Tom Barlow from the State Police come along askin' questions. Seems he'd heard the girl was at Esther's and seeing as how his Aunt Zelda has lived up on the hill over Esther for years and years, he'd heard about Esther's pies. Well, someone told him they'd seen the girl eating one of Esther's apple pies. He come up and nosed around and talked at Esther all week long. Things got kind of strange around here for a while after that.
People lookin' at Esther sideways, whisperin' to each other.
I told them all it was nonsense. She was good people, salt of the earth, truly caring. She told the police how good Esther had been to her, how Esther had told her she was pregnant and she was and how Esther had shown her how to take care of herself. Esther had even given her some old baby clothes she'd had set by for her niece. Oh, actually I think she said it was cherry.