Dorothy Garlock - [Route 66] (21 page)

BOOK: Dorothy Garlock - [Route 66]
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“I wasn't until you started spreading dirty lies around about me being out here with Andy.”

“All right, all right.” Deputy Ham held up his hands. “We came out here to find out about this bird that's stayin' here. Calm down, Virgil. Let the law take its course. We'll get the girls out of here in due time.”

“Like hell you will,” Leona shouted. Yates put his hand on her shoulder to keep her from getting in the deputy's face.

“See how she swears, Wayne? She's shamed me and the Dawson name since she was old enough to spread her legs for any Tom, Dick or Harry that come along. Even that ugly little runt is after her like a dog after a bitch in heat.” He glanced at Deke then dismissed him. “She's got a twitchy twat, is what she's got.”

Deke sprang off the bench as if he'd been shot out of a cannon. He dove at Virgil, using his head as a battering ram. It collided with Virgil's genitals with enough force to knock the man off his feet. His scream was cut off when Deke's fists pounded at his mouth. With flying fists and kicking feet, Deke was all over the man on the ground with the speed of an attacking wild cat—stomping, kicking him in the ribs, raining blows on his face.

The deputy grabbed Deke by the belt, pulled him off Virgil and threw him to the ground. Deke sprang to his feet. When the deputy grabbed his shirt front and lifted his fist to hit him, Yates's hand darted out and grabbed his wrist.

“Don't hit him.” He spoke with such authority, the deputy dropped his fist.

“I'll kill you! I'll kill you,” Deke shouted at Virgil, who was still rolling on the ground. The little man's anger had overcome his good sense. “You lowdown, son-of-a-bitchin' coward! You've knocked her around, talked dirty about her, made her life miserable since she was a little kid. I should've killed you back when we were in school and you whipped her till her back was a bloody mess. Touch her again and I will. I'll swear it on that Bible you're so fond of quotin.”

Virgil, moaning and crying, tried to get to his feet and fell back on his hands and knees.

“You're under arrest, Deke.” Deputy Ham reached for the handcuffs attached to his belt.

“Better think about that, Deputy.” Yates's voice was loud with authority. “If you arrest him, you'll be biting off more than you can chew. How would the sheriff like to explain your action to the attorney general of the state of Oklahoma? The federal boys are real interested in what is going through Beckham County on Route 66.”

“What do you know about it?”

“Plenty. I know how many bootleggers you are letting through and why. I also know who they are,” Yates said.

“What's this to you?”

“Use your head, man. Why do you think I'm here? Are you so stupid as to think I dropped in off the road and took a job in this garage? Now pick up that sorry excuse for a man and get the hell out of here.”

“You've not heard the last of this.”

“I sure as hell hope not.”

“He wants his sister's children outta the hands of a wh— of a fallen woman. He's given her to a good man that'll take a soiled woman.”

Yates raised his brows. “He can want in one hand and spit in the other, but he'd better not make a move to take them while I'm here or force a man on Leona. It's pretty damn sneaky of him to come around here causing trouble while their daddy is in the hospital.”

The deputy didn't answer. He helped Virgil up off the ground and into the car. Yates called a warning.

“Tell that son-of-a-bitch to stay away from here until Andy gets back. The little girls are worried enough about their daddy without having to put up with that crazy bastard trying to take them from their home.” Yates stood on spread legs with his arms across his chest.

“I'd be careful if I was you, Yates. You're messin in somethin' that's none of your business.”

“Leona and the girls are my business while Andy is away, and don't you forget it.”

The deputy's eyes settled on Deke. “Make one wrong move and you'll be in my jail.”

“I'm scared plumb-to-death, Wayne. Mr. Fleming depends on me to keep his machinery goin'. He'll not let me sit in
your
jail while you trump up charges against me. He could eat you for breakfast if he wanted to.”

The deputy's lips curled in a sneer. “You can't hide behind that damn redskin forever.”

“I'll tell Mr. Fleming you said so.”

The car left the yard. Leona stood with her head down, trying to clear the tears of shame from her eyes before she turned to face the men. She felt a hand on her arm. It was Deke, her forever friend.

