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."Did you hear that, Daniel? The Yanks are winning.""Don't be too sure," Daniel said."There's still two games left."But Chris was sure of himself."They won the first two, so they'll probably win the others.Wait and see."Chapter 24LaDaisy raced down the dark road with Mary in her arms.Houses along Hereford Street were far apart and only one house near the end of the block showed signs of life with lights on and front door open.A radio blared from inside the middle-aged couple's home as she ran up the front steps and banged on the screen door.Ozzie Jensen came to the door and peered through the screen."What is it?""I'm LaDaisy Tomelin, from down the block.Please, help me!"He opened the door and stepped back."Come on in, Miz Tomelin.What's wrong? Someone sick?""I can't come in, I need help!" She shivered, and suddenly realized how cool the night air was.She hugged Mary tightly to keep her warm, and to close the gap in her torn dress.Mr.Jensen flicked on the porch light and came outside in his bare feet."You're about to fall down.What do you need?""My sister—she's at my house—please, someone get Dr.Wilson.I don't have a phone.""The doctor? Is she hurt?""No, she's having a baby.Please help." She shifted Mary to the other shoulder."Who is it, Ozzie?" Lou Jensen appeared at the door, untied her apron and tossed it on the nearest overstuffed chair."Why, it's LaDaisy.What's wrong, honey?""Lou, thank God.My sister's about to deliver her baby at my house.At least I think she is.I don't know for sure, she seems close." She stopped to get her breath, and Mary reached up and touched her cheek.She grabbed the cold little hand and kissed it."Oh, my goodness." Lou came outside."Ozzie, get to town on the double and find the doctor.I'll go back with this girl and see what's going on.Hurry.Oh my God, and put on some shoes.You can't drive barefooted."Ozzie stared at Lou a minute, then went inside, returning in a pair of house slippers."Don't stand there all day, Ozzie, this ain't a ice cream social.Now git.""Bring the sheriff," LaDaisy said, "and my mother, Vera Baker.She lives—""I know where she lives," Ozzie said in a lackadaisical tone."What do you want the sheriff for?""I don't have time to explain.Please hurry.I have to get back."Ozzie went around the side of the house.In a few minutes his truck roared to life and rumbled up the road, headlights shining on the pavement and leaving a trail of gas fumes."Land sakes, honey," Lou said, "you're shivering.You'll be lucky if you don't catch your death.Wait here." She went inside and returned with a sweater for LaDaisy and an afghan to wrap around the baby.She took Mary from LaDaisy's arms."I'll carry her.Come to Lou, sweetheart.My goodness, she doesn't weigh a feather." She turned to LaDaisy as they walked quickly down the road in the growing darkness."How far along is your—sister you say?""Yes, my sister, Ida.Her doctor said she's ready any day.""What's she doing at your house, if you don't mind my asking?" Lou glanced sideways at LaDaisy."Shouldn't she be at the hospital? I'll swear, young girls don't have a lick of sense anymore when it comes to birthing.Why, I remember my own laying-in.Couldn't lift a finger for weeks lest I bled to death.""I think she's very close," LaDaisy said."She walked out here from town.""Walked?"They turned into the Tomelin driveway."It isn't that far." She stopped to get her breath."But she shouldn't have walked it in her condition.Now her water's broke and she's having strong contractions." Her husband's dead on my front room floor."Dear me.We'd better hurry."LaDaisy dreaded walking into the house."Just follow me to the bedroom, Lou.Don't stop to look around, or ask questions.There's been an accident.there's a dead body."An explanation would come soon enough—after the sheriff came and arrested someone.She wasn't sure who shot Clay—everything was hazy—but her husband's gun would have her fingerprints.After the shock of seeing Clay in a pool of blood, Lou stayed to help with Mary as LaDaisy answered question after question from Sheriff Gudgell.The heavyset man walked around the room making notes, while another officer snapped pictures of the scene.LaDaisy paced the floor, watching the man operate his camera.No piece of furniture nor mark on the floor escaped close scrutiny.Her entire living room, from the faded davenport and chairs to the shabby end tables, would be on record at the police department.Perhaps even printed in the Examiner and the Times.Even if she became wealthy in the future, evidence of her current poverty would be available to anyone who asked.Daniel would hate having his life on display, and his wife a notorious criminal.She sighed.Daniel wasn't here anymore.The cameraman took shots of the victim from all angles and got a close-up of the busted mandolin on the shelf.He took pictures of LaDaisy in her ripped dress.When he glanced toward the closed bedroom door, where Ida Mae sprawled on the bed moaning, LaDaisy caught her breath, thinking he might want a picture of her sister in labor.She was ready to fly at him and break his camera over his head if he started in there.But he turned away.There was no question about Clay's identity; everyone knew Rufus's nephew.Leaving the body to the deputy, the sheriff sat in the rocking chair, pen in hand, occasionally writing on the pad."Never had much use for the man myself." He glanced at the davenport, where Rufus sat in shock staring at Clay's body."Beg your pardon, Rufus.I wouldn't wish your nephew harm, but Clay had a way of bringing out the worst in people." He turned to LaDaisy."Now, Mrs.Tomelin, tell me again what happened.From the beginning."He nodded toward the kitchen as the bedroom door opened and Lou headed for the back porch.In a moment, she returned, swinging the white porcelain slop jar in one hand and a five-gallon pail in the other.She barely glanced their way as she hurried to the bedroom and shut the door behind her.He'd questioned the frightened woman when he first arrived, and took her statement as a possible witness."You're absolutely sure the neighbor lady didn't see what happened? She said she didn't.""Mrs.Jensen told you the truth.She wasn't here when it happened." LaDaisy sighed."I've told you a hundred times
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