Dead to Rights

Joa

“Pro’ly didn’t know nothin’ about it. Reed Carruthers never was one to wash his dirty underwear in public. My mother’s people-the Langfords-is the same way.”

Just then Tom Hadlock, the jail commander, showed up in Joa

“Her clothes are all here in the bag,” he said. “You’re welcome to them if you want…”

“I know all about Ha

Leaning forward, he saw the stack of clipped-together bills that had fallen out of the envelope. Picking up the paper money, he thumbed through it. “Where’d all this come from?” he asked. “Looks like a bundle. How’d Ha

Joa

“Why’d she do that?” Philip Dotson asked, his eyes narrowing. “That’s what my Aunt Fra

“She said she wanted to talk to a woman,” Joa

“And what did happen?”

“According to what she told me, Ha

“She told you then, didn’t she,” Dotson said. “About my uncle. About how mean he was.”

Joa

“And you believed her?”

“Yes, I did,” Joa

Without another word, Philip Dotson started scooping the money and the few other loose items back into the envelope.

“Don’t you want to count the money first?” Tom Hadlock objected. “I need you to sign for it. You should make sure it’s all there before you do.”

“It don’t matter none,” Philip Dotson said. “However Much it is, it’s not enough to fight over.”

With careful concentration he signed the form Tom Hadlock handed him, then Dotson stood up. Holding both the envelope and his hat in one hand, he reached out toward Joa

“Thank you, Sheriff Brady,” he said. “I thank you, and so does my Aunt Fra

“Thank you,” Joa

Isn’t that right, Jim Bob? Joa

Through the remainder of the afternoon she continued to wade through the paperwork jungle. She tried several times to reach Larry Matkin, but to no avail. He evidently hadn’t returned to his office after leaving the parish hall. The next time Joa

“There’s a place called the Pizza Palace out in Don Luis. How about if we meet there around six?”

“Don Luis?” Butch repeated. “Where’s that? I thought we were having di

Joa

“The Pizza Palace,” Butch repeated.

“Do you need directions?”

“No, thanks. I’m sure someone here at the Grand Hotel will be able to tell me how to find it.”

Once Joa

“Did he say when he’d be back?”

“I’m sure he’s gone for the day,” Kristin said, a trifle too quickly.

Joa

Kristin flushed to the roots of her light blond hair. “So you did know about that?” Joa

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

The young secretary shrugged. “I guess I was afraid he’d get in some kind of trouble.”

“Kristin,” Joa

“Yes,” Kristin replied. “I see.,”

“Good.”

Kristin went out then. As Joa

Closing up her desk, she took the signed letters out to Kristin to put in the mail. “I’m heading out early, too,” she said.

Except, instead of driving directly to Eva Lou and Jim Bob Brady’s to pick up Je

It was a long time after Joa

“No,” Joa

“Why?”

“You’re making a terrible mistake,” Joa

Ruth stood back and opened the door, gesturing Joa

“Of course it mailers,” Joa

Ruth Voland nodded. “One in high school and the other in junior high.”