Rock-a-Bye Bones by Carolyn Haines Page A

for my troubles.
    â€œMaybe you didn’t hear me,” he said. “Get back in your car and leave.”
    â€œI’ve been hired to find a young woman who recently gave birth to a child. Rudy has been linked to the baby. You can either talk to me or talk to the sheriff in Rosedale.” I hated to be blunt to a grieving family, but sometimes kindness wasn’t the ticket. I was working against a ticking clock, in more ways than one. “What’s your name?”
    â€œIt’s none of your business, but my name is Alfred. Rudy didn’t have nothin’ to do with a baby, and even if he did, he’s dead now and can’t pay child support.”
    I inhaled slowly to keep my temper in check. “I didn’t say he was the father.”
    â€œYou said linked. What else could that mean?”
    â€œI don’t know what his relationship with the mother of the child might be, but I need to find her. Now. It’s urgent.”
    Maybe he realized I wasn’t going away and it would be simpler to answer my questions than to fight about it. “What is it you want?” He waved the other men to the front porch of the house where they gathered in a clump to watch me as if I might turn into a dragon.
    â€œDo you know this woman?” I showed him the photo of Pleasant on my phone.
    â€œShe lives around here, but she disappeared, like four weeks ago.”
    At least he didn’t deny knowing her. “Have you seen her?”
    â€œLast I saw her she was broke down on the side of the road on Highway 12. I was headed to the tire shop over near Clarksdale.”
    â€œShe was alone on the side of the road?” I wanted to add, and you just drove by, but I didn’t. Once upon a time a man would never leave a woman—especially a pregnant woman—stranded on the roadside. He’d stop and fix the car or see to it that she was driven to safety.
    â€œShe was sittin’ on the hood of her car. I would’ve stopped, but I had to get a tire for my boss and have it ready. If the tire shop closed before I got there, I’d have lost my job.”
    â€œHow well did Rudy know this young woman?”
    He considered. “They were friends. I’ve seen ’em talkin’. Not sweethearts. Nothin’ like that. Rudy said she was nice to him.” He shrugged. “End of story.”
    â€œNot quite. Rudy had Pleasant’s newborn infant daughter.”
    The big man tilted his head back. “Rudy had her baby? What for?”
    I wanted to knock his brain into gear with the flat of my hand. “That’s what I need to find out. Why would Rudy have Pleasant’s newborn daughter? Why would he drop her off at someone’s house, and then drive to an abandoned farm instead of going to the hospital? He was wounded and he knew it.”
    â€œYou’re asking me to explain Rudy. No one here can do that. I told that deputy who came asking that Rudy got into a fight over a month ago with some character. All I know is Rudy tied up with the guy and it was over Pleasant. I don’t know the particulars.” He pointed to a woman who came out the screen door of the house and stood staring at us. She wore a navy dress with white dots in a fashion that made me think of another era. “That’s Rudy’s ma, and she couldn’t’ tell you why he did half the things he did.”
    â€œPleasant Smith may be in trouble. Serious trouble. Her life could very well be in danger.” More likely she was dead, but I didn’t say that. “Rudy may have been the last person to see her alive. Do you know where he was Tuesday night?”
    â€œRudy don’t live here most of the time, but you can ask Ma if you’re bold enough to do it.”
    I only rolled my eyes and walked past him to where Mrs. Uxall stood at the edge of the porch. She was a tall, stout woman dressed in her Sunday best to attend to the funeral details of her son. I