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“Vincent told me to my face that he wanted me out of town I’m sure he or Marsha or someone in that family is responsible With Uncle Pauley asto take me seriously?”

Arabella placed sliers on her forearm “You’re welcome to stay with us”

“You have your hands full enough Besides I have ht next door I’ll be okay” The words were brave, but anxiety knotted beneath her breastbone What if Gabe was right? What if soe’s inheritance?

A shiver snaked down her spine but before she could dwell on the worry, Reverend West, a large, forty-soroup to order

“Thank you for coroup who’s willing to donate tiood of others The Bible tells us in Matthew chapter twenty-five that anything we do for those less fortunate is the sa about that, don’t you?” A wide, warathered volunteers Across the room, people nodded or smiled in response

A good feeling filled Brooke in a way she hadn’t felt in a long tilad she’d come Maybe she could volunteer for the help hotline or to clean the church She wouldn’tas AJ could go along

She looked around to see the little boy playing with a group of children, including Arabella’s triplets and a chubby blond girl of grade-school age Jas out some of Arabella’s oatmeal cookies Brooke relaxed, comfortable that AJ was safely in the care of someone else for a while

When she returned her attention to the pastor, the volunteers were breaking into groups

“What are we doing?” she murmured to the woman beside her

“Coh her blue eyes studied Brooke intensely “Do you have a preference? By the way, I’m Darlene Perry, the church secretary”

The nah her memory to place the woo, but she was definitely a local When the name clicked, pity stirred in Brooke Darlene Perry had once been a very pretty woile to hold a job Coh neatly curved around her thin face, had no sheen, and her eyes were dull, lines radiating froh she worried a lot Brooke suspected the woman wasn’t well

“I’m Brooke Clayton”