“Don't let it bother ya, darlin'. Ya know Virgil is as dumb as a stump and meaner than a rattler with his tail tied in a knot. He ain't goin' to get the girls if I have to camp out here with the shotgun. He makes a move and I'll be all over him like stink on a skunk. The man's crazy to think you'd marry Abe Patton.”

“It isn't Abe's fault, Deke. He's so dumb he doesn't know enough to come in out of the rain. I'm glad you hurt Virgil. Lordy he was surprised.” She didn't look at Yates for the fear of seeing disgust on his face. “I'd better go in. I told Margie to take the girls to the bedroom and read them a story. Ruth Ann will be upset. Thank you, Yates,” she said and headed for the house.

“Leona?” She paused when she heard his voice. He came up behind her. His hands gripped her shoulders. “Don't worry. Things will work out,” he said softly, his mouth close to her ear.

She didn't dare speak for fear the sobs would erupt, so she nodded and hurried into the house. She stood inside the door for a moment to get herself under control before she went to the bedroom. JoBeth was listening intently to the story Margie was reading, but Ruth Ann's little face was anxious. She jumped up as soon as Leona appeared in the doorway, ran to her and wrapped her arms around her waist.

“Nothing happened, honey. The deputy wanted to talk to Mr. Yates about what happened the other day. He went away.”

“Why did Uncle Virgil come?”

“You know how he is. He's mad at Mr. Yates for hurting him. But the deputy didn't arrest Mr. Yates. He'll be here until your daddy comes back. We don't have anything to worry about.”

“Are you sure?”

“Sure as rain. And I think we might get some of that tonight. It was clouding up when I came in.”

“Aunt Lee.” Ruth Ann reached up to whisper in Leona's ear. “I don't want
her
to sleep in Daddy's bed.”

“Why not, honey? She's just a poor girl without any where to go and no one to care about her.”

“I don't want her to.”

“She's got to sleep somewhere.”

“She can sleep on your cot.
You
sleep in Daddy's bed.”

“Wouldn't you rather I be in the room with you?”

“No. I don't want her in the bed Mama slept in.”

“All right, honey. I'll sleep in there.”

Leona wandered back out onto the porch after Margi and the girls went to bed. Her nightgown lay on the bed i Andy's room. It had seemed terribly important to Ruth An that she sleep there. It would be strange.

She went to the end of the porch, looped her arm aroun a post and looked toward the southwest. Behind the dar treetops came flashes of lightning followed by a low, throat growl, like a hungry dog being denied a bone. It faded into sullen silence, but soon came again.

“We'll have rain before morning.” Yates's voice came ou of the darkness.

“Oh …you scared me.”

“I didn't mean to.”

“You move around so silently.”

“I was hoping you'd come out before you went to bed He was standing on the ground beside the porch, making he face just a little higher than his. A sprig from the mint plan at the end of the porch was in his mouth. “Are the girls a right?”

“They didn't see or hear anything. Margie took them t the bedroom and read them a story. Ruth Ann knew Virg came. She doesn't miss much.”

“Margie has come in handy already. Does Ruth Ann sti resent her?”

“Yes, but she'll come around in time.”

“Come sit with me for a while. I need your company.”

“JoBeth is afraid of storms. I should stay close. If the thunder wakes her, she'll be scared.”

“We'll not be far away.”

He pulled her arm from around the porch post and placed it on his shoulder. They stood there for a long tense moment, their faces inches apart. She remained perfectly still. She didn't even blink. The feelings surging through her were all so new. Something powerful moved deep inside her. It was like a warm fountain flowing up from the center of her body to her throat. It was frightening. She didn't want to love this man but she didn't have the strength to resist him. His head was bare. She suppressed the urge to lift her fingers to his hair.

Soon he would be gone. She'd have these memories to cherish.

Yates wrapped his arms around her and lifted her down off the porch, letting her slide against him until her feet were on the ground. His arms continued to hold her. She was too dazed to move away. With one large hand he pressed her head to his shoulder. It was wonderful to lean against his hard strength.

As if reading her mind, he said, “You've not had anyone to lean on, have you? You've had to put up with Virgil's meanness all by yourself.” His voice was soft in her ear, his head was bent, his rough cheek pressed tightly to hers, his hand smoothing her hair.

