Marja McGraw - Bogey Man 02 - Bogey's Ace in the Hole Read Online Free Page B

to think about what she’d seen, and now it appeared she was sorry she hadn’t said anything.
    “So you think Addie was in the camper when the man took off?” I asked.
    “It kinda looked that way.  She could have ran out of her house and climbed in there after he went by.  I didn’t really hurry when I heard his footsteps leaving.  I wonder why she would have done that.”
    “Okay, tell me what he looked – ”
    I was interrupted by someone knocking loudly on the front door.
    Elsie sighed and slowly pulled herself up off the recliner.  As she trudged over to answer the door, it struck me just how slowly she’d probably gone to the front door when Addie was having problems.  My best guess was arthritis in her knees.  It reminded me of watching my grandmother try to walk when her knees hurt.
    She opened the door a notch and peeked out.  “You church nuts again?” she said.  “Why aren’t you out looking for your friend?”
    “That’s exactly why we’re here,” Jasmine’s voice rang out.  “We want to know what you’re telling Pamela.”
    “Well, she can tell you when we’re done talking.  Now go away.”
    “Nope.  Our friend is missing and we want to know what you know.”
    I could see Jasmine’s foot slide between the door and the door frame.  It was rather interesting to watch these two women spar.
    Elsie didn’t say a word for a moment, and then she pulled the door open.  “Okay, I guess that’s fair.  She is your friend, and I like Addie, even if I don’t like you.  I wouldn’t like to see anything happen to her.”
    Jasmine, standing tall and straight, walked through the door with Lila and May following.  “Thank you, Elsie.  I know we have our differences, but Addie’s life could be at stake here.”
    Elsie made a noise I couldn’t identify, except it sounded like resignation or defeat.  “You people may be nuts, but you’re all good women.  I doubt if you’ve ever done a bad thing in your lives.  But I have, and you should know you’re not gonna convert me tonight.”
    “We’re not here to convert you,” May said.
    “We’ll do that after we find Addie,” Lila said softly.
    “I asked you to wait in the car,” I said, focusing my gaze on Jasmine.  “If you want Chris and me to help you, then please do as we ask in the future.”
    “We will,” Jasmine said, very off-handedly, and keeping her eyes on Elsie instead of me.
    This time I rolled my eyes and didn’t care if the Church Ladies saw me or not.  They didn’t, but Elsie did and she chuckled.
    “Got your hands full, don’t ya, girlie?”
    I didn’t respond to that.  “Okay, you were about to tell me what this guy looked like.”
    “He was tall, but then everybody looks tall to me.  Um, I would guess he was about a foot taller than you.  He had black and white hair, like this lady’s.”  She pointed at May’s salt and pepper hair.  “He had a droopy mustache; you know the kind; the sides were long and hung down.  He was kinda thin, but he had a belly on him, like some older men get.  Maybe it was a beer belly.”
    “So he was an older man?” I asked.
    “Not older older, but mebbe late fifties or early sixties.  At least, that was my take on him.  And he was madder than a wet hen.  Whatever Addie did musta really been a doozie this time.  I wondered if she tried to preach at him like she does sometimes.  I just ignore her, but some people can’t do that.”
    “You’ve given me a good description.  You’re very observant.”
    “Not much gets by me in this neighborhood.  I keep an eye on things.”
    “I’ll bet you do.  Can you tell me what his truck looked like?”
    “Well, it wasn’t an old truck, but it wasn’t new either.  I think it was a Dodge. A neighbor had one. It was black, and it was one of those trucks that has two wheels on each side in the back.  The camper didn’t match the truck.  It was white, and it looked pretty big to me.  There was a ladder on