Music to Die For by Radine Trees Nehring Page A

dang Bobbie Lee Logan can’t keep his mouth shut. He was Farel’s best friend and now he’s jes spilling his innards all over the place. He doesn’t care who-all he hurts. He’s gone and tol’ the sheriff a bunch of lies, ’n’ he’s even hintin’ that Dulcey is really Farel’s daughter, of all the hurtful things, ’n’ some folks prob’ly believe him, too. So far I’ve kep Chase and Tracy from hearin’ what’s goin’ on, but somehow I gotta get ’em away from here. Ever’one knows where I live. It’s too dang open to the public.”
    Brigid stopped to take a breath, but before Carrie could comment, she went on. “What if reporters find out what Bobby Lee is sayin’? It’ll be in those big black headlines at all the grocery checkouts in the country.
    “The sheriff’s been here. He stayed pretty gentle ’n’ didn’t say too much, jes asked about what we did all the time last night. Tracy stayed in bed, ’n’ Chase ’n’ me never let on that she had found Farel, ’n’ he never asked, so we didn’t lie neither. But now that Bobby Lee is raising such a fuss, I don’t know. I tol’ the sheriff that Tracy wasn’t well—grievin’ for her cousin—and Dulcey was sick, and both of ’em was asleep, and so far he’s inclined to leave that alone.”
    Brigid paused again before asking, “Has he talked to you yet? I tol’ him you was with us, sorta like our hostess.”
    “I haven’t heard from him,” said Carrie. “Have you heard from the kidnappers?”
    “Nope, nary a word, but that note did say t’night. I got my brother’s grandson to go look in the bird box as if he was just playin’, and he sez it’s empty. Box opens at the side ’n’ Tommy sez all that’s inside is a few dead wasps.”
    ‘Did you get any sleep?”
    “Oh, I dozed, but mosta the time I was watchin’ over one or t’other of the kids. An’ since dawn ever-body ’n’ his cousin’s been calling sayin’ they wanted to he’p, but most of ’em’s jes curious, if truth be known. It makes me wild.”
    “Brigid, can’t someone come to be with you? Glory, I wish I had a car right now.”
    Carrie was thinking she sure would be glad when Henry—and his car—arrived.
    “Oh, yeah, my two brothers and their wives ’n’ some other kin who don’t hafta to be at work or school are here, sorta hangin’ around to discourage company.
    “I had to tell my family about Dulcey. Well, they wanted to go out right then and beat the woods in ever’ direction from Farel’s house, but how’d we know that would do any good? It’s too much space to cover without us knowing somethin’ particular, but Carrie, there is the Culpepers...”
    “Yes, I haven’t forgotten, and I have a plan about them.”
    There was a silence, then Brigid said, “Oh me, now I kin see another TV truck out there. Law, Carrie, what next? Stuff’s gonna bust out all over the place. Wish I could ship Chase and Tracy to the moon, I can’t hold off the whole dang world much longer. Famous is fine when things go good, but let somethin’ bad happen and all tarnation breaks loose. Famous ain’t so fine then. Folks’re likely to find out Dulcey’s gone any time and... what then...?
    “Tracy now, she cried a lot durin’ the night, and Chase, he paced the floor. Tracy’s gone to sleep at last, but Chase is still pacin’. If Tracy stays asleep I’m gonna let Nell or Sarah answer this phone and rest a bit myself.”
    Carrie’s thoughts were forming rapidly and clearly now. “Brigid, can you trust your family? They’ll keep secrets?”
    Brigid snorted. “O’ course. That’s part of bein’ family, ain’t it?”
    “Then I have an idea we might try. I think I can get Chase and Tracy out of there and hide them here at the Folk Center, though I can’t make my plan work until this afternoon. Will they come back here if I promise to hide them? And how much can you change their looks? I’ll send one set of different clothing for each of