Dorothy Garlock - [Route 66] (6 page)

“While roaming around, I picked up a thing or two.”

“Daddy says that people that roam around don't have roots. He said people are like trees. They have to stay in one place to grow roots. Then they'll be big and strong.” Ruth Ann was warming up to the stranger. “Daddy says folks going down the highway are like seeds blowing in the wind, looking for a place to light.”

“He's right about that.”

“Do you have a little girl?” JoBeth asked.

“No.” He reached out and gave her a hesitant pat on the head as if touching a child was a thing he'd not done before.

“Girls, let Mr. Yates finish his supper.” Leona wrapped a cloth around the hot handle on the iron skillet and began to beat the light tan mixture.

“You ate a whole pan of biscuits.” Ruth Ann spoke with wonder in her voice and looked at the tall man still standing beside the table. “Daddy don't ever eat a whole pan of biscuits.”

“I'm bigger than your daddy, and I was hungry for biscuits. Your Aunt Leona is a good cook.”

The beating strokes hesitated for a second. Leona looked up to see his eyes on her, his black brows raised in silent query. She licked her dry lips and tore her gaze away from the hard face of the stranger, who was having an unsettling effect on her.

“My mama was a good cook,” Ruth Ann's voice filled the void.

“A good cook,” JoBeth echoed. “She cooked cookies and …ever'thin'.”

“How do you know?” Ruth Ann retorted. “You don't even remember her.”

“I do, too. I remember Mama, don't I, Aunt Lee? Ruth Ann's bein mean again.”

“She's always sayin' she remembers Mama when she don't. She was just a baby when Mama went away,” Ruth Ann explained to Yates.

“That's enough, Ruth Ann. Get the platter and put a dab of butter on it.” Leona tried to blame the shakiness in her voice on the exertion it took to beat the thickening mixture in the skillet, but she knew better. It was
that man
sitting there like a spider ready to jump!

“I can't with just one hand. Make JoBeth do it.”

“One of you do it. As soon as I stir in the pecans, it'll be ready to pour.”

Yates moved quickly and silently. He dipped into the crock of butter, put a glob on the platter and moved it around with the knife blade.

“Aunt Leona does it with her fingers,” Ruth Ann said.

“I don't think my fingers are clean enough for that,” Yates replied.

“Are you going to stay and have some?” JoBeth had lost her shyness with Yates.

“I've not been invited.”

“I'll invite you if you promise not to eat it all.”

“Laws!” Ruth Ann cast Yates an apologetic look and rolled her eyes to the ceiling.

“You'd better think about it before you invite me. That'll be a hard promise to keep.” Silent laughter crinkled the corners of Yates's eyes. His deep voice had a gentle drawl when he spoke to the girls, and his face softened, transforming it into less intimidating lines. “Let me,” he said, as he saw Leona lifting the heavy skillet with both hands.

He carried the skillet to the table and tipped it over the platter. Leona scooped out the hardening candy and smoothed it.

“I get the skillet,” Ruth Ann announced.

“You both can have it. Get two spoons, JoBeth.”

Yates, followed by the two girls, took the pan back to the cool end of the cookstove. When he turned, Leona was taking his soiled dishes to the dishpan.

“You're welcome to stay, Mr. Yates. It will be a little while before the pralines are cool enough to cut. Meanwhile I'll do up these dishes.”

“If you're sure you don't mind. It's been a long time since I've had a homemade praline.” He pulled the chair back against the wall and sat down. He impaled her with his eyes. The message was clear. He was staying until he got answers to a few questions.

“I don't mind in the least.”

You're not a good liar, Aunt Leona. You wish I'd get the hell out of here, but I'm not going until I know why you and Andy let me think you were his wife.

“You don't get home often.” Leona made the statement, as she wrapped a clean cloth around the plate of uneaten pork chops.

“Not often,” he admitted as the electric light flickered. “I'm surprised you have electricity out here.”

“We haven't had it long. We're at the end of the line. It goes out sometimes. I keep a lamp handy.” When the lights flickered again, she brought a glass oil lamp out of a cupboard and set it on the table. “Just in case,” she said and went back to get the teakettle to pour water over the dishes in the pan.

“Will the lights go off, Aunt Lee?” JoBeth asked.

“I don't know, honey. They do sometimes when the wind comes up.”

