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A sick feeling washed over me. Maybe it wasn’t just TJ Peterman who believed that. I took a few steps closer. “Has he told you that?”
“No, but it don’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.”
Based on what I was learning about TJ, I suspected she was right, but I really wanted to believe Vanessa didn’t feel the same way. “So the girls hang out together at school and church?”
“And dance class. They go to the same dance school.”
Funny that Vanessa hadn’t mentioned that. “And where is that?”
“Miss Deedee’s School of Dance.” She made a face. “TJ don’t like it much that my Ainsley not only goes there, but is better than his precious Ava, but my family’s been going to Miss Deedee’s for three generations now.” She lifted her chin. “My momma went, and I went, and now my Ainsley and Becca.” The toddler on her hip squirmed, wanting down, but she shifted his weight and gave an aggrieved sniff. “Hell, TJ ain’t even from Jackson Creek. He’s from Wolford. He ain’t got no right to be trying to run off the people who have been born and raised in this town for generations.”
“Do you think that’s what he’s doing?” I asked. “Running people off?”
“Now that he’s on the city council he says he’s trying to class up Jackson Creek. Like we were shitty before.”
“Like shutting down the Suds and Duds?”
“Among other things.”
“What else does he want to do?”
“He calls it beautifyin’ downtown. He wants to make us a tourist place. Bed and breakfasts and such.”
“That sounds like it would bring money to the town,” I said. “Why are people against it?” I suspected because it meant change and a lot of the people in this town resisted change. Or at least they had when I’d been raised here. Sounded like Lori might be on that bandwagon too.
“He wants to make all kinds of rules about how the fronts of the businesses look. He says he wants downtown to be picture perfect. He ain’t from Jackson Creek, so he needs to stick his nose out of our business.” Her eyes narrowed. “Why are you askin’ so many questions about TJ if you’re lookin’ for Ava?”
“Sorry,” I said with an apologetic smile. “I guess I got sidetracked.” She believed Ava had run away, so I decided to stick with that angle. “Do you have any idea where Ava might be?”
“Why are you asking instead of the police?”
“They haven’t talked to you?” I asked, not that I was surprised.
“Nope. Vanessa called me before school, then about an hour ago sayin’ someone was comin’ by to ask me some questions, but that’s it. So why are you here?”
“Vanessa and I have been friends since she and my sister were toddlers,” I said. “She knows I understand what it’s like when someone you love goes missing.”
She looked a little chagrined. She obviously knew about Andi if she’d lived here her entire life.
“If Ava were hiding, do you know where she might go?” I asked.
She shook her head. “She’d likely go to Millie’s house, but I’m sure you talked to her already.” There was an air of hostility in the last part of her statement.
“I haven’t had a chance,” I said, then added, hoping to win her over, “I wanted to talk to you first.”
Her eyes widened, and she looked pleased.
“Do you know if Ava has an adult she’d go to if she were in trouble? Someone she really trusts?”
“Just Millie,” she said, a cat streaking past her leg and darting outside.
“No one from school or church?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Does Ainsley hang out with Ava during recess or any free time?”
“She did, but over the last few months, Ainsley says that Ava and Casey haven’t been playing outside as much during recess.”
