Dorothy Garlock - [Route 66] (31 page)

“Jesus!” Ernie swore when he felt the gun barrel dig into the back of his neck.

When Yates pulled into the drive in front of the garage, the first thing he saw was Leona with the gun against the neck of a man on top of Deke. Calvin was running in circles around the group, barking at full volume, darting in once in a while to nip at the strange man's pant leg. Yates slammed on his brakes and jumped out of his car.

“What the hell's goin' on?”

Pointing the gun barrel toward the sky, Leona backed out of the way. Yates grabbed the man on top of Deke. No longer feeling the pressure of the gun barrel, Ernie began to fight. Yates lifted him, flung him to the ground and quick as greased lightning, placed his knee on Ernie's head.

“Be still, or I'll grind your damn ear off.”

Leona backed off and lowered the gun barrel.

“The woman—he threw her down,” Deke gasped. His face was bloody. He rolled over and got to his knees and crawled to where Hayes was cradling his wife in his arms. “Is she all right?”

“I …don't know—”

“Who is this? Dammit, I said be still.” Yates's knee was still on Ernie's head.

“He's the one …who took Margie's money.”

“I never took anything that wasn't mine,” Ernie gritted out, his face and part of his mouth in the dirt.

“Get a piece of rope out of the garage, honey,” Yates said to Leona. “I'll hog-tie this sucker so we can see about the lady.”

Leona took the gun to Margie, who stood out of sight at the side of the garage.

Leona said, “Yates will get your money back … if he's still got it.”

After taking a length of rope to Yates, Leona went to kneel beside the woman, who was being held by her husband.

“Is she hurt? Is it her …time?”

“It was the jar, I reckon. She landed on her backside.”

“If we can get her into the house, she could lie down on the bed for a while.”

“Ma'am, if you'd let us do that, I'll be owin you for life. Her back's been hurtin' her somethin' fierce all day.”

“I saw that…bully push her.”

“It scared her when I jumped in. Don't know what she thought she could do. Do ya think that ya can stand up, Orah honey?”

With Leona on one side and her husband on the other, they helped Orah to her feet. Her husband lifted her into his arms and carried her toward the house.

“She can rest on Andy's bed,” Leona said to Margie when they reached her. “Let the girls help you. It will make them feel important.”

“I wonder why he came back. Does he think I have more money?”

“Stay out of sight and let Yates and Deke handle it. You don't have to see him if you don't want to.”

“I want to go pull all his hair out, yet I don't want to see him.”

“Yates will take care of things.”

Leona waited until the man carried his wife into the house, then went back to the garage. She passed Ernie lying in the dirt, his hands tied behind his back. Yates was looping the end of the rope around his ankles. Ernie exploded with every foul word he could think of. Some were even new to Yates, who looked up at Leona and grinned.

“I was hoping he'd fight back so I could get in a few good licks. But he just lay there and let me tie him up.” Yates stood and nudged him with the toe of his boot.

Leona went to see about Deke. He had poured a full pail of water on his head and was bathing his face with a wet towel.

“Let me see, Deke. Goodness sake! Your cheek is cut and you're going to have a black eye. At times I think that you don't have a lick of sense. Why in the world didn't you wait? I was coming with the gun.”

“I didn't even think about a gun, darlin'. I knew he couldn't hurt my good looks.”

“Oh, hush.”

“If he hurt that woman, I'll go out there and pound his head to a pulp.”

Leona brushed against Calvin, who was still excited over the commotion.

“Why didn't you bite him, Calvin? You had the perfect opportunity. Fine watch dog you are,” she scolded.

“Don't be so hard on Calvin. He got in a nip or two.” Yates came into the garage. “Hell, Deke, I leave you for a minute or two and you're in trouble.”

“He says Margie's his wife,” Deke said from behind the wet towel.

“That's a lie!” Leona declared. “He wanted her to sleep with him and she wouldn't. Do you think we can get her money back?”

Deke snorted. “If it's on him we'll get it.”

“I like her and hope she stays for a while,” Leona said. “I've not had a friend my own age since Irene died.”

“I'll let the big, tough boy bake out there in the sun for a while, then I'll haul him down to the sheriff.” Yates placed his arm across Leona's shoulders. “You can say one thing about being out here on the Mother Road, sweetheart. There's never a dull moment.”