“I wanted to make my letters for Daddy.”

“It's too late tonight. You can do it tomorrow. We can't mail him a letter until we know where to send it. I'll call when we go into town and get his address. I'll need to get some stamps, then we can leave letters in the mailbox for Mr. Wilkes to pick up when he delivers the mail.”

“You'll have to call Oklahoma City. In order to save time, I took him directly there.”

“I don't see why you didn't take him to the doctor in Elk City first?”

“The treatment center for rabies is in Amarillo or Oklahoma City. The city was closer and they have a good hospital.”

“We'll send him a letter in care of the hospital,” Leona said to the girls.

“I'll ride along with you in the morning and bring my car back.”

Leona turned to look at him. “We never go and leave the garage unattended.”

“Even on Sunday?”

“If people need gas on Sunday, we pump gas. We don't leave them stranded. If Andy isn't here, I am. That's why he taught me to drive.”

“I want to bring my car out here. Did Andy have someone to help him out on occasion?”

“Deke Bales helped him sometimes when he had a job he couldn't handle. Deke stayed here the few times when both of us were away.”

“Tell me about him.” Yates saw her lips tighten. She had no intention of telling him any more than she had to.

“Andy thought him …trustworthy.”

“He likes Aunt Leona. He wants to take her to Elk City to a picture show.” JoBeth made the announcement, proud that she could contribute to the conversation.

After a silence, Ruth Ann hissed, “Do you have to tell everything you know?” She scowled at her sister. “Aunt Leona don't like for us to …tell things.”

“Mr. Bales likes her. Daddy said so!”

“She don't like him. She won't leave us to go—”

“That's enough, girls,” Leona said sharply.

“Make her go to bed, Aunt Lee. She's just a baby.”

“The candy will be done in a minute. You can each have two pieces, then off to bed with you. We've all had a trying day.”

“See what you've done?” Ruth Ann said to her sister. “For that you can't use my crayons …ever! You break them anyway.”

“I do not! She's tellin' a story, Aunt Lee.”

Leona dried her hands on a towel and, ignoring the silent man in the corner of the kitchen, went to the table and pressed a finger to the candy in the platter.

“It's set enough to cut.” With the girls crowding against her, Leona cut the hardening brown candy into squares, then scooped out a piece for each girl. “Mr. Yates?” Her gaze met that of the quiet man. Caught suddenly once again by the color of his eyes, a light, light gray that shimmered between thick black lashes. They were a startling contrast against the sun-browned skin of his face.

“I'll wait until you can sit down.”

“I'll not be sitting down for a while. After the girls go to bed I've things … to do.”

“I'm in no hurry. I'll wait.”

Damn! Why doesn't he take the candy and get the heck out of here?

“Will there be some left for tomorrow?” JoBeth pulled Leona down to whisper in her ear.

The whisper was loud enough to reach the sharp ears of the big man sitting against the wall. The corners of his lips quirked upward.

“If it's all gone in the morning, don't blame me. Blame your aunt.”

“Promise?” JoBeth peeked at him from under her aunt's arm.

Yates held up his hand. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”

“Punch a needle in your eye?” JoBeth giggled.

“Cut my throat if I tell a lie.”

The little rhyme jumped out of Yates's memory, surprising him. What surprised him even more, was when the child came to lean against his thigh.

“You can have three pieces 'cause you're big.” She stood on her toes so she could whisper in his ear.

“Thank you,” he whispered back. “I'll get by with my two pieces the same as you.”

“I like you.”

“I like you, too.”

“If Daddy can't be here, I'm glad you are.”

“He'll be back before you know it.”

“Daddy was goin' to fix our swing. Can you do it?”

“What the matter with it?” Yates discovered that he was thoroughly enjoying himself with the little girl, who leaned against his knee.

“A passerby kid broke the rope.”

“I'll take a look at it tomorrow.”

“JoBeth,” Leona's voice broke into the whispered conversation. “Come over here so that I can wash you. It's bedtime.” After washing the child's face and hands, she sat her down on a chair and wiped off her bare feet.

“Seems funny without Daddy here.” Ruth Ann leaned against the table, one bare foot atop the other.

“Yes, it does,” Leona agreed.

“I miss him.”

