in cold blood pages 41-74

It is hard to tell how someone is going to react to news that someone hears about a murder. Mrs. Clare is skeptical; as the postmistress, she probably knows a bit about everyone's business and has probably "seen it all and heard it all." Nevertheless, she is shocked, as one would be; her reaction may also be that of a woman who does not want to believe something so awful could happen just down the way.