“Alleged murders,” she corrected. “He was never convicted for anything back then. ”
“Alleged,” Trout conceded. No reason to argue that point. “Did you know about his … um … activities?”
She made a face. “Ever heard the expression ‘country don’t mean dumb’?”
“Sure. ”
“You’re asking a question that you’d ask a stupid hayseed who didn’t know shit from Shinola. Is that how this is going to run? You going to treat me like I’m poor unedumacated white trash. ” She leaned on the deliberately mispronounced word, giving it a heavy rural twist. “If I say I knew what he was up to then I’m an accessory. I look old, but do I look stupid?”
Trout grinned, unapologetically. “No, ma’am,” he said, “you don’t. ”
“Show some respect. ”
Trout found he suddenly liked Aunt Selma. “Sorry. ”
She nodded and took a long drag.
“Did you have any contact with Homer Gibbon after he was arrested for murder?”
“No. ”
“No letters? E-mails? Christmas card?”
“Homer strike you as the kind of guy who buys Christmas cards?” she asked, smiling.
“Actually,” Trout said, “he tried to send valentines to the jury during his first trial. ”
“Publicity stunt. Probably cooked up by his lawyer to make him look crazy. ”
Probably true, Trout thought.
“So, you had no contact with him after his first arrest?”
“No. ”
“At all?”
“No. ”
“Then why did you place the request to have his body brought here to Stebbins for burial?”
She shrugged. “Family. ”
“Sorry, Selma,” said Trout, “but that’s thin. Not to offend, but it doesn’t look like you have two dimes to rub together. Between the fees, transportation, mortuary costs, and a crew to dig a grave, you have to be shelling out five, six grand. ”
“Four and change. ”
“Still a lot of money. ”
“Only if I was interested in saving it. ” Selma picked a fleck of tobacco from her tongue and flicked it into the wind. “You have any family?”
“A sister in Scranton,” he said. “Distant cousins somewhere in upstate New York. ”
“When’s the last time you saw your sister?”
Trout had to think about that. He and Meghan had never been close. They swapped cards at the holidays, but the last time he’d actually seen her?
“Couple of years ago. ”