Not by Sight (28 page)

“Of course it does. We don’t have to talk about it.” Julie took a sip of Coke. “Tell us about Ella.”

“Whaddya wanna know?”

“You said you became her mother when she was two. How’d that come about?”

“I married Isaiah. Met him through some kin o’ mine that knew some kin o’ his. He was raisin’ Ella on his own and seemed kinda lost. Ella clung to me right off, and I took a likin’ to her. Wasn’t long before Isaiah was sweet on me and asked me to marry him.” Otha’s face turned pink. “I’d never been asked before that. I was always shy around menfolk. I knew we had a lot o’ years ’tween us, but marryin’ him seemed like the right thing to do. I was twenty-five and not gittin’ any younger.”

“How old was Isaiah when you married him?”

“He told me he was thirty-five, but I seen his driver’s license. He was forty-three. Ain’t the first time he lied to me neither. I figured out he tells me whatever he wants me to hear ’bout most everything. That’s just the way of it.”

“What did he tell you about Ella?”

“Said her ma died givin’ birth to her, and he was havin’ a rough time of it. That he weren’t cut out for raisin’ a girl by hisself. Ella wasn’t no trouble for me. And I wanted kids o’ my own, so I married Isaiah. We got along as man and wife, long as I didn’t cross him.”

“Did you ever see a birth certificate for Ella?”

Otha’s face went blank. “Can’t say that I have. I ain’t sure what it is.”

Virgil spoke into the ear mike. “She would’ve needed it to get her in school.”

“What about when you registered Ella for school?” Julie said. “You would’ve needed it for that.”

“Ella don’t go to school. Isaiah don’t want her learnin’ city ways. We ain’t leavin’ her ignorant. I’m teachin’ her to read. And she knows her numbers and can add ’em and subtract ’em.”

“But you did register Ella with the local school district, right?” Julie said. “Even if you’re homeschooling her, she has to participate in standardized testing. It’s the law.”

“But Isaiah said the law don’t apply to folk like us.”

“It does.” Julie reached across the table and gently gripped Otha’s wrist. “It’s one more thing Isaiah lied about.”

“I didn’t know ’bout the law,” Otha insisted. “And I ain’t never seen Ella’s birth certificate.”

Virgil spoke into the mike. “Julie, it’s a moot point. Move on.”

Julie took a sip of Coke. “Okay, let’s talk some more about Isaiah. How did you come to find out he had locked the two teenagers underneath the root cellar?”

“Isaiah was gone most o’ yesterday,” Otha said. “When he come home, he was hot and sweaty and acted real nervous. Said we had a problem. That two young folk had come on the property to make trouble, that they was spewin’ crazy lies about him stealin’ Ella from her real pa.”

“Did he explain what he meant?”

“No. He just said they had to be stopped or the law would believe their lies and take Ella away from us.” Otha bit her lip. “Isaiah told me he wasn’t lettin’ ’em go. And what he was gonna do to ’em wasn’t my concern.”

“What did you say to that?”

“I asked why he didn’t just tell the sheriff the truth. He said the law folk don’t understand our kind and want to change the way we do things. He told me to leave it alone and let him do what had to be done.”

“And what did you think that meant?”

Otha stared at her hands. “I knew he wasn’t never gonna let ’em off our property. I took it to mean he was gonna kill ’em.”

“Did you think that was the right way to handle it?”

“O’ course not. But I learned it don’t do no good to go up against him. I decided to wait till Isaiah was off doin’ somethin’ else. Then I’d let them two kids go. I knew he’d be hoppin’ mad.”

“Otha, why didn’t you call the authorities and let us handle it?”

“Isaiah said we can’t never trust the law. And I was scared. I didn’t want y’all takin’ Ella from me. She’s my kin, same as if I give birth to her.”

“Julie,” Virgil said softly, “find out how she knew Ella was being held.”

Julie held up her palm. “Okay, let’s back up a minute and clarify something. You say you planned to let the two kids go because you thought Isaiah would kill them. Correct?”

“Yes’m.”

“At what point did you find out that Ella was locked up with them?”

Otha looked away, seemingly lost in a long pause. Finally she said, “In the night, I woke up when I heard the front door slam. Isaiah weren’t in the bed. I looked out the window, and, under the moon, I seen him walkin’ directly to the root cellar. I thought he was gonna kill them city kids. I was sick inside. But I was afraid to git in his way.”

“When he came back, what did he say?”

“He was real quiet. And powerful serious. I never seen him like that before. He said Ella’d betrayed us. That she’d let the city folk out and they was all set to run back to the sheriff with their lies. Isaiah said he put Ella down in the hole with ’em. He said”—Otha choked back the emotion—“that she couldn’t be trusted no more. That I should forgit all ’bout her now.”

“How did you respond to that?” Julie said.

“I told him I couldn’t, that I cared ’bout her like she was my own flesh and blood. He said she was gonna share the same fate as they was. That was the way it had to be, and for me to stay out of it.”

“But you couldn’t?”

“I cried and I pleaded with him!” Otha put her face in her hands. “He said if I opened my mouth, that he’d kill me, too. And Ronny and Donny wouldn’t have no ma. I was so scared. I knew he meant it.”

“So what did you do?”

“I couldn’t sleep no more after that,” Otha said. “I couldn’t let Isaiah kill Ella and them other two. I waited till the next day when Isaiah was out sloppin’ the pigs and went down to the root cellar. I let ’em outta the hole and told ’em how to git off the property.”

“Even though you were afraid Isaiah would kill you?”

Otha’s eyes glistened. “If I didn’t do nothin’ and they died, I’d be good as dead on the inside. I had to try.”

“That was very brave of you,” Julie said.

“Didn’t feel brave. My knees was a knockin’ the whole time. But I done what I had to do. I was relieved to git ’em out. What’s gonna happen to Ella?”