“I've had Andy and …Deke.”

“You've got me now.”

She turned her face to his shoulder. “I'm sorry you were brought into this mess. It was nothing new to Deke. He has always known about it.”

“Little bugger is like a buzz saw when he gets going.” She could feel the chuckle vibrate in his chest.

“He's fought my battles for most of my life.”

“He loves you.”

“I know. I love him, too.”

“He thinks you should marry Andy.”

She raised her head. “He knows I won't do that.”

His eyes skimmed over her face illuminated by the jagged streaks of lightning that briefly lit up the swollen, rain-filled clouds. Leona pulled away from him. He caught her hand to keep her with him.

“It'll be a while before it rains. Let's sit on the bench by the garage. I keep forgetting to grease the chains on the porch swing.”

“Just for a little while.”

They moved down the path together, sat down and leaned back against the wall of the garage.

“I'm going to put my arm around you.” Before she could protest, he had pulled her close against him, fitting her shoulder beneath his arm. “Don't pull away. I'd sure hate it if you were afraid of me.”

“I'm not afraid … I just don't think it's …wise.”

“Why not? Give me one good reason why we can't sit like this and enjoy each other's company.”

“Well …you'll think that I …that I let every man who comes along put his arms around me.”

“I know better than that.” His arm tightened around her. “I'm going to kiss you and I don't give a damn if it's wise or not.”

“So the time will go fast?” She didn't know why she had said such a dumb thing.

“What do you mean by that?”

“On the way back from the city you said …you said holding my hand made the time go fast.” His nearness was making her breathless.

“Yeah, it did. It went too damn fast. I enjoyed having you close to me. I was tempted to drive on to Amarillo.”

She pulled back. “I don't want a flirtation …not now.” Her foolish heart was beating twice as fast as it should be.

“You think too much.” Then she felt his breath on her lips. It was warm and moist and flavored with the mint leaf.

He laid his mouth on hers and pressed. He withdrew and pressed again. Each time his mouth touched hers, his lips were parted more. They were warm, urgent, demanding. Her lips opened at his subtle encouragement and all the sensations she had tried so hard to suppress sprang to life. The wanton feelings were strange to her; she was powerless to control them. Instead, they were controlling her, taking over and making her want the physical gratification of his touch, his kisses.

Yates lifted his head and peered down into her face. In a trembling caress, his hands moved over her back and shoulders.

“I've got to tell you—I've wanted to kiss you since the day I came here. I wanted to kiss away the worry and the hurt.”

She bent her head and refused to look at him. He lifted her face with a finger beneath her chin and kissed her gently on the lips again. His arms enfolded her and hers went around his waist. Her face found refuge in the curve of his neck.

“I'm just as confused as you are.” His voice was close to her ear. “I didn't plan on being attracted to you. But I want to kiss you each time I see you.” He laughed a little. “It's a damn nuisance.”

Suddenly an ear-splitting crash of thunder rent the brooding stillness. And then another more frightening thunderclap erupted. It signaled the clouds to open and let fall an unending torrent.

With his arm tightly around her, they raced for the shelter of the porch.

“How long has it been since it's rained here?”

“We had what Andy called a spit-rain about a month ago. I'll not have to water the garden for a while.”

“There isn't much wind. I don't think you have to worry about a storm.”

At the door Yates bent and kissed her wet lips. “Goodnight,” he whispered, and hurried back to the garage.

Chapter 18

I
TELL YA GOD AIN'T PLEASED WITH WHAT S GOIN' ON.

“About the rain?”

“No,” Virgil almost shouted. “About Leona shackin' up with that bird out there on the highway.”

Virgil paced back and forth across the small room behind the jail where Wayne stayed nights when he wanted to get away from home. The excuse was that he expected the jail would be needed by the federal agents chasing bootleggers. Of course, if it happened Sheriff McChesney took care of it, but his wife wasn't aware of that.

“I ain't pleased 'bout that either, but there ain't much I can do about it now.” Deputy Ham pulled open a drawer in an old dresser and took out a package of cigarettes. He took one from the pack, lit it and pulled the smoke deeply into his lungs. He didn't look at Virgil because he knew he would see disapproval on his face.

“Have you backslid, Wayne?”

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