Someone to watch over me

the kids had taken it to dig in the dirt, and I didn’t believe them when they claimed they hadn’t.“
    “He came at me with the knife. I’d used it lots of times. I knew how sharp Roxy kept it. I knew he’d catch up with me if I ran away. So I swung the metal end of the oar at him.”
    From outside, they could hear the children laughing at something Lily must have said to them.
    “I didn’t mean to kill him, just stun him enough to get the knife away from him.“ Tears came to his eyes. “Swear to God, Roxy, I didn’t mean to kill him.”
    With a half sob in her voice, she said, “I know, Gene. You wouldn’t kill anything on purpose.“ She looked questioningly at Walker.
    “He can plead self-defense,“ Walker said. “But I need to know the rest, and so will the judge.”
    Eugene haltingly explained that he’d moved the body so it wasn’t lying there in the open. He considered going straight to Chief Walker and telling him but was afraid he wouldn’t be believed. So he threw the oar and the knife way out into the river on the other side of the tracks where the water was deep and they’d sink right down. But he was afraid the satchel would float, so he took it with him.
    “Why on earth did you do that?“ Robert asked.
    “I dunno. I couldn’t think of how to get rid of it,“ Eugene said. “I put it under my bed. Then in the morning, while Roxy was out in the garden, I moved it under her bed.“
    “Why?“ Roxanne asked.
    Eugene looked around at all of them as if it were obvious and finally said, “I knew that nobody who knew how smart and good Roxy is would even think she could have been stupid enough to hide it there herself. People hereabouts think I’m the stupid one.”

Chapter 26

    Chief Walker sent Eugene along with Harry Harbinger to the police station in the official car to have his statement taken down. Robert pulled Lily aside and told her what Eugene had said.
    “Did you believe him about not meaning to kill Donald?“ Lily asked.
    “A hundred percent. I don’t think Eugene knows how to make up a good story.“
    “How did you figure out that it was Donald stealing the vegetables?“
    “I asked Judy what he’d offered for the girls’ services.”
    Lily put the heel of her hand to her forehead. “I’d thought about asking that and then forgot it. What will happen to Eugene?“
    “I can’t even guess.”
    Meanwhile, Roxanne was asking Howard Walker the same question.
    “The worst thing that can happen is that he goes to trial and is convicted,“ Walker said. “But I don’t think that’ll happen. He’s a simple man in the sense that he has no guile. If he tells the absolute truth as convincingly to an attorney, the judge, and the county prosecutor as he told it to us, he’ll most likely be dismissed.“
    “Then that’s what I must hold out for,“ Roxanne said, with a sigh. “I know he’s telling the truth. I’ve never heard him lie. And I have lots of experience hearing lies and recognizing them,“ she said wryly. “My husband did nothing but lie for years. Will Gene have to be in jail somewhere until this is worked out?”
    Walker realized these were exactly the right questions Mrs. Anderson was asking and wasn’t the least surprised. She had a way of spotting the center of a problem and taking it on. “I hope not. I’ll tell the prosecutor that he’s no danger to anyone.“
    “I’ll have to get a lawyer for him. Would you recommend one?“
    “You should ask Mr. Prinney. I don’t think he has much experience in criminal matters, but if he doesn’t want to take it on, he’ll tell you who should.“
    “Does everybody have to know about this?”
    That was the question he’d been fearing she’d ask. “Not if I can help it, but court records are public if people want to look at them. Unless the judge chooses to seal the record. You should ask Mr. Prinney about that as well.”
    Roxanne rubbed her arm and suddenly looked up at the sky. “Oh, my gosh! I think it’s starting to rain at last!”
    Robert and Lily had noticed this too and approached Walker and Roxanne. “We better get a move on,“ Robert said. “Mrs. Anderson, I’m sorry I involved myself in this. And I’m sorry for Eugene.“
    “You’ve all done your best and you were kind to him,“ she said, shaking hands quite firmly and formally with Howard Walker. “The truth is better for Eugene and me than yet another lie.“
    “I’ll send Eugene back to you within an hour or two if