The Darling Dahlias and the Eleven O'Clock Lady

As Lizzy and Verna paused on the corner, surveying the crowd, Lizzy went back to the subject of the murder. “I’m afraid I can’t get Rona Jean out of my mind,” she confessed. “It must be awful for Bettina, too, losing her roommate that way. I hope she’ll be able to find somebody else to move in with her.”


“She’ll have to,” Verna replied. “She doesn’t earn enough at the Bower to afford the rent on that house all by herself.” She frowned. “You don’t suppose Bettina is somehow involved in the murder, do you? I mean, I could imagine a scenario where a woman stole her roommate’s boyfriend and the roommate got angry and killed her. Can’t you? Theoretically, I mean.”

“I suppose so,” Lizzy said, as they were about to cross the street. “But I can’t imagine Bettina Higgens doing that. I don’t think she’s the type to get jealous, even theoretically. Do you, really?”

“Well, still waters run deep, you know. It’s very hard to know what’s going on inside her. And anyway, she might know something that would give us a clue to Rona Jean’s murder.”

Give us a clue? Lizzy smiled to herself. She understood the way Verna’s mind worked. If there was something mysterious going on anywhere, Verna always wanted to know what it was, who was involved, and what they were up to—and she went to great lengths to find out, even when it was none of her business.

“Don’t you think Sheriff Norris has already talked to her?” she asked. “I’d imagine that she would be at the top of his interview list.” They paused on the sidewalk. Lizzy was going straight ahead, to the post office, and Verna was turning right, to go to the grocery.

“Probably. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that she told him everything she knows,” Verna remarked. “And she may know something she doesn’t know. If you know what I mean.”

“Ah,” Lizzy said, with a light laugh. That was Verna, always on the case. “You’re probably thinking of having a little talk with her, aren’t you?”

“I’d like to,” Verna said, “but I’m not sure I’ll have time today. Which brings me to the favor I wanted to ask you, Liz. Captain Campbell is coming for dinner this evening. That’s why I’m going to the grocery. Mrs. Hancock is saving a stewing hen for me—only twenty cents a pound. I’m going to make a chicken pot pie.”

“Captain Campbell?” Lizzy asked. “Who’s he? Didn’t you just tell us you are still seeing Alvin Duffy?”

Verna had been a widow since her husband, Walter, stepped out in front of a Greyhound bus on Route 12. Their marriage had not been a happy one, and she had always sworn that another man was the last thing in the world she wanted. But when she met Alvin Duffy, she had changed her tune. She had updated her hairstyle, gotten several chic new hats from Fannie Champaign, and bought herself some stylish new clothes.

The “new Verna” had definitely impressed Alvin Duffy. Now president of the Darling Savings and Trust, he had taken the position after the previous president, George E. Pickett Johnson, had died of a sudden heart attack. Actually, every citizen of Darling thanked the good Lord that Mr. Alvin Duffy had come along, for he was the man who—practically single-handedly—had kept the town going during the banking crises of the previous year.

“Yes, I’m still seeing Al,” Verna replied, with a wave of her hand. “Captain Campbell is a friend of his. He’s also the commandant at the CCC camp and very good-looking—tall, dark hair, blue eyes, in his forties. His first name is Gordon. And he’s a widower. I think you’ll like him, Liz, even if he is a Yankee. I’m sure he’ll like you.”

“I’ll like him?” Lizzy asked, surprised.

“When you meet him. Tonight.” Verna gave her a look that just missed being anxious, and Lizzy understood that for some reason, this was important to Verna. “You will come for dinner, won’t you? I mean, four for dinner is much more fun than three. Al speaks very highly of the captain. And of course, the CCC is doing important things for Cypress County—and can do much more, with a little encouragement.” She shook her head. “It’s amazing, what a little government money can do.”