Where the Crawdads Sing(86)

Kya asked, “Why do they think foul play was . . . ?”

“One a’ them grates on the towa flo’ was left wide open, and he fell plumb through, and they reckoned that was suspicious. Some people’re sayin’ them grates are left open all the time with kids always messin’ ’round up there, and Mr. Chase coulda fell through by accident. But some folks cryin’ murder.”

Kya was silent, so Jumpin’ continued. “One reason was, when Mr. Chase was found, he wan’t wearin’ that shell necklace he wore ever’ day fer years, and his wife says he was wearin’ it that very night when he lef’ the house, ’fore he went to his folks for dinah. A’ways wore it, she said.”

Her mouth went dry at the mention of the necklace.

“Then, those two young’uns that found Chase, well, they heard the sheriff say thar weren’t no footprints at the scene. Nary a one. Like somebody done rubbed out evidence. Them boys been yappin’ all over town ’bout it.”

Jumpin’ told her when the funeral would be but knew Kya wouldn’t go. What a spectacle that would be for the sewing bees and Bible study groups. For sure, the speculation and gossip would include Kya. Thank tha Lawd she’d been in Greenval at the time ’a his death, or they’d’a put this on ’er, Jumpin’ thought.

Kya nodded at Jumpin’ and churned home. She stood on the mud bank of the lagoon, whispering one of Amanda Hamilton’s verses: “Never underrate

the heart,

Capable of deeds

The mind cannot conceive.

The heart dictates as well as feels.

How else can you explain

The path I have taken,

That you have taken

The long way through this pass?”





49.


    Disguises



1970

Stating his name as Mr. Larry Price—a man with curly white hair, cut short, and dressed in a blue suit that shone cheaply—and that he drove the Trailways bus on varying routes in this area of North Carolina, the next witness was sworn in. As Eric questioned him, Mr. Price confirmed that it was possible to bus from Greenville to Barkley Cove and back again on the same night. He also stated that he was driving the bus from Greenville bound for Barkley Cove the night Chase died, and none of the passengers looked like Miss Clark.

Eric said, “Now, Mr. Price, you told the sheriff during his investigation that there was a skinny passenger on that bus who could’ve been a tall woman disguised as a man. Is that correct? Please describe this passenger.”

“Yeah, that’s right. A young white man. Reckon he was ’bout five ten, and his pants just hung on him like sheets on a fence post. He wore a big bulky cap, blue. Kept his head down, didn’t look at anybody.”

“And now that you’ve seen Miss Clark, do you believe it’s possible that the skinny man on the bus was Miss Clark in disguise? Could her long hair have been hidden in that bulky cap?”

“Yeah, I do.”

Eric asked the judge to request that Kya stand up, and she did so with Tom Milton by her side.

“You can sit back down, Miss Clark,” Eric said, and then to the witness, “Would you say that the young man on the bus was the same height and stature as Miss Clark?”

“I’d say ’bout exactly the same,” Mr. Price said.

“So all things considered, would you say that it’s likely that the skinny man on the 11:50 P.M. bus traveling from Greenville to Barkley Cove on the night of October 29 of last year was in fact the defendant Miss Clark?”

“Yeah, I’d say that’s very possible.”

“Thank you, Mr. Price. No further questions. Your witness.”

Tom stood in front of the witness stand and, after five minutes of questioning Mr. Price, he summed up. “What you’ve told us is this: one, there was no woman who looked like the defendant on the bus from Greenville to Barkley Cove on the night of October 29, 1969; two, there was a tall, thin man on the bus, but at the time, even though you saw his face very close, you didn’t think of him as a woman in disguise; three, this idea of disguise only came to you when the sheriff suggested it.”

Tom continued before the witness could respond. “Mr. Price, tell us how you’re sure the thin man was on the 11:50 P.M. bus of October 29? Did you take notes, write it down? Maybe it was the night before or the night after. Are you one hundred percent sure it was October 29?”

“Well, I see what you gettin’ at. And, when the sheriff was jogging my memory, it seemed like that man was on that bus, but now, I reckon I can’t be one hundred percent sure.”

“Also, Mr. Price, wasn’t the bus very late that night? In fact, it was twenty-five minutes late and didn’t arrive in Barkley Cove until 1:40 in the morning. Is that correct?”

“Yeah.” Mr. Price looked at Eric. “I’m just trying to help out here, do the right thing.”

Tom reassured him. “You’ve been a great help, Mr. Price. Thank you very much. No further questions.”



* * *



? ? ?

ERIC CALLED HIS NEXT WITNESS, the driver for the 2:30 A.M. bus from Barkley Cove to Greenville on the morning of October 30, a Mr. John King. He testified that the defendant, Miss Clark, was not on the bus, but there was an older lady, “. . . tall like Miss Clark, who had gray hair, short with curls, like a permanent wave.”