Chapter 10
“How do you want to do this?” Mattie asked Stella as she drove toward the Banks’ house.
“Let’s confront Burt and Juanita with his lack of an alibi together if we can. Then see how things shake out.”
Mattie parked behind Juanita’s car, but Burt’s truck wasn’t anywhere nearby. “Looks like he might not be here.”
She checked Robo in the rearview mirror, and he met her gaze, looking expectantly back at her. He seemed to have mastered the art of watching her with the mirror. “You’re going to stay here,” she told him, speaking to his reflection.
They exited the car, went to the front door, and knocked. Eyes bloodshot, Juanita answered within a few moments.
“Oh, come in,” she said in a weak voice. Her shoulders rounded, she led them through the kitchen toward the living room. “I was cleaning Candace’s room.”
The scene had been released that morning. “That must be hard,” Stella said. “Is there anyone who could help you?”
“No, I want to do it myself.”
“Is Mr. Banks here?”
Juanita shook her head, settling onto the sofa and staring at the coffee table. “He left.”
“Where did he go?” Stella asked.
“Who knows? Probably headed to the Hornet’s Nest in High-tower. He’s never here when I need him.”
Stella sent Mattie a quick glance as they each took a seat. “I’d like to speak with you for a few minutes. Are your boys here at the house?”
“They’re next door at Rosie’s.”
“I imagine this has been a rough day for you all.”
With a heavily lined face and downturned mouth, Juanita showed the ravages of her grief. “Yes. The boys wanted to go to school, but both of them had to come home by noon.”
“And you say Mr. Banks isn’t around to help much,” Stella said.
“Since he took the job in Rigby, it’s like an excuse to never come home.”
“It’s hard to commute that far.”
“Others do it, and they make it work.”
Stella nodded, leaning forward. “Is Mr. Banks involved with the children?”
Fresh tears came to Juanita’s eyes. “No. I told him this morning that I didn’t buy his act that he’s lost his baby girl. He’s never had anything to do with Candace.”
Probably left right after that discussion, Mattie thought.
“Why is that?” Stella asked.
“It’s just the way he is. He doesn’t care.”
“Did he at one time?”
Juanita shrugged. “Not really.”
“Last night you indicated that he has a problem with alcohol,” Mattie said.
Juanita nodded.
“How long has this been going on?”
“Years. Since before the boys were born.”
“Is he violent when he drinks?” Stella asked.
“No, he’s even more withdrawn if anything. He usually stays away until late, and when he comes home, he falls into bed and goes to sleep.”
“Have you ever noticed him being abusive to the kids?”
Though Mattie tried to sit still, Stella’s question made her cringe. Even mention of the possibility of Burt abusing Candace sent her back to her own tiny bedroom, its walls closing in on her when she heard the door squeak, a signal heralding her father’s nighttime visits.
“If you count neglect as abuse, I would say so,” Juanita answered.
“How about physical abuse?” Stella asked.
Juanita shook her head, her eyes sad. “No, that’s one thing I’ve never been concerned about. That would’ve made a huge difference, and I would have left him years ago. But until recently, I needed his paycheck to make ends meet. Now he doesn’t even bring home much of that.”
“Because of the drinking?” Mattie asked.
Juanita nodded. “He says he stops at the bar to unwind. He’s spending his paycheck somewhere.”
Workers made pretty good wages at the mine in Rigby. Burt would need a huge bar tab to spend it all. “Where else might he spend his money?”
Juanita shook her head, avoiding eye contact. “I have no idea.”
Both Mattie and Stella waited, but Juanita didn’t jump in to fill the gap with speculation.
“Have you ever seen any sign that Candace might have been molested?” Stella asked.
Juanita’s eyes widened. “No! Why would you ask such a thing?”
“Not by your husband?”
“Absolutely not. I would know about it. I wouldn’t allow it.”
Mattie felt ill. What role had her mother played? Had she known what was going on behind closed doors?
“Are you sure, Mrs. Banks? Take a moment and think back over the years. Is it possible?” Stella asked.
Juanita appeared to be examining her memory. She sat very still, her eyes moving slightly side to side. “No. I’m telling you. I can’t imagine him molesting a child, even when he’s been drinking. Why are you asking me this?”
“We’ve uncovered evidence that Candace was sexually active,” Stella said. “Were you aware of it?”
Surprise filled Juanita’s face. “She’s only thirteen.”
Stella nodded but remained silent.
Juanita put her hand to her mouth. “And you think that Burt . . . No. I still say he’d never molest a child. He might be a poor father and a worse husband, but he’s not a child molester.” She looked from Stella to Mattie. “Who? Who was Candace involved with?”
“Local boys, Mrs. Banks,” Stella said. “More than one. I can’t release their names.”
Juanita rocked forward, collapsing upon herself. “How could this be true? What kind of a mother am I that I didn’t know?”
Her shock appeared genuine. Mattie knew that Juanita worked two jobs, and she could only guess how hard it would be to raise children under those circumstances, especially when you had no help from your partner. “You work at two different places in town, Mrs. Banks, and your husband works out of town. I suppose your children are here alone after school?” She turned it into a question so that it wouldn’t sound like an accusation.
“When Candace turned twelve, I started giving her an allowance to watch the boys and give them a snack. She seemed responsible enough . . .” Her voice trailed off, unsure.
“Had you noticed changes in Candace’s behavior?” Stella asked.
Stress filled Juanita’s face, and she covered it with her hands. “It didn’t start at home, her sleeping around. It didn’t start here.”
“That’s possible, but we need to know,” Stella said.
“Oh, my God,” Juanita groaned, and she covered her mouth as sobs shook her body.
Mattie felt herself detach. She couldn’t handle this kind of pain. This mother’s view of her daughter had been shattered, but was Juanita also partially responsible? Mattie had been too young when her own family split to remember the dynamics between her mother and father. Had her mother tried to put a stop to the abuse? Had she tried to protect her? Or had she been blind to the signs, as Juanita seemed to have been?
With a jolt, Mattie realized that maybe her mother had tried to protect her. Maybe that’s what had caused the escalation in that final argument the night her father tried to kill her mother. Maybe her mother loved her after all. But then, why had she disappeared?
Catching herself, she fell back on a familiar mechanism and shut down her feelings so that she could regain her focus. This investigation isn’t about me.
Juanita brought herself back under control. “I’m sorry. I can’t talk about this anymore.”