He didn’t give a damn about their personal opinions on Harley Ann’s good sense, or lack thereof. He wanted to know any information, any clue, that might give him the starting point he so desperately needed right now.
“Ladies.” He said, in a firm voice that showed none of his impatience. They stopped talking and looked at him. Almost as though they’d forgotten he was here.
“I think we’re agreed that I need to get out there and find her. So, if you could come to the point, I can get out there quicker and get her home.”
The sooner he got to her, the less harm would be done. He’d seen enough in his career to know things that would never occur to the women sitting so innocently in front of him. Innocently, because, while they had been involved in some local crimes, they could not conceive of the true evil that men could do.
Miss Edna banged her cane against the floor. “You just hush up, Lily Gayle, and let me tell him what happened. You weren’t even here when that madman dragged her off out of the back yard.”
The old woman’s voice wavered for a moment, but she recovered quickly.
“It was that David Green person. The one she got into trouble with back in the past.”
“Are you sure?” Jesse asked.
Miss Edna gave him a clear-eyed look that said she wanted to give him a piece of her mind. He was relieved when she let the moment pass and nodded.
“Yes. I’m sure.” Tears shimmered briefly in her eyes but she blinked them back. “I may be old, but I’d know that snake in the grass anywhere after he showed up here blessing Harley Ann out and making all kinds of outlandish accusations.”
She shifted in her chair. “I told Ben Carter he’d best arrest the man, but Ben said he was trying to find him. And that scoundrel did an end run around all of us and took my niece!”
She pounded her cane on the floor again. “What has the world come to when a scoundrel like that can come up in my yard and threaten my great-niece and the sheriff can’t do a blame thing about it? Now look at the fine mess we’re in. I can tell you I’ll have a lot to say when it comes time for re-election.”
“Now, Miss Edna.” Said Lily Gayle. “You know Ben would’ve had that criminal behind bars in a heartbeat if he could’ve.”
Jesse held his hand up as Miss Edna drew in a sharp breath.
“Ladies. I think we’ve wandered from the point again. Miss Edna, can you tell me anywhere you think David Green might’ve taken Harley Ann?”
“I think we need to call Ben.” Lily Gayle interjected, giving Miss Edna the hairy eyeball. “He’s the law here and he should be involved.” She glanced at Jesse. “Nothing personal. But you don’t have any jurisdiction here.”
Miss Enda harrumphed. “You’re a fine one to be talking about jurisdiction, Lily Gayle Lambert. You jump into every case Ben has around here andyoudon’t have jurisdiction.”
Lily Gayle looked like she wanted to smack the older woman. But she sat back in her chair. “That’s perfectly true, Miss Edna.” She said in a conciliatory tone. “And if you want Jesse to go find Harley Ann, then its past time we told him everything we can think of that he might be able to use.”
Jesse breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Maybe now they’d get somewhere.
Miss Edna leaned forward, putting her body weight on the cane and the weight of her eyes on Jesse.
“Harley Ann was out in the backyard mulching the flowerbeds for me. I can’t do it myself anymore. Haven’t been able to in years. I used to pay someone to do it, but since Harley Ann came to live with me, she’s been taking care of things like that for me.” Tears gathered in the old woman’s eyes. “We thought she’d be safe out there in our yard.”
Jesse gritted his teeth, but managed to say in a soft voice. “I understand. She’s been a big help to you and you naturally want to focus on that. But, please help me with any information you have.”
“I was sitting in my parlor drinking some tea and reading when I heard a scream.” She shook her head. “I’m too dang old and crippled to move fast, but I knew it was Harley Ann and got to the back porch as quick as I could. But she was already gone. He had to have taken her back through the woods behind my lot because if he took her any other direction someone on the square out there would’ve seen him and tried to stop him.”
Jesse frowned. “You only heard one scream?”
Miss Edna nodded, frowning. “You’d think she would have screamed up a storm. And, fought him like a wildcat. Wouldn’t you?”
This didn’t bode well. David must have knocked her out to keep her from screaming more. Or trying to break away from him and run. He had probably crept up on her.
Miss Edna interrupted that train of thought.
“Lily Gayle got here right after it happened.”
“Yes.” Confirmed Lily Gayle. “I came over to talk to Miss Edna about some genealogy research I’m working on.”
But she didn’t quite meet his eye. And he wondered what she’d really come over to discuss. Maybe something to do with that weird genetic sleep study at the big house outside town that Ian had told him about. However, her reason for arriving didn’t matter.
