Elaine Orr - Jolie Gentil 03 - When the Carny Comes to Town Read Online Free PDF Page B

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    WE SET UP A SCHEDULE so one of us would be in the waiting area all the time.  After they knew Scoobie could sort of respond to questions they had sedated him again, so we couldn’t talk to him.  It was supposed to help his brain heal better.  The hospital would only let one of us into Scoobie’s tiny room at a time, and for only a few minutes an hour.  We let Aunt Madge go in first.  It was her idea.  She said she’d let us know what to expect. 
    “He’s banged up, but his face isn’t bruised as badly as I expected, and only one eye is swollen.”  She thought for a second.  “They’ve sedated him a lot, so he doesn’t respond, but the nurse said we shouldn’t worry about that.”  She sat down heavily on one of the stuffed, hard plastic chairs.  “There’s so much equipment in there a seagull wouldn’t have a perch.”
    She stayed a bit longer, but Ramona and I sent Aunt Madge home in the middle of the afternoon so she could see to her guests.  She’s an early bird, so she planned to come by Sunday morning just after her guests finished breakfast. 
    While Aunt Madge had been in with Scoobie Ramona and I started calling a few people.  We knew word would get out fast and rumors would fly, so we called Jennifer and asked her to tell some of the classmates Scoobie knows best.  Ramona called Joe Regan while I called Daphne at the library, since that’s where Scoobie hangs out much of the day.  Neither of us called George Winters, but about four o’clock he showed up.
    His demeanor was not as impassive as it usually is when he throws questions at people.  George had his notebook in one hand and pencil in the other and gave us a raised-hand surrender gesture.  “You know I gotta ask.  Then I’ll leave you alone.”
    If I hadn’t pulled him into the dunk tank yesterday I probably would have shrieked at him.  Instead I just nodded, and asked him the first question.  “Did you talk to Sgt. Morehouse lately?” 
    “They’re wrapping up at the carnival.  Doesn’t look like they’re finding out much.  Carnies are mad because they say everybody suspects them of every crime in town when they’re here.”
    I didn’t give a damn about the carnies.  “In other words, nothing,” I said.
    “Nothing they’re talking about and I can usually get something out of ‘em.”  He flipped open his notebook and glanced at it.  “Nobody saw him much after the last time he heckled people at the dunk tank about nine-thirty last night.  By that time he had changed back into his jeans and a sweatshirt, and that’s what he was wearing when they found him.”
    I nodded, thinking.  I’d seen Scoobie then.  He’d been trying to get Father Teehan to promise to get onto the dunk tank plank Sunday after Mass, and Father was having none of it.  Reverend Jamison reminded Scoobie that Father Teehan was no spring chicken, and it had taken me a minute to figure out that there was some ecumenical hazing going on. 
    “That was the last time I saw him, too,” I said.
    Ramona described our walk to the car together and that we’d mentioned we hadn’t seen him for awhile.
    George nodded.  “It sounds as if he left shortly after 9:30, but it’s kind of odd no one saw him leave.  I guess someone may hear what happened and call the police later.  They’re putting a call out on the radio.”
    “Who’s going to be listening to the radio today?”  I asked.
    “They’re set up at the carnival, like always,” Ramona said.  “They’ll mention it a lot.”
    “Yeah.  Chamber of Commerce’ll love it.”  George continued, “Morehouse is really irritated that they don’t want to announce it on the PA at the carnival, but Father Teehan and a bunch of other people think it would “unduly upset” people.”
    “That’s ridiculous!”  I stood up and walked to the window and back.  “How come it gets to be their decision?”
    “It’s not like they’re warning about a heavy