Page 44 of The Women of Oak Ridge
I stood in shocked silence.
Something was terribly wrong, but I had no clue what. Remorse washed over me as I put the badge and the article in the box. I’d really done it this time. I felt horrible, yet I didn’t know how to make things better.
I didn’t linger in the tub. When I came out of the bathroom, her door was still closed. I ate a peanut butter sandwich, thenretired to my room and read over the notes I’d taken at the library, all the while hoping she’d come out and we could talk things over. But she remained closeted in her room. At my knock and offer to bring her a sandwich, she declared she wanted to be left alone.
While I readied for bed, I mulled over the situation. If Sissy had truly gone missing, wouldn’t there be a police report? Even back in the 1940s, things like that were investigated.
I crawled into bed, my back complaining as I stretched out.
Maybe Jonas could help. He was an Oak Ridge police detective, after all. But should I involve him? I wouldn’t want Aunt Mae to think I was discussing her personal matters with everyone in town.
I yawned and turned out the light.
It wouldn’t hurt to ask him about police records from the 1940s. If he indicated they still existed, I’d see if he could look for information on Sissy Galloway without divulging the connection to Aunt Mae. I could tell him about the article I found but leave out my aunt’s name. That would protect her privacy but would also hopefully yield answers as to what happened to her roommate.
I made a silent promise to Aunt Mae before sleep claimed me.
If Jonas couldn’t find anything on Sissy, I’d drop the matter entirely. I didn’t want my visit to Aunt Mae’s to end with a severed relationship because I’d become too nosey.
