Read Online Miss Julia to the Rescue by Ann B. Ross - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ann B. Ross
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he’ll know something.”
Lillian walked in as I went out into the hall. “The babies in they cribs,” she said, and went to Hazel Marie. Gathering her up in her arms, she crooned, “Come here, little girl. It gonna be all right. See if it won’t.”
Hazel Marie clung to her as I ushered Coleman into the room.
“Here he is, Hazel Marie,” I said, beginning to tremble a little myself. Anxiety is catching, you know.
Coleman pulled a chair up close to Hazel Marie as she released herself from Lillian and looked at him.
“Hazel Marie,” he began, as he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “I talked to Sheriff Ardis McAfee in Crayton County, West Virginia, a few minutes ago, but I didn’t get all the information I wanted. Apparently, a man they’re calling John Doe was found out in the woods somewhere and he was brought to the hospital with a gunshot wound. The sheriff assured me that the wound is not life threatening, but by the time he was found, it had gotten infected. When they brought him in, he was running a fever and appeared confused and unable to give them any information. He had no identification of any kind on him, which is why they’ve labeled him a John Doe. So listen now,” Coleman said, hunching forward and taking her hand, “it may not be J.D. The sheriff said they’re getting the infection under control, and the man in question is telling them that he’s a private investigator, but the sheriff said he didn’t know what a private investigator would be doing in their neck of the woods, so he’s not inclined to believe him.”
“Why not?” Lloyd demanded. “If it is J.D., he’d tell ’em his name and everything, wouldn’t he?”
“Well, I’ll tell you,” Coleman said, somewhat hesitantly, “what I just told you had to be pulled out of the sheriff—he was not the most cooperative person I’ve ever dealt with. I don’t know what’s going on up there, but the sheriff said that in the absence of proper identification, the man stays on the books as a John Doe.”
“Maybe it’s not him,” Hazel Marie said. “J.D. didn’t say anything about going out in the woods, so it could be somebody else. Couldn’t it?”
“It could,” Coleman said, nodding. “Because if it is J.D., I’d think he’d be calling you.”
“No,” I chimed in, “there’re no telephones in the rooms in that hospital. That’s what the telephone operator told me. So if he can’t get out of bed, he can’t call. And if they’ve taken his cell phone, he’s up a creek.” That didn’t come out right, so I added, “As far as getting in touch with us, I mean.”
That brought things to a standstill as we all wondered what kind of hospital it was. At that point, James reappeared to say that breakfast was just about cold and we’d better come on and eat. Lillian guided Hazel Marie to the dining room while she protested that she couldn’t eat and Lillian telling her she had to. Lloyd, looking wan and worried, held his mother’s hand and went with them.
I lingered behind with Coleman, wanting to hear what he really knew after having spoken with the Crayton County sheriff. “Did you tell her everything?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No, because there was no reason to worry her any more than she already is. But that sheriff has one thing on his mind, and he’s not going to cooperate until he’s convinced he’s wrong. I’d sure like to get up there and shake some sense into him.”
“Well, what in the world, Coleman?”
“Apparently, they’re having a lot of trouble with marijuana growers and meth labs back in the hills around there, and he thinks this John Doe may be part of some of that. And,” Coleman went on, looking down at me, “if it’s not J.D., he may be right. Anyway, he’skeeping this ‘so-called private cop,’ as he called him, under wraps until his identity is confirmed and the feds can get there.”
“Oh, Coleman, this could be bad. You and I know that Mr. Pickens
Lillian walked in as I went out into the hall. “The babies in they cribs,” she said, and went to Hazel Marie. Gathering her up in her arms, she crooned, “Come here, little girl. It gonna be all right. See if it won’t.”
Hazel Marie clung to her as I ushered Coleman into the room.
“Here he is, Hazel Marie,” I said, beginning to tremble a little myself. Anxiety is catching, you know.
Coleman pulled a chair up close to Hazel Marie as she released herself from Lillian and looked at him.
“Hazel Marie,” he began, as he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “I talked to Sheriff Ardis McAfee in Crayton County, West Virginia, a few minutes ago, but I didn’t get all the information I wanted. Apparently, a man they’re calling John Doe was found out in the woods somewhere and he was brought to the hospital with a gunshot wound. The sheriff assured me that the wound is not life threatening, but by the time he was found, it had gotten infected. When they brought him in, he was running a fever and appeared confused and unable to give them any information. He had no identification of any kind on him, which is why they’ve labeled him a John Doe. So listen now,” Coleman said, hunching forward and taking her hand, “it may not be J.D. The sheriff said they’re getting the infection under control, and the man in question is telling them that he’s a private investigator, but the sheriff said he didn’t know what a private investigator would be doing in their neck of the woods, so he’s not inclined to believe him.”
“Why not?” Lloyd demanded. “If it is J.D., he’d tell ’em his name and everything, wouldn’t he?”
“Well, I’ll tell you,” Coleman said, somewhat hesitantly, “what I just told you had to be pulled out of the sheriff—he was not the most cooperative person I’ve ever dealt with. I don’t know what’s going on up there, but the sheriff said that in the absence of proper identification, the man stays on the books as a John Doe.”
“Maybe it’s not him,” Hazel Marie said. “J.D. didn’t say anything about going out in the woods, so it could be somebody else. Couldn’t it?”
“It could,” Coleman said, nodding. “Because if it is J.D., I’d think he’d be calling you.”
“No,” I chimed in, “there’re no telephones in the rooms in that hospital. That’s what the telephone operator told me. So if he can’t get out of bed, he can’t call. And if they’ve taken his cell phone, he’s up a creek.” That didn’t come out right, so I added, “As far as getting in touch with us, I mean.”
That brought things to a standstill as we all wondered what kind of hospital it was. At that point, James reappeared to say that breakfast was just about cold and we’d better come on and eat. Lillian guided Hazel Marie to the dining room while she protested that she couldn’t eat and Lillian telling her she had to. Lloyd, looking wan and worried, held his mother’s hand and went with them.
I lingered behind with Coleman, wanting to hear what he really knew after having spoken with the Crayton County sheriff. “Did you tell her everything?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No, because there was no reason to worry her any more than she already is. But that sheriff has one thing on his mind, and he’s not going to cooperate until he’s convinced he’s wrong. I’d sure like to get up there and shake some sense into him.”
“Well, what in the world, Coleman?”
“Apparently, they’re having a lot of trouble with marijuana growers and meth labs back in the hills around there, and he thinks this John Doe may be part of some of that. And,” Coleman went on, looking down at me, “if it’s not J.D., he may be right. Anyway, he’skeeping this ‘so-called private cop,’ as he called him, under wraps until his identity is confirmed and the feds can get there.”
“Oh, Coleman, this could be bad. You and I know that Mr. Pickens
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