Free The Code of the Hills by Nancy Allen Page A

situation?”
    â€œYeah. It looks like he changed his mind about cooperating with us.”
    â€œThat’s no good. Can you get a continuance while we look for him?” Ashlock suggested.
    â€œI don’t know. Madeleine said I should continue it for Friday, but Kris Taney is incarcerated. The judge won’t be sympathetic to a request for a continuance; we’re not supposed to drag our feet when the defendant’s sitting in jail. Shit, Ash, this case is in Judge Carter’s court; you know he can’t stand the sight of me.”
    They were both quiet for a moment. Ashlock swore under his breath. “Elsie, I’ve got a meeting with the police chief in about five minutes.” Her hopes sank as he continued, “I’ll check in on you as soon as I get out of there.”
    Shaking her head, she said, “Thanks anyway, Ash; thanks for listening. Sorry to bug you. I’ll handle it.”
    A feeling of doom enveloped her as she hung up. She felt like she was battling a forest fire alone, with one gunny sack. With an effort, she rose from her chair and opened the door to the hall, calling out for her other witness.
    â€œStacie, where’s Tina Peroni?”
    â€œRight here,” answered Tina, rounding the corner of the hallway. “I’d like a chance to run through the questions before I testify.”
    â€œCome in and sit down, Tina,” she said, closing the door behind her. Tina settled in a chair across from her desk. Elsie had a high opinion of Tina and considered her a friend. After twenty years in social work, Tina had not succumbed to burnout. She was dedicated and savvy, and made a good appearance on the stand, too, with her articulate speech, trendy glasses, and relaxed manner.
    Elsie asked, “How much contact have you had with the defendant in this case?”
    â€œWith Taney? Never met him. I did some interviews in the case after he was arrested.” She pulled notes out of a folder and referred to them. “They assigned me to the family on December twenty-­ninth. He was already in jail.”
    â€œSo you can’t provide any firsthand accounts of Taney’s abuse of his children?”
    â€œWell, no. Obviously.”
    Tapping a pen on her desktop, Elsie considered her options. As she suspected, Tina’s testimony could not provide admissible evidence against Taney at the hearing. The rules of evidence required direct proof, and since Taney’s brother was AWOL, she needed to go to the heart of the matter.
    Elsie asked, “Can you set up interviews between Detective Ashlock and Kris Taney’s daughters and wife this week?”
    â€œCertainly. What’s up?”
    â€œI’m trying to salvage this case. We’re about to fumble the ball.” She made a face. “Sorry about the football analogy. It’s just that I’m working around policemen all the time.”
    Tina laughed. “Hey, I like football. I’m a Steelers fan.”
    Elsie gave her a look. “Good Lord, Tina. That’s an East Coast team.”
    â€œI’m not a local, my hillbilly friend.”
    â€œOh, Tina. No one would mistake you for an Ozarks native.”
    â€œBecause I’m gay? Or because I have a full set of teeth?”
    A knock sounded; the door opened and Detective Ashlock stuck his head in. “Ladies, how can I help?”
    She had never been so glad to see anyone in her life. Beaming, she jumped up and ushered him in. “Damn, you’re fast.”
    He laughed. “It’s handy to have the police station across the street.”
    â€œWhat about the chief?” she asked.
    â€œI told him there’s an emergency at the courthouse. It sounds like there surely is.”
    Elsie offered her seat, but Ashlock refused, leaning against the file cabinet instead.
    â€œWhat did you all allege in the felony complaint?” he asked.
    â€œCount one is statutory rape in the first degree;