Dark Coulee Read Online Free

want? Just leave me alone.”
    Claire reached out to touch the woman’s arm, but she pulled away.
    “I need to find out what happened here. I’m a deputy sheriff. Can you tell me your name?”
    “Why’d you want to know that?”
    “I need to find out what happened to Jed.”
    “Yes. I can tell you. But I need to get to the hospital. His kids already left, I think.”
    Claire kept her voice low and reasonable and stood right in front of the woman. “I’ll see if I can get you a ride. But if you’d be good enough to answer a few questions first.”
    The woman wiped her face and sucked in her tears. “My name is Lola. Lola Anderson.”
    When Lola lifted her face, Claire saw that she wasn’t a bad-looking woman, but her skin was pockmarked, and she was older than thirty, maybe into her forties. “Did you come with Jed tonight?”
    “Yeah. We were having a good time. Jed doesn’t like to go out so much, but I got him to come tonight.”
    “So what happened?”
    “Can I tell you my suspicions?” Lola brightened.
    “Shoot,” Claire said.
    “I think this is what happened. Jed and I were standing listening to the music and everything, and then he had to go to the bathroom, he said. So he left. I didn’t think too much of it, and I stood there by myself. Then I see Leonard, that’s my ex-boyfriend, going that same way.” She stopped to see if Claire had gathered the significance of this.
    Claire nodded at her to keep her talking. “Was Leonard the man who grabbed hold of you a moment ago?”
    “Yeah, that’s him. You gotta understand, the two of them don’t get along. All because of me. I mean, they might not have gotten along anyway. They’re both too damned stubborn, but Leonard pretty much just hates Jed because I left him and went with Jed. He’s said as much. You can ask other people. It’s a well-known fact. So I know that Leonard went over in that same direction. And then I saw him staring down at Jed when the ambulance guys came and everything.”
    “But that was after he had been assaulted. How do you know he was anywhere near Jed before that?”
    “I think you better seriously question him, and you can call me as a witness to his character if you need that, which you probably will if you’re going to take him to court. I had to tell you all of this before I went to the hospital, because I’ve watched a lot of TV shows, and I know how important it is to track everything down at the scene of the crime.”
    Claire thanked her. She took the woman’s name and number, wrote them on a bank slip from her purse. She looked around to see if any other deputies had shown up. What was taking them so long?
    Lola’s face crumpled as she asked, “I need to get to the hospital. Do you think he’s going to die?”
    Claire answered truthfully. “He didn’t look good to me. When some other deputies arrive, I can try to arrange a ride.”
    “No. I can’t wait that long. I’ve got a friend here.” Lola ran off, her dress flowing behind her.
    After questioning a number of dancegoers who had seen nothing, Claire finally found an older woman who had been standing near where the attack had taken place—Mrs. Gunderson. She was sitting in a lawn chair with a can of ginger ale in her hands. Her hair was a halo of white curls, and she smiled as Claire questioned her.
    A sprightly woman in her late sixties, she told Claire she had taught fifth grade in the local school. “But I’m retired now. I had Jenny in my class. That’s Jed Spitzler’s daughter. She was such a sweet girl. So smart and full of life. Until the accident. Do you know Jenny?”
    “No, I just met Mr. Spitzler for the first time tonight.”
    “She was a joy to have in class.” Her face clouded over. “I haven’t seen much of her these last few years.”
    “Did you see what happened to Mr. Spitzler?” Claire asked.
    “No, my eyesight just isn’t what it used to be. Even with these glasses, I can’t make out much. They tell me I have