Dead to Rights

The caption under Joa

“That wormy little son of a bitch!” Joa

‘Fussing the paper aside, Joa

“Joa

“How soon can you be here?” Helen returned. “Lo

“I’m on my way,” Joa

She drove into town feeling as though she were privy to something she didn’t want to know-to a part of Ernie’s history as well as of Helen Barco’s that shouldn’t have been any of Joa

When Joa

“How’s Je

Two months after Je

Helen shook her head sadly. “I don’t know what got into me,” she said. “I haven’t had a disaster like that since bill when I was first going to beauty school. Your mother and I just got carried away talking and I plumb forgot to set the timer.”

“We all make mistakes,” Joa

It wasn’t until after her hair was shampooed and Helen Barco was snipping away that Joa

“Doesn’t she though!” Helen Barco agreed with a smile. “She was my first appointment yesterday morning. She had a complete makeover, including letting me do her colors. I fixed her up with new lipstick and nail enamel as well. Those new spring lines do a lot for her. They’d be fine for you, too, Joa

“I’ll think about it,” Joa

“That’s what she said, too,” Helen said. “That people will be surprised. They’ll have plenty to talk about when Little Miss Mousie shows up at the funeral looking like a fashion plate.” Helen clicked her tongue. “It does make such a difference. It’s a crying shame she didn’t have it done years ago. But I don’t think that’s why she did it now-the funeral mean. It sounded to me like she had some kind of important appointment coming up this weekend. She wanted to look her best for that.”

“Did she say what kind of appointment?” Joa

“Not exactly,” Helen said. “Whatever it is, it isn’t here in town. I believe it’s up in Phoenix. Or maybe Tucson. I forget which.’’

“A meeting, or a date?” Joa

“Oh, I’m certain it wasn’t a date,” Helen said quickly. “I believe it had something to do with golf. Something with a whole bunch of letters. L-something and some kind of school-a V-school or a T-school, I forget.”

Over the years, Joa

“That’s it,” Helen said. “Those are the exact words she used. Qualifying school. And she wants to go on a tour of some kind.”

“The L.P.G.A.?” Joa

“How did you put that together?” Helen said. “You really a detective, aren’t you. Your mother is always telling me how smart you are. This is amazing.”

Joa

“She’s that good?” Joa

“Evidently,” Helen Barco said. “She seems to think so, 1 so does that guy out at the Rob Roy.”

“Terry spoke Io you about Peter Wilkes?” Joa

“You bet she did. To hear her talk, you’d think he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.”

That stumped Joa

“It sounds expensive as all heck,” Helen continued. “She did say that with the insurance and all that she’d come out all right, although she is selling, you know.”

“Selling what?”

“The practice,” Helen answered. “Since she isn’t a veterinarian, she can’t operate it herself. The same thing would happen to Slim if he was left holding this shop. He wouldn’t be able to do a thing.”

“Bucky’s been dead for two days and she’s already sold the practice? How can that be?”

“She said it was something Doc Buckwalter set up himself a long time ago. It’s not final yet, by any means, but it sounded like it was pretty much a done deal. According to her, that nice Dr. Wade from down in Douglas is the one who’ll be buying it. The practice and the house both. Once she has the money, she’ll be free to do whatever she wants.”

Joa

“If he’s moving in this fast,” Joa

“Could be,” Helen Barco said, “but Terry seemed happy enough about it. Like she was getting just what she wanted. According to her, Dr. Wade is pla

That was all that was said. Helen’s next client showed up right then. Still, Joa

By Bisbee standards, Terry Buckwalter’s behavior was nothing short of outrageous. And suspicious as well. With Bucky not yet in his grave, Terry was cashing in all the jointly held marital assets to go on the pro-golf circuit? What kind of a harebrained scheme was that?

Joa