C Weaver - Silent River

“Thank you, Mrs. Davis. Maybe if Angie talks to me, she can unload what’s bothering her.”

There was a slight pause then, “I don’t know.” The tone in her voice reflected an abrupt change. “I’m sure she would tell me anything that was bothering her. Good day, sir.” The dial tone buzzed in his ear.

What had he said to upset her? He repeated the conversation to Barbara as they ate lunch at Yaws Drive-In. She turned to stare at him. The smile she gave him didn’t read “funny,” as in haha.

“What!?” he demanded

“You offended her.”

“I did not. What did I say that would offend her?”

Barbara had taken another bite of her thick burger and now had to chew before answering. Her eyes were bright with a secret that seemed to be funny to her alone. He waited and sucked on the paper straw that kept going flat with the thick milkshake.

She laid her hand on his arm. “You insinuated that her daughter would keep secrets from her. That when she asked her daughter a question, she might not answer truthfully. Sometimes mothers overlook their daughter’s needs and desire to be independent.” She stopped and took another bite as if to stop the flow of words that might leak some personal information.

Robert watched her for a moment. “You’ll make a good mother someday.”

Barbara blushed and turned to look out the window.

“Any suggestions to get Angie to tell her secrets?”

Barbara turned and had composed herself. “Be nice, not official. If Mom agrees to let you talk alone, then she might open up. You’ll have to go gently.”

“I wish you were doing this,” Robert blurted out.

“How about I go with you? Angie might be more open if a woman is with you, and it will put Mama Bear at ease.”

Robert thought a moment, then nodded. “You’ll go with me.” He said it as if it were his idea.

Barbara smiled.

The sun peeked from behind a cloud for a brief minute, then disappeared. A cool breeze blew across the yard. Robert shivered a bit as he and Barbara stepped on the porch of Angie’s house. It was situated a few blocks from the Stevens’ home. Far enough that Mrs. Stevens wouldn’t pop in to check on her daughter.

Angie Davis sat on the sofa. Robert noted she was a pretty girl with blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, her teeth encased in braces. She wouldn’t look at Robert when they followed Mrs. Davis into the living room.

Angie wore school clothes, a plaid shirtwaist dress, bobby socks, and oxford shoes. She wrung her hands nervously in her lap. School was out for the summer, but this was a formal meeting, hence the school outfit. Maybe her mother thought it made her look more childlike and innocent.

“Angie, I am Detective Collins and this Ms. Taylor from the police department. We need to ask you to tell me about your friend, Kelly. I know you were best friends.”

Angie nodded but didn’t look up or make a comment.

“I don’t want to make this a question-and-answer session. I don’t know anything about Kelly and her sisters except they were girls, and I know nothing about girls. I have a brother, and he is much worse than a sister.” He watched Angie, whose lips lifted a little at his joke then hid it right away.

“Did Kelly get along with her sisters? Or did they fight, as I did with my brother? He was the worst practical joker. He loved to short-sheet my bed. It got to the point I had to make my bed every night before I could go to sleep. Which one of the Stevens girls was the prankster?”

Angie couldn’t hold back the grin. “Darla. We had to watch her all the time. We finally had one of the boys find us a huge jar of dead bugs and spread them all at the bottom of her bed. She never makes her bed, so we just left the covers in a mess. You should have heard her scream! If there were any dinosaurs in the ground, they would have been up running around.”

Robert leaned forward laughing along with her. “That was great!! Did Darla start making her bed more often after that?”

Angie relaxed a little on the couch. “Yes. We would sneak in and pull the spread down a little, and she would freak out and call her mom to check the bed before she got in.”

“I guess Kelly always made sure she made her bed,” he encouraged.

“Kelly? She was the mess…” She stopped and clamped her lips shut.

“It’s okay, Angie. I know kids don’t always keep their rooms clean. I saw Kelly’s room and it was pristine.”

Angie looked up and frowned. “Pris—?”

Angie’s mother grinned, “Honey, you not only don’t know the word but have no idea what it means in practice. It means very clean and tidy. Sir, you said Kelly’s room was pristine?” She was frowning.

“Call me Robert. Yes, her bed had hospital corners, the books on the shelves were arranged in alphabetical order, and even the pencils in her desk drawer were sharp and lined up by size.”

Angie’s mother looked at her daughter. “What happened? Did she get hit by some lightning bolt, and it missed you? You both were practically joined at the hip.” She looked at Robert and continued. “These girls would sit in their rooms with the blankets and pillows strewn all over, listening to rock and roll music that I can’t understand.”

“Why did Kelly start cleaning her room extra tidy?” Robert kept his voice low and soft.

Tears formed in Angie’s eyes. “She just wanted to be the best daughter for her parents. To show them she wasn’t a bad girl.”

“Honey, they knew she was a good girl, just because your room is a little messy now and then doesn’t mean we don’t love you. I’m sure her parents thought the same way.” Angie’s mother hugged her daughter.

“Ma’am, we need to ask Angie a sensitive question. It was probably a secret that she and Kelly shared. I don’t want to break the confidence they had. Would you mind if we asked her in private?” He held his breath and looked at Barbara.

Mrs. Davis frowned and kept her arm around her daughter in a protective manner. She looked from Robert to Barbara, unsure if she should hold her ground.

“Ma’am, I work in the police department. The detective brought me along to make sure we kept all the proprieties. You don’t have to worry.” Barbara leaned a little forward and lowered her voice, exuding confidence.

Robert smiled, and the words registered with Mrs. Davis. She patted Angie’s knee. “We don’t have secrets, so you tell them what they want to know. Can I get you both some coffee cake to go with a cup of coffee? I also have some cookies.” She looked at the two officers.

Robert started to deny the offer, but Barbara answered, “That would be wonderful. We missed our afternoon shot of coffee to keep us going.”

Robert nodded. Mrs. Davis walked to the kitchen and shut the swinging door. He guessed she’d have an ear glued to the door for a time. Mothers were very protective of their daughters, but Barbara understood secrets between girls.

Robert didn’t move from the chair. He did press the record and play buttons on the reel-to-reel recorder he’d brought. He opened his notebook and clicked his pen. “I know—”

“Angie, what was Kelly like?” Barbara interrupted. He clamped his lips shut. He didn’t want to sit around listening to girl talk. Let’s get down to business, he wanted to say.

“She was—is—so nice and my best friend.” Her mother must have given her a handkerchief, and she wadded it in her grasp. “We’ve known each other since grade school.

“You share everything?” Barbara prompted

“Yes.” Her voice was breathy as if she knew what was coming

“I don’t see you girls as the outdoorsy type. Did you like camping outside in a tent?