Page 157 of The Advocate’s Ultimatum

The whole neighborhood looked tired in the permanent way some neighborhoods did. The stucco was faded, the yards dry, and the chain-link fences patched more than replaced. One half of the duplex was boarded over. The other looked occupied.

A woman in her seventies sat beneath the carport shucking corn while a fan pushed hot air around without helping much.

She watched him approach. “Are you selling politics or religion?”

“Neither.”

“Well, that’s refreshing.”

JP smiled and showed his investigator ID. “My name’s JP Torn. I’m looking into someone who used to live next door years ago. Her name is Evelyn Caldwell.”

The woman nodded. “Rochelle and Marcus’ mama.”

“You knew her?”

“I knew everybody on this street before half of ’em died and the other half learned meth.”

JP crouched near the railing. “I understand she had a little girl living with her for a while?”

“She did.”

“Do you remember her?”

“She was a quiet little thing.” The old woman shrugged. “She stayed close to the house mostly.”

“How old was she?”

“Five maybe six.” Another shrug. “Somewhere around there.”

“Did Evelyn say who she was?”

The woman snorted softly. “That changed, depending on who asked.”

“What do you mean?”

“One day she’d say it was her granddaughter. The next day it was her niece.” She shook her head. “That usually means family embarrassment or family crime.”

“Did you ever get a feeling for who she was?”

“Oh, she belonged there somehow,” the woman said. “Just not the way Evelyn said.”

“What do you think?”

The woman laid down a cob of corn.

“I think she was her niece’s kid. Her sister, Opal, had a daughter named Bonnie. I think it was hers.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Because Bonnie’s mama came around all the time.”

“That would’ve been the child’s grandmother, right?”

“Yeah.” The woman pointed toward the street with a corn husk covered hand. “Opal was older than Evelyn, heavyset, and smoked constantly. She came by couple times a week.”

“Was she close with the child?”

“Very. She’d brush the girl’s hair outside sometimes.” A faint smile touched her mouth. “She always talked sweet to her. And she would bring her coloring books and other toys.”