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Show page 70 save the Tonklin g i r l ." Hardcastle t r i e d a weak smile. "She's jealous. She choked that kid to death because she's jealous." Lattimore, Henson, and the reporter a l l exchanged looks. Lattimore said, "Say that again, Ralph." "She's jealous," Hardcastle repeated. "She gets me shot and nox* she l i e s . I t r i e d to cheer that kid up, do l i t t le things." He spoke in short gasps. "The same stuff everywhere, Memphis, Mobile, Knoxville. Where's Tucker?" "In j a i l , Ralph, where h e ' l l stay u n t i l his t r i a l ." "He never had a r e a l g i r l in his l i f e ." "Why d i d n ' t you t e l l us about Bessie before, Ralph?" "You d i d n ' t ask," Hardcastle said, lolling his head. He was breathing harder. "Ain't there a doctor - " Lattimore motioned the doctor back. "One more thing, Ralph. How did Bessie choke the g i r l with her bare hands?" Hardcastle rolled his head. Lattimore leaned closer. In a s i b i l a n t Xi7hisper Hardcastle's dying words strung themselves together s t a r t l i n g l y to the watching group: "Trickery. She did it with t r i c k e r y . We saw western pictures on Saturday n i g h t s . She'd close the tearoom, wait for me; eat a bag of macaroons waiting for me on a bench in that l i t t l e park. She was waiting, the kid came by, on her way home. Bessie told the kid she's forgot to lock the rear door of the tearoom, asked the kid to s i t there a few minutes in case I came. She gave the kid the bag of macaroons, put her big coat around her shoulders - d i d n ' t want the kid to get |