“She’ll be fine. The Division of Children and Family Services has picked her up and taken her to stay with some real nice folks until we can sort things out.”

“Since I ain’t her kin, does that mean I ain’t never gonna see her again?”

Julie shook her head. “Absolutely not. You’ve been a mother to Ella most of her life, and we want to respect that relationship. The first thing that will happen is we’ll test Ella to make sure she’s actually Riley Jo Cummings, Abby’s sister. If so, then she will be returned to her biological mother. But I’m sure you’ll be allowed to visit her eventually.”

“How long
is
that?” Otha said.

“Ella needs time to accept all the changes and get to know her biological mother. The folks at DCFS will determine when she’s ready to see you.”

“Am I goin’ to jail?” Otha said.

“If you’re telling us the truth, no.”

“Is Isaiah?”

Julie’s eyes grew wide. “Count on it. If Ella’s test proves she’s Riley Jo Cummings, he’ll be charged with kidnapping—and possibly capital murder—and I seriously doubt he’ll ever get out of prison.”

“He made his own bed,” Otha said. “I don’t want nothin’ more to do with him.”

“Good work, Julie,” Virgil said. “Go over her story again and make sure there’re no inconsistencies, then get her to write it down. I’m going to go say good-bye to the Cummings and then sit in on Isaiah’s questioning.”

Virgil took a minute to stretch and get a drink of water from the fountain, then walked across the detective bureau and into his office, where Kate, Abby, and Hawk Cummings sat at his conference table. He pulled up a chair and sat with them.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” he said. “It’s a little crazy around here. I wanted to say how happy I am that Abby’s safe. And that Ella might actually be Riley Jo. We’ll know soon.” He looked into Kate’s eyes. “I’m so sorry about Micah. We’re working on Isaiah to confess to his murder and tell us where his body is. Isaiah’s an arrogant so-and-so and not cooperating yet. But he will.”

“What if he
doesn’t
confess?” Kate said. “Then what?”

Virgil wiped the sweat off his upper lip. “Abby, Jay, and Ella all heard him confess to killing Micah and kidnapping his daughter. And he told Otha that Ella’s mother died in childbirth, so it’s obvious he’s hiding something. We’ve got enough to nail him on kidnapping, attempted murder, and a long list of other charges, even if he doesn’t confess to killing Micah.”

“Has he asked for a lawyer?” Hawk said.

Virgil smirked. “Doesn’t trust them. Told us not to bother bringing one in.”

“What if he sticks to his story about Jay being the one who shot Daddy?” Abby said. “It’s believable. And Otha can’t testify any differently. Until today, when we told her the truth, she believed him.”

“Don’t you worry,” Virgil said. “We’ll find a way to get him to confess to killing your father. I know it would help if we could find his remains and you could give him a proper burial.”

“Can I take the kids home now?” Kate said.

“You’re free to go. I really appreciate you giving us such detailed statements.” Virgil turned his gaze to Hawk. “You did a brave thing, son. Your father would be mighty proud.”

“Thank you, sir. I think he would be.” Hawk’s eyes glistened, and he took his mother’s hand.

Virgil looked over at Abby. “Young lady, you stared death in the face. I hope you realize how lucky you are.”

“I definitely don’t want to do anything like that again,” Abby said. “But I don’t think it was luck.”

Kate sat arm in arm with Abby on the couch in the living room, listening intently as Abby and Hawk recounted their harrowing experience to Jesse, Grandpa Buck, and Elliot. The joy of knowing that all of her children would be together soon was numbed by the sorrow of learning that Micah had been murdered—stabbed in the heart—for trying to stop Isaiah from abducting Riley Jo. Kate wasn’t ready to process that horrific moment when her husband lost his life. She had imagined worse. But the truth was overwhelming.

“I’m so grateful Abby’s all right,” Kate said. “But it’s a bittersweet joy that Riley Jo’s alive, knowing your father gave his life trying to protect her.”

“It hurts to imagine it,” Hawk said. “But I’m proud of him. Daddy was a hero.”

“So are you.” Abby nudged Hawk in the ribs with her elbow.

Kate smiled. “He certainly is.”

“It’s flat weird how I had the guts to stand up to Isaiah like that,” Hawk said. “But something pushed me to step out and stop him. I didn’t even think about it. I pulled the trigger and blew the rifle clean out of the creep’s hand. I didn’t even know I could shoot like that.” Hawk started to say something else and then didn’t.

“I hope y’all realize the terrible guilt Jay carried from the time he was twelve,” Abby said, “believing he’d shot and killed a man. It was cruel of Isaiah to let him think it.”

Kate clung more tightly to Abby’s arm. “It was a heavy burden for a twelve-year-old to carry. And I can’t even imagine his horror when he realized the man he thought he’d shot was your father.”

“Jay was prepared to go to jail,” Abby said. “He just wanted to tell the truth. Sheriff Granger said his guilty conscience was more punishment than he deserved.”

“We should be pinning a medal on him,” Hawk said. “He may not have chosen the wisest course of action, but it took a man to go up yonder and try to rescue Riley Jo,
especially
when he thought he was going to jail once he explained it all to the sheriff.”

“Jay doesn’t need to worry that I’m going to press charges,” Kate said. “What Isaiah did to that boy was cruel. Yes, he should’ve told his parents, and I’m sure he’ll always regret he didn’t. But a twelve-year-old is simply not equipped to take responsibility for that kind of decision. He tried to make it right. When the dust settles, I want to talk to Jay myself.”

“That would mean so much to him, Mama.” Abby nestled closer. “You can’t imagine how bad he feels.”

“I wonder if Isaiah’s ever gonna tell us what he did with Daddy’s body,” Hawk said.