From Pharaoh's Hand (22 page)

             
Russell picked up the phone and dialed information.  He wanted to call the Madison County Sheriff’s Office to confirm his suspicions.  If this baby belonged to the Jackson runaway, Sheriff  Dameron would be involved.  And he would have all the information on the case. 

     “
Jackson, Tennessee.  Madison County Sheriff’s Department.”

Russell jotted down the number, dialed it, and then waited for an answer.

     “Uh yes... this is Sheriff Rus Wright over in Perry County.  I need to speak to Sheriff Dameron if he’s in please.”

             
“One moment, please.”

     “
Sheriff Dameron speaking.”

          “
Hello.  Sheriff Wright, over in Perry County.  How ya doin’ this morning?”

     “
Well, better than you guys, obviously.  What can we do to help you this morning, Rus?”

             
“Well, I’ve got this situation that’s come up...in the middle of everything else.  I think I have a lead on that runaway from Jackson back in the winter.  What was her name?”

     “
Elizabeth Morgan.  What ya got?”

             
“A baby’s what I got.  Couple brought it in to the hospital this morning.  Found it floating in a canoe in the Buffalo River this morning after the storm.”

     “
What makes you think it’s connected to our case?”

             
“Listen to this.  The baby was wrapped in a blue long-sleeved t-shirt with an Indian logo on it, and the initials NHS.”

     “
Holy cow.  She’s still alive.  Where is she?”

             
“Well, that’s the thing.  The mother was nowhere in sight.  The baby was lying on a garbage bag that had some food and clothes in it.  There was also some stolen jewelry in the bag--fancy stuff.  Gold rings in a fancy jewelry box.  She must be breaking in houses to survive.”

     “
We’ve had our share of robberies and home invasions down here lately too.  Is it possible she stole the stuff before she ran away?  Can you describe the jewelry so I’ll have a description.”

             
“Well, it’s not like anything around here.  They are big and heavy.  Feel solid. They have these almost hieroglyphic-looking markings on them. And they’re in a walnut case with a purple silk lining.”

             
“Purple silk...what the ...Son, I think you might have just found the Tut Treasure.”

     “
The what?”

             
“You remember, the King Tut exhibit was robbed back in January.  Jewels never turned up.  TBI’s been working on the case for seven months with no leads.  This is big!”

     “
But how would a seventeen year old pregnant runaway manage to steal them?  Doesn’t add up.”

             
“I’m gonna put in a call to the TBI.  Don’t let those out of your sight.” A nurse stuck her head in the door about that time and whispered,

     “
Mr. Jones has regained consciousness.  The doctor says you have ten minutes.”

             
“I think you better get up here so we can sort through all this and find the girl.”

     “
I think you’re right.  Sit tight.  Try not to leak it to the press.  You know how they are.”

             
“How well do I know.  I ‘ve got a press conference coming up this afternoon about the storm.  Looks like we may have an even bigger story by then.  See ya when you get here.” After he hung up the phone, he nodded to the nurse.

     “
Thanks nurse.  I won’t be but a minute.  I need to get a few details.”  Then his eyes widened as he remembered Inetha.

             
“We haven’t even told Inetha yet.  She must be worried sick.  Poke said he didn’t show up for the poker game.  ‘Come to think of it, I don’t even know if Inetha’s okay.  That little trailer may be demolished.  I better get up there and talk to him, and then head on out to his place and check things out.  I’ll bring Inetha back in to town with me.”

             
“Very good.  I’m sure she will be relieved that he’s okay.  Doctor thinks he’ll recover.  Broke his ribs and his right leg, concussion, lacerations...lucky to be alive.  Follow me.  I’ll take you to him.”

             
“
Um.  Do you have somewhere I can lock this evidence up?  Just ‘til after I question Mr. Jones?”

     “
We have a medicine cabinet where we lock up controlled medications.  No one has a key but me.  I’m the charge nurse.  Come with me.”

Chapter 28

More Questions

    
After the sheriff had secured the evidence, he followed the nurse to Catfish’s room and closed the door behind him.  Bruised and battered, Catfish lay resting with his head elevated.  He had a long cut above his right eye, and his leg was in a cast.  The sheriff could not see under the hospital gown, but he suspected he was taped up pretty good around his ribs as well.  Catfish grimaced every time he took a breath. 

             
“Well, Cat, you look pretty rough.  But I guess it could be worse.”

             
              Catfish rolled his eyes and turned his head to the wall.

             
“Yeah.  I guess so.”

             
              “You remember what happened to you?”

             
“Remember?  If I live to be a hunnert, I don’t think I’ll ever forget.”

             
              “It was an F-4 tornado.  We’ve got a lot of damage across town.  What were you doing out in the storm?”

             
Catfish couldn’t tell him that he was out chasing down Liza.  He couldn’t tell the sheriff that Liza had hit him over the head with an empty beer bottle trying to escape. 

