After talking to McCleary, the brothers fear for the safety of their women.
Lucius
and Willem were nearly beside themselves with worry by the time they
got to the school. They breathed a huge sigh of relief when they got
to the school office and the girls were fine. They were just closing
up for lunch. Surprised, but pleased, they invited the men to their
apartment for a meal. Over sandwiches and soup, Willem and Lucius
told the girls about their conversation with Mr. McCleary.
"Any
idea what he meant about where your father went to think?"
Dollie asked.
"No
idea," Willem replied. "We need to run up and see Mama and
ask."
"You
do that," Lucius said. "I'm gonna stay down with Dollie and
Patty."
"We're
fine," Dollie said, smiling. "You don't need to worry about
us."
"But
I do," Lucius replied solemnly. "Someone tried to take you
from me last night. I won't stand still and wait for them to hurt
either of you."
"Do
you really think we're in danger?" Patty asked, her hand flying
to her throat.
"I
don't know, Miss Patty. Don't especially want to find out that I'm
right and have someone get hurt."
"I'll
head up there. Ma may want us to dinner. I'll come down and get ya if
she does."
"I'll
be up to help with chores," Lucius said. "So don't worry
about coming back down. We can come up in Dollie's car."
"All
righty. We can talk about out plans when you arrive." He gave
Patty a kiss and left the three of them together.
The
afternoon was quiet. Dollie and Patty worked quickly, typing letters
and writing checks. When five o'clock rolled around, Patty put the
balance sheets and checkbook in the safe while Dollie covered her
typewriter.
Lucius
drove Dollie's car up to his mother's house. Willem met them at the
front porch.
"I
talked with Uncle Wilt. He went and fetched some of the menfolk to
keep an eye on things. I talked to Ma about Daddy's thinkin' spot. At
first, she didn't want to tell me. Finally, she decided it was silly
not to, and told me."
"Why
so secretive?"
"Cause
Daddy had him a shine still up there. Don't want the government men
to find out."
"Did
you tell her why you wanted to know?" Patty asked.
"I
had to tell her something, or she wouldn't have given me the
location. She didn't seem too surprised to hear McCleary's name. She
wasn't real shocked when I mentioned coal neither. Reckon she knows
more than she'll say."
"Why
not tell you?"
"Too
many folks around. Even family can't be trusted with all the
information. Besides, if she believes that's what got Daddy kilt, she
ain't gonna tell her boys, now is she?"
Lucius
shook his head. "Girls, I want y'all to stay up here with Mama
while me and Will go meet with Mr. McCleary."
Dollie
and Patty tried to protest, but he and Will were firm.
"Can't
have you with me, worrying sick if you're safe. We got men watching
here. They're armed and they can shoot the wings off a gnat."
Will said.
"But
you and Luke!" Patty said.
"We
can take care of ourselves," Will replied. "You're not to
worry none. Now, we're gonna go have us some dinner with Mama and the
kids. Then we're gonna make the excuse we got to check the upper
fields. Got some ewes ready to lamb. Reckon we got to anyway, so
we'll have a look before we meet up with McCleary."
Despite
what the girls said, there was no arguing with the men. They finally
agreed, grudgingly, to stay at the house.
"But
you tell us exactly where it is," Patty said. "So if we
have to come looking, we know where to start."
"I'll
do ya one better," Lucius replied. "I'll draw ya a map."
He dug a piece of paper out of a drawer in his room. He grabbed a
stub of a pencil and smoothed the paper on the kitchen table. A few
quick strokes and he had a basic layout of the Henry land. "This
here's us," he marked an X on a rectangle representing the
house. "Bout half a mile up," he drew a dotted line. "In
a little hidden holler. Got a shack up there and water nearby, which
is good for a thinking spot." He winked.
Dollie
folded up the paper and put it down the front of her shirt. Lucius'
eyes followed her movements hungrily. He took her hand, bringing it
to his lips.
"Damn,
Miss Dollie, I sure wish I was that paper."
She
smiled, kissing his forehead. "One day, you will be. You come
back safe, you hear? Don't go off and get yourself killed before—"
©
2019 Dellani Oakes
No comments:
Post a Comment