The Darling Dahlias and the Confederate Rose

But while she was worrying about this, the telephone rang with an urgent question from one of Mr. Moseley’s clients that required fifteen minutes of research before she could call him back with the answer. Then Judge McHenry’s clerk called to say that the judge had mislaid a document in one of Mr. Moseley’s court cases and hoped that Miss Lacy could replace it. She located a copy, locked the office, and ran across the street to the courthouse, where she left the document with the clerk and then came back, to another ringing phone.

This time it was Mr. Moseley, asking her to take dictation over the telephone, then type the letter, sign it for him, and make sure it went out in today’s mail. Thinking of Verna and the warrant, she wanted to ask Mr. Moseley about probable cause, but he was in a hurry, so she skipped it. Anyway, he wouldn’t be happy to hear that Verna had refused to follow his advice to stay home and wait for the sheriff. He would be especially unhappy to learn that Lizzy had aided and abetted her decision. It was probably better not to open the subject.

Lizzy had finished typing the letter and was getting ready to take it to the post office when she heard footsteps coming up the stairs and Myra May pushed the door open. She was panting.

“I thought you went over to Beulah’s to get beautiful,” Lizzy said. She didn’t say so, but Myra May’s hair looked no different than it had earlier that morning. What’s more, there were deep puckers of worry in her forehead.

“I did,” Myra May answered breathlessly. “But while I was waiting for Bettina to come and shampoo me, I heard something you ought to know about. And Verna, too, wherever she is. Thought I’d better come straight on over here and tell you.”

Quickly and succinctly, Myra May reported what Alice Ann Walker had said about Mr. Scroggins, Mr. Johnson, and the sheriff, all showing a great interest in Verna’s bank account.

“Alice Ann wouldn’t tell us how much got deposited into Verna’s account,” she concluded. “But she did say it was a tidy sum. Said it would be enough to get Arnold a new leg and a roof on the house and a new water well, plus paying off her bills, so it sounds like it must be in the thousands of dollars.” She frowned apprehensively. “Did Verna ever happen to mention how she managed to get her hands on that much money?”

Taken aback by this new information, Lizzy shook her head. “You know how closemouthed Verna is. She almost never discusses her personal money affairs with me—or anybody else.”

But money was so hard to come by these days, and Verna’s only income, so far as Lizzy knew, was her job, which certainly wouldn’t pay enough to put a new roof on the Walkers’ house or buy Arnold a new leg. So where did that deposit come from?

She paused, thinking that since Myra May had brought this piece of news, she ought to tell her what she had just learned from Mrs. Wilson. “That money in Verna’s account—it must be the reason for the sheriff coming to her house a little while ago,” she said. “He had a warrant. I don’t know whether it was a search warrant or an arrest warrant.”

“A warrant?” Myra May asked, lifting both eyebrows. “My gosh, Liz. How’d you find that out?”

“From Mrs. Wilson, Verna’s next-door neighbor. Verna told her that she was going to Nashville.”

“Did she?” Myra May asked. “Go to Nashville, I mean.”

Lizzy only shrugged.

“Ah, I see.” Myra May chuckled, then turned serious. “The sheriff.” She pressed her lips together, shaking her head. “Sounds to me like Scroggins and the sheriff think Verna had something to do with that missing money, Liz.”

“Sounds that way to me, too,” Lizzy said grimly. She narrowed her eyes. “I wonder what Mr. Moseley will say when he finds out that Mr. Johnson let Mr. Scroggins have a look at Verna’s bank account. I’m not sure, but I think they should have told the sheriff he had to get a warrant to do that.” She thought of something and brightened. “If I’m right, and if the case comes to trial, Mr. Moseley might be able to get it thrown out.”

“Oh, really?” Myra May asked. “How?”

“Tainted evidence. When the police don’t do things the way they’re supposed to be done, Mr. Moseley objects. If the judge agrees, he refuses to allow the evidence to be entered in the case.”

Myra May gave her an admiring look. “You tell Mr. Moseley that he definitely ought to object to Mr. Johnson and Mr. Scroggins snooping in Verna’s bank account. They’ve got no business doing that.” She paused curiously. “Are you going to tell Verna about this?”

“Yes, but I can’t leave the office until quitting time and I don’t want to use the telephone. Lucy’s on a party line. I promised Bessie I’d come to her card party tonight, but I guess I’ll have to cancel. I’ll ask Grady if I can borrow his car and drive out to the Murphys’.” Lizzy clapped her hand over her mouth. “Oh, blast,” she said disgustedly. “Now I’ve gone and let the cat out of the bag.”