Page 63 of Fatal Mistake
“I don’t mind at all.” A look of resolve very similar to the one Tara often wore narrowed June’s eyes. “But please have a seat. You standing there all agent-like is making me nervous.”
Cal would rather stand where he had a better view of the outside, but Kaci and Shane had his back, and making June uncomfortable wouldn’t help her open up. He dropped onto a worn recliner across from the sofa.
She began describing the day, and Tara listened with rapt interest though June had talked about the pump house events with Tara at the hospital before she’d taken off. Cal hung on June’s every word, too, but when she’d finished her story, she hadn’t added anything new.
“I know Oren is still engaged in horrible things,” she continued. “But I have to say it’s been weird not having him around.”
“From what you told me, you spent a lot of time with him,” Cal said.
“After his mother passed, I stepped in as a surrogate. We often ate dinner together, and he’d talk about his day at work.” She frowned. “He hated his job and thought assembling security systems was beneath him. He said one day he would do something powerful that changed the world.” She twisted her hands together in her lap. “I thought he meant finally going back to college to finish his degree.”
“It was unfortunate that he had to drop out when his dad died,” Tara said. “Maybe if Oren had been able to get a degree, things would be different now.”
June nodded. “But even if he didn’t go back, he could’ve used the knowledge he gained in electrical engineering to do something to make the world a better place. Not start building bombs.” June shifted her focus to Cal. “Do you think this had to do with losing his parents or the farm?”
Cal shook his head but chose not to mention the connection to Tara. If she wanted June to know, she could tell her.
“Cal thinks it’s about me, Aunt June, and he knows I already feel guilty, so he’s being kind and not mentioning it.” Tara caught his gaze and smiled a thank-you at him before explaining to her aunt about rejecting Oren.
June clutched Tara’s arm. “I don’t get why you and Oren didn’t mention it to me.”
“I didn’t because, honestly, it wasn’t big news for me.” Tara sighed. “I guess Oren kept quiet because he was embarrassed.”
“Did you notice a change in his behavior at the time?” Cal asked.
June stared off into the distance. “Now that you mention it, he didn’t come to dinner as often after that, and he spent more time alone.” She shook her head and exhaled hard. “What do you suppose will become of the things he put in my safe?”
Interest piqued, Cal sat forward. “I don’t recall you mentioning a safe.”
June waved a hand. “It’s just some old family jewelry that doesn’t have any real value.”
“Can I see it?”
“Sure, but I don’t see how an old ring and necklace could be related your investigation.”
Cal came to his feet. “Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”
“Okay.” She stood. “The safe’s in the office. I’ll be right back.”
When she’d left the room, Tara got up and crossed to Cal. “You think the necklace has to do with why he chose necklace bombs?”
“If it has any family significance, yes, but otherwise it may be a coincidence,” he replied, though a coincidence in an investigation rarely turned out to be one.
Tara crossed her arms. “I wish Oren hadn’t involved June in this mess. She wouldn’t hurt anyone and doesn’t deserve this treatment.”
He met her gaze and held it. “You don’t deserve it either.”
She opened her mouth to say something, but June returned, taking Tara’s attention. Her aunt held a cloth bag with a drawstring top made from flowery quilted fabric.
“This bag belonged to Oren’s mother.” She pulled the drawstring open, revealing a flannel lining with pockets. “It was filled with jewelry when she passed. Oren and I went through it together, but he only kept two pieces.”
She reached inside, drew out an opal ring, and handed it to Cal.
He turned it around in his fingers but found no inscription in the gold or anything unusual about it, for that matter.
June dug into the bag again. “The necklace has a lovely cameo. His mother used to wear it to church quite often. In fact, she was wearing it when the car crash took her life.”
She lifted the beaded necklace from the bag and ran the black agate beads mixed with sepia-toned metal beads through her fingers. The cameo dangled from the beads, facing away from them.
