“Yes, but the Methodist church faces the town square,” I said. “Not exactly the place I’d pick to unload several hundred contraband ducks. Way too public and visible.”

“No,” she said, with a note of excitement in her voice. “But a church at the edge of town, whose parking lot is completely hidden from the road by trees…”

“Exactly.”

“And besides,” she said. “St. Byblig’s has a loading dock.”

“It does?”

“No idea why, but it’s quite useful,” she said. “That’s why they’re the central distribution point for the county food bank—it’s so easy to load and unload. I’ve put a loading dock down as a feature we’d like at New Life next time we do a little expansion and remodeling. It would make handling the choir equipment a lot easier.”

“So once they got into St. Byblig’s, they could just drive up to the loading dock, herd the ducks out, and drive off,” I said. “Maybe it was the target after all, because of the loading dock.”

“Very interesting.” She looked preoccupied.

“I should be heading out,” I said. “If I stay much longer, someone will force me to sew, and I’d hate to ruin any of that beautiful fabric. But if you happen to talk to Henry, remind him that I have some information for him. About the case,” I added.

“Will do,” she said. “Thanks again for the use of the room.”

I headed back to the foyer. But before I left the long hallway, I heard the library door open. Minerva stepped out into the hallway, closed the door after her, and raised her cell phone to her ear.

The chief had probably already thought of everything we’d been discussing. And maybe he hadn’t called me back because he knew what I had to say—I might not be the only one who had overheard Ronnie and Caleb. But just in case he hadn’t, it wouldn’t hurt to have Minerva remind him to call me.

Chapter 18

Lunch was pleasant, if a little chaotic. Unfortunately one of the interesting facts Grandfather had told the boys about ducks was that having no teeth, they swallowed bits of grit to help grind up their food. I could tell the boys were eager to experiment with this, but fortunately our gravel driveway was currently covered with snow. Perhaps they’d forget by the time the weather warmed up.