Read Online Leftover Dead by JIMMIE RUTH EVANS - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: JIMMIE RUTH EVANS
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deputies might still be around. I’m sure Elmer Lee can check on that. One of them might be able to tell you something. If they weren’t paid off, too, that is.”
“Let’s get back to Roscoe Lee Bates,” Wanda Nell said. “About his disappearing. What do you think happened?”
“Do you think he could have been murdered, too?” Jack asked.
“I suppose it’s possible. But I think it’s just as likely that he ran off because he was afraid of what might happen if he didn’t. He came from a poor family, and I seem to recall that his father wasn’t around, just his mother and a younger sister.”
“He would have made a pretty convenient scapegoat then,” Jack said.
“Exactly. Too young, too inexperienced, not bright enough, and certainly with no influence—he would have been a prime target if someone wanted to frame him for the murder.”
“He also could have done it, you know,” Wanda Nell said. “Although if he had, it seems kind of silly for anyone to go to the extremes of covering it up when they had the killer all along.”
“Maybe, honey,” Jack said. “Maybe he was the killer. But maybe someone in town was more afraid of something else.”
“Like what?” Ernie asked.
“Who the girl really was. To me, that’s the simplest explanation. If there’s any way to find out why she came to Tullahoma, I think we’d find the key to the whole situation.”
“Maybe she wanted something from somebody here”—Ernie continued Jack’s train of thought—“and that someone wasn’t willing to give it. That person killed her, and Roscoe Lee Bates looked like an easy scapegoat.”
“But if he disappeared, it would be a lot easier for the whole thing to just fade away,” Wanda Nell said.
She, Jack, and Ernie looked at each another. “It’s certainly plausible,” Ernie said.
“But in order to find out what the dead girl wanted here in Tullahoma,” Jack said, “we’re going to have to find out who she was.”
“Yes,” Wanda Nell said. “And how are we going to do that?”
Jack turned to Ernie. “You mentioned that this Bates boy had a mother and a sister. Are they still in Tullahoma?”
Ernie thought for a moment. “I’m pretty sure Mrs. Bates died many years ago. I don’t know about the sister. I seem to recall she married someone local before her mother died, but at the moment I can’t think of his name. I certainly haven’t run across her in a long time, and I have a pretty good memory for former students.” She smiled at Wanda Nell.
“You sure do.” Wanda Nell smiled. “So you taught this girl?”
“Yes, and I think she was three or four years younger than her brother. Her name was Sandra.” She paused. “Sandra June Bates. Her mother’s name was June, I believe.”
Wanda Nell exchanged glances with her husband. “Now I guess we have to track down Sandra June Bates. She’s our only link to her brother, and if we can find her, she might know something about what happened to him.” Jack crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair. “But how are we going to find Sandra Bates?”
“First off,” Ernie said, “I’ll do my best to remember who it was she married. Once you have that name, it should be easier. Of course, she could have been married and divorced seven times since then, but hopefully she won’t be that hard to trace.”
Wanda Nell stood up. “Once again, Ernie, you’ve been tremendous help.”
Ernie smiled at her former student. “It’s my pleasure, of course, Wanda Nell.” Her smile faded. “I hate to think of that poor girl lying somewhere nameless, unavenged. If I can do anything to correct that, I’ll be proud to do it.” She stood.
“That’s how we feel,” Jack said.
“Hang on a second.” Wanda Nell was struck by a sudden thought. She stared into space for a moment. “What happened to the girl’s body? Would they have buried her somewhere?”
“Good point, honey,” Jack said. “In big cities, they often keep unclaimed
“Let’s get back to Roscoe Lee Bates,” Wanda Nell said. “About his disappearing. What do you think happened?”
“Do you think he could have been murdered, too?” Jack asked.
“I suppose it’s possible. But I think it’s just as likely that he ran off because he was afraid of what might happen if he didn’t. He came from a poor family, and I seem to recall that his father wasn’t around, just his mother and a younger sister.”
“He would have made a pretty convenient scapegoat then,” Jack said.
“Exactly. Too young, too inexperienced, not bright enough, and certainly with no influence—he would have been a prime target if someone wanted to frame him for the murder.”
“He also could have done it, you know,” Wanda Nell said. “Although if he had, it seems kind of silly for anyone to go to the extremes of covering it up when they had the killer all along.”
“Maybe, honey,” Jack said. “Maybe he was the killer. But maybe someone in town was more afraid of something else.”
“Like what?” Ernie asked.
“Who the girl really was. To me, that’s the simplest explanation. If there’s any way to find out why she came to Tullahoma, I think we’d find the key to the whole situation.”
“Maybe she wanted something from somebody here”—Ernie continued Jack’s train of thought—“and that someone wasn’t willing to give it. That person killed her, and Roscoe Lee Bates looked like an easy scapegoat.”
“But if he disappeared, it would be a lot easier for the whole thing to just fade away,” Wanda Nell said.
She, Jack, and Ernie looked at each another. “It’s certainly plausible,” Ernie said.
“But in order to find out what the dead girl wanted here in Tullahoma,” Jack said, “we’re going to have to find out who she was.”
“Yes,” Wanda Nell said. “And how are we going to do that?”
Jack turned to Ernie. “You mentioned that this Bates boy had a mother and a sister. Are they still in Tullahoma?”
Ernie thought for a moment. “I’m pretty sure Mrs. Bates died many years ago. I don’t know about the sister. I seem to recall she married someone local before her mother died, but at the moment I can’t think of his name. I certainly haven’t run across her in a long time, and I have a pretty good memory for former students.” She smiled at Wanda Nell.
“You sure do.” Wanda Nell smiled. “So you taught this girl?”
“Yes, and I think she was three or four years younger than her brother. Her name was Sandra.” She paused. “Sandra June Bates. Her mother’s name was June, I believe.”
Wanda Nell exchanged glances with her husband. “Now I guess we have to track down Sandra June Bates. She’s our only link to her brother, and if we can find her, she might know something about what happened to him.” Jack crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair. “But how are we going to find Sandra Bates?”
“First off,” Ernie said, “I’ll do my best to remember who it was she married. Once you have that name, it should be easier. Of course, she could have been married and divorced seven times since then, but hopefully she won’t be that hard to trace.”
Wanda Nell stood up. “Once again, Ernie, you’ve been tremendous help.”
Ernie smiled at her former student. “It’s my pleasure, of course, Wanda Nell.” Her smile faded. “I hate to think of that poor girl lying somewhere nameless, unavenged. If I can do anything to correct that, I’ll be proud to do it.” She stood.
“That’s how we feel,” Jack said.
“Hang on a second.” Wanda Nell was struck by a sudden thought. She stared into space for a moment. “What happened to the girl’s body? Would they have buried her somewhere?”
“Good point, honey,” Jack said. “In big cities, they often keep unclaimed
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