Carnal Innocence

wrong. Darleen never could figure out what was right and what was wrong, but she came here wanting her mother to stick up for her. And I didn’t. We just ended up fighting like always, with her stomping off. I didn’t even watch her drive away.”
    She began to sob then, and Della rocked her and strokedher hair. Susie had come back in to put her arm around Marvella.
    “Those other girls.” Happy’s fingers convulsed on Caroline’s. “Oh, sweet Jesus, I keep thinking about those other girls.”
    “Hush now.” Della lifted the cup to Happy’s lips. “Aren’t they saying that was Austin, and he’s dead as a doornail. Why, Caroline here shot him in the head, and every woman in Innocence is grateful to her. Except maybe Mavis Hatinger, and she would be if she had a lick of sense. Now, you come on with me, darling. I’m going to take you up for a nice lie-down.”
    “Just for a little while.” With Winnie’s brew making her eyelids heavy, Happy let Della lead her out of the kitchen.
    “Oh, Mama.” Marvella turned into Susie’s shoulder to weep.
    “Shush now, don’t you start.” But Susie patted her back. “We don’t know that any thing’s happened.”
    “We have to have faith,” Winnie added. “And while we’re having it, I’m going to fix some food in case others come by. I’ll fry up some chicken.”
    “Good.” Susie gave Marvella a last pat. “Honey, you peel some potatoes and put them on to boil for potato salad. No use anybody going hungry. No telling how long we’ll have to wait.”
    Tucker stood on the banks of Gooseneck Creek and wiped his damp face with a bandanna. The temperature had soared to a hundred and two with the air so thick it felt as if you could grab a fistful and wring it out. The sky was a pale blue, bleached by the merciless white sun.
    He imagined himself taking a quick, relieving dunk in the water. The picture helped a little, but he settled for soaking his bandanna in the creek and cooling his face and neck.
    He remembered that Arnette had been found here—by Darleen’s brother. While he was hunkered down, Tucker took time to say a prayer.
    Please God, don’t let me find her.
    Someone would, he was sure. He’d discounted the hopeful theory that she’d taken off with someone. It didn’t make sense. She hadn’t had time to hook up with anyone but Billy T., and he, along with all of her women friends, insisted he hadn’t heard from her.
    Tucker believed him. Male pride was at stake. Billy T. wasn’t likely to take up with a woman whose husband had bested him with a frying pan. Darleen hadn’t been of particular importance to Billy T. One woman was the same as another to him.
    The inevitable comparison with himself left Tucker with a bad taste in his mouth.
    Darleen hadn’t left her car on the side of the road during a thunderstorm to hop into another with some new lover or new friend. Not when Junior claimed none of her clothes were missing, and that the housekeeping money was still tucked away in the coffee can, where she’d kept it.
    Someone would find her, Tucker thought again. And again he prayed it would be someone else.
    He rose to move among the reeds. His part of the search party was ranged along the banks, slopping through the weeds and mud, hoping, Tucker was sure, that they found nothing but some old beer bottles and maybe a used condom.
    They were all armed, which made him a little edgy. Junior had already blasted away a water moccasin. Since it had seemed to make him feel better, no one had commented.
    The fact was, there was very little conversation. The men worked silently, like soldiers setting up an ambush. Or walking into one. One of the helicopters called up from County swept by now and again, chopping at the hot air, and the two-way radios each group leader carried on their belts would squawk and buzz with talk or static. The FBI was holding back from taking over. But then, they didn’t know Innocence or its people. Burns was convinced Darleen was just another dissatisfied wife who’d taken off for greener pastures.
    Tucker figured he wasn’t ready to admit another murder had taken place while he was in charge.
    He swiped at mosquitoes, finding himself testy enough to want to shoot at the whining bloodsuckers instead of slapping at them. When he heard the long, echoing whistle of the train, he wished he were on it. Going anywhere.
    When he’d finished his assigned area, he walked back to join Burke, Junior, Toby and the others