Cottonwood Whispers by Jennifer Erin Valent

strange these days, and she done got me worried.”
    “I know. She’s got me worried too. I told you, I’m all tied in knots.”
    She put a quieting hand on my back and nodded ahead of us. “Mrs. Packard’s comin’,” she said in a whisper. “Let her hear anythin’ and it’ll be all over town before you can blink twice.”
    True to her character, Mrs. Packard never issued us a greeting but started right in on a juicy tidbit the moment we met up with her.
    “Well, Cleta, what do you think of this nasty business?” she asked in a flustered tone.
    “Imogene, I ain’t got a speck of an idea what you’re talkin’ about,” Miss Cleta answered in exasperation. “As usual.”
    “I’m talkin’ about Elmer Poe, of course. That boy’s always been daft, don’t you know, and now he’s gone and gotten himself good and in a fix. Everyone in Calloway knew it would come to this someday.”
    Miss Cleta’s face creased into concern the minute Mr. Poe’s name came up, and she steadied herself against the side of a building. “Now, just what is everyone in this infernal town puttin’ blame on Elmer Poe for?”
    “For runnin’ down the poor Colby girl, of course. He’s always been a nuisance behind the wheel of his momma’s old jalopy, and now the sheriff’s gone and picked him up.”
    “Mr. Poe’s bein’ blamed?” I cried. “Mr. Poe would never have done that and just left her there. He’s got one of the kindest hearts I know.”
    “You don’t know a soul like you think you do sometimes, Jessilyn. You of all people ought to remember that.”
    “Well, I know Mr. Poe, and he would do no such thing.”
    “The girl’s right and you know it, Imogene,” Miss Cleta declared. “That boy’s as good as they come. He don’t even know how to keep a secret. Even if he hurt that girl by accident, he’d stop and care for her without pausin’ to think.”
    Mrs. Packard seemed offended that we didn’t sink our teeth into her news. “I don’t need to stand here and be insulted. I just thought you’d like to hear, Cleta, what’s been goin’ on in this town. After all, they found his car right busted up, and it seems a clear case despite what you’re thinkin’.”
    She skirted past us in a huff and left us to look at each other in bewilderment.
    “Mr. Poe couldn’t do nothin’ so cold, Miss Cleta,” I insisted.
    She took my arm to steady herself and began walking toward the center of town. “I know that, darlin’,” she said thoughtfully. “I know that as well as you do.”
    “Where are we goin’?” I asked as we passed by the pharmacy, where Miss Cleta had wanted to retrieve some things.
    “I’m headin’ over to that jailhouse and see what kind of nonsense is goin’ on in this town.”
    I accompanied her gladly, wanting nothing more than to go to Mr. Poe’s aid. He had always been so kind to me and my family, and I couldn’t bear the thought of him being in jail.
    “He must be frightened near to death,” I murmured. “Poor Mr. Poe.”
    The minute we walked into the jail, Miss Cleta hollered, “Charlie Clancy! Where’re you at?”
    Sheriff Clancy moseyed out of the back room. “I’m comin’, Miss Cleta. What’s got a bee in your bonnet?”
    I’d hated seeing Charlie Clancy take over when Sheriff Slater moved away, and I liked it even less now that he had Mr. Poe in his jailhouse. I didn’t trust him, and I worried even more for Mr. Poe because of it.
    “You got Elmer Poe in this here jail?” Miss Cleta demanded to know.
    The sheriff rubbed a hand over his tired face and sighed.“Yes’m, I do.” He held up his hand when Miss Cleta began to speak again. “Now, Miss Cleta, I know just what you’re gonna say, and I feel the same as you. I wouldn’t have thought Elmer Poe capable of maliciousness any more’n you, but we done found his car all beat up, and he travels over the pass near every day to go look in Mr. Kearns’s antique shop. There ain’t no other option in light of