Claws For Concern

“No, you don’t have a claim on me,” I said. “We’re not related except by marriage. Your father to my aunt. No blood connection. But there’s still a connection. I can’t in all good conscience stand by and not try to help you. Your life might be at stake, and you don’t seem to have any other friends. You need my help.”

Before Delaney could respond, Jack spoke up. “Mr. Delaney, Charlie’s right about the threat to your life. Unless you’re ready to die, you need to listen to him. To both of us.”

“I’m not in no hurry to die,” Delaney said. “But I don’t see what you two have got to do with it. No reason at all why someone would want me dead. I’ve been gone from Mississippi for nearly twenty years. I don’t know anybody here no more.”

“That’s not true,” Jack said. “I can think of at least two people you know and who will certainly remember you.”

Delaney’s glance shifted to Jack but then shifted back to the screen. “Don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“Elizabeth Barber and Leann Finch.” I watched him closely for his reaction as Jack spoke the names. Delaney tensed but evidently realized what he’d done and immediately tried to relax.

Jack continued, “You worked for the Barber family for years. You knew their daughter, Elizabeth. Twenty years ago she would have been sixteen or seventeen. Leann Finch was her best friend. You must have seen them together at some point.”

Delaney’s gaze remained stubbornly fixated on the television screen.

“Did you recognize Leann Finch yesterday in the emergency room?” I asked.

I noticed Delaney’s hands tighten on the white bedspread, and they stayed clenched. For a moment I felt bad. It wasn’t my intention to browbeat him, but we had to get through to him.

“I don’t remember any Leann Finch,” Delaney said. “I remember Elizabeth, though. Beautiful girl.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “Don’t know whatever became of her.”

“You remember what happened to her parents and her brothers, though,” Jack said.

“Of course I remember.” Delaney opened his eyes and snapped the words out. “And if you’re here to try to make me confess to killings I didn’t do, you might as well get the hell out of my room right now.” He picked up the television control, and I saw him push the call button for the nurse.

“We’re not here to accuse you. You had an alibi, as I recall, your mother,” I said. “We do want to talk to you about the murders, though.”

“The police will be talking to you about them,” Jack said. “They know you’re back in Mississippi now. I’m actually surprised they haven’t been here already.”

“They have been,” Delaney said. “About an hour ago. Some woman deputy and a man.”

“Did they ask you where you were the past twenty years?” Jack asked.

“Yeah,” Delaney said. “Told ’em I was in Montana, working on a ranch until I got word that Mama was dying and asking for me.”

“How did the nursing home know how to find you?” I asked.

“Mama knew where I was,” Delaney said. “In case you’re wondering why I didn’t come home sooner, well, Mama didn’t want me to. Thought I ought to stay away.”

“Because of the Barber case,” Jack said.

“If you say so,” Delaney replied in an indifferent tone.

“Excuse me, gentlemen.”

Jack and I turned to see a nurse, a stocky woman around my age, standing in the doorway. She came into the room and approached the bed. “Are we doing okay, Mr. Delaney? Do we need another pain pill? You’re not due for about another hour.”

“No, ma’am,” Delaney said. “I was hoping you would show these men out. I’m tired, and I want to sleep.”

The nurse turned to face us, her expression apologetic. “I’m sorry. I need for you to leave now so my patient can rest. He’s recovering from a real bad accident.”

“Yes, we know,” I said. “We’re sorry, Nurse. We’ll go now, but we’ll come back another time when Mr. Delaney is feeling more rested.” I smiled at the nurse before I walked out of the room. Jack was right behind me.

While we waited for the elevator, I said, “He was pretty cool, but he’s hiding something.”

“Agreed,” Jack said. “I think it has to do with his mother. He didn’t want to talk about her.”

“No, he didn’t,” I said. We stepped into the elevator, and I punched the button for the ground floor. “I’m beginning to think Stewart was right on the money about Mrs. Delaney.”

TWENTY-FOUR

“Who else would he be trying to protect, other than himself?” I asked.

“I agree with you, up to a point,” Jack said. “He doesn’t want to talk about his mother, but there could be someone else he wants to protect. After all, it wasn’t his mother who tried to run him down.”

“True,” I said. “The only other person I can think of is Elizabeth Barber. Why would he be trying to protect her, though?”

“She could have killed her family,” Jack said.

The elevator reached the first floor, and the doors opened. Jack and I stepped out. I examined the signs to be sure I remembered the way to the emergency room from there.