Chapter 6

The morning of the funeral, Jenny got up before the sun and sat on the front porch. She made herself a hot coffee but it sat untouched on the small table beside her.

She couldn't believe she was about to attend the funeral of her best friend. It was all such a dreadful turn of events, and she found herself wishing she had been more of a friend over the past few months.

Her new life had kept her insanely busy. Her magazine career had skyrocketed in the past few months, and it consumed her every moment, leaving no time to be social or tend to old friendships. In fact, she could clearly recall at least one time when she had purposely ignored Chloe's call.

She had been absorbed in her work and eager to meet an editor's deadline. She jotted down a note on her memo pad return Chloe’s call, but she never did, and now she never could.

Jenny had never once considered what would happen if she lost Chloe. Her parents died in a car accident when she and Joey were young and the grandparents that had taken them in immediately after the accident dies, one after the other, during her college years.

She thought she was done with losing loved ones. It never occurred to her that she would lose someone her own age. Someone with so much life left in her.

Life and death were so unpredictable.

The funeral itself was a small affair. There was a handful of guests in attendance, mostly townspeople who had known Chloe. Three or four old friends from their high school days had also returned to Ombrea for the memorial.

Having been a year ahead in school, she barely knew them, but they spoke of Chloe fondly, and Jenny enjoyed listening to their stories of time spent with her. She couldn't help but feel out of place amongst them. They seemed to know more about her sister-in-law than she did.

A few of Ombrea's police officers also attended the funeral. Chief Cartright’s towering figure stood out among the rest. Jenny felt his steely gaze on her more than once at the service.

The officers stood away from the crowd, speaking amongst each other.

Jenny kept a watchful eye on Isabelle through it all. The young child had been especially close with Norma, the Dales’ elderly neighbor, and so the pair of them sat together, Jenny a stranger at their side as they talked and reminisced together. It was Norma who Isabelle turned to for a hug when the memorial got to be too much. Jenny simply clasped her hands in her lap and allowed Isabelle her comfort and grief. Today would not be a day for bonding.

In order to prepare herself mentally and emotionally, Jenny made sure she was the last one to speak at the funeral. She kept her story short, bringing up long-forgotten memories of her time with Chloe. Each memory was more painful than the last, and she had her head bowed to hide her tears from the room of strangers.

Embarrassed and hurting, she lingered close to Chloe's grave and away from the others. She watched in silence as her friend was carefully lowered into the ground. It didn't seem real, she thought, as she dropped a handful of dirt in on top of the coffin and said her final goodbyes. It couldn't be real.

Following the ceremony, the attendees began to socialize, Isabelle and Norma included. Jenny was an outsider and made no effort to bridge any gaps.

She could feel their eyes on her as they no doubt discussed the horrific circumstances of Chloe’s death. She knew she longed for the streets of the city from whence she’d been torn – nameless, faceless, anonymous.

This town was suffocating. A person couldn’t leave the house without everyone holding an opinion on where he’d come from, why he’d been there, and where he was going.

The crowd dispersed to their cars in small waves. They would be heading to Norma’s where a wake would be held. Jenny held back from the rest, allowing Isabelle to leave with Norma who provided the support she obviously needed at this difficult time.

Jenny was alone. She was in no mood for awkward small talk, egg salad sandwiches and tea. She wanted nothing more than to head back to the Dale house where she could crawl under the covers and hide for the rest of the day, but the judging mourners would no doubt find her absence offensive. She’d be damned if she went and damned if she didn’t. They had already made up their minds about her.

As she stood there trying to gain the courage to go to the wake, she sensed that someone was watching her. Turning her head toward the church she saw a tall figure dressed in faded jeans and an old army-green jacket.

Jenny took a quick look around to see if anyone else had noticed Roy standing there before heading in his direction.

“You shouldn't be here, Roy,” she told him.

She kept a careful eye on the small group of officers who were still deep in discussion at their vehicles.

“You have a lot of nerve showing up at Chloe’s grave. You have to leave immediately.”

Roy stuck his hands into the pockets of his old combat jacket.

“I came here because I figured I would give you another chance to hear me out. Three days seemed like enough time for you to come to your senses. ”

“Why show up here asking for a second chance to plead your case?” she asked incredulously as she placed her hands on her hips.

“You’re a real piece of work, Dale. Are you honestly going to stand there and tell me that you’re okay to let your brother rot in jail for a crime he didn't commit? You’ve decided his guilt, and you’re too stubborn to even entertain the thought that he may have been set up?”

“By whom?” she cut in.

She raised her voice, her temper flaring. This jerk really did bring out the worst in her.

“Who in this back-ass town would have any reason to set up my brother?”

Roy jerked his head toward the group of officers who, thankfully, had not noticed his presence. Jenny could only imagine what would happen if they did discover he had come to the grave, especially after everything Chief Cartright had told her the last time she had brought Roy up in conversation.

She crossed her arms across her chest.

“You have got to be kidding me. You just can't stop this crazy train, can you?”

“Is my theory that farfetched, considering the rumors already going around town?”

Roy turned his back on her and began walking off between the headstones.

Jenny hesitated for a moment, her anger and frustration rooting her to the ground. She didn't believe him even for a second. She couldn't believe him. And yet, something made her doubt her once solid beliefs.

Joey had immediately owned up to every one of his crimes in the past. It was as if he took pride in them. Why hadn’t he admitted to this one too?

Jenny hadn’t spoken to her younger brother since his arrest and her arrival back in town. In fact, she hadn't seen him at all in at least two years. Visiting him now in his jail cell had just seemed unnecessary.

But Roy's words struck a raw nerve in her, and she wanted to know what he had meant by “rumors.”

Jenny took one last look over her shoulder before rushing after him.