Secret Keepers and Skinny Shadows: Lee and Miranda by Mary A Russell Page B

the description on his draft card. He left the army because he was too old to serve any longer and took a job on the Conn railroad here in Bridgetown working as a laborer.”
    “So you think Bert and George worked together at the railroad.”
    “Yes, that must be where he met and knew Bert. I couldn’t find any of George’s family. Maybe they will pop up somewhere as we continue to look into this. It’s like they dropped off the edge of the world.” She took a breath. Lee broke in with a question.
    “Didn’t Lilly say in one of her letters that she divorced George married Hap Mills and later divorced Hap before she remarried George?”
    “Yes, she did say that, but I could only find a marriage to George. Why do you ask?”
    “Would this have been something she made up or the truth? It’s a good place to start to see if Lilly is lying,” Lee said.
    “I don’t know about that, it could be poor record keeping back then, but we might come up with something,” she said. “Why are you pulling over to the side of the road?”
    He brought the car to a stop pointing in the direction of the mountains. “What a great view,” he said. “People pay a lot of money for a view like that.” he glanced in her direction.
    “I did pay a lot of money for it, when I bought that old house.” she shrugged and grinned.
    His attention was taken by the blue lights flashing in his rear-view mirror, he swore under his breath watching the policeman get out of the car and walk to his side of the car. Lee lowered the window.
    “Did I do something wrong officer?”
    “Are you Lee Perkins?”
    “Uh, yes, I am. Did I do something wrong?”
    “No, I was on my way to Miranda’s to talk with you.” The officer leaned over and looked into the car.
    “Hi there Miranda.”
    “Winslow, what do you think you’re doing? Why did you pull behind us? We weren’t doing anything wrong. And how did you know I would be in this vehicle?”
    “Wow, Miranda, so many questions,” the officer said. “Don’t get your panties all twisted. We knew Mr. Perkins was staying with you. Come on Miranda, it’s a small town, word gets around.”
    “What do you want, Winslow?” She said.
    Winslow directed his attention back to Lee.
    “I have a message for you from the police chief. It seems they were able to squeeze in some time for an appointment between you and Captain Woods for tomorrow at 1 P.M. That’s the only opening they have available. I told the chief I would drive down and give you the message; when I spotted your car pulled over to the side of the road.”
    Winslow grinned at Miranda. “I’m still waiting for our date you promised me Miranda.”
    “That’ll be the day Winslow, I never promised you anything, now leave us alone.”
    Lee smiled at Winslow as he glanced in Miranda’s direction. He could see the cold stare she was giving him.
    Winslow backed up and tipped his hat. “Be seeing you around.”
    Lee grinned at him, and watched in his mirror as he got back into his car.
    “I think that is a good example for us to witness, how brazen the police are in this town,” Lee said. “You’re going with me tomorrow Miranda, whether they like it or not.”
    Winslow pulled out and drove south.
    “Our own personal invitation. They send a cop down to tell us. How connected are you in this town?”
    “Oh Winslow. He stops me every chance he gets trying to get me to go out with him, I think he’s disgusting. I don’t like him, don’t trust him, and I would certainly never go out with him.”
    “I can’t say I blame him for trying,”
    She nodded turning her head away.
    “Let’s get back to what we were talking about,” she said. “Lilly did mention a lot of different men in the letters. She must have known these guys from the hotel where she said she cleaned and tended bar. Do you know where you are going?”
    “No, but I was sure you would tell me how to get to a coffee house,” Lee said.
    “The Dr. Denny she talked about,”