was Russell’s wife and Rondelle’s sister-in-law, and they felt obliged to offer a torrent of sympathy.
Rondelle responded with a quick “Thank you” each time but tried to steer them back quickly to the subject of cleaning.
She was a take-charge type, especially when it came to Russell. He had been born when she was 12 and had been her responsibility by his sixth birthday. That was when their mother took a trip on her own to visit her sister in California and sent a letter to tell her husband that she hadn’t bought a return ticket and wasn’t coming back.
Russell had been a bewildered little boy with an ill-tempered workaholic father, and Rondelle had delayed her education to stay at home with him for a year. She had been the closest thing he had to a mother from that point on.
Small and wiry like her mother’s side of the family, and plain-featured like her father’s side, Rondelle had never married. She did her share of complaining to her friends, but she took some pride in being a hard worker and good in a crisis.
This crisis was the worst she’d faced. She had never been close to China, but she knew that her brother adored his wife. She had seen plenty of bereaved family members in her hospital work, but she’d never seen anybody as out of control and wild with grief as Russell had been the day before. Now he was so silent and withdrawn that she was unwilling to leave him alone.
The night before, when he had worn himself out and collapsed in the bedroom China had decorated with so many frills, ruffles, and pictures, Rondelle had made a decision. She had taken his two hunting rifles out of the hall closet and out to her car where she had locked them in her trunk.
Now she heard a car pull into the curved driveway and frowned. She didn’t feel up to another round of sympathy and casserole dishes, and Russell wasn’t in any shape to see people.
She looked out the window to see the blue and white cruiser from the Magnolia County Sheriff’s Office. She was relieved to see Skeet Borders getting out of the driver’s side. Taneesha Hays had given up on trying to talk with Russell the day before, and now, Rondelle saw, she was back with Skeet.
That was good, Rondelle thought. Skeet might have more luck with Russell.
She met them at the door.
“I don’t know if he’ll talk to you,” she said in a low voice, “He’s calmed down now, but he’s hardly saying a word. I haven’t even been able to get him to eat, and I’m worried about him. I took his hunting rifles out and put them in the trunk of my car last night.”
“That was a good idea,” Skeet said. “We’re going to need to take a look at them if you don’t mind.”
She found her car keys and handed them to him.
“Why don’t you look now?” she said. “He’s probably going to be mad when he finds out what I did. I’m hoping he won’t notice for a while. We’ll wait ’til you get back to try to get him to come out and talk.”
Skeet took the keys and went back out the front door.
“Where is he now?” Taneesha asked.
“In that fancy bedroom of theirs,” Rondelle said. “I’ve heard him slamming things around, so I know he’s awake. I’ll go try to get him come out and talk.”
“Do you have any ideas of your own about this crime?” Taneesha asked her. “Did you know of anybody who had a dislike for China?”
“No,” Rondelle said. “I think it must have somebody mentally ill. Probably copycatting those other shooters that are on the news, only this one didn’t want to get caught or shot like the others seem to. Maybe we’ll get lucky, and it will turn out that he went off somewhere and shot himself.”
She didn’t seem angry. Just blunt.
Skeet was back.
“How about just keeping the guns away from him a while longer?” he said to Rondelle. “We know this shooter used an AK 47, so we don’t need to check those out.”
“Who’s here?” Russell Carson called from the hallway. “Rondelle, do you know
Rondelle responded with a quick “Thank you” each time but tried to steer them back quickly to the subject of cleaning.
She was a take-charge type, especially when it came to Russell. He had been born when she was 12 and had been her responsibility by his sixth birthday. That was when their mother took a trip on her own to visit her sister in California and sent a letter to tell her husband that she hadn’t bought a return ticket and wasn’t coming back.
Russell had been a bewildered little boy with an ill-tempered workaholic father, and Rondelle had delayed her education to stay at home with him for a year. She had been the closest thing he had to a mother from that point on.
Small and wiry like her mother’s side of the family, and plain-featured like her father’s side, Rondelle had never married. She did her share of complaining to her friends, but she took some pride in being a hard worker and good in a crisis.
This crisis was the worst she’d faced. She had never been close to China, but she knew that her brother adored his wife. She had seen plenty of bereaved family members in her hospital work, but she’d never seen anybody as out of control and wild with grief as Russell had been the day before. Now he was so silent and withdrawn that she was unwilling to leave him alone.
The night before, when he had worn himself out and collapsed in the bedroom China had decorated with so many frills, ruffles, and pictures, Rondelle had made a decision. She had taken his two hunting rifles out of the hall closet and out to her car where she had locked them in her trunk.
Now she heard a car pull into the curved driveway and frowned. She didn’t feel up to another round of sympathy and casserole dishes, and Russell wasn’t in any shape to see people.
She looked out the window to see the blue and white cruiser from the Magnolia County Sheriff’s Office. She was relieved to see Skeet Borders getting out of the driver’s side. Taneesha Hays had given up on trying to talk with Russell the day before, and now, Rondelle saw, she was back with Skeet.
That was good, Rondelle thought. Skeet might have more luck with Russell.
She met them at the door.
“I don’t know if he’ll talk to you,” she said in a low voice, “He’s calmed down now, but he’s hardly saying a word. I haven’t even been able to get him to eat, and I’m worried about him. I took his hunting rifles out and put them in the trunk of my car last night.”
“That was a good idea,” Skeet said. “We’re going to need to take a look at them if you don’t mind.”
She found her car keys and handed them to him.
“Why don’t you look now?” she said. “He’s probably going to be mad when he finds out what I did. I’m hoping he won’t notice for a while. We’ll wait ’til you get back to try to get him to come out and talk.”
Skeet took the keys and went back out the front door.
“Where is he now?” Taneesha asked.
“In that fancy bedroom of theirs,” Rondelle said. “I’ve heard him slamming things around, so I know he’s awake. I’ll go try to get him come out and talk.”
“Do you have any ideas of your own about this crime?” Taneesha asked her. “Did you know of anybody who had a dislike for China?”
“No,” Rondelle said. “I think it must have somebody mentally ill. Probably copycatting those other shooters that are on the news, only this one didn’t want to get caught or shot like the others seem to. Maybe we’ll get lucky, and it will turn out that he went off somewhere and shot himself.”
She didn’t seem angry. Just blunt.
Skeet was back.
“How about just keeping the guns away from him a while longer?” he said to Rondelle. “We know this shooter used an AK 47, so we don’t need to check those out.”
“Who’s here?” Russell Carson called from the hallway. “Rondelle, do you know
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