Free Rook & Tooth and Claw by Graham Masterton Page B

me.”
    “Only barely, Mr Clay. He died just as soon as I reached him.”
    “And he didn’t say nothing? No last words?”
    Jim shook his head. Elisabeth Clay took hold of his hand and looked up at him in tearful incomprehension. “Why did this have to happen, Mr Rook? What did Elvin do? He wasn’t smart, I know that, but he always worked hard. He was always good, and kind, and Christian.”
    “I don’t know why it happened, Mrs Clay. Every time a young man dies, I guess that every grieving mother and father ask themselves the same question. And I guess that they always come up with the same answer. Wrong place, wrong time; wrong friends, wrong situation. Sometimes I think that God turns his back, and doesn’t see what’s happening, not until it’s too late.”
    Grant said, “Elvin and Tee Jay were such good friends, that’s what I can’t understand. And I used to like Tee Jay. He was always polite, and called us ‘sir’ and ‘ma’am’, and once he took Elvira to the beach. She’s our young one. Eleven now; and all we have left. Elisabeth can’thave no more children. Not that any child could ever replace our Elvin.”
    “Do you believe that Tee Jay did it, Mr Rook?” asked Elisabeth.
    Jim said, “Let’s put it this way. I have my doubts. But I can’t say too much about it right now – not while the police are still looking into it.”
    A wide, pretty woman in a black dress and a black pillbox hat came out of the kitchen and said, “Would you care for some coffee, and a piece of fruit pie?”
    “Coffee would be great,” said Jim.
    Grant went up to Elvin’s portrait and stared at it, as if he were willing it to speak. “Elvin didn’t see too much of Tee Jay these past three months. Elvin didn’t know too much about it, but it seemed like Tee Jay was having trouble at home. I can’t tell you much more than that, because it was one of those things that you don’t put a mind to, till something tragic happens, and then you look back.”
    “Do you have any idea what kind of trouble Tee Jay was having?” asked Jim.
    “The police asked me that, but I don’t have any idea at all. What kind of trouble does a seventeen-year-old boy usually have with his parents? He wants to party; he wants to stay out late; he doesn’t want to do what he’s told. He wants to experiment with alcohol and drugs. I don’t know. All I know is that Elvin stopped hanging out with Tee Jay so much as he used to.”
    A young girl in a black-and-white gingham blouse was standing by the door, listening. She said, “Elvin told me that Tee Jay was getting too religious.”
    Elisabeth held out her hand. “Come here, honey. Mr Rook – this is Elvira, Elvin’s sister. Elvira, this is Elvin’s teacher, Mr Rook.”
    Jim said, “Good to know you, Elvira. I came here to tell your folks how sorry we are about Elvin.”
    “Elvin talked about you a whole lot,” said Elvira. “He said you were crazy sometimes, but you always taught him more than anybody else.”
    “What was that you were saying about Tee Jay getting too religious?” asked Jim.
    “I didn’t understand that, either,” put in Grant. “How anybody be
too
religious? Elvin was religious. The whole family, we go to church regular, always have. Elvin sang in the choir before.”
    “But it wasn’t that kind of religion,” said Elvira.
    “What do you mean?” Jim asked her.
    “I heard Elvin and Tee Jay arguing once. Tee Jay was trying to get Elvin to bite the head off a chicken. He said they should drink its blood, and say some prayers, and then they would never die.”
    “You didn’t tell us this before,” said Elisabeth.
    “I couldn’t. Elvin and Tee Jay caught me listening and they said I had to swear not to tell, otherwise the smoke would come and get me.”
    “The smoke? What smoke?”
    “I don’t know. But the way Tee Jay said it, I was frightened; so that’s why I didn’t say anything.”
    “Okay,” said Jim. “You did good to tell us. Now