The Saints of Swallow Hill(75)

Otis acted like he’d half forgot she was there, or could speak.

Without giving thought to what she was doing, she repeated herself. “I asked you, ‘What is wrong with you?’”

Cornelia gave her a warning look, but Rae Lynn, while aware she was in dangerous territory, couldn’t stay quiet.

Otis blustered. “What kind a question is that?”

“You act like you want to see a man get lynched.”

Cornelia tried to distract them from one another. “Rae Lynn, would you hand me the plate there?”

Otis inhaled, his chest expanding like a male grackle as he approached Rae Lynn, and still, she refused to budge.

He scowled at her and said, “Justice got to be served. He’s indebted to this camp, and we got call to do what’s necessary to make sure don’t nobody else get no dumb ideas. Why in the hell am I explaining it to you, nohow? You a damn woman. Oh, wait. Come to think of it, we ain’t so sure what you might be.”

The hairs on her scalp prickled with apprehension as he stood in front of her. She clenched her hands into fists. Unexpectedly, he shoved his hand in her crotch, prodding her with his fingers to prove to himself what she was.

Cornelia screamed, “Otis, I see somebody!”

Otis lost interest in her and hastened toward the door, shoving Cornelia out of his way.

“Move!”

He barreled down the steps, his eagerness to see such a spectacle furthering Rae Lynn’s disgust of him. She was still gasping with outrage at his offensive handling of her while Cornelia pleaded.

“Rae Lynn, please. Watch what you say. Not just for your sake.”

Rae Lynn put a hand over her heart. “I’m sorry. He brought it out in me.”

Cornelia said, “It ain’t hard. Best we go see what’s happening.”

Rae Lynn started to refuse but was so worried about Nolan Brown, she followed Cornelia outside, her hopes on Del Reese preventing anything terrible from happening. They stayed behind Otis so as to not draw his attention, and Rae Lynn watched as the work wagons came into camp first, shrouded in a cloud of dust. They needed rain, but the gloomy clouds refused. In the back of the wagons sat mute, brooding workers, every head down, so they resembled swaying stumps. Behind them came Crow and Woodall, and Rae Lynn dismissed them, on the lookout for Del Reese. When she saw him, she almost didn’t recognize him. He’d apparently shaved his beard off.

Dread filled her chest as Rae Lynn searched for the one who’d taken a chance. There was no sign of him and while Rae Lynn couldn’t tell how Del Reese felt, she could have sworn he gave her a little nod and wink. The dogs, the supