address.
“ I reside at 511 North Peachtree Way.” She started to sit back in her chair, then leaned forward again, and added, “That’s in Henclip.”
“ Your Honor, for the record, let me state that Henclip is approximately 129 miles from Goose Pimple Junction,” the attorney said.
“ So noted,” the judge replied.
“ And were you in Henclip on March ninth of this year?” he asked her.
“ Yes, I was,” she answered, smacking her gum loudly.
“ Who were you with on that day in Henclip?”
“ I was with Roddy Pierce.” Whispers spread through the courtroom.
“ All day?”
“ Why, yes.”
The county attorney took over questioning and asked the witness, “What time were you with Rod Pierce on March ninth, Miss Castle?”
She looked confused. “I disremember.”
“ Well, do you remember what you and Rod Pierce did on that day?”
Her eyes shot to Pierce, who stared back blankly. She nervously touched her neck, then smoothed her dress down on her lap. Finally, she said, “We went on a picnic.”
“ Miss Castle, let me refresh your memory,” the attorney said, stepping out from behind the table and walking toward her. “On March eighth of this year, we had a snowstorm here in Goose Pimple Junction. Do you expect us to believe the very next day, only 129 miles away, you went on a picnic ?”
She looked nervously from Pierce to the county attorney. “Well . . . well, I think so.”
As soon as it was announced that Pierce would be held over for trial, court was adjourned, and Bug Preston stepped forward and approached Brick Lynch, who was seated in the back of the courtroom.
“ Brick Lynch, you’re under arrest for armed robbery.”
“ Jest couldn't mind your own bidness, could ya, Hobb? Yew gonna believe his lies?” Brick spit out as he was being handcuffed. The deadly cold look Brick shot at John sent a shiver up his spine.
The chief led Lynch past Hobb and whispered, “Don’t worry, John. You have a reputation around town as being an honest, fine upstanding member of the community. Everyone knows you are as good as your word, and would not wrongly accuse an innocent man. Stick to yer guns, buddy.”
[ June 2010 ]
The day after the break-in, Tess woke up early again, got dressed, forced down a muffin and juice, and went outside to cut some of her hydrangeas to take to the bookstore. She bent over, trying to cut one last stem from the bottom of the bush.
“ Wow. Now that's a view,” she heard someone say.
Startled, she shot up, whirled around, and saw Jack. “Excuse me?”
“ The flowers . . . they’re beautiful,” Jack said, grinning like a possum in a persimmon tree, and motioning to the flower-laden bush.
“ Oh . . . thanks.” She recovered from the surprise and noticed he was holding a bunch of sunflowers in his hand.
“ Yours are lovely, as well.”
He held them out to her. “Special delivery.”
“ What’s this for?” A big smile spread across her face.
“ Well, you had quite a scare yesterday. I wanted to give you some cheer.”
“ Oh, thank you, Jack. They look like a bouquet of smiles. That’s very kind of you. Would you like to come in?” She motioned toward the house as she started toward it. “I’m heading over to report for my second day of work, but you can help me put these in water first,” she said, leading him to the kitchen.
“ How ‘bout you put them in water, and I’ll watch. Then I’d be pleased to walk you to work, Ms. Tess.” He and his exaggerated southern accent followed her into the house. She shook her head at him and his dialect and got a vase from the cabinet.
He leaned against the doorjamb, his arms crossed over his chest, watching as she cut the stems under water and put the flowers in the vase.
Feeling self-conscious, she said the first thing that came to mind. “You know, my ex-husband used to quote, somebody—I can’t remember who. He said he ‘liked children too, but he didn’t go around
“ I reside at 511 North Peachtree Way.” She started to sit back in her chair, then leaned forward again, and added, “That’s in Henclip.”
“ Your Honor, for the record, let me state that Henclip is approximately 129 miles from Goose Pimple Junction,” the attorney said.
“ So noted,” the judge replied.
“ And were you in Henclip on March ninth of this year?” he asked her.
“ Yes, I was,” she answered, smacking her gum loudly.
“ Who were you with on that day in Henclip?”
“ I was with Roddy Pierce.” Whispers spread through the courtroom.
“ All day?”
“ Why, yes.”
The county attorney took over questioning and asked the witness, “What time were you with Rod Pierce on March ninth, Miss Castle?”
She looked confused. “I disremember.”
“ Well, do you remember what you and Rod Pierce did on that day?”
Her eyes shot to Pierce, who stared back blankly. She nervously touched her neck, then smoothed her dress down on her lap. Finally, she said, “We went on a picnic.”
“ Miss Castle, let me refresh your memory,” the attorney said, stepping out from behind the table and walking toward her. “On March eighth of this year, we had a snowstorm here in Goose Pimple Junction. Do you expect us to believe the very next day, only 129 miles away, you went on a picnic ?”
She looked nervously from Pierce to the county attorney. “Well . . . well, I think so.”
As soon as it was announced that Pierce would be held over for trial, court was adjourned, and Bug Preston stepped forward and approached Brick Lynch, who was seated in the back of the courtroom.
“ Brick Lynch, you’re under arrest for armed robbery.”
“ Jest couldn't mind your own bidness, could ya, Hobb? Yew gonna believe his lies?” Brick spit out as he was being handcuffed. The deadly cold look Brick shot at John sent a shiver up his spine.
The chief led Lynch past Hobb and whispered, “Don’t worry, John. You have a reputation around town as being an honest, fine upstanding member of the community. Everyone knows you are as good as your word, and would not wrongly accuse an innocent man. Stick to yer guns, buddy.”
[ June 2010 ]
The day after the break-in, Tess woke up early again, got dressed, forced down a muffin and juice, and went outside to cut some of her hydrangeas to take to the bookstore. She bent over, trying to cut one last stem from the bottom of the bush.
“ Wow. Now that's a view,” she heard someone say.
Startled, she shot up, whirled around, and saw Jack. “Excuse me?”
“ The flowers . . . they’re beautiful,” Jack said, grinning like a possum in a persimmon tree, and motioning to the flower-laden bush.
“ Oh . . . thanks.” She recovered from the surprise and noticed he was holding a bunch of sunflowers in his hand.
“ Yours are lovely, as well.”
He held them out to her. “Special delivery.”
“ What’s this for?” A big smile spread across her face.
“ Well, you had quite a scare yesterday. I wanted to give you some cheer.”
“ Oh, thank you, Jack. They look like a bouquet of smiles. That’s very kind of you. Would you like to come in?” She motioned toward the house as she started toward it. “I’m heading over to report for my second day of work, but you can help me put these in water first,” she said, leading him to the kitchen.
“ How ‘bout you put them in water, and I’ll watch. Then I’d be pleased to walk you to work, Ms. Tess.” He and his exaggerated southern accent followed her into the house. She shook her head at him and his dialect and got a vase from the cabinet.
He leaned against the doorjamb, his arms crossed over his chest, watching as she cut the stems under water and put the flowers in the vase.
Feeling self-conscious, she said the first thing that came to mind. “You know, my ex-husband used to quote, somebody—I can’t remember who. He said he ‘liked children too, but he didn’t go around
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