Rebel Soul (25 page)

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Tues Aug 1st

Billy and Emily had been married for four days now. Emily had went home the night before and packed a few things then hid them in the bushes by the road. Somehow their marriage had been kept quiet and Emily felt, like they could make a clean get away. They planned on leaving in a couple of days.

Billy had been his old self again, but when she had left him the night before, she had seen that distant look again in his eyes, and for the first time since their marriage, her mind was sending alarms of danger into her heart again, and she knew things was about to change. She hoped for the better.

She climbed out of bed and pulled on some sweat pants then headed down to breakfast. She heard Josh talking angrily as she approached the kitchen and hid along the wall to listen.

“At first Dad it was just a few plants, but little by little more and more plants have disappeared. Then I went to check the plants this morning and all of them are gone but ten." Dam-it Billy she thought to herself as she stiffen against the wall.

"The Johnsons again?" Emily heard her Dad ask, as her heart skipped a beat at the mention of the Johnsons.

Then she heard Ricky, "its weird Dad, I heard in town that the Johnsons have plants missing too and so do the Turners and the Adams.” She closed her eye’s praying please God don’t let this be true, but in her heart she knew it was, and there was no changing it.

"You think it's true?” Jack ask

"I heard that John Johnson was pissed and spouting off in town, said if he found out who the son of a bitch was, they would find there self at the bottom of the river. Yeah I think it's true.” Dan said.

Emily stood by the door as everything got quite and thought she would sneak back up the stairs. She didn't think she could face them especially if they questioned her about the pot or Billy.

“Is that you Emily?” her mother ask. Emily walked quietly into the kitchen and set down at the table, then fixed her a plate.

“Have you gained a little weigh?” Josh ask. Shit, she thought, as she saw her Mom flinch.

“I don't think so” she answered him, avoiding his eyes. Upset she quietly finished her meal and ran back upstairs. She had to get out of there, she was worried, afraid if anyone looked into her eyes they would see the guilt inside, and right this minute she wasn’t looking for forgiveness, but to get away as far as she could get from Chestnut
.

She picked up her phone and text Billy quickly typing the words.

Billy I'm coming to the cave.

“Not now,” he text back. She felt confused.

“I have to get out of here, why not?” She couldn’t understand, why. Whatever he was doing for them, she was a part of and she was tired of him hiding stuff from her.

“I'll meet you by the creek.” He text her. Yes you will she thought to herself.

“Ok” she text back.

Emily pulled on her favorite pair of cut offs and they wouldn’t button, “Dam-it” she hissed, after trying on several pair she finally settled on a sun dress and headed down the creek bank meeting Billy half way.

“What’s going on Billy?” she shouted “All my brothers pot is gone but ten plants.”

“Not so loud” he put a finger to his mouth, this angered her even more.

“Right this fucking minute I don’t care who hears me Billy, and why can't I go to the cave?” She stomped her foot and ask.

“It's not safe and shut up,” he angrily whispered and put his hand over her mouth, she pushed it away,

“Why the hell not? This is my land and you can’t stop me Billy” she demanded and pushed him out of her way, walking around him.

“Emily no” he roughly grabbed her hard by the arm, she felt the burning of his grip.

“Turn me loose Billy” she said and rubbed her arm as he released her.

“I’m sorry Emily, this is all hard on me, Baby I don’t want you, caught up in this anymore then you already are.” Then he stood in front of her staring at the ground, for a minute and shook his head, “come on" he put his arm around her and they turned toward the cave.

When they got there, Emily saw pot everywhere, lying on the ground, the bed, tall strong looking plants.

“Can you help me trim this Emily" Billy ask, “I have to get it finished.”

She stared at all the pot, “There’s a lot here, I can help you trim it Billy, but I'm really worried.” She stood there shaking, and knew, the danger signals in her head where real.

"Look if anybody walks up we head through the tunnel, just stay as close to me as you can. If we get separated for any reason take the tunnel to the far right, it will led to a road by the Turners, my car is hidden there, camouflaged with tree limbs under the roll of oak trees. Get in it and leave fast, my keys are in the ignition. For now we stay quiet and listen for any sound, ok." She swallowed hard.

