Chapter 26

J
ULIE WAS DISAPPOINTED
that Evan wasn’t with Joe and Jack when they returned. She waited on the porch while they put the car in the shed.

Joe knew what she wanted to hear. “We took Evan home to do chores. He’ll be over later.”

“Was he all right?”

“Seemed to be. He went to the undertaker and made arrangements for burying Walter. Then he spoke to Reverend Meadows about a graveside service tomorrow morning. We got a lot done in a short time.”

“We saw Miss Meadows at the preacher’s house. She asked about you,” Jack said. “Joe told her about Mrs. Stuart’s husband coming for her.”

“Is there any news about … about who …”

“Killed Walter?”

“We didn’t get to talk to Chief Appleby. He was with the marshal.”

“How did the practice go, Jack?”

“I hit another home run.” Smiles lit up Jack’s freckled face. “Doc Forbes said I have one of the best swings he’s ever seen. Oh, guess what, Sis? The team is going to have shirts alike. Mr. Poole is trying to get the city to buy them; but if they don’t, and he doesn’t have much hope because of Mr. Wood, the merchants are all going to chip in.”

“We’ll be so proud. You’ve got to have a haircut before next Saturday, Jack. I wish we had a Kodak so we could take your picture.”

“Evan’s got a Kodak,” Joe said.

“I’ll ask him to take Jack’s picture.”

“He’ll do it … for
you
.” Joe’s eyes teased her and Julie’s cheeks reddened.

“Joe said the witch is gone. How did Pa take it?”

“He walked off into the woods after Mrs. Stuart and her husband left. We haven’t seen him. Jill and I cleaned Papa’s room and put his things back in it. He may be ashamed for having been fooled by her.”

“Men have been fooled by a pretty face before, huh, Jack?” Joe nudged his brother, his eyes still teasing his sister.

“Hush up, you two, and stop teasing. I think Papa gets lonesome.”

“With all of us kids here? I don’t see how anyone could be lonesome,” Jack exclaimed.

“He’s lonesome for someone near his own age to talk to and do things with.” Julie grinned at her brothers. “I like intelligent conversation sometimes myself. I get tired of trying to talk to … dumb-bunnies.”

“She means us, Jack! Sis is really feeling her oats.” Joe spoke to his brother as if Julie wasn’t there.

“Yeah, I hear that’s what happens when the love bug bites.”

* * *

Corbin and the marshal sat on stools in Sparky’s Eatery and waited for Sparky to bring them a plate of food.

“Anything will do, Sparky. We haven’t eaten all day.”

“How about a plate of sausage and eggs?”

“Sounds good to me.” The marshal placed his hat on the stool next to him.

“Weaver wasn’t pleased with his dismissal. I hope that doesn’t mean he’ll be giving me problems here.”

“He used to be a damn good man. Here lately he’s been taking too much on himself.”

“Do you think he’s tied in with Amos Wood on something?”

“I’d hate to think so. I shouldn’t have let it slip that I think Wood is mixed up somehow with bootlegging. This is confidential… .” The marshal looked to see where Sparky was and lowered his voice. “Bank examiners are interested in Wood’s bank.”

“He protects Otto Bloom, who is a low-life, wife-beating son-of-a-bitch if there ever was one. Bloom works at the bank and, from what I hear, he was a pretty good fellow when he came to town about ten years ago. He drinks like a fish now, and when he’s drunk he’s got no sense at all.”

“Here ya are.” Sparky placed the plates of food on the counter. “I hear ya let Evan Johnson out.”

“News travels fast.”

“Well, it isn’t every day we have a murder right here in Fertile.”

“Did you see Walter last night, Sparky?”

“I saw him outside as I was closing. Otto Bloom was with him.”

“Were they drunk or just drinking?”

“Didn’t seem to be very drunk, but no doubt they were drinking.”

“That’s the last you saw of them?”

“Yep. Wife is bringing out some biscuits.”

It was dark when Corbin and the marshal knocked on the door of the Bloom house. Mrs. Bloom pulled back a curtain and peered out.

“It’s Chief Appleby, Mrs. Bloom.”

She opened the door a crack. “I’m not supposed to let anyone in.”

“You can let us in, ma’am. Doc Curtis is going to lift the quarantine tomorrow.”

“He never said anything to me about it. Buddy is asleep.”

“We’ll not disturb him.” Corbin pushed gently on the door and the woman stepped back. He and the marshal entered the small neat house. “Mrs. Bloom, this is Marshal Sanford. We’d like to speak with Otto if he’s here.”

“Otto? Ah … he’s not supposed to be here,” she said and nervously looked away from the two men.

“But is he?”

“No. Buddy has been awfully sick.”

“Mrs. Bloom, was Otto here last night?”

“Last night? Oh, yes. He was here all night.” She nodded her head up and down.

“Sparky Yates said Otto was uptown around ten o’clock.”

“He came home right after that,” she said quickly.

“Thank you, Mrs. Bloom.”

“Pleased to have met you, ma’am.”

As soon as they were out the door it was shut.

“He’s there,” Corbin said after they stepped off the porch. “That woman is so scared of him she’d say anything he told her to say. I’ll move the car up the street so they’ll think we’ve gone and I’ll slip around the back. He’ll either come out or I’ll see him through the kitchen window.”

