Dorothy Garlock (19 page)

“She’s a crackerjack nurse.”

“Is she pretty?”

He kissed her on the nose. “Not as pretty as you. I’m sorry you were s-scared, darlin’ girl. If anyone tries to break in the h-house, Silas will shoot over their heads. If they don’t leave, he’s to get you out the b-back, hide you in the woods and c-come for me.”

“I’ll be all right, Todd. Don’t worry. I’ve got the little pistol Papa gave me.”

“I don’t want you to even h-handle that gun unless someone breaks down the d-door and is coming into the bedroom. Then sh-shoot the bastards! Oh, Lord. I hate it that you’re h-here and I can’t be with you.” He cradled her face in his hands and kissed her lips again and again. “I love you, sweetheart. I love you so m-much. It won’t be long until we can b-be together.”

“I love you, too. I hate it that you worry.”

“Are you feeling all right?” He smoothed his hand down over her flat stomach. “Have you b-been queasy in the morning?”

“I was one morning. I ate a cracker and it went away.” “Do you n-need anything? Are you d-drinking the milk I brought out? If you need ice, s-send Silas down to Earl’s ice-house.”

Her smile was beautiful. “Yes, Papa.”

He returned her smile. “My feelings for you are f-far from fatherly, my sweet girl.”

“I know. I wish you could stay, but I know you have to go.” “Now that Joe k-knows about us, I may be able to come out more often. He’s f-fallen tail over teakettle for April. I don’t know yet how she feels about him. I figure he’ll be hanging around the o-office quite a bit, and I can slip away. He’ll know where to find me if I’m n-needed. I’ll let you know as soon as I h-hear from Canada. Kiss me again before I go.”

Several minutes later they stood at the door. “Good-bye, s-sweetheart. Keep the doors locked.”

“I will. Bye.”

He reached the car where Joe and the colored man stood leaning against the hood.

“You did the right thing to come get me, Silas,” Doc told him.

“Yessah.”

Joe went around and got into the car, but he saw Doc slip a bill into the hand of the big dark man before he got behind the wheel. Doc didn’t speak until they were back on the river road.

“I’ve a f-favor to ask.”

“It’s as good as done.”

“In the top bureau drawer in my b-bedroom there’s a letter from my s-sister, Jesse, who lives in the hills just above Harpersville, Tennessee. Her name is Mrs. Wade Simmer. I have written to her about Caroline. It would take a l-load off my mind if I knew that if something should h-happen to me, you would put Caroline on a train and s-send her to Jesse.”

“I hope and pray that nothing will happen to keep you and Caroline from spending your lives together; but, God forbid if something did happen, you’ve got my word on it. I’ll get Caroline to your sister if I have to take her there myself.”

“Thanks. It’s a relief that s-someone knows how I feel about her. It’s b-been over a year now. I have hopes of a position in Canada. We can m-marry there, but if that doesn’t come through within the next couple of m-months, I’m t-taking her to Mexico.”

“You’d never know by looking at her that she had colored blood.”

“Folks around h-here know. Her father worried about w-what would h-happen to Caroline when he was gone. I assured him as he lay d-dying that I’d take care of her. I’d already f-fallen in love with her.”

“I kind of remember when they came here. There was talk about a white man living with a colored woman. The girl didn’t go to school. I heard that her father had been a teacher in some college back East. He taught her?”

“Yes. He was a well-educated man and gave up his career when he took Caroline’s mother for his c-common-law wife. She died while Dr. Curtis was h-here. Deval loved her and he loved their daughter. It almost killed him w-when he lost her. For some men t-there is only one woman. I can understand his f-feelings for her.”

“Jack is still here,” Joe said as Doc turned the corner and stopped behind the clinic. “I’ll take Pa’s car and wait for Sammy to get out of school. Then he and I will have a talk with Tator.”

“They hang with a tough b-bunch.”

“I can be tough, too.”

“I’ll go with you. If Jack s-stays in town, he’ll know where to find me if I h-have an emergency.”

“No deal, Doc. I’d rather keep you out of it. I’ll not face Tator where his buddies can back him up. He’ll not be so tough without them. This will be just between the three of us, and it’ll be their word against mine.” He grinned at Doc. “I learned a few things working with the toughs in the oil fields. They think you’re out of your mind if you fight fair.”

“I don’t want you to get hurt f-fighting my fight.”