Sweetheart. He says it so casually. I can't believe that he really means it. But, oh, I wish that he did.

Chapter 25

V
IRGIL WAS ALMOST BESIDE HIMSELF WITH WORRY.
He had been looking over his shoulder all morning expecting to see that big, mean-looking
cousin
of Andy's coming at him. The little puss would have spilled her guts by now. If he could get his hands on her, by golly, she'd tell him who let her out of the shed. One thing she couldn't say was that he'd whipped her, although she had needed it

He couldn't figure out how the girl had gotten loose from the strips of rag he'd used to tie her, much less kicked out a board in the shed. How had she made her way home without anyone seeing her? If he found out that Hazel had had a hand in it, it wouldn't set well with her. Isaac could have let her out. But he was pretty sure the boy didn't have the nerve to go against him because he knew what would happen to him if he did.

The only person besides him who knew the girl was in the shed was Wayne Ham. Had his deputy friend gotten cold feet and sneaked out there while he was gone? He had to talk to him. He needed to know if the sheriff was going to come out and question him. If that happened, he'd go into that quarantined house and stay there. That would hold off the sheriff while things cooled down.

Virgil had not believed his luck when Wayne drove up behind the shed with the girl. It would be his word against hers that he had kept her there against her will, and, being the good Christian that he was, he was sure he would be believed.
God would forgive him for that small deception.

The little twit had been mouthy, just like Leona, and he'd been forced to stuff a rag in her mouth to keep Hazel and the boys from hearing her yell. She'd needed the switch, but he'd waited for God to tell him it was time to use the rod. His God was a merciful God and told him nay. It was far more than the sinful little split-tail deserved.

The good Lord had provided him with the opportunity to take the girl, discipline her, and teach her his word so that her immortal soul could be saved. And he had failed him.
Would God's wrath be visited upon him?
He was almost sure the Lord would punish him when he least expected it.

Now, not wanting to go home and sit in the yard, he drove up and down the streets of Sayre hoping to catch Wayne Ham alone. He didn't dare go to the sheriff's office for fear McChesney would be there. He circled the courthouse square, and on the second round, God was with him. The deputy came down the street toward his car. Virgil stopped his truck behind it to keep the deputy's car blocked in.

Wayne came directly to the truck. His face was red, his eyes looked as if he hadn't slept in a week. His fat jowls quivered with anger.

“You're blockin my car. Get outta the way. I've got a call to make.”

“We got to talk, Wayne.”

“I said all I'm going to say to you last night. Keep away from me, hear?”

“Don't ya go gettin' high-and-mighty with me, Wayne Ham. You're into this as deep as I am. You brought the girl out to my place.”

“I brought a lost girl to her uncle, you dumb-head! I never told you to tie her up and put her in a shed.”

“Ya knew that's what I'd do, and I know why ya brought her to me. Ya didn't want me to tell the brothers at the church that you'd backslid. Ya'd promised God ya'd not smoke cigarettes, use curse words, lust after fast women or take his name in vain, and ya've been doin it.”

“What I promised was between me and God and none of your business. Now get this
damn
pile of junk out of my way. I've got a call.”

“See there? Yo're swearin. God forgive ya, Wayne. The devil's got ya in his evil clutches. I'll have to tell Brother Muse. He'll pray for you. Ya ain't no longer fit to be the Sunday school superintendent, much less a deacon in the church.”

“I'm warning you, Virgil. Keep your mouth shut about me or you'll be sorry.”

“I ain't goin' to take all the blame for this. We planned to get those two girls and brin' them into the fold. It was God's will.”

“If it was God's will, how come he let her get away from you?”

“Can't ya see, Wayne? He's tryin our faith. We got to hang together on this.”

“Move the truck. I can't talk to you now. The sheriff will be out any minute.”

“All right, but remember we're in this together; and if I'm asked, I'll have to say ya brought her to me.”

The deputy ground his teeth and wished he'd never set eyes on Virgil Dawson. Sheriff McChesney would have his job if he learned he had any part in the girl being held. He would never, ever, wear a badge again. What would he do? How would he make a living for himself and Livy? Livy had warned him about getting too thick with Virgil. He fervently wished that he had listened to her.

