Claws For Concern

“Murder begins at home,” Mrs. Gillon said. “I reckon that’s what you mean.”

“In a way,” I said, pleased that Mrs. Gillon cut right to the heart of things. “Unless some stranger wandered by and decided to kill the family, they were murdered by someone they knew.”

“I reckon it’s possible a tramp happened by and did it,” Mrs. Gillon said. “Hiram kept cash in the house, and word got around. But if there’d been any indication of a tramp in the area, one of the farmers around here would have seen the signs and warned everybody. That didn’t happen.”

“So we’re back to the Barbers and someone who knew them,” Jack said. “How well did you know the family?”

“Tolerably well, I’d say. Knew Hiram since he was a boy, about the same age as my middle child, Larry’s daddy. They played together some, but Hiram was always accusing Larry of hurting him and cheating when they played games. Hiram’s mama would come storming up here, demanding an apology.” Mrs. Gillon chuckled. “She never got one from me, that’s for sure. That Hiram was a whiny, selfish brat, and his mama made him that way. I finally told Larry he couldn’t play with him anymore.”

“We’ve heard that Hiram was hard to get along with,” I said.

“He was that, and then some,” Mrs. Gillon said. “He took after his mama, unfortunately. His daddy was a good man. He just picked a lemon from the tree of life when he married that no-good woman.”

“That’s unfortunate,” Jack said. “It sounds like Hiram didn’t have a happy childhood.”

“No, he didn’t,” Mrs. Gillon said. “They finally had to put his mama in Whitfield, she got so bad. Died there when Hiram was about eighteen. His daddy died a year later and left him to run that farm by himself.”

The state mental hospital, I thought. That was bad.

“What about Hiram’s wife?” I asked. “Did you know her before she married him?”

“Betty Eaton,” Mrs. Gillon said. “Betty’s mama and me were good friends a long time ago. Betty was a pretty girl, sweet with it. She never should have married Hiram. Bad decision, but I guess she felt like she had to after her boyfriend up and joined the Marines and left her like that.”

“Who was her boyfriend?” Jack asked.

“The one they thought killed ’em all,” Mrs. Gillon said. “Bill Delaney.”

I hadn’t seen that coming, but I remembered Bill telling me he’d joined the Marines. I explained my connection to Delaney to Mrs. Gillon.

When I finished, Mrs. Gillon said, “And now you want to know if he’s a killer. Can’t blame you for that.”

“What do you think?” Jack asked. “Did he kill the Barbers?

“I never thought so,” Mrs. Gillon replied. “He was a good man, he just couldn’t keep away from the liquor. Like to broke his mama’s heart, I’m sure.”

“How did he come to work for Hiram?” I asked. “Didn’t Hiram know about his wife and Bill Delaney?”

“Sure he did,” Mrs. Gillon said. “But Hiram didn’t pay much, and I’m guessing Bill Delaney, with his reputation, was desperate for work, so he was willing to work for next to nothing.”

“Plus he was able to see Betty again,” Jack said. “That’s interesting.”

“How long had he worked for Hiram?” I asked.

Mrs. Gillon frowned. “Let me see now. Seems to me that he started working there a year or so before the twins were born.” Her expression darkened. “Those poor little boys. Such a hard life. Hiram gave that girl anything she wanted while Betty and the boys had to beg for scraps.”

“We’ve heard she was pretty spoiled,” Jack said.

“She was,” Mrs. Gillon said. “She got paid back, though, for every thoughtless word or thing she ever did. She was like a different girl after she found her family murdered.”

“An experience like that was bound to have a profound effect,” I said.

“For the better, in this case,” Mrs. Gillon said. “Elizabeth realized she wasn’t the center of the universe, although even if her father hadn’t been killed when he was, she would have found out before long.”

“What do you mean?” Jack asked.

“She wanted to go to college to be a veterinarian,” Mrs. Gillon said. “But there was no way Hiram was going to let her go away from him. She would have spent the rest of her life on that farm unless she just up and ran away from him.”

“She didn’t end up as a veterinarian, though,” I said.

“No, she didn’t,” Mrs. Gillon said. “She was able to go to college, after all, once she sold the farm. But then she met that boy over at State and got married. I hear she helps out at one of the vet’s offices in town, though.”

“Yes, she does. Now, if we can go back to Hiram and the way he treated his wife and sons,” Jack said, “I’d like to ask you if you ever heard or saw anything that might lead you to think he was abusive.”

Mrs. Gillon glanced toward the door. “Excuse me a minute.” She got up from her chair and walked toward the door. “When I look out of this room, somebody better not be lurking in the hall.” She paused near the door.

I heard the sound of scurrying little feet. Mrs. Gillon certainly had sharp hearing. I hadn’t heard Britney sneaking down the hall.