But I didn't argue with him. I phoned in
and explained to the coroner everything Wes had told me."
"I can tell you how come Wes wanted you to put in the call!
He's too tight to spend a dime on toll charges, that's why!
Bandershanks, you be unbraiding your hair, and I'll help you with
your stockings. What time you reckon the coroner will come,
Jodie?"
"He's not coming. First he said that he'd get right on down
here; then he asked me how far the old Crawford place is from
town. When I told him it's around twenty-three or twenty-four
miles, he said in that case Wes could just hold the inquest
himself."
"Wes?"
"Yeah, he said that, according to the state law, if a coroner
lives more'n twenty miles from the place where a dead body is
found, the nearest Justice of the Peace can make the inquisition,
as they call it."
"Will Wes know what to do?"
"That's what I wondered myself, but 'course I didn't say so
to the coroner. No need to tell him we've got ourselves a J.P.
who can't read or write. I just said Wes had never held an
inquest and asked if there was any special instructions I ought'a
pass on.
Pages:
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251