Corbin heard voices as soon as he stepped up onto the small back porch.

“I told them what you told me to say, Otto.”

“You’re a stupid slut, is what you are. Why did you say I came home after ten?”

“I had to. If you were seen in town, how could you be here?”

“You could have said Sparky lied, was mistaken or something like that.
He came home right after that,
” he mimicked in a high woman’s voice. “I ought to knock your teeth down your throat.”

“I did what you told me—”

“And it could get you in trouble.” Corbin stepped into the kitchen from the back door.

“What the hell? Get out of my house!” Otto, barefoot and shirtless, turned to pick up an iron skillet.

“Go ahead. Give me an excuse to shoot you.” Corbin’s gun appeared in his hand. “Your wife and boy would be better off without a drunk like you. And stay where you are,” he said quickly when the man began to move sideways toward his wife.

“What are ya …Ya’ve no right here.”

“The marshal and I are going to talk to you.”

“Well, talk, damn ya.”

“Not here. Down at the courthouse. Get his shoes, Mrs. Bloom.”

“Ya can’t take me to jail ’cause I’m in my own house. That old quack that put a red sign on the door don’t know beans from a bullfrog.”

“He knew enough to keep your son alive.”

“Kid woulda got well anyway. Mr. Wood said I could come back here. It’ll be the same as last time. He won’t stand for you keepin’ me away from my job.” Otto’s hands shook when he put on his shoes. His eyes were bloodshot and he smelled like sour whiskey.

“He’ll be welcome to what’s left when we get through with you. Get a move on.” Corbin prodded him to his feet and toward the front door.

“What’d’ya mean, what’s left?” Otto was drunk, but not enough so that he didn’t realize the danger he was in. “Go get Mr. Wood,” he shouted at his wife, although she stood not six feet away.

“What are you afraid of, Otto? Why do you think you need Wood?”

“He’ll not let you put me in jail. He’ll have yore job for this. He said ya was nothin’ but a know-it-all.”

Mrs. Bloom followed them to the door.

“I told ya to get Mr. Wood. And, goddamn ya, ya’d better do it or ya know what you’ll get.”

“When will he be back?” The woman cowered out of reaching distance of Otto’s fists.

“Maybe … never.” Corbin dragged the words out and poked Otto in the back with the barrel of his gun. “You’re going to look good in black and white stripes, Otto. They’ll match the blue bruises you’ve put on your wife’s face.”

“Get Mr. Wood,” Otto yelled over his shoulder.

Marshal Sanford was waiting in the front yard, and Otto was hustled off to the holding room in the courthouse.

* * *

At suppertime, Jethro came quietly from the room across the hall. His eyes swung around the dining room, missing nothing. His family was ready to take their places at the table, their eyes on him. All of them were worth their weight in gold to him.

“Something smells good. What’er we having, Sis?”

“One of your favorites, Papa: creamed chicken gravy over hot biscuits and sweet potato pie.”

“Isn’t that a little much for Sunday night supper? You shouldn’t have fired up that hot stove.”

“I wanted to. This is to celebrate … Evan’s release,” she added quickly and turned her back to ease the biscuits onto a platter and pour the creamed gravy into a large bowl.

“That’s not all we need to celebrate, but we won’t speak of it now.”

With Julie’s nod of approval, Jason took a biscuit from the platter and went to the door. Sidney was hunkered down on the porch but quickly got up to accept his treat.

“Sidney’s got to celebrate, too.”

During the meal Jethro asked Jack about the ball practice and Joe and Jack told once again about Evan making the arrangements to bury Walter.

“We’ll all go to the buryin’ out of respect for a neighbor,” Jethro announced.

“Papa, I don’t think Joy and Jason should go.” Julie dipped into the crock of butter, then spread it and strawberry jam on Joy’s biscuit.

“Jason will go to school. Joy can stay in the car.”

“Sidney will watch her,” Jason said.

“No. Sidney will have to look after things here while we’re gone.”

“And he will, Papa. Sidney’s a good guard dog.”

Julie lowered her eyes and thanked God that the family was back to normal after the recent days of crackling tension.

After the supper things had been cleared away, Julie washed Joy and put her in her nightdress. The child was wound up and talked constantly.

“Is Evan comin’? Will he take us for ice cream?”

“Evan is coming. You’re not to mention going for ice cream. It isn’t nice to ask for things.”

“I’ll be nice, Julie. I won’t ask.”

“You can stay up for a while. Papa and the boys are going to play cards.”

With Joy out of the way, Julie hurried upstairs to wash and put on a fresh dress. She combed and pinned her hair, then slipped a sachet of rose petals into the bosom of her chemise. She returned downstairs to hear the complaints about who was going to be stuck with Jill for a partner. Joy sat on Jethro’s lap. Joe was dealing the cards. He glanced at Julie with a wide grin.

“Evan’s comin’. I heard the horses nickering.”

“Go on out,” Jack said with a smirk. “We know you’re dyin’ to see him.”

Julie could feel the heat flood her face. She stepped out onto the back porch, agonizingly aware that her brothers were snickering and her sister giggling. Her heart hammered and there was a fluttering in the pit of her stomach that refused to go away, even as she pressed her hands tightly to it. Sure that her hair was smooth and her dress properly buttoned, she waited the few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the darkness.