Now Playing: The Silent Child
Episode Eight concluded with:
When Dehner turned back, he saw the sheriff lift Judy Thompson’s
arm. “Have you seen many corpses, Rance?”
“Yes.”
“Me too. I don’t think Judy Thompson was killed recently. She’s been dead at
least a few hours.”
The detective took a closer look at the corpse. “I think you’re right. That
means Judy Thompson and her husband were probably killed this morning. About the
time I found Pixie,--or she found me.”
“But why would the killers come back and set fire to the house?”
Dehner shook his head. “I can’t say. All we know for sure is that someone
murdered the parents of a little girl. And now they want to kill the
child.”
Episode Nine
***
Rance stepped out of the Candler
Hotel. He had taken a room there and had just finished supper in the hotel
restaurant. The town’s main street was now an erratic collection of filmy,
yellow blotches from the windows of saloons and the lanterns that hung over
most stores. Even in the limited light, Dehner could see that the man walking
toward him was angry.
“Good evening, Deputy.” Dehner tried
to sound cheerful, but not too cheerful.
“Evenin’,” came the sullen reply of
Emory Logan.
“On a round?”
“Yep.”
“I’m on my way to the livery, mind
if I join you for a few minutes?”
“Suit yourself.”
Dehner tried to think of something
to say that might make the boy feel better. Emory was failing at his job. Nothing
Deputy Logan did seemed to go right. Hardly an unusual situation for a green
kid, but Rance recalled how painful it could be.
Before Dehner could think of
anything encouraging to say, Emory spoke up. “Hear you’re riding out to the
Thompson place tonight.”
“Yes. I’m going to rent a buckboard
from the livery. The fire should have burned itself out by now. I can retrieve
the body of Gerald Thompson.” Rance shook his shoulders in a resigned manner.
“We want to retrieve the body before the coyotes get to it.”
“Understand the doc pulled two .44
slugs out of Mrs. Thompson’s body.”
“Yes.”
“Of course, you’d know. You were
there. Guess the sheriff doesn’t want me to take a hand in this matter.”
“Look, Emory--”
“Howdy gents!”
The welcome intrusion came from
Rupert Bushrod, who was tying up his horse in front of Bushrod Brothers’ General
Store. Dehner figured a few minutes spent with the Bushrods might benefit Emory
Logan.
“Where have you been, Rupert?” the
detective asked.
“At the home of Albert and Stella
Candler.”
The deputy looked surprised and
impressed. “They’re the wealthiest family in town.”
“Sure enough are! The Candlers are
our leadin’ citizens. Got high standards, too. That’s why I have to deliver
stuff to Mrs. Candler. Bad enough that her husband has to get dust on his suit
by comin’ in the store to remind us we’re broke. She don’t want to be seen
anywhere near Bushrod Brothers’ General Store. The lady’s got a reputation to
uphold.”
While
his brother spoke, Clarence ambled to the doorway. “Did she make you come in by
the servant’s entrance again?”
“Yeah, but this time she instructed
the butler to call me Rupert instead of lazy, no good bum.”
Clarence smiled broadly. “See, I
told you that down deep they was just regular folks.”
“What did you deliver to Mrs.
Bushrod?” Dehner asked.
“Jewelry. We give her first look at
anything we get in.” Rupert pulled a check out of his pocket and waved it in
front of his brother’s face. “Mr. Candler paid me tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll give
this back to him. Take it to the bank and deposit it.” Rupert turned his head
toward the deputy. “You won’t have to evict us. Not for another month or so, anyhows.”
“This is a cause for celebration,”
Clarence declared. “Why don’t you gents come in and feast on a piece of rock
candy.”
Dehner could see Emory’s eyes
brighten but the deputy was still a tad reluctant. “Well…I’m supposed to have
my round done by eight--”
Clarence pulled a timepiece from his
pocket. “You got plenty o’ time. It ain’t quite seven yet.”
“The glass on your timepiece is
cracked,” Dehner said.
“Yeah.” Clarence returned the gold
colored piece to his pocket. “Blasted glass broke shortly after I bought the
thing. Where did I get that piece of junk from anyhow?”
“Bushrod Brothers’ General Store,”
Rupert answered.
“Oh yeah,” Clarence smirked and
tilted his head. “Should’a knowed. I do recall paying too much for it.”
Dehner laughed and gave the deputy a
pat on the shoulder. “You better take up the candy offer. You’re going to need
the energy for that day when you have to evict these guys. They’ll have you
laughing silly the whole time.”
The sullenness left Emory’s face.
“Guess so.”
“Say, Rance,” Clarence spoke as the
detective started to walk off. “How’s that kid doin’?”
“I saw her about an hour ago. Pixie
isn’t talking yet, but she looks more relaxed. Being with the Harpers seems to
be doing her a lot of good.”
“Bring her by again, soon as you
can,” Clarence implored. “She might be wantin’ some more candy.”
Dehner shrugged his shoulders. “She didn’t want any today.”
“Yeah, but you paid for it!”
Clarence raised an index finger. “That’s what counts!”
“Businessmen has got to put first
things first!” Rupert declared in an officious manner.
Dehner laughed as he continued his
walk to the livery. The sense of merriment stayed with him until he drove the
buckboard out of town. He then remembered that he was off to retrieve a burnt
corpse.
Tomorrow: Episode Ten of The Silent
Child
