From the Notebook of Detective Peavine Jones

Interview of Adele Davis, Eight Days After the Fire

Location: Television Room in Footer’s House

Footer: Peavine and I want to ask you some questions about the Abrams fire, Mom. [Journalist has a pretty smile.]

Ms. Davis: I need to remember peanut butter. We’re almost out, and I have to get some at the store. Peanut butter, jelly, and bread, too. I can’t forget.

Footer: Mom, can we talk about the fire? Please?

Ms. Davis: Peavine, don’t you think Fontana is beautiful? Her eyes are so bright and green. Write that down. [Suspect puts her fingertips under Journalist’s eye, making Journalist do her eating-lemons look.] Don’t you want to dress a little better, honey? Something other than those old jeans and that T-shirt. I could get you a haircut. Wouldn’t a haircut be good?

Footer: [Journalist pulls away from Suspect, scrubs her face with her palm.] Mom. The fire. Can you tell us what you remember about the night of the fire?

Ms. Davis: I know, I know. You like your nickname better. Footer. I tell everybody how Peavine came up with that when you were both three, and he couldn’t talk plainly yet because of his cerebral palsy, so “Footer” was as close as he could get to your actual name. You’re a good kid, Peavine, but I don’t want Footer to marry you.

Footer: Mom!

Ms. Davis: [Suspect pats my head.] You’re a good kid. You remind me of Fontana’s father at that age. I just don’t want Fontana to marry you because she should go to college and get a job, then use her degree somewhere far away from here—maybe even to be a real journalist, instead of all this play-around stuff. She can do better than Bugtussle. I don’t want her to be tied to this town.

Footer: Peavine, let’s interview Dad instead.

Me: Why don’t you want Footer to stay in Bugtussle, Suspect? I mean Ms. Davis?

Ms. Davis: There are too many snakes in Bugtussle. Have you seen them, Peavine? [Suspect looks anxious.]

Me: I—

Ms. Davis: If you find a snake, you should shoot it and burn the pieces. That’s the only way to be sure snakes are gone forever.

Footer: Mom, what does that mean?

Ms. Davis: Just what I said, sweetie. Just exactly what I said. [Suspect walks away from us, toward the kitchen.]