“What are we doing with the trimmings Billy?” She ask, deciding to help him, because at this point, she couldn’t change what had already happened. They couldn’t go backwards and put it back. She had to look forward.

“Bag them separately.” Now we have to get to work quickly. His tone was different not gentle at already but urgent maybe.

“Ok” she set down to help him but she couldn't help but feel guilty. She loved her brothers. They always worked hard on their plants, and were very proud at how pretty they turned out. This was not good.

As she helped him trim, she could see the difference in the pot, it wasn't all from the same patch. Billy hadn't lied to her at least. They worked quietly and finished the trimming about dark, filling the pack backs Billy had laying around everywhere, there was so many of them she didn’t count, she just guessed about thirty.

Billy walked over to her and put his arms around her "I love you” he whispered, “If all goes well tonight we will leave early in the morning, Tennessee bound Baby” he smiled.

Emily felt a sense of loss, her emotions getting the best of her. “Billy, where are you taking this Pot.”

“I can't tell you,” he kissed her and ran his hands through her hair, “I love your hair, your eyes, your lips and everything about you Mrs. Johnson, You have sparked a light in me, and given me a meaning to life.” She felt like he was saying good-bye, her sense of fear growing with his every word.

"I love you to,” she said as she melted into his arms and they became as one, with love, passion and lust. They made love over and over, Emily fell asleep, it was dark when she woke up to Billy nibbling at her ear. “Emily, Baby, we have to get up.” She rolled over and held him tightly and he kissed her, then set up.

“Listen Babe, if anything happens to me tonight, call this number, it’s my lawyer” he handed her a business card.

As she held the card in her hand, she looked at Billy and thought she seen some fear in his eyes. “What do you mean if anything happens to you and why, Billy are you in danger?” She knew that he was, but hoped he would tell her no, everything was covered and would be alright.

“Just in case Emily, no more questions. You don't need to know, and here give me your phone.” She handed him her phone, “I’m putting Ed's number in your phone if you need anything. Anything at all call him. Ok"

She felt fearful, her mind screaming danger again. “Ok Billy but what do you mean.” Nothing last forever Emily she heard in her mind.

“Just listen, to me, we have said before that we were on a suicide mission, stay here and die or leave and live. If I don't make it back alive. Take this back pack of money and leave go as far away from here as you can get, and don't look back, ever,” He grabbed her face between his hands, “promise me Emily, promise me, we are both in danger babe, and I know that it has all been my doing, but Emily, we couldn't stay away from each other and you know that. Just always remember I love you.” She closed her eyes tight at his words, she knew he was right, except these problems weren’t all his doing they were hers to, she let a tear drop from her eye. Billy took his finger and gently wiped it away.

“Billy, does anybody know it's you that stole the pot?” He looked up at her and she thought she saw a hint of guilt in his eyes.

“I think so, I think one of the Turners saw me, but it's not them I’m really worried about, ok. I’ve been dealing with some very shady people, but we have to sell this and get out of here. It’s like, if it ant one after us, it would be the other. At this point, I’m even worried about my own family being after us. Listen if all goes well we will leave some money for your brothers and mine ok. I only took theirs, to through the scent away from this area, ok Baby. I feel awful about taking their pot.”

Emily set and listened, she didn't know if he was just paranoid or really scared, was his fears real she had to ask herself. “Come on I need to walk you back to your house, now.” He reached to take her hand.

“Let me go with you Billy.” She felt panic, deep inside her throat, blocking her ability to breathe, the words strained as she cried. ”Please don’t do go Billy.”

“No you have my baby inside you and even if you wasn't pregnant I would tell you no, but I have to do this Babe, I have to.” she started to cry, and he hugged her as he lead her toward the creek to take her home.

He kissed her good by as they reached the end of the creek. She watched him head back toward the cave, as the words she had heard often this summer haunted her. “You will get him killed Emily Canton, This can't end well.” The good Lord can take him away Emily, at any time, her mind told her.

