Page 28 of For the Birds

Chapter7

I checkedthe time on my phone. “We still have an hour and a half before I meet Levi. Want to talk to some neighbors to see if they saw or heard anything?”

“Sounds like a good idea tome.”

We started with the house to his right and knocked on the door. A frazzled woman about my age answered the door. “I’m not buyin’ whatever you’re sellin’.”

“Oh,” Neely Kate said. “We’re not sellin’ anything.”

“Well, I ain’t goin’ to church either. I done already accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior eighteen years ago, then nine years ago, and then five. I don’t know how many times y’all think it takes to make it stick.”

“Uh . . .” I said. “We’re not here about goin’ to church either.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh, Lord. This is about that contest I entered, ain’t it? You’re here to award my prize.” She reached a hand up to her head. “Floyd! Get down here! Iwon!”

“Actually, Ms. . . . ?” Isaid.

“Smith. But you can call me Anita.” She giggled. “But then you already know that.” She leaned her head out the door and looked around. “I don’t see the camera. Just hold tight.” Then she slammed the door shut in our faces.

“Crappy doodles. What does she think she’s won?” I asked, feeling guilty that we hadn’t told her the truth.

“I don’t know, but I think we should leave.”

“We can’t just leave!”

Neely Kate pointed to the door. “That woman thinks she won somethin’, Rose. And now we have to tell her she didn’t!”

“How do you think she’s gonna feel if we just takeoff?”

“How long’s she gonna be?” Neely Kate asked. “Maybe that was her way of givin’ us the brush-off.”

“Let’s wait about ten more seconds before leavin’.” But ten seconds came and went, and she still hadn’t returned.

“Rose, I’m tellin’ you, this is going to be bad. We need to go before she finally opens thatdoor.”

I was about to agree with her when the front door flung open and a woman appeared in the opening. At first I didn’t recognize Anita because her hair, which had been up in a bun, was now long and full and obviously a wig. She’d changed into a cute skirt and top and three-inch heels, which explained why she was suddenly taller than us. There was, inexplicably, an umbrella in herhand.

She gave us an expectant look, then screamed and started dancing and stomping around.

“Oh, my stars and garters,” Neely Kate said as she took a step backward. “What is happening?”

I wasn’t sure, but I was starting to regret not making a run for it sooner.

“Uh . . . Anita . . .”

Neely Kate grabbed my arm and tugged. “I’m beggin’ you, Rose. Let’s justrun.”

“We can’t.” I took a deep breath and pushed it out. “Anita. We’re not here because you won a contest,” I said, all in one long rush of words.

She stopped hooting and hollering and gave me a blank look. Then she grinned. “That’s a trick. It’s part of it. I’ve seen ’em do it before. You’re here to give me my plane ticket to Memphis.”

I glanced back at Neely Kate, but she just grimaced and shrugged.

“No, Anita. We’re not. I’m afraid there’s been a misunderstandin’.”

Her eyes narrowed. “No,” she said, shaking her head. “I sent my audition tape, and you’re here to give me a plane ticket to Memphis!”

“Why in the world would we be givin’ you a plane ticket to Memphis?” Neely Kate asked. “There aren’t any direct flights from Little Rock or Shreveport. By the time you land in Memphis, you could have driven there andback.”

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