Q Is for Quarry

under her thighs.
    "That's because Detective Oliphant was there. He and Ruel seemed to hit it off. Did you meet Stacey?"
    She shook her head. "I heard there was a second detective in town, but I haven't met him yet. They must be going all out."
    "They are. They're very serious about this."
    "Well, good, though I don't get why it matters after all these years."
    "Cops are funny that way. They never really give up. They just wait."
    "Look, I don't mean to be rude about it, but I really have to scoot. The kids'll get cranky."
    "Sorry. I'll get down to it," I said. "This morning, when Stacey spoke to Cornell, he mentioned a high school classmate of yours named George Baum."
    "Sure, I know George. Why was he talking about him?"
    "Cornell seemed to think he was involved with Charisse."
    "Involved?"
    "That's a dainty way of saying he screwed her."
    "Oh, for heaven's sake. He did not. George had a girlfriend, a cheerleader named Swoozie Franks. They went together for years, since junior high at least. They got married a month after graduation."
    "Swoozie?"
    "It's a nickname. I forget her real one."
    "Maybe Swoozie wouldn't put out so George got relief from Charisse instead."
    Justine made a face. "That's a tacky idea."
    "Why? You've all been saying what a slut she was."
    "Well, yes, but I can't believe George would do something like that. Did he admit it?"
    "Not as far as I know, but he did tell Stacey that Charisse and Adrianne were close. I was curious why no one mentioned that to us."
    "That's not true at all. Why would he say that? He's crazy." Dubiously, I said, "I don't know, Justine. He says Charisse had a crush on Cornell and hung out with Adrianne to have access to him. You'd think Adrianne would've volunteered the information as soon as she heard Charisse was dead."
    "You said you weren't even sure it was her."
    "Well, the ill isn't positive, but now we have her dental records so we're getting close. I would have mentioned it this morning, but it didn't seem appropriate in front of Edna's church group. Besides, that was the first time I realized who Adrianne was. You can imagine my surprise. I see her at Quorum High. I find out she's Cornell's sister, and then I hear she and Charisse were such good pals."
    "They weren't pals. George doesn't know what he's talking about. Charisse's so-called pals were a bunch of losers from Lockaby. They were more her speed."
    "Really. Your mother said she made a real pest of herself, wanting to hang out with the two of you."
    "We took her with us sometimes, but she was an embarrassment."
    "Did you know Charisse was so smitten with him?"
    "Oh, please."
    "Why would George lie to us?"
    "I didn't say he lied. I said he got it wrong. The guy's a dimwit. Besides, even if she had a crush on Cornell, what difference did that make? A lot of girls had crushes. He was the most popular guy in our high school class."
    "But how'd you feel about it? Didn't it bother you?"
    "I knew we'd end up together, so who cared about them?"
    "I mean Charisse in particular."
    "She was nothing. A pig. I couldn't have cared less about her."
    "Geez, that's amazing. When I was in high school, I was insecure. You must have had a lot more self-confidence."
    "I wouldn't say that. It just seemed like fate. The minute I saw Cornell, that was it for me. That was grade school. We went to different junior high schools and reconnected in high school in our senior year."
    "Love at first sight."
    "Right."
    "So really, it didn't matter if Charisse and Adrianne were friends –in terms of its effect on you."
    "Charisse could do anything she liked. No skin off my back." She glanced at her watch, signaling time was up. She could have been a shrink, given her skill in silent communication.
    I held up a hand. "Just one other thing and then I'll let you go. Doesn't it seem a trifle coincidental that your father disappeared just about the same time she did?"
    Justine stared at me. "I don't get what you mean."
    "Come on, Justine. You're not that naive."
    "You're implying the two of them went off together?"
    "Didn't it ever cross your mind?"
    "Of course not. Daddy left in June. She was with us for months and months after that."
    "Actually, it was only until the end of July. Maybe six weeks or so. What if they were having an affair?"
    Justine laughed. "Oh, that's gross. I don't like to think he had sex with my mother, let alone with someone like her. That's disgusting."
    "Disgusting to you perhaps, but in the annals of human history