* * *

Billy turned and headed back down the creek toward the cave, thinking about Emily and all they had been through, all the love and the light she had brought to his life. This summer had been the best, and if he lived through this night, he would be with her for the rest of his life, he didn’t think he would, but he was going to try.

He felt bad about pushing her, the other day and grabbing her the way he had today. Dam he thought If I die tonight I want her to remember the love we have shared not the anger. Dam-it I hope she don’t remember my anger.

He walked up to the clearing and laid down on the bed he had shared with her. He had so destroyed her life all the things they had done together. Wow, I so love her. He pulled out his phone and looked at the time, then wrote Emily a letter. He knew in his heart he was going to die tonight, he felt it so strongly, but Emily would be left with enough money, to make a life for her and the baby, he had seen to that.

He was dealing with some really bad people, two different groups, and he would be making two different runs. He planned on leaving the pot for the second run at the cave then going back and getting it after he gets the money from the first run. That way, if he got killed on the first run, there would at least be some pot left, for Emily to give to the families. He put the letter for Emily on top of one of the back packs that he was leaving. Then grabbed the ones for the first. “I love you Emily” he said out loud and headed through the tunnel.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Wed 2nd Aug

It was well after midnight when Emily stepped through her front door. She set down on couch, she was absolutely exhausted physically and mentally, her mind totally wiped out. She reached to take the backpack off her back then thought otherwise and laid her head back on the couch pillow, closing her eyes. She heard someone come through the front door, but continued to keep her eye’s closed thinking they might just ignore her, but felt the stare of someone’s burning eyes boring down on her.

“What’s in the backpack, Emily, some of my pot” Emily opened her eyes to see Josh standing above her. “No it's not your pot,” She sit up and told him, honestly.

“You know I've been hearing a lot of rumors about you in town” He continued to stand over her. This made her nervous, and she didn’t like the gleam in his eyes.

“Oh yeah” she said. Careful Emily, don’t give yourself away she told herself.

“At first, the lady at that wedding store in town, was saying you came in and bought a wedding dress, and Mom was with you. Now I told myself, as I laughed, that’s not true.” he glared at her, and widen his eyes, as if to challenge her for an answer, then he continued. “Then I hear, you got married at the church. Now I had to ask myself, why would Mom have been a part of that, why Emily?” she didn't answer him, and turned her eye's away. “That’s what I thought,” he said as he shook his head in distaste. “I added it together, you have been sick, gaining weight. Of course you are pregnant. With a Johnson bastard, to say the least.” This made her mad, him calling her unborn baby names.

"It's not a bastard if we are married" she spat back at Josh.

“Yeah, you say that now, but I'm telling you, this will be a dam short marriage, you see every farm on this road lost most, and in some cases, all of their pot, this year, and your boy Billy, well.” Josh laughed, “Let’s just leave it at that.” He said as he walked toward the kitchen.

Dam it Billy, she thought, what have you done? Emily set up on the couch her hands over her face. Things will be better, when we get through this and leave, she told herself.

She got up and headed to her bedroom and turned on her laptop, then went to Facebook. She hadn't been on Facebook in a little over a week and she had several messages, “Hey girl were you been,” one read, another “hey girl I hear you married that hunk in the pictures with you.”

“Are you crazy, you married Billy Johnson I hear,” she read on and on till she started getting messages like, “you Bitch, tell that new husband of yours to stay out of our plants,” more and more she read messages all pretty much the same. She wondered if Billy had checked his and been getting the same. Emily knew his pass word and went to his page, he had lots of messages most unchecked, she read them, “congratulations on your marriage” a few read, then came the bad ones, “I will kill you Billy Johnson, you will die Billy Johnson, you are a dead man Billy Johnson.”  She quit reading, and slammed the laptop shut, she felt like she couldn’t breathe, as she realized the fear she had felt for so long might actually become reality.

Worried Emily thought about texting Billy but thought better of it, if someone heard his phone she could get him in more trouble. What have you done Billy? Emily wondered in her mind again, I can’t live without him, she crawled into her bed and cried, remembering all the good times she had with him, the way he made her feel, she knew he loved her, and she had always felt safe with him, until now.

