I heard a car pull into the driveway and I turned in time to see Cornell park his white pickup. As he came through the back gate, his three daughters made a run at him and piled into his legs, the pup bouncing along behind them like a basketball. Much squealing and hugging, punctuated by the dog's shrill barks. Cornell extracted himself and headed in our direction, combing his hair with his fingers, tucking in the tail of his shirt where the girls had pulled it loose. He said, "Hey, Dad," with some enthusiasm. To me, he said hi in a tone as flat as a tumbler of two-day-old Coke.

I introduced him to Stacey and the two men shook hands. Stacey said, "We've just been chatting with your dad about Charisse."

Cornell seemed embarrassed by the subject. "Justine told me about that. I was sorry to hear."

"Was she a friend of yours ?"

"Well, no, but I'd see her at school. This was before she got kicked out and went over to Lockaby."

"Did she have a boyfriend?"

"She never went steady with anyone I knew. She dated quite a few guys, various classmates of mine."

"Who would you say offhand?"

Cornell thought about it briefly. "I guess Toby Hecht and George Baum. You might start with them."

Stacey made a note of the names while Cornell peered over his shoulder and pointed. "That's B-A-U-M, not B-O-M-B."

"Got it. And how could I go about getting in touch with these birds? They still around somewhere?"

"George is your best bet. He sells new and used cars over in Blythe. Toby, I don't know about. I haven't talked to him in years."

Ruel had been following the conversation, but now he rose to his feet. "You fellers will excuse me, I got to go see a man about a dog. Nice talkin' to you."

"Same here," Stacey said, touching his head as though tipping his hat.

Ruel took off across the grass, heading for the house while Stacey was saying to Cornell, "How about Wilbur Sanders? You ever see her with him?"

Cornell shifted his weight. He reached in his shirt pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes. He shook one loose and lit it, glancing back to make sure neither Edna nor Ruel was watching him. "I'm sorry, but I don't want to say anything bad about my wife's dad."

Stacey said, "We're not asking you to tell tales. I'm sure he's a fine man."

Cornell didn't seem prepared to go that far. "All I know is she doesn't want to think ill of the man even if he's gone."

"Good point. She doesn't want to think what, that Wilbur cheated on her mom?"

"Now I never said that. He put up with a lot."