All he had done—the deputy reasoned as he drove out of town to check the hobo camp along the railroad track—was pick the girl up off the highway and take her to a relative. But the sheriff would want to know why he hadn't mentioned that when Yates came in asking them to help hunt for her. He would have to have an answer for that. But what?

Virgil followed the deputy's car toward the hobo camp, then turned off to head for home. He parked the truck alongside the shed. It wouldn't be proper for him to saw wood after coming back from burying his kid, even though Paul was just as dead as he was ever going to be. It was the custom for church folks to bring food after a funeral. Some of them might come by and leave food on the porch. He didn't want them to catch him working. He sat for a while, then got out and went to the back door.

“Hazel,” he bellowed. “Come out here.”

A good five minutes passed. Virgil shouted again.

Hazel appeared behind the screendoor. “Ain't ya got no respect for yore own flesh and blood? Hush yore bellerin'.”

“I ain't knowin what's got into ya, Hazel, but it's comin to a stop right now. I ain't havin' ya sassin' and talkin' back to me like ya done in front of Pastor Muse. I tried to ease it by sayin' ya was grievin'—”

“I meant ever' word I said. I gave Doctor Langley the address and told him to send Joseph a telegram tellin' about Paul. Joseph's a man now, not a boy ya can cow down with a strop. He'll get Peter and come home. Then things'll change round here.”

“Whater ya talkin' about? Them two no-good scutters ain't welcome in my house. I told 'em when they left they'd never step foot in it again.” Virgil's voice rose into an angry shout. His head jutted forward; spit dribbled from the corner of his mouth.

“Joseph and Peter ain't little boys, no more. They'll stand up to ya.”

“They're worthless, sinful shidepokes is what they are. They been hangin' round honky-tonks and fast women. I won't have 'em here! Ya hear that, woman? I ain't havin' their sinful ways arubbin off on my boys.”

“You was glad to take the
sinful
five dollars Joseph gave me. Go away, Virgil. Just lookin at ya makes me want to puke.”

Hazel's words, accompanied by the slamming of the kitchen door, left Virgil in shock. After he had taken a few deep breaths, more anger set in. That woman was goin' to get the switchin of her life, he vowed. He'd not stand by and let her undermine him. He had no doubt that the boys in the house had heard every wicked word she'd said. What an example she had set for them!

Needing to do something to save face, he went to the willow tree that grew near the runoff from the well, and taking his time, took out his pocketknife and cut several long willow switches. He trimmed them carefully before placing the handful of switches in the back of the truck, then sat down in the shade to think and pray.

“Mama.” Carl came from the window to where his mother sat at the kitchen table. “Pa's cuttin switches. Is he goin' to whip us?”

“No, son. He's not goin' to whip us. He just doin that for show.”

“Is he mad at me 'cause I didn't ride with him in the truck?” Carl had a worried look on his small face.

Hazel pulled the boy up onto her lap. “I'm sorry, Carl, that I've let him whip ya so hard.” She began to cry. “I told Paul I was sorry, but I don't reckon he heard me.”

“He heard ya, Ma.” Isaac came to put a comforting hand on his mother's shoulder. “Do you really think that Joseph and Peter will come?”

“I hope so.”

“What'll we do when the doc takes that red sign off our house? Will Pa come in then?”

“I'm sure he will, son.”

“Can we ask the doc to leave it on till Joe and Pete get here?”

“He said he'd be back after he got word about the swabs he took. We'll ask him how long the quarantine will be on.”

“Will…the swabs tell him if we're goin' to get sick like Paul?” Luke, the six-year-old, leaned against her.

“The swabs will tell him if he needs to give you vaccine to keep you from getting sick. Remember when we went to the schoolhouse and got vaccinated for smallpox? It'll be like that.”

“Pa was mad about that,” Isaac said. “But after talkin' to Brother Muse, he got over it.”

Luke looked anxious. “Is Pa mad at me, Ma?”

“No, he's just mad at me.”

“Will he switch you?”

“He won't!” Isaac declared, and when his mother looked at him, he said again, “He won't. I'll…I'll get the gun.”

“Hush such talk. It'll not come to that.” Hazel felt Luke's head. “If any of ya get a sore throat or feel hot, tell me. I wish to God I'd gone against yore Pa and got the doctor when Paul first got sick.”