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The girl nodded “I was only five but I reht in their bedrooun on her always and not to be afraid to use it He said with a murderer on the loose it was better not to take chances”
Jet was fascinated “What did your mother say?”
“She cried She was scared She didn’t want Dad to leave her for work, but he had to He was one of the foremen on the Circle C Ranch and work had to be done”
“The Circle C Ranch?”
“The Carrigans’ ranch in Paradise Valley We lived on the ranch, so ere right there where it all happened”
Jet pushed her half-eaten croissant away “So you were neighbors?”
She nodded again “Just up the road frolases That’s what made it so scary The killer could be any one of the people living in the area, or hiding in the hills, or in one of the old homesteads, or maybe even in one of the abandoned mines…” Her voice drifted away “Mom couldn’t handle it Eventually we moved to town, and then later, they divorced” She was silent for a beat and then added, “My molas’ and ours”
The girl’s boyfriend reached over and covered her hand with his Jet looked at their linked fingers and then blurted, “You know that a book is being written about the tragedy” She didn’t knohy she said that, but she was curious about the girl’s response
“Good,” the girl answered firmly “Maybe they’ll finally catch that a-hole—or a-holes Whoever did it should be punished”
“Do you think most people feel that way?”
“That the murderer should be punished?”
“About the book being written”
“I think people will be okay with the book if it solves the crime Otherhat’s the point?”
The girl’s boyfriend began stacking their plates and Jet knew they were about to leave but she had to ask one last question
“Who did your mom think did it? Did she ever say?”
The girl shrugged “She didn’t know That’s why she started to hate the ranch It made her feel crazy”
The boyfriend stood and the girl stood Jet did, too “So no theories?”
“Lots of people said it ht have been one of those seasonal ranch hands, or even soht it wasn’t about Mr Douglas, but Mrs Douglas”
“Why Mrs Douglas?”
“She was really beautiful Many people say she was the irl to ever come out of Crawford County She was Miss Montana, did you know that?”
Jet shook her head
“I don’t know exactly what happened,” the girl added, “but she gave up her crown after just a few ht—I think she had some weird fans or maybe just one really obsessive fan—but it freaked her out and she left ot really religious afterwards, always attending church and Bible studies and revivals”
“So whoever committed the cri
las?”
“That’s what my mom says Maybe even some sicko involved with that weird church”
“Weird church?”
“Traveling preacher Thought he was the new Messiah or so story”
The boyfriend had exited onto the street and the girl hurried to catch up Jet accompanied her out “Where is your mom now?”
“She lives in Polson Runs a shoe store with my step-dad”