the east end of town?”
“I hear a lot of gunshots at night,” he said.
“Isn’t shooting at night illegal?”
He raised one shoulder and let it drop. “Lots of things are illegal. Doesn’t mean people don’t do ‘em.”
“Another good point,” she said. “Have you ever thought of writing a book, Joe? You could dispense advice.”
“Who says I haven’t?” Joe said with a rare display of timely humor.
“So when you heard this shooting on Tuesday, I don’t suppose you happened to see who did it?” She wasn’t sure if she wanted him to say it was an angry large woman or not. Her life would be simpler if there was a witness who implicated Pearl, but the fallout wouldn’t be good.
“Can’t see nothing at night,” Joe said.
Lacy released her grip on the file in her lap. Until he spoke, she didn’t realize she had been tensed as if Joe might actually hold the key to Pearl’s guilt or innocence. “You’re right of course.”
“There were an awful lot of people out that night though,” Joe said. “I remember thinking the town was awful busy, and I’m sure it was Tuesday because that’s the night my sister made Indian food, and I was walking it off.”
“What do you mean by busy?” she asked.
He shrugged again. “Just lots of people out darting to and fro.”
“They were darting? From what? To where?”
“I dunno. Lots of people scurrying in the darkness. I figured it was some game I wasn’t onto. Kids will have their fun, you know.”
“So they were kids?” she asked, feeling tense all over again. Surely children weren’t responsible for Jonah Merleputter’s death, were they? How awful for a young life to be ruined because of a stupid game or prank, if that’s what it had been.
“Some of them was definitely kids,” he said with a decisive nod of his head.
“And the others?”
“Were too far and too dark to make out for sure.” He scratched at his head. “Sorry,” he added when he sensed her disappointment.
“No, don’t be sorry. You’ve helped a lot.” She said the words to be encouraging. All she had really learned was that a lot of random people were out on Tuesday night. Without names or descriptions, she had nothing. “If you think of anything else, please let me know.”
“I’ll try,” he replied.
The door banged open and Michael bustled in before flopping in what had become his usual spot across from her desk. “Whoa, you look dreadful.”
Lacy used her thumb to rub at a spot between her eyebrows. “Why is it I see you and get an immediate headache?”
“From trying so hard to resist my charms,” he said.
“I set myself up for that one. What do you want, Michael?”
“I have a very serious question for you,” he said. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table to mimic her pose.
“What is it?”
“What happened after you left the restaurant last night?”
“Why is that a serious question, and why is it any of your business?” Lacy asked.
“Because the waiter and I have a bet going. If you and the fellow kissed and made up, then I owe him twenty bucks. But if he left you high and dry and you had to walk home, then I win.” He grinned at her.
“You watched me walk out of the parking lot; you know I walked home,” she said.
“And that’s why you never make wagers with an Irishman.” He craned his neck backwards. “Take a lesson, Joe.”
“I learned that lesson the hard way in prison,” Joe said. “I didn’t get my commissary money for a month.”
Michael winced. “Sorry, mate.”
“This is all very amusing, but some of us have real work to do,” Lacy said.
“Some of us would love to have real work to do. Are we still on schedule? The bills are piling up,” he said.
“I have an idea,” Lacy said.
“Shoot,” he said.
“If you get a monkey to hold a hat
“I hear a lot of gunshots at night,” he said.
“Isn’t shooting at night illegal?”
He raised one shoulder and let it drop. “Lots of things are illegal. Doesn’t mean people don’t do ‘em.”
“Another good point,” she said. “Have you ever thought of writing a book, Joe? You could dispense advice.”
“Who says I haven’t?” Joe said with a rare display of timely humor.
“So when you heard this shooting on Tuesday, I don’t suppose you happened to see who did it?” She wasn’t sure if she wanted him to say it was an angry large woman or not. Her life would be simpler if there was a witness who implicated Pearl, but the fallout wouldn’t be good.
“Can’t see nothing at night,” Joe said.
Lacy released her grip on the file in her lap. Until he spoke, she didn’t realize she had been tensed as if Joe might actually hold the key to Pearl’s guilt or innocence. “You’re right of course.”
“There were an awful lot of people out that night though,” Joe said. “I remember thinking the town was awful busy, and I’m sure it was Tuesday because that’s the night my sister made Indian food, and I was walking it off.”
“What do you mean by busy?” she asked.
He shrugged again. “Just lots of people out darting to and fro.”
“They were darting? From what? To where?”
“I dunno. Lots of people scurrying in the darkness. I figured it was some game I wasn’t onto. Kids will have their fun, you know.”
“So they were kids?” she asked, feeling tense all over again. Surely children weren’t responsible for Jonah Merleputter’s death, were they? How awful for a young life to be ruined because of a stupid game or prank, if that’s what it had been.
“Some of them was definitely kids,” he said with a decisive nod of his head.
“And the others?”
“Were too far and too dark to make out for sure.” He scratched at his head. “Sorry,” he added when he sensed her disappointment.
“No, don’t be sorry. You’ve helped a lot.” She said the words to be encouraging. All she had really learned was that a lot of random people were out on Tuesday night. Without names or descriptions, she had nothing. “If you think of anything else, please let me know.”
“I’ll try,” he replied.
The door banged open and Michael bustled in before flopping in what had become his usual spot across from her desk. “Whoa, you look dreadful.”
Lacy used her thumb to rub at a spot between her eyebrows. “Why is it I see you and get an immediate headache?”
“From trying so hard to resist my charms,” he said.
“I set myself up for that one. What do you want, Michael?”
“I have a very serious question for you,” he said. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table to mimic her pose.
“What is it?”
“What happened after you left the restaurant last night?”
“Why is that a serious question, and why is it any of your business?” Lacy asked.
“Because the waiter and I have a bet going. If you and the fellow kissed and made up, then I owe him twenty bucks. But if he left you high and dry and you had to walk home, then I win.” He grinned at her.
“You watched me walk out of the parking lot; you know I walked home,” she said.
“And that’s why you never make wagers with an Irishman.” He craned his neck backwards. “Take a lesson, Joe.”
“I learned that lesson the hard way in prison,” Joe said. “I didn’t get my commissary money for a month.”
Michael winced. “Sorry, mate.”
“This is all very amusing, but some of us have real work to do,” Lacy said.
“Some of us would love to have real work to do. Are we still on schedule? The bills are piling up,” he said.
“I have an idea,” Lacy said.
“Shoot,” he said.
“If you get a monkey to hold a hat
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