Will tells Luke that he and Patty made love on Luke's bed. Luke isn't sure whether to believe him or not.
"Sorry.
Next time, I promise to use my bed."
"Best
not be a next time or you're gonna have to marry that girl early."
"Early
or later, don't matter to me."
"It'd
matter if her daddy shoots you."
"He
don't own a gun. I asked."
Lucius
chuckled, shaking his head. "Kill ya with his bare hands, like
as not."
"Naw,
he's a preacher." Will gasped. "Oh, hell, Luke. He's a
preacher! Holy God, I'm goin' to hell."
Lucius
was still laughing ten minutes later. Willem put his pillow over his
head, rolled away from his brother and went to sleep.
The
next morning, the men woke early and drove up to the family home to
start chores. They were surprised and pleased to see their male
cousins and uncles all pitching in to do the work. None of them would
let Luke help.
"You
take care of your hand or Doc will have our hides," his brother
Samuel said. "Ma too, for that matter. We got this. You go talk
to Ma."
Lucius
went to the house while Willem joined the other men to do chores. He
found his mother surrounded by women. They were cooking a massive
breakfast for the men to eat when they were done. Among the crowd he
spotted Sheriff Edward Squires and his deputy. The sheriff waved a
hand at Lucius, inviting him over. The younger man was soon at the
sheriff's side.
"I
heard there was some excitement down your way last night."
"How
the hell would you know that when I ain't even told you yet?"
"Word
gets around." The sheriff shrugged.
"What
word? We ain't told a soul."
"I'm
talking about the fire. What are you talking about?"
Lucius
told him about someone breaking in and Dollie chasing him.
"Did
she see him?" The sheriff's brow furrowed.
"Not
really. Said he was a big man—but to Dollie, that's everyone."
He chuckled, shaking his head.
The
sheriff didn't laugh along with him. "That's pretty serious,
Luke. Those two girls there all by themselves. Worries me some. Is
there anyplace else they could stay?"
"Not
really. But me and Will can stay awhile longer. We're in one of the
dormitory rooms and pretty comfy. You really think they're in
danger?"
"Strange
man breaks into a place with two single women. Yeah, I think there's
a problem. You boys take some things and move on in there for a
spell. I'd send a man up, but I ain't got one to spare. Not with all
this mess." He sighed, ruffing his thinning hair.
"Any
idea who that man was in the shed?"
"Nope.
All the local men are accounted for."
"It's
for sure a man?"
"Yup.
Doc Starbuck had a look and was able to tell. Something about the
pelvis. I dunno. Can't tell much more. The fire took out most of our
clues and the water and dirt took the rest. We know he's a man and
probably not local. Other than that, no one knows for sure. The state
police are sending a coroner to do autopsies of him—and your
daddy."
"Thought
we'd buried him."
"State
police asked us not to. Me and the boys had to pull him out the hole
once y'all had gone."
Lucius
shuddered. "Does Mama know?"
"Nope.
I was hoping to see you or Will. I need permission...."
"If
it helps catch the man who took my mother's husband from her, you do
what needs doing."
Squires
patted Lucius' shoulder. "I know you weren't close to your
daddy, Luke. Me and my old man got along 'bout as well as you and
Earl. But he's still your daddy. We'll try and bring him justice.
Ain't nobody deserves to end like he did."
Lucius
nodded. "You need me to sign something?"
"I
do." Squires pulled out a folded paper and handed Luke a
fountain pen. "Did your daddy have a will?"
"I
don't know," Lucius replied, puzzled by the question. "Mama
might know. He was gonna leave the land to Willem, but he's moved to
town. Guess it falls on me to tend it. Don't rightly know the way of
things. Why?"
Squires
shook his head, shrugging. "Curious is all."
Lucius
read quickly through the paper he'd been handed. Some of it he didn't
understand, but he could tell it was a consent form for a second
autopsy to be conducted by the State Police. He sighed and dated as
instructed at the bottom. Handing the paper back to the sheriff, he
tried to smile.
"If
you find out about that will...."
"Reckon
Mama knows. I'll ask her later. Right now, ain't gonna trouble her.
Lady just lost the man she loved," Lucius said rather
forcefully. "It don't matter, Ed. We got this under control."
©
2019 Dellani Oakes
No comments:
Post a Comment