"Is Doctor Elton here yet?"
"He got over here right after I did, but Ward was already dead. He didn't even examine him—just took one look at him and said he'd been dead all night."
Mama picked up the bucket of buttermilk and the eggs. She let me carry the sack of coffee. Papa gathered up some of the other sacks and boxes, and we walked up to Miss Ophelia's house.
"How is Ophelia taking it?"
"Oh, she's in hysterics. I reckon anybody would be. But, Nannie, old Miss Dink is the one in bad shape."
"Worse off than she was yesterday evening?"
"Yeah. Lots worse. Lida Belle says the old soul's talking out of her head."
"Lida Belle's here?"
"Her and Wes both. I figure they don't want anybody suspecting that anything's wrong at their house."
"Has anybody notified Ward's folks yet?"