     “
I was on my way to play poker over at Poke’s with the boys.”

             
“I see.  A little late weren’t you?”

     “
I reckon that’s none of your concern.”

             
“Well, now.  I suppose it is.  See, Poke and the boys rode out the storm in the jail.  They got themselves arrested right before the storm hit.”

     “
Arrested.  Aw, Sheriff you been knowing about them poker games for years.”

             
“Knew about the poker.  Didn’t know about the drugs.  Or the kiddie porn, for that matter.”

     “
Kiddie porn?”

             
“Mr. Jones, I’m gonna have to ask you about your involvement with Poke.  Poke’s in serious trouble -- facing Federal charges.”

             
“Don’t know nothin’ bout no drugs or porn.”

     “
Word has it you have a few crops out in the woods, Mr. Jones.”

             
“Cut the Mr. Jones crap.  You been knowin’ me all yore life.  Now you wanna turn on me in my hour o’ need.”

     “
I’d like to help you out, Cat.  But I have to know about the pot.  Poke says he was holding the cash and drugs for you.”

             
The curtain was pulled back as a nurse in bright pink scrubs stuck her head in.

             
              “Sheriff,  Mr. Mathis is on the phone.  Says he needs to tell you something real important.”

             
“Mr. Mathis?”

              “
The couple that just left a little while ago.”

     “
Oh...right.  Don’t go anywhere Catfish.  I’ll be back to finish this conversation.”

             
The sheriff made his way to the nurse’s station.  Maybe Mr. Mathis had remembered an important detail about the baby. 

             
“Sheriff Wright here.”

     “
Sheriff.  This is Sam Mathis, the one who found the baby.”

             
“Yes sir.  You remember something else?”

     “
No, but when I got home and loaded the canoe on the truck, I found a clue.  Might help you out.”

             
“What’s that?”

     “
Well, it’s got ‘Catfish’ spray painted in red down one side.  I first thought it was one of Flatwoods Canoe Rentals’.  Looks just like theirs.”

             
“Hm.  That’s interesting.  Thanks for calling back.  That helps a lot.  If you remember anything else or find out anything else, give me a call.”

     “
Sure thing.  How’s the baby doing?  The Missus is worried about him.”

             
“I haven’t heard, Sam.  But I’ll check on him for you.  I’m sure these nurses are taking real good care of him.”

     “
I surely hope so.  Thank ya, Sheriff.”

             
Sheriff Wright placed the phone back on the cradle and hurried back to Catfish’s room.  Catfish was struggling to get his shirt back on.  He was sitting up on the side of the bed, his face red and grimacing.

             
“Now you just hold on there!  You’re in no condition to be leaving just yet.  The doctor hasn’t released ya.”

          “
I gotta get home and see if there’s anything left of it.”

     “
Don’t you worry about that, Cat.  I’m going out there myself to check on Inetha and tell her where you’re at.  Surprised she hasn’t come lookin’ for ya already.”

             
Catfish’s eyes widened, and his face went pale.

             
“Inetha...well, uh...the thing is...see...I haven’t told anyone, but Inetha’s gone.  Left me for the Combine Insurance man.”

     “
Left you?”  The sheriff was becoming increasingly alarmed. 
How does Catfish’s canoe fit into all this?  Was the girl hiding out near the river?  And where was Inetha
? 

     “
Catfish.  Your canoe ended up three miles downriver this morning.”

             
“Well I’ll be -- that was some storm wasn’t it.”

     “
There was a baby inside it.”  The sheriff stated flatly.  “Know anything about a baby and a missing girl?”

             
Catfish’s eyes narrowed. So she had had the baby. He hadn’t thought of the canoe.  He had naturally assumed that Liza had left by way of the main road.  He wondered how she had found the canoe.   

             
“A baby!  In my canoe?  Did you get hit in the head last night, Sheriff?”

     “
I’m dead serious, Cat.  We think the young girl is one that has been missing since January.  She’s a runaway.  If you know anything about her, you better speak up now.  You’re in enough trouble with that farming you been a doing.”

             
“I don’t know nothin’ about nothin’.”

     “
Catfish, that baby needs its mama.  Now are you gonna tell me what you know, or am I gonna have to arrest you?”

             
“Arrest me for what?  You don’t have anything to hold me on.”

     “
Maybe I don’t.  But I got enough for a search warrant.  I’ve got Poke who’s going to testify against you.  I got what he says is your fifteen thousand dollars in cash.  If I find marijuana planted on your property, I  don’t reckon you’ll be a needin’ that.”

             
The mention of his money brought Catfish around.  Poke had no right to turn him in after all he’d done for him.  Things sure had gotten messed up in a hurry.

     “
Now hold on, Sheriff.  Hold on.”

             
“I think you better get to talkin’ Catfish.  And fast.”

     “
I want a lawyer.”

             
“You’ll get your lawyer.  And your day in court.  Tell me about the girl, Cat.  Where’s the girl?  We need to find her.”