If Catfish Had Nine Lives(26)
I was torn by Orly’s seemingly fast loyalty to me and his protecting Teddy; I was both relieved and uncomfortable. Sure, he and I had bonded, but what he’d done could get him in trouble. Of course, I’d do what I could to make sure that didn’t happen, but I knew what we should be doing. We should be—as Orly would probably put it—hightailing it to a doctor, calling the police on the way so they could meet us and get a statement from Teddy.
However, here I was, still in the tent, still trying to understand what happened before I took any steps to do what I was supposed to do.
“Teddy, who was the girl?” I asked. No one had mentioned a girl in that context yet, but when Teddy was involved, there was always a girl. “Was it the”—I looked at Orly—“cowgirl?”
Teddy sighed and looked away from me and to the floor of the tent.
“I’m not sure if she’s the same girl that Orly is talking about, but I think I remember someone named Esther.”
I looked at Orly, who shook his head. I said, “The girl who found him wasn’t Esther?”
“No, ma’am,” Orly said.
“Go on, Teddy,” I said. I wondered how many Esthers were at the convention. I hoped that Teddy wasn’t talking about the same one I’d just seen ask Jake out on a dinner date, but I was sure he was.
“I don’t remember much else about her at this point. I wasn’t here to meet girls, Betts, I promise. And I was minding my own business. She came on to me. I’m pretty sure. And I don’t think Norman was upset by that at all, but I kind of remember him being there at the same time. I think. Shoot, I’m just not sure.”
It was my turn to sigh. If he was remembering anything correctly, I doubted he was lying about the bits and pieces. He wasn’t adept at lying, which was mostly a good thing.
“And you just went along with it, with her?” I said.
“Not really. I’m not . . . I’m not looking for a girl, Betts. I’m still trying to get over Opie, you know that.”
In fact, I did know that, though Teddy had never needed to spend much time working to get over anyone before. He typically bounced back quickly; the fact that he hadn’t this time broke my heart a little, as well as got under my skin. How could anyone ever care that much for Opie?
Nevertheless.
“Word has it that Norman was sweet on a couple girls,” Orly said. “But he and Esther had been flirting, or perhaps more; at least they were seen together a lot these past couple of days. These events seem to bring that sort of thing out in some people—outside, camping, away from home, romantic poetry and singing. Well, it happens. I tend not to give much attention to those who are of age and who aren’t being obnoxious.”
I kept to myself that I’d met Esther—well, an Esther anyway. She and Vivienne had both mentioned that they had talked to the murder victim but not much more. However, she hadn’t seemed particularly affected by Norman’s murder, not needing extra recovery time in Stuart’s shop like Vivienne had. I’d save that information for the police if I thought they needed it.
“What else do you remember?” I asked Teddy.
“I remember sitting around the fire last night. I remember a girl coming over to me. I even remember trying to let her know I wasn’t interested, Betts.”
“I believe you.”
“Good. Then, later, I’m pretty sure it was Norman who asked me to help him with some firewood. I thought it was strange that he wanted to go into the woods for the wood. There were two big stacks that I helped chop last week on the edge of the field, but he said that someone had carried some logs out to the woods and someone had told them they weren’t allowed to light a fire out there, which was true—fires aren’t supposed to be lit out there. He wanted me to help him bring the wood back to the piles. At the time that must have made sense,” Teddy said doubtfully. It didn’t make any sense at all, actually, but I didn’t point that out.