by Diane Roads
Jasper slid onto the stool next to Vernon, who was taking a break from washing dishes. Jasper asked, "Vernon what's with the green shirt?"
"Cat ran off," was Vernon's only response.
"What does that have to do with the green shirt?"
"The cat was item number fifty-seven and you can't be a member of the hundred pieces club if you only have ninety-nine things. So I had to get another number fifty-seven."
"So what are you going to do if your cat comes back?"
"Cat can't come back. I got a shirt."
"Okay, I'll go along with that. Vernon, I need to ask you some questions. Sally tells me that you talk to Carl Carter sometimes."
"Oh, she's not mad at me for doing that, is she? Because the only time I do that, is when we’re slow around here, and I am all caught up. Sometimes I talk to him when I have lunch break, and he is here, but that's all. He invited me out to dinner one time when his son first came to town, but that's all. It’s not like I do it all the time."
"No, no, Sally is just fine with all of that. I just wanted to ask you some things, because Carl works for Thomas Twilliger. Do you think Carl likes Mr. Twilliger?"
"Well, I think so. He has worked for him for maybe twenty years, or more, I bet. He is always taking about Mr. Twilliger doing something nice for someone. You could tell he really respected him for that. He enjoys helping out when he can."
"What can you tell me about George?"
"George is another story. He hasn't been here that long. You probably already know he was in jail. When he first came back he was so bitter and angry. We went to dinner and he would curse and pound his fist on the table. His daddy didn't know what to do for him. I just told him to turn it over to the Lord. We prayed about it, and we both saw a big difference. You can now be in the same room with George. He never cussed before he went to jail, and now he doesn't cuss at all. You would like George now. He is really turning into a nice guy. Does that help you any Sheriff?"
"Yes it does. Thanks for the information. That is pretty much what I thought."
Jasper had Jim go over to the Harrison frame shop to pick up the picture from Mrs. Harrison. Mark had already dusted it for prints. It was just as it had been when Mr. Twilliger had bought it at the auction. Jasper then went to meet Mark at the Twilliger's to put his plan into action.
The two men took a walk around the place to see what they had to deal with. Jasper was glad that there was no one there at the time. He was hoping to arrive while George was not at home. They walked in the front door to the living room. To the left side was a formal dinning room, and farther on was the kitchen. Straight ahead was the stairway that lead upstairs, and beyond that, a hall that the den and library were off of, and at the end, a door to the outside, and a door to the kitchen on the right.
"I think right here in this hallway would be the best spot for our sting. Then when he makes a run for it we can have him trapped in the back yard. He wouldn't get far. We could have men stationed in the garage and upstairs in the house." There seemed to be several good vantage points. They hung the picture in place and then Jasper stated, "Let's get back to the station and get the other ball rolling." Just to be on the safe side, Jasper had two officers in unmarked police cars at both ends of the street.