“It’s not just your fight. If they succeed in harassing Miss Deval, they’ll go on to bother other women who are without protection. It could be April next. They need to be taught a lesson.”

Joe parked the car in an area near the school where it wouldn’t be conspicuous and waited for Sammy. Shortly after the school bell rang, Joy and her friend Sylvia Taylor, Thad’s sister, came out surrounded by a group of their friends. Sylvia’s father was waiting. They got into his car, and Joe breathed a sigh of relief.
One obstacle out of the way.

A minute later Sammy came out alone and headed for town. Joe started the car and trailed him a few blocks. When the boy came to an intersection, Joe turned in front of him, forcing him to stop.

“You tryin’ to run me down?” Sammy hit the hood of the car with the flat of his hand.

“Get in. I want to talk to you.”

“Go blow it out your—”

“Watch it, boy. You’re on shaky ground as it is. Get in, or I go to the state marshal and tell him a few things.”

“Tell him . . . what?”

“I think you know what.”

“He’d not do nothin’.”

“How about the school principal? You want to be in the school play, don’t you? I doubt you would be if I had a talk with him. Want to risk it? Get in.”

Sammy jerked open the door, got in the car and slammed the door shut.

“Break the window on my pa’s car and you’ll be shoveling shit out of the barn for a month to pay for it.”

“Whattaya want?” “Where’s Tator?”

“Whattaya want to know for?”

“I need to have a little chat with the two of you.” Joe moved the car on down the street and turned to go toward the river. “Will he be at Earl’s?”

“How would I know?”

“You’ll know. We’re going there and you’re going in. If he’s there, you bring him out.”

“What’s the matter, tough guy? You ’fraid to go in?”

“No. Earl is a pretty square fellow for a bootlegger and runs a fairly decent juke joint. He’d not let your pals gang up on me. The Feds are watching him, and I don’t want to bring any trouble down on him.”

“Like what?”

“Like when I smash Tator’s nose all over his face and kick your ass from here to Sunday. The Feds are sure to hear about a fight and use it as an excuse to close Earl down.”

“You’re a real shit.”

“Maybe, but I don’t go out and harass defenseless women.” He stopped in front of Earl’s. “Now, get out and see if Tator is in there. Tell him he won the prize at the picture show or anything else you can think of to get him out here.”

Sammy glanced back at Joe just before he went in the roadhouse. Joe kept his eye on the door, wondering if the kid would sneak out the back. But Sammy came out and he was alone.

“Earl said he’s fishin’ down by Lone Tree.”

“Get in.”

“I’ve got things to do.”

“They can wait. Get in, or I’ll get out and put you in.” Sammy jerked open the door and plunked himself down in the seat. He was careful not to slam the door.

“You sure like to throw your weight around. How are you up against someone your own size?”

“You’re about to find out.” Joe drove slowly along the river road, his eyes searching the riverbank. “There’s our boy,” he said when he spotted the man sitting with his back against the only tree along the bank for twenty yards. His chin rested on his chest, his relaxed arms at his side. The fishing pole had fallen from his hand. “Perfect. Just perfect.”

“Whattaya mean? Whattaya gonna do?”

“I haven’t decided yet.” Joe stopped the car. “Don’t slam the door. We don’t want to wake the boy . . . yet.”

Sammy followed Joe across the grassy area to where the river, running high, was almost to the bank. Tator had a line in the water, but there was no sign of a cork. He was sleeping soundly with his mouth open. Joe squatted down beside him, picked up a long blade of grass and tickled his nose.

Tator made a half-effort to brush it away and continued to snore. Joe looked around. If a dried cow pie had been in sight, he would be tempted to poke it in his mouth. Lucky for Tator, all that fell within his sight was a dandelion. Joe reached for it and pulled it from the soft ground. Without hesitation he shoved the root ends that were covered with dirt into Tator’s open mouth.

Instantly awake, Tator jerked his head up, his hands went to his mouth to grab the plant, he coughed, gagged and spat out dirt. Joe stood back and watched. Tator rolled to his knees and got to his feet.

“Why’d ya do that for?”

“Couldn’t resist. Looked for a cow pie—”

“You sonofa—”

“Don’t say it. I’m going to hit you anyway, but if you put that name on my mother, I just might put you out of commission for a mighty long time.”

Tator’s eyes rolled to Sammy. “What’s got his pecker in a knot?”

Sammy lifted his shoulders. “I ain’t here ’cause I want to.” “Tired, Tator? Didn’t you get any sleep last night?” “Whatta you care?”

