their baskets over and stack them on that counter. When I put the clothes into a washer, I put the baskets right in front. When the washing is done, it goes in the basket, and I move it to a dryer. Then it’s back in the basket and put there,” she motioned to a counter on the opposite wall, “till I fold it. Now, tell me sheriff, how can stuff get lost?”
“But you do have student help?”
“Yes, I got a couple of community helpers, that’s what they call them. Every student has to do a few hours of ‘community work’ around the school. They rotate jobs every week. I have them fold washing. Girls fold girls’ stuff, boys fold boys’ and I make sure there’s no fooling around. Some of these kids have never had to fold their own washing, so I show them how to do it and make sure everyone does it the same way. And they’re good kids, sheriff. Most of the time I enjoy their company.”
“Do the students do anything besides folding?”
“They lend a hand at taking things back to the dorms. And that’s a big help to me. I’m having trouble with my feet, bunions. Doctor says I need an operation.”
“What did Arnie do?”
Ma looked pained. “Well, it was so much less than I hoped. I thought he could help me with everything, but that just wasn’t so. Simple jobs, that’s what he could do.”
“For example?”
“He’d sweep, and he’d mop. I’d find little things that he could do. But sheriff, I would have to give him so much help. He just couldn’t seem to keep focused on a task. He’d get lost. Like if he was sweeping, I’d have to stand right there and supervise. I didn’t mind; I’ve had to do the same thing with Bobby. But it was just so sad to see him that way. He was just such a smart kid before the accident.”
“Did you tell anyone about Arnie’s limitations?”
“No. I tried to make the best of it. And sheriff, he was beginning to pick things up, if ever so slow. But I think it was the girls complaining that finally did him in.”
“Complaining about what?”
“I don’t know. At first they were so kind to him, but the way he looks, it kinda got to them. And you know how kids are. First they complained to me, and then they talked to Tom Bates, he supervises this area.” She placed the folded clothes in the basket. “The panties was one thing. There was also this talk about him being a stalker. I mean, the kids don’t know what that is. It was so silly. But some of them got pretty hysterical, especially the younger ones. Then one day he didn’t come in. When I went to ask Tom where Arnie was, he told me he had been sacked. Like they didn’t ask me anything or tell me beforehand. It just wasn’t right, sheriff, it just wasn’t right.”
“Faculty, do they ever bring in their laundry?”
“No, if they live on campus they’ve got machines in their cottages. We don’t do their laundry. But sheriff, why all these questions about Arnie? You don’t think he’s connected in some way to the death of Ashleigh, do you?”
Ray shook his head no. “We’re just checking on anyone who might know something.” His tone changed. “Tell Pa I hope he gets a buck.”
“Just what he needs,” she laughed, “encouragement.”
16
Ray Elkins had little more than a nodding acquaintance with Jason Zelke, the local man both Sarah James and Jack Grochoski mentioned as one of Ashleigh Allen’s love interests.
However, Ray remembered Jason’s mother with great fondness. Jane Peters, that was her maiden name, was the prettiest girl in Ray’s high school class at Pioneer Consolidated High. Ray remembered the pert blond with the warm smile and wonderful laugh as being more social than academic. She was the homecoming queen, a cheerleader, but never made the honor society. She married Bob Zelke a few days after graduation and six or seven months later gave birth to her first child, three more would follow in the next few years. Zelke—close to ten years her senior, a mechanic at the
“But you do have student help?”
“Yes, I got a couple of community helpers, that’s what they call them. Every student has to do a few hours of ‘community work’ around the school. They rotate jobs every week. I have them fold washing. Girls fold girls’ stuff, boys fold boys’ and I make sure there’s no fooling around. Some of these kids have never had to fold their own washing, so I show them how to do it and make sure everyone does it the same way. And they’re good kids, sheriff. Most of the time I enjoy their company.”
“Do the students do anything besides folding?”
“They lend a hand at taking things back to the dorms. And that’s a big help to me. I’m having trouble with my feet, bunions. Doctor says I need an operation.”
“What did Arnie do?”
Ma looked pained. “Well, it was so much less than I hoped. I thought he could help me with everything, but that just wasn’t so. Simple jobs, that’s what he could do.”
“For example?”
“He’d sweep, and he’d mop. I’d find little things that he could do. But sheriff, I would have to give him so much help. He just couldn’t seem to keep focused on a task. He’d get lost. Like if he was sweeping, I’d have to stand right there and supervise. I didn’t mind; I’ve had to do the same thing with Bobby. But it was just so sad to see him that way. He was just such a smart kid before the accident.”
“Did you tell anyone about Arnie’s limitations?”
“No. I tried to make the best of it. And sheriff, he was beginning to pick things up, if ever so slow. But I think it was the girls complaining that finally did him in.”
“Complaining about what?”
“I don’t know. At first they were so kind to him, but the way he looks, it kinda got to them. And you know how kids are. First they complained to me, and then they talked to Tom Bates, he supervises this area.” She placed the folded clothes in the basket. “The panties was one thing. There was also this talk about him being a stalker. I mean, the kids don’t know what that is. It was so silly. But some of them got pretty hysterical, especially the younger ones. Then one day he didn’t come in. When I went to ask Tom where Arnie was, he told me he had been sacked. Like they didn’t ask me anything or tell me beforehand. It just wasn’t right, sheriff, it just wasn’t right.”
“Faculty, do they ever bring in their laundry?”
“No, if they live on campus they’ve got machines in their cottages. We don’t do their laundry. But sheriff, why all these questions about Arnie? You don’t think he’s connected in some way to the death of Ashleigh, do you?”
Ray shook his head no. “We’re just checking on anyone who might know something.” His tone changed. “Tell Pa I hope he gets a buck.”
“Just what he needs,” she laughed, “encouragement.”
16
Ray Elkins had little more than a nodding acquaintance with Jason Zelke, the local man both Sarah James and Jack Grochoski mentioned as one of Ashleigh Allen’s love interests.
However, Ray remembered Jason’s mother with great fondness. Jane Peters, that was her maiden name, was the prettiest girl in Ray’s high school class at Pioneer Consolidated High. Ray remembered the pert blond with the warm smile and wonderful laugh as being more social than academic. She was the homecoming queen, a cheerleader, but never made the honor society. She married Bob Zelke a few days after graduation and six or seven months later gave birth to her first child, three more would follow in the next few years. Zelke—close to ten years her senior, a mechanic at the
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