wanted to ask you about your nephew Clyde.”
The expression on Dolly’s face changed. “What has he been up to now?”
“I’m not sure,” Mama answered. “But I’d like to talk to him. I stopped by his house on Sunday afternoon. Somebody was at home. I know because I heard the voice of the person who called off an attack from a German shepherd. Simone and I waited for a good while, but nobody ever came out of the house.”
“I’m surprised that dog didn’t tear you to pieces.”
“He almost did,” Mama admitted. “Still, I didn’t get a chance to talk to Clyde.”
“You think he had something to do with that girl they found dead, don’t you?”
“He threatened her quite a bit.”
The frown in Dolly’s forehead deepened. “Clyde didn’t hurt that girl. After all she’d done to him, his heart wouldn’t let him do her any harm!”
“If Clyde doesn’t have anything to hide there’s no reason he wouldn’t want to talk to us.”
“He’s done already talked to Abe and that man from Columbia.”
“When?”
“Yesterday,” Dolly told us. “That deputy, Rick Martin, caught up with Clyde and took him to jail. Abe and the man from Columbia talked with him but they decidedhe ain’t had nothing to do with that girl’s murder. Clyde told them he wasn’t nowhere near Otis all last week. My brother’s wife has a sister in North Carolina who is dying with cancer. Clyde left here last Sunday to go see her, and he didn’t get back to town until late Saturday night. Miss Candi, I know Clyde did something our family ain’t proud of, but he wouldn’t have hurt that girl.”
“He threatened her.”
“He just wanted to scare her. Besides,” Dolly argued, “Clyde wasn’t the only one that girl’s wagging tongue hurt. I overheard two of the teachers talking in the lounge. It seems that Brenda Long sent a letter to the school board saying that one of the teachers was selling drugs to the students. Now, if I was that teacher, I’d certainly want to stop talk like that,
don’t you think?”
Mama looked interested. Dolly’s story corroborated what Sarah had told us the night before.
Dolly continued. “I don’t know who that teacher selling drugs is, but I’ve got an idea. If she didn’t do the killing herself, I bet she knows exactly who did.”
“Do you have a teacher in mind?” Mama asked. “Why do you say
she
? Is it a woman?”
“Mind you, this is only speculation—I ain’t got no evidence to prove me right. If I give you a name, you promise not to put it to me or what we’re talking about?”
Mama nodded.
Dolly whispered a few words in Mama’s ear.
“Like I told you, Candi, I ain’t got no proof it’s her. It’s just that I’ve seen something that I don’t quite understand. Now, I know I ain’t had the education like the teachers, but I’ve got common sense, don’t you think?”
“Yes,” Mama agreed.
“Common sense tells me that I’ve seen this person do something that doesn’t sit right.”
“What did you see?”
“You promise not to get me involved?”
“I promise.”
“If I was a high school teacher, I’d think twice about having a good time at night with one of my students.”
“Are you talking about a teacher enjoying a basketball or football game with a student?”
“I’m talking about partying down with liquor and other stuff at a club not twenty miles this side of Columbia. Now, I ain’t saying I saw her sell anything but I know for a fact she was acting like she was
stoned
on something!”
“Did you tell Abe this?”
Dolly became apprehensive. “No, and if you tell him what I just told you, I’ll deny saying it. This is my job. I ain’t about to accuse somebody of something that might make me lose it.”
“Listen,” Mama said gently. “I’ll pay this teacher a little visit, just to talk to her. I won’t mention your name or what you just told me. If I find somethingout, I won’t let Abe know you put me on to it. How does
The expression on Dolly’s face changed. “What has he been up to now?”
“I’m not sure,” Mama answered. “But I’d like to talk to him. I stopped by his house on Sunday afternoon. Somebody was at home. I know because I heard the voice of the person who called off an attack from a German shepherd. Simone and I waited for a good while, but nobody ever came out of the house.”
“I’m surprised that dog didn’t tear you to pieces.”
“He almost did,” Mama admitted. “Still, I didn’t get a chance to talk to Clyde.”
“You think he had something to do with that girl they found dead, don’t you?”
“He threatened her quite a bit.”
The frown in Dolly’s forehead deepened. “Clyde didn’t hurt that girl. After all she’d done to him, his heart wouldn’t let him do her any harm!”
“If Clyde doesn’t have anything to hide there’s no reason he wouldn’t want to talk to us.”
“He’s done already talked to Abe and that man from Columbia.”
“When?”
“Yesterday,” Dolly told us. “That deputy, Rick Martin, caught up with Clyde and took him to jail. Abe and the man from Columbia talked with him but they decidedhe ain’t had nothing to do with that girl’s murder. Clyde told them he wasn’t nowhere near Otis all last week. My brother’s wife has a sister in North Carolina who is dying with cancer. Clyde left here last Sunday to go see her, and he didn’t get back to town until late Saturday night. Miss Candi, I know Clyde did something our family ain’t proud of, but he wouldn’t have hurt that girl.”
“He threatened her.”
“He just wanted to scare her. Besides,” Dolly argued, “Clyde wasn’t the only one that girl’s wagging tongue hurt. I overheard two of the teachers talking in the lounge. It seems that Brenda Long sent a letter to the school board saying that one of the teachers was selling drugs to the students. Now, if I was that teacher, I’d certainly want to stop talk like that,
don’t you think?”
Mama looked interested. Dolly’s story corroborated what Sarah had told us the night before.
Dolly continued. “I don’t know who that teacher selling drugs is, but I’ve got an idea. If she didn’t do the killing herself, I bet she knows exactly who did.”
“Do you have a teacher in mind?” Mama asked. “Why do you say
she
? Is it a woman?”
“Mind you, this is only speculation—I ain’t got no evidence to prove me right. If I give you a name, you promise not to put it to me or what we’re talking about?”
Mama nodded.
Dolly whispered a few words in Mama’s ear.
“Like I told you, Candi, I ain’t got no proof it’s her. It’s just that I’ve seen something that I don’t quite understand. Now, I know I ain’t had the education like the teachers, but I’ve got common sense, don’t you think?”
“Yes,” Mama agreed.
“Common sense tells me that I’ve seen this person do something that doesn’t sit right.”
“What did you see?”
“You promise not to get me involved?”
“I promise.”
“If I was a high school teacher, I’d think twice about having a good time at night with one of my students.”
“Are you talking about a teacher enjoying a basketball or football game with a student?”
“I’m talking about partying down with liquor and other stuff at a club not twenty miles this side of Columbia. Now, I ain’t saying I saw her sell anything but I know for a fact she was acting like she was
stoned
on something!”
“Did you tell Abe this?”
Dolly became apprehensive. “No, and if you tell him what I just told you, I’ll deny saying it. This is my job. I ain’t about to accuse somebody of something that might make me lose it.”
“Listen,” Mama said gently. “I’ll pay this teacher a little visit, just to talk to her. I won’t mention your name or what you just told me. If I find somethingout, I won’t let Abe know you put me on to it. How does
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