high nail. The handwork was obviously one of Jenny's latest bright creations.

Alex said, "Let me help you with that."

She said haughtily, "Just because you're a man doesn't mean you can do something I can't, Alex Winston."

He plucked the hanger from Shantara's hands and eased it over the nail. "It's not because I'm a man; it's because I'm taller than you are."

She wrinkled her nose at him, then said with a smile, "Okay, maybe I overreacted. I'm still walking on eggsh.e.l.ls around here, hoping n.o.body finds out my connection with Jefferson Lee." For once the store was empty, so Shantara had no reason to lower her voice.

Even Marcie was gone, no doubt enjoying some well-earned vacation time.

Alex asked, "Is that shawl new? I don't think I've seen it here before."

Shantara said, "Rachel had it on approval, but she didn't want it. Why, I'll never know, especially at the discount she gets."

"Why does she rate a discount on Jenny Harris's handwork?"

Shantara explained, "All of the crafters at the fair formed a little friendly circle long ago, even Jefferson Lee. They can buy each other's wares at half the retail price. I guess it's a way for them to support each other's work. Jenny told me last week she spent too much money this month at Bill Yadkin's shop, even with her discount. She's been hanging curtains in her house, and you should see the ironwork that girl has on display."

Shantara looked longingly at the shawl and said, "You know, it's ironic. I sell these things, but I can't afford them."

Alex said, "Why don't you treat yourself? You told me you made enough from the fair to more than get you out of the hole."

Shantara looked at the shawl and said, "Would you mind getting it back down?"

Alex retrieved the shawl and ceremoniously wrapped it around Shantara's shoulders. "I have to admit that it looks awfully good on you."

Shantara said, "Why, Alex, it's such a generous gift. You shouldn't have."

Alex laughed as he looked at the extravagant price printed heavily on the tag. "I didn't. Maybe I'd better go ahead and hang it back up."

She pulled away from him. "No, I think I'll take your advice and buy this for myself." She winked as she added, "Maybe I can talk Jenny into extending her discount to me just this once. I make a profit on everything I sell for the crafters, but it's certainly not half."

Alex said, "I'm here for a reason besides your sunny presence. I want to ask you something."

"Fire away."

As Shantara moved to dust some of Marilynn and Craig's pottery on the shelf, Alex said, "I keep coming back to the reason Jefferson Lee was killed, and I can't understand something. You've been around these crafters longer than I have. Do you think Craig Monroe would kill Jefferson if he found out the man was having an affair with his wife?"

Shantara frowned, but she showed no shock from the news.

"So you know about that, too," Alex added gently.

"I'm afraid everyone in our little circle did. Craig confronted Jefferson right after he found out. I was there, along with the other crafters. It got ugly, but their confrontation never came to blows. Alex, to be honest with you, Craig Monroe would do a great many things to make Jefferson Lee's life miserable, but I can't imagine him killing him."

"Could you be wrong?" Alex asked.

"I could be, but I don't think so. I'm not saying he couldn't kill Jefferson, but he wouldn't use an iron skewer; he'd be more likely to attack the man with his fists, if you want my opinion. Did I say something wrong?" Shantara asked when she saw the frown on Alex's face.

"No, I had a thought, but now it's gone. Okay, if Jefferson wasn't killed for compet.i.tion or love or money, why was he killed?"

"Just because you've ruled out a motive for one suspect doesn't mean you can't apply it to a different person. There was a lot Jefferson Lee was keeping close to the vest. I can't prove it, but there's no doubt in my mind that he had more than one girlfriend when he was murdered."

Suddenly it struck home, that elusive clue he'd been grasping for. That was the key Alex had been trying to get his hands on!

He enveloped Shantara in his arms and lifted her off the ground in a hug.

"What was that for?" she asked when he put her back down.

"You just gave me the last piece of the puzzle I needed. I know who murdered Jefferson Lee."

"Don't keep it to yourself. Who did it?"

Alex backed down from the strength of his earlier statement. "Knowing it is one thing. Proving it will be something else entirely."

"So tell me your suspicions. I don't mind a little idle gossip."

Alex shook his head. "Shantara, what if I'm wrong? I'm not going to smear a good name any more than I have to. I've got to dig a little deeper before I'm ready to share my theories with anyone else."

As he was leaving, Shantara called out, "Just don't dig too deeply, Alex. You don't want to end up digging your own grave."

As Alex left the shop, a thousand thoughts boiled over in his mind. Did he have enough evidence to go to the sheriff? Did he have any choice? What if his delay caused another murder?

No, he couldn't live with that.

Ready or not, Alex had to find the sheriff and tell him who the real murderer was, before they could strike again.

Alex searched all over Elkton Falls for Sheriff Armstrong. The dispatch office wasn't any help at all. The sheriff was off on two hours of personal time, and he couldn't be disturbed, even if Alex could get the dispatcher to admit knowing where Armstrong was.

Alex decided to ask for Dave Jeffries instead. After all, he knew Dave well enough to tell him his suspicions. Unfortunately, the deputy was out of the office and couldn't be reached, either. Alex wondered who was protecting the citizens of Elkton Falls if the sheriff and his best deputy were out of touch. He finally left a message requesting that the sheriff or the deputy come to Hatteras West as soon as they could get there. Until then, all Alex could do was wait.

Driving to the inn, Alex was glad to be heading back home. The Hatteras West was his harbor in a world gone mad, the only place he truly felt safe.

As Alex walked in through the front door, he saw Jenny Harris standing behind the desk going through his guest book.

As he tried to back out of the room, she held a gun up and said, "Come on, Alex. Things are just getting interesting. You don't want to leave now, do you?"

With a gun pointed at him, Alex gained little satisfaction in knowing that his suspicions had been right.

Alex said, "There's a part of me that still can't believe you killed Jefferson Lee. You had to be insane to get the strength to skewer him to the post like that."

Her voice was calm and reasonable as she explained, "You've obviously never wrestled a heavy maple weaving frame around. I'm a lot stronger than you could ever imagine, Alex."

"What about the murder weapon? Was it one of Bill Yadkin's pieces?"

"Hardly. The swooping design on the end of the shaft was easy enough for Jefferson to duplicate. He'd done it as one final favor if I promised to leave him alone after that. I told him it had to match a set Bill had made, and that his younger compet.i.tion had claimed Jefferson didn't have the skill to match it. It was that simple. How delightful I ended up using it on him."

"What about the postcard I found in Jefferson's room? That was from you, wasn't it? I saw how heavily you pressed down on the pen when you wrote it, then I saw the same thing on one of your price tags at Shantara's store."

Jenny's voice was filled with disdain. "Of course it was from me. When I found you'd made copies of it, I knew you were on my trail. What happened to the original?"