The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree (Berkley Prime Crime)

Lizzy protested. “Sheriff—”
    The sheriff turned his back on her. “Buddy, is that the doc’s car I’m hearin’ up there on the road? You climb up the hill and see if he needs any he’p gettin’ down here. Meantime, Grady and Charlie, whyn’t you boys give me a hand in gettin’ this car off the body so Doc Roberts can have a look-see. With that broke arm of his, Buddy is worthless as tits on a boar hog.”
    It was no good protesting. Lizzy turned away from the men and scrambled up the hill, unaided, trying not to think of the mangled body under the car. She didn’t look back. A little later, Grady joined her in the Ford, accompanied by the young man in overalls, who climbed into the rumble seat. They dropped him off at the Jackson place, then drove back into town together, still not speaking. Lizzy sat, hunched and miserable, against the passenger door.
    They were just coming to town when she said, “I need to go to Verna Tidwell’s house, Grady. The corner of Larkspur and Robert E. Lee.”
    He gave her a concerned look. “That’s pretty far from your place, isn’t it? Four blocks, almost five. You’ll have to walk home. I’ll wait for you.”
    “No, thanks. But maybe you could wait until I see whether Verna’s at home.”
    “This has been hard on you, Liz. I don’t think you ought to—”
    “Just do what I say,” she said wearily.
    Still objecting, Grady pulled up in front of Verna’s and waited while Lizzy ran up the porch steps and knocked at the door. When Verna opened it, she turned and waved at him. He sat there for a moment, then waved back, reluctantly, put the car in gear, and drove on.
    “Well, come on in, Lizzy,” Verna said. Her black Scottie was eagerly sniffing Lizzy’s shoes. “Clyde, you stop that,” she reprimanded. She looked down at Lizzy’s feet and up again, with a sly grin. “My goodness gracious, Liz. You look like you’ve been scrambling around in the mud. You and Grady out sparkin’ in the woods?”
    “Nothing like that,” Lizzy said. “Pour me some tea, Verna, and I’ll tell you about it.”

TEN
    The Dahlias Play Hearts
    Monday evening was the City Council meeting and Ophelia’s card night. The Dahlias’ weekly card game traveled from house to house, but tonight, it was here. Ophelia sent the kids to Momma Ruth’s for supper and the evening, to get them out from underfoot. Jed came home from the feed store late and wolfed down a ham-and-pimento-cheese sandwich, two deviled eggs, and a bowl of tapioca and peaches. Then he changed into a fresh white Sunday shirt to go and “act like I’m Darling’s mayor,” as he put it. He always downplayed the importance of the job, but Ophelia knew that he loved it, just as he loved Darling. He might not love everybody in it, but he loved the town.
    Ophelia was helping him with his tie when Jed put his hands on her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye.
    “I want you to know that there wasn’t ever anything at all between me and Lucy Murphy,” he said firmly. “Whatever you’ve been hearing’.”
    So he had heard it, too, she thought. Aloud, she said, “Actually, I had a little visit from Mrs. Adcock this morning. She just had to tell me ... Well, you know. Such a blabbermouth. Of course, I know better,” she added, in a comforting tone and adjusted his tie. “You wouldn’t do a thing like that”
    Jed looked down, away from her. “No, I wouldn’t,” he muttered. “I just felt like—Well, hell, Opie. Ralph ain’t doin’ right by that little girl, leavin’ her out there with those two half-grown boys and a busted-up old car and a bunged-up horse. He oughta know better.”
    “He ought,” she agreed. “And he probably does. But he’s got to make a living, like everybody else. He probably figures he’s lucky to have a job, so he doesn’t say ‘can’t’ to his boss as often as he maybe ought to.” She paused. “And maybe—”
    “I know, I know. I shouldn’t’ve taken it on myself to look after her. Wa’n’t a bit smart, given the way people in this damn town like to talk.” He bent over and kissed her on the nose. “You did right, sugah-pie, goin’ out there and gettin’ Lucy and bringin’ her into town. That fixed their wagons.”
    Ophelia nestled against him. “Thank you,” she whispered, putting her arms around his neck.
    He kissed her quickly. “Anyway,” he said, disengaging and stepping back, “folks’ll have something else to talk about