Even while she went through all the motions of setting, the table and she could not shake the horror that had filled her as Tommy had told them about Carrie. She gave herself a mental shake and forced her facial expression to be normal. At least that is how she hoped she appeared. She was just about to set the food on the table when a knock sounded at the door. When she opened the door to find the Constable there, she was only a little surprised. Tommy had told them the man was out checking with all the farms.
“Good evening, Constable, won't you come in and take a seat?” Jessica invited, stepping back to allow him to enter the room.
“Evening, Miss Jessica, Doc said he had already stopped by so I reckon you know why I'm here.” He replied taking the seat as Jessica had indicated.
“Yes, unfortunately we have heard. This is so sad, so terribly sad. We all knew Carrie, and she was so harmless, so gentle. It is beyond belief that anyone could do this! I'll be right back, Constable; I will just go tell Papa and the boys that you are here.”
The man looked up sharply, taken aback apparently by something she had said. “Did you say your Papa?”
“Yes, Papa and the boys, well at least Tommy.”
“Pardon me, but I thought your Papa was, well, ah, not quite up to snuff these days.”
“Oh no, Papa is just fine now. Grief can be a terrible thing though.”
“Hmm, yes, yes it can and that's a fact. Before you go and get them though, let me just ask you a few questions. if that would be all right?”
“Well, yes, yes of course.” She said giving him a questioning look.
“Now, have you seen anyone around the farm that you ain't used to seeing?”
“No, I surely haven't.” She replied, feeling very uneasy.
“You haven't heard anyone prowling about, like at night or anything of that nature have you?” He asked, noticing how pale she had become.
“No.”
“Good, good, yes that's good. Now, how long has your Papa been... uh, shall we say well again?” He asked, watching her face.
“Papa, well, he has come out of his deep mourning only recently.” She said, quietly.
“When your Papa was, well, ah, not like himself was he given to wandering around or anything? Like at night, or any other time for that matter?”
“No! Papa just stayed in the bedroom! He seldom left it; in fact he didn't even go to the barn.”
Jessica's mind was spinning. She felt as though a cold hand was gripping her heart. What was the man asking about Papa for anyway? The man he was looking for was a monster, a crazy man...oh, dear God! No, this couldn't be! She knew that some people had been saying things about Papa. That he was 'touched' or ‘off’ and yes, there had been those that whispered about him even going so far as to call him crazy. Surely this Constable could not have any suspicions about Papa! She decided to be very careful how she answered these questions. Suddenly she did not like this Constable at all. She wished he would leave right now! She realized he was saying something to her and looked at him. “Oh, I am sorry, what was that again?”
“I said would you have known? I mean, whether your Papa had left the house or not? Did you go in and check on him or anything like that, especially at night?”
“No, of course I didn't keep check on him! I know though, if anyone had entered the house or left it during the night I certainly would have heard them”
“Unless, they didn't want you to hear them leave.” He mumbled under his breath.
“I'm sorry Constable, what was that?” She asked, although she had heard what he said.
“Nothing, nothing. Why don't you go ahead and fetch your Papa now, Miss Jessica?”
‘I will be right back with him and Tommy, Constable.” Jessica replied.
“Thank you Miss.”
Jessica left the room with all the calm dignity she could muster considering her legs felt wooden and her stomach felt as though it was full of lead. She didn't know what to do! She was frightened, very frightened. Just because they had labeled the monster that brutalized little Carrie as a crazy man, it seemed people were being wild enough to think it was Papa! Was this all because people had called him crazy during his mourning? Papa had only been crazy with grief. Not insane. Not some hideous monster to be held in suspicion. Oh, dear Lord, please don't let this happen...Let this be some nightmare... This just cannot happen... I won't let it! I will lie for Papa if that is what it’s going to take. So will the boys when I tell them what this man is inferring about our very own Papa! “Please, please, Lord.” She prayed silently, “You saw fit to take our Mama from us but please, don't take our Papa too!”
Jessica called to Tommy and Papa who were upstairs still working on all the preparations for the move. Tommy stuck his head around the corner when he heard her call. “What is it Jess?”
“Oh, Tommy the Constable is here and he wants to talk to Papa. Would you come down too?”
When all of them had once again assembled at the table, the Constable went through the normal, routine questions with them, as he had with Jessica earlier. When he had finished he sat around for a while and just visited. When he made ready to leave, though, he looked at John inquiringly for a moment and then requested that he step out on the porch with him.
While John was outside with the Constable Jessica quickly told Tommy how he had questioned her and what she thought he was insinuating with those questions. Tommy's fair complexion became very mottled as the red indicating his rage crept up his neck and onto his face. He felt the same as Jessica did. It was simply a matter of stupid people connecting the word crazy. Since Papa was the only one anyone had heard of lately described as crazy, people just connected the two. However, it was obvious that both of John Ferrall's children were worried, deeply worried about this situation.
It seemed like Papa and the Constable had been out on the porch for hours. Jessica wished she had looked at the Grandfather clock on the mantle when they had actually gone out there so she would know for sure how long it had been. Since she had been keeping track though, it had been nearly three quarters of an hour, and they were still out there. She exchanged yet another worried look with Tommy. She wished fervently she could hear what they were saying, but all you could hear was the low rumble of their voices, not the actual words. Waiting was pure torture for both of them. When the door finally opened, admitting their Papa they both chimed, “Is everything alright, Papa?”
John Ferrall had a grim look on his face, and was in deep thought as he came back into the kitchen and only looked up when his children spoke. “Everything is just fine. Just a few things that the Constable and I had to talk about, that's all.”
Again, Tommy and Jessica exchanged a worried look. Jessica said, “Papa that man asked me some very insulting questions! Questions, that indicated to me that he might be making some wild accusations about you in connection with this horrible thing that happened to Carrie.”
"Well, I don't think he feels that way after our talk. Now, come on, we best be getting some supper down before it’s ruined.”
“But Papa, what did he say to you?” Tommy asked.
“It’s like I said, and it’s nothing to be concerned about. Now let’s eat!”
Jessica called to Jacob to come and eat. When all had been seated around the table and the Grace said the meal began. Jacob kept up a lively conversation with Papa. His face showed his joy at having his Papa act like he used to again. Meanwhile, John's other two children were very quiet. Each lost in their own world of thought. Their faces clearly reflected that these thoughts were