“Well, yes he was, Son. But he was still a nice man, and I didn’t know about the snakes until I saw it on CNN. That’s what started Spencer’s problems, too. He was taken aback by the fact that my brother was a snake handler who had been murdered. He said he was seeing zippers across his eyes. I should have known something was wrong.”

“Will Alec had migraines,” Sister said. “His always started with zigzag lights, too. Like zippers. I’m surprised that Gordon guy didn’t have some of that new medicine to stop them.”

“He should have.” Virginia reached for another olive. The floor above us creaked. Luke had gone upstairs.

Virgil looked as if he were taken aback and seeing zippers, too, but he took a deep breath and asked Virginia to tell him about the couple of days she had spent on Chandler Mountain.

“Boring. Holden didn’t even have cable. But he said he had some business he had to take care of before we went to Nashville. And, no, sheriff, I don’t have any idea what it was. A couple of guys came by. One was his brother-in-law.” Virginia frowned. “Holden didn’t like him. They were having a fuss about something. And his daughter-in-law, Susan, came by with the grandchildren. Cute as they could be. Susan was, too.” Virginia sighed. “I can’t believe she’s dead, too. Holden really loved her and those children.”

“You said a couple of guys?” Virgil asked.

“A young man Holden said had a crush on Susan. He just came to the door and they talked a minute.”

“Did he have a beard?” I asked. I was thinking of Albert Lee Packard. To Virginia he would be a young man.

“I don’t remember one.”

Then it wasn’t Albert Lee with his memorable Spanish moss.

“What kind of car was this man driving?” Virgil wanted to know.

“I didn’t see it.”

Richard stood up. “I think I’d better go see about Daddy. He nearly got himself killed, you know, Mama, looking for you.”

“Should have learned to dance.”

Richard stomped out, and Virgil closed his notebook which, best as I could tell, had maybe a dozen words written in it.

“Mrs. Nelson, I think we’d better continue this tomorrow in my office. Okay?”

“I’ll bring her,” Sister volunteered immediately. “What time?”

“I’ll take her,” I said. “I’ve got to take Betsy Mahall’s key back to her anyway.”

“We’ll all go,” Sister said.

Virgil ran the palm of his hand across his mouth, a gesture that I would learn to recognize meant, “I give up.”

“About two,” he said. He reached in his pocket and pulled out Susan Crawford’s cameo. “And, Patricia Anne, if you’re going to see Betsy, give her this. We’ve checked it out.”

“I’d be happy to. It’ll make her feel better.”