“Until now,” she said out loud. The anger she had witnessed in him lately, the way he had pushed her, the way he had grabbed her the evening before, she thought as she rubbed the bruise on her arm, but it’s the stress, she thought, the stress of all that is happening. She climbed out of bed again and took the backpack off her back and opened it, as hundred dollar bills begin to fall on to the floor. Oh my God, it’s full, Emily thought as she quickly tried to sip it back up, catching one of the bill’s in the sipper. She finally ripped it then took the backpack to her closet burying it under as much stuff as she could. Were almost home free Baby, she could almost hear Billy say in her mind, so loudly she looked around the room to see if he was there. Every nerve in her body shook with fear as she climbed into bed tossing and turning.

* * *

Billy walked through the tunnel toward the cave, with the backpacks of money, the first run was over. It had went smoothly. He took a deep breath as he put the backpacks full of money on the ground in the cave.

This next run was the one he was worried about, and didn’t think it would go as smoothly, not at all. He picked up one of the back packs of money and headed toward his house. He needed to be quick but decided to enjoy the walk, seeing that it may be the last time, he would ever walk through these woods. He had never wanted to leave here, hadn’t even thought about it till he had gotten with Emily, he thought as he listened to the sounds of the night, the crickets chirping, the little squirrels jumping through the trees, a wolf howling in the distance.

He debated with his self about not making the next run, just texting Emily now and tell her lets go, but there was a lot of money involved and at this point, it should be all or nothing. If he went down it would be in a blaze, everyone would know, he wasn’t going down easy. He felt like everyone else had caused this, trying to keep him away from his Emily.

His house was dark as he approached it, then walked inside, he sat down at his Dads desk, found a pen and paper then wrote a letter for Ed and a new one for Emily. He put Ed’s letter in the front of the pack back and quietly walked into the room he shared with him. To Billy’s relief Ed didn’t wake up, he softly laid the backpack on the floor beside the bed.

Good-bye Bro, I love you, take care of Emily, I know you love her to, Billy silently said in his mind. He hated the fact of someone else ever touching her, but had come to the realization, that if he died making this run, it would someday happen, and he could live right now with the fact and hope that it would be Ed. Ed would take care of her Billy told his self.

He walked slowly out of the house and turned around. He thought this was most likely the last time he would ever see, his childhood home, as memories of his childhood, flooded his thoughts, he pushed back tears. Then he headed back toward the cave for his second run, the run that worried him.

“We are almost home free Emily” he said. Billy walked back to the cave and left, the letter to Emily with the backpacks of money. Then picked up the last of the pot and headed through the tunnel, quickly through them in his car and headed to river road.

Billy drove by the house a few times casing it out, where the cars were parked, the trees and everything about it, then turned off his heads lights before turning into the driveway, being careful to park, were he could make a quick exit if needed. He reached in the glove compartment and grabbed his gun then stuck it in the top of his pants. He set in the car for a moment as he tried to get up enough nerve to go in or talk his self out of going in. He was so confused at the moment, even shocked at his self for getting involved with these people to start with. “Billy you fool” he said as he opened the car door.

He walked up and listened to the voices inside, then knocked. He stepped inside and set the backpacks by the door.

* * *

He had to shot his way out, the thing he had feared most had happened, they didn’t want to give him the money, so he grabbed as much of the pot as possible and quickly ran out the door, as fast as his legs would carry him.

He spun out of the driveway hitting two of the parked cars on the way. They had been right on his tail for miles before he lost them. Now as he thought he was far enough away, he pulled over at Dead Man’s Curve, and turned off the car. Although he had been driving he was out of breath, he turned on the radio and laid his head back against the seat. This is it he thought, I’m changing my ways. I’m taking Emily away from here and giving her a good life. I can do better than this. He pulled out his phone and sent Emily a text. I'm on my way back Baby, get ready we have to leave, I love you, as he seen the headlights in the rear view mirror and reached for to turn the key in the ignition.