“I know you do, but let's be glad he's where the doctors can take care of him. Sit, honey,” Leona said to Ruth Ann after she finished with JoBeth. “I'll wipe off your feet.”

“'Night, Mr. Yates.” JoBeth paused when she passed him, reached up and placed a wet kiss on his cheek.

He was so startled he barely croaked out, “Goodnight.”

Ruth Ann shook her head showing her annoyance with her sister and said, “Thank you for the …bottle of stuff.”

“You're welcome. Goodnight.”

Leona lingered in the bedroom a few minutes stalling for time after the two girls were settled in the double bed. She picked up clothes and then, with the light turned off, she reached for the hairbrush and ran it through her hair.

Finally, knowing that she could put it off no longer, and with heart pounding so hard she could hardly breathe, she straightened her shoulders and went back to the kitchen.

Chapter 6

L
EONA GLANCED AT THE MAN SITTING AGAINST THE WALL
. The only movement he made was when his eyes turned to meet hers. She looked away, went to the table, slid two pieces of candy onto a saucer and reluctantly took the steps necessary to reach him.

“Thank you.” His eyes held hers when he took the saucer from her hand. “Are you going to have some?”

“Not now.” She stepped back and stuffed a strand of unruly hair behind her ear.

“Trying to get rid of me, huh?”

“It's been a long day.”

“Why didn't you correct me when I called you Mrs. Connors?”

“I didn't think it important.”

“Are you Andy's sister?”

“No.”

“Any kin to Andy?”

“Why do you want to know?” she asked again.

“Partly because I don't like to get into a game without knowing who is playing. The other part is curiosity.”

“Well, at least you admit to being curious.” She went to the dishpan and brought a rag to wipe the table.

“Now that I think about it, Andy didn't tell me that you were his wife, but he didn't tell me that you weren't.”

She shrugged and continued wiping the table.

“Well?”

“Well, what? You want me to satisfy your curiosity about something that doesn't concern you? I'm not going to.”

Leona's stomach stirred restlessly. She tried to ignore him and washed the dishes. Silent minutes passed while her nerves stretched taut. When she heard him cross the room and felt his presence behind her, she held herself tightly for fear that if he touched her she would turn and hit him with the pan she was washing. He reached over her shoulder without touching her and slipped the saucer into the dishpan.

“Did you think that you'd be safe from me if I believed that you were Andy's wife?” The low husky voice came close to her ear. When she didn't answer, he continued. “Don't worry, lady. Your virtue is in no danger from me.”

She moved away from him, her back ramrod straight. When she turned to look at him, indignation was in every line of her face.

“I never for a minute thought it was.” Her voice was calm, but her stomach was about to revolt, and her heart was racing like a wild mustang.

“Then why are you as jumpy as a cat on a hot stove whenever I'm near you?”

“I'm not! Please leave, Mr. Yates.” Her voice was quiet and cold.

He studied her in silence. His thumbs were hooked in the front pockets of his jeans, his head tilted to one side, his eyes holding hers and his expression revealing nothing of his thoughts.

“What's between you and Andy? You're more than hired help.”

His blunt questions irritated her. She drew in a quick breath. “That's none of your business. Andy is the most decent man I've ever known.”

“Is he in love with you?”

“He's fond of me.”

“Where's his wife?”

“Ask him.”

“I'm asking you.” Yates reached out and put his fingers beneath her chin to lift it. His eyes bored into hers.

“You've got all the answer you're going to get from me.” Leona jerked her chin loose from his fingers.

He went to the door and turned. “What time are you going to town tomorrow?”

“Early.”

He nodded. “Goodnight, Leona.”

Unaware that she was holding her breath, Leona didn't move until she heard the squeak of the screendoor closing. Then the air went out of her lungs with a puff and her shoulders slumped.

Damn the man! He had set her nerves tingling and made her as jumpy as an ant on a hot griddle. The strange part of it was that she wasn't afraid of him in the physical sense; but in a small part of her mind, she knew that having known him, she would now be looking at men in a different light.

Yates hadn't been aware that he was tired until he pulled the cot over to the open doorway at the back of the garage, and with his revolver on the floor beside him, lay down and stretched his long limbs. With his hands stacked beneath his head, he looked out the door at the dark sky now crowned with millions of stars. He liked the stillness of night; it was when he did his best thinking.