“I care. Believe me I do. I heard you called on a lady last night.”

“Lady?” Tator’s loose lips curled in a sneer. “I didn’t call on no
lady
.”

“You and Sammy called on Miss Deval. You said some pretty nasty things—”

“She ain’t no lady. She just a nigg—”

Joe’s rock-hard fist connected with Tator’s nose, knocking him off his feet. Blood spurted down over his mouth. Tator bounced up off the ground, his fists ready.

“Come on, you mule’s ass. You can talk nasty to a woman. How about talkin’ nasty to me? I’m just itchin’ to bust your mouth. Won’t hurt your looks none. You’re already as ugly as a pile of cowshit.”

Fury overrode Tator’s judgment. He lowered his head and charged. He had taken only two steps when Joe’s fist connected with his mouth and smashed his lips against his teeth. His eyes crossed and he backtracked a couple of steps before he hit the ground.

“Lip off again about Miss Deval so I can hit you again. You don’t even have to get up. I’ve got no scruples ’bout hittin’ a man when he’s down.”

“What’s she to you? You screwin’ ’er?”

Joe shook his head in disgust, reached down and with his hand beneath Tator’s arm jerked him to his feet. He waited for him to regain his balance, then hit him again. This time his fist landed squarely in Tator’s left eye.

“It’s more fun hitting you when you’re standing,” Joe said, looking down at the man sprawled on his back. “I like seeing your butt hit the ground.”

Tator wiped his bloody nose on the sleeve of his shirt and glared at Sammy. “Ain’t . . . ya goin’ to do . . . anythin’?”

“What can I do? He outweighs me by fifty pounds. I told you not to go down there and pester that woman.”

“You was chickenshit last night and you’re chickenshit now.”

“I might be, but I ain’t got a busted nose,” Sammy said angrily.

“Get up, Tator. We got to have a serious talk.”

“ ’Bout what?” Tator got slowly to his feet.

“ ’Bout the cell waitin’ for you down at the state pen.” “They’d not send me to the pen for screwin’ a nigg—” Joe’s fist smashed into his right eye so fast Tator didn’t have time to even get his hands up.

“You’re a slow learner, Tator. But it’s all right. I wanted an excuse to hit you in the other eye. Two black eyes, a busted nose and a mouth lookin’ like the asshole of a jackass for a week or two. I think I’ll send Corbin down to take your picture for the paper.”

Tator curled up on his side and covered his face with his hands. He was smart enough to stay on the ground.

“There’s your hero, kid,” Joe said to Sammy. “He’s a big man when he’s harassing a defenseless woman, but he’s not got the guts to stand up and fight like a man.” He nudged Tator with the toe of his boot. “If I ever hear of you going near that woman or talking nasty to any woman, you’ll find yourself going downriver facedown. Understand?” Joe waited, then said, “I’m not leaving until I know you understand. If you can’t talk, nod your stupid head.”

Tator nodded.

“Take a good look, Sammy. That’s what you’ll be in a year or two if you don’t change your ways: a lazy, ignorant, whiskey-soaked sot who isn’t worth the powder it would take to blow his brains out.”

“What I’ll be ain’t nothing to you.”

“You’re right and it’s nothing to my sister. Don’t you forget it.” Joe glanced at the river before he headed back to the car. “Better bring in Tator’s line. He might have a fish he can trade to Earl for a pint of booze.”

Chapter 15

I
T WAS SIX
-
THIRTY
. April had deliberately stayed late in the hope of avoiding having dinner with Mrs. Poole and her brother. She didn’t mind Mrs. Poole so much, but Fred was beginning to irritate her enough that it was getting hard to be polite to him.

Doc had little to say when he and Joe returned from taking Silas home. Knowing when to talk and when to keep quiet, April worked silently and didn’t bother him with unnecessary conversation.

“I’m leaving, Doc. Good night,” she called, placing her nurse’s cap on the desk. She slipped into the light jacket she wore because the evenings were cool and turned out the light. She was locking the door of the clinic when George Belmont and his friend Russ Story came walking by.

“Ready for our date?” George called as she stepped off the porch.

“Our date?”

“Yeah. We was going to go out to supper tonight. Remember?” He winked and grinned cockily, showing the space between his two front teeth.

“Why ...I guess I did forget. Hold on a minute while I call and tell Mrs. Poole that I won’t be there for supper.” She welcomed the excuse not to return to the rooming house until after the evening meal.