* * *

“Oh,” She couldn’t catch her breath and set up suddenly, suffocating, her throat burning as if it were on fire, the fear gripping her as she grabbed her aching her chest. The song (If I die tomorrow) played steadily in her head as she rolled onto the floor laying prone. Breathe Emily breathe she told herself as she slowed her breathing, telling herself it was just a dream. She rolled to her back, her eyes open, “Billy” she said realizing she hadn’t heard from him then desperately searched for her phone, it wasn’t there. Did I leave it at the cave, she wondered? Her body felt heavy as she pushed herself off the floor, and looked out the window, she felt such panic in her soul, empty inside, and knew something wasn’t right.

It was close to day light and she dressed quickly running out the door toward the cave, she didn’t slow down, but ran, hoping to find Billy their waiting on her. The words of many flowed through her mind like the river she had swam in, as she ran. You will get him killed Emily, this can't end well. I will kill you Billy, she remembered the messages on Facebook. She felt the worst had already happened like her heart had been ripped into pieces.

She reached the cave screaming his name over and over searching for him, “Billy” she screamed loudly. She could hear the panic in her own voice as it echoed back at her. “Billy, Billy, Billy” Loneliness gripped her with the realization that he may not ever be back.

She searched for her phone picking up the mattress, throwing the pillows, sheets and blankets around but she could not find it. Did he text her did she miss him she wondered, no he would have waited on me she thought.

She walked into the cave and saw the five backpacks, there was a note on top of them. Her hands were trembling as she reached for the note and read it.

Emily my love,

If you are reading this letter, and it's after daylight then I am most likely dead, I’m sorry Emily that you will have to raise our child alone, but I will always be with you, in spirit and in your heart and mind, I know that. Take these back packs, Give one to your brothers, I have already given one to my brothers. I’m sure you didn't get them all, for I’m sure I have gotten caught with some of them, run Emily, Run fast and hard, and remember I love you.

Your husband Billy Johnson

The tears were running down her face, she knew in her heart he wouldn't be back, but she waited for on him anyway. She lay on the air mattress for hours and dreamed about her wedding night, and the way he had made love to her the night before, like he knew it would be there last, but then again, they had both knew it might be.

He didn't come back, she was hurt, angry and in disbelieve. “How could you do this to me Billy?” she screamed. She lit the campfire and furiously throw the mattress in it, screaming at the top of her lungs, then jerked the lights out of the tree's burning everything in sight, everything but the back packs. Then fell to her knees, still screaming as the screams echoed back at her.

Take the money and run and don't look back she heard Billy saying in her mind. Run Emily, run, fast. She picked the back packs up and headed down toward the creek, she figured it to be safer than the tunnels, safer then carrying them through the family cemetery, then she hid them with her belongings, by the road.

Exhaustion had taken over her body, but she had to keep moving, it was now her life in danger, hers and Billy’s child.

   She walked into her house and could hear the voices around the breakfast table as she listened from behind the wall, she heard the news of Billy’s death, he had went off the road at dead man’s curve coming out of the river at high speeds, she heard them say, but she knew in her heart someone had run him off the road, she was sure of it, and she was angry. She raised her fist to hit the wall, but held back, she had to pretend she didn’t know anything had to get out of there alive, so Billy could live on through her baby, Billy’s baby.

    She needed her phone, she needed to call Ed and find a way out of Chestnut, so she stepped into the kitchen and instantly felt the stares of her family as the room went quite. Completely silent giving her an uneasy feeling, but she strongly shook it off.

     “Has anyone seen my phone?” She ask calmly, as calmly as she could.

"Yeah I found it by the creek this morning,” Ricky told her as he pulled it out of his pocket.

Emily took it, then walked to her room. The last message from Billy had been opened, send at four am, it read, I'm on my way back Baby, get ready we have to leave, I love you. She wanted to cry, but held back, there wasn’t time for that right now. If anyone had his phone, they would know she was a part of this. She had another message from Ed, unopened, she read it. There’s a car down our road on a pull off, take it and leave now.

She walked to her closet and dug out the back pack. Sit down at her desk and wrote a note to Josh, pinning it to the backpack with a safety pin. Then carried it to his room and laid the back pack on his bed.