“Well, like I said, he was lookin’ for a platinum blonde and a woman with short black hair. Said he knew they’d come to Darling, but he didn’t have any idea where they were stayin’, so he was knockin’ on doors and askin’ around.” She swallowed, looking anxious. “He was real polite and soft-spoken. Nice as pie, he was, but he had a cold look in his eye. I wouldn’t want to tangle with that one.”

“Oh, he’s polite, all right,” Miss Jamison said bitterly. “He’s a charmer, he is. A real snake.”

Bettina was back with a glass with water in it and the whiskey bottle—the local bootleg whiskey. Beulah uncorked the bottle and poured a healthy slug into the glass. “Here. Drink this, honey. You’ll feel better.”

Miss Jamison took a sip, coughed, and took another. The color began to come back into her face.

Leona Ruth peered at Miss Jamison. “This Yankee fella—I reckon he’s not a friend of yours, huh?”

“No,” Miss Jamison said, and took another sip. “He’s definitely no friend.” The fear in her voice was so plain that everybody heard it. In a pleading tone, she added, “If he comes back, Mrs. Adcock, I beg you not to tell him that you’ve seen me.” She looked at the others. “Everybody. Please don’t tell him about me!”

“Well, of course we won’t tell him,” Beulah said heartily. She looked at Bettina, who nodded.

“No platinum blondes whatsoever in this town,” Bettina added. She put an imaginary key in her lips and turned it.

Bessie scowled at Leona Ruth. “Did you hear that, Leona? This is not something you can go around telling people about, the way you usually do.” She hardened her voice. “And if I hear one word of this outside this room, I’ll know it was you who told.” She looked from Beulah to Bettina. “We’ll all know, won’t we, girls?”

Beulah and Bettina nodded solemnly.

“I won’t say a word.” Leona Ruth held up her hand, palm out. “I promise. But he said he was goin’ around askin’ people, so I’m not the only one he’s talked to.”

“Did this Mr. Gold say where he was staying, Leona?” Bessie asked. “Or how long he was going to be in town?”

“Said he’d be at the hotel through Monday afternoon or maybe later, and if I happened to run across his friends, I should be sure to stop and leave a message for him at the front desk.” Leona Ruth was eyeing Miss Jamison with an avid curiosity. “If he’s not a friend of yours, then why is he lookin’ for you?”

“Leona Ruth,” Bessie said sharply, “it is none of our business why that man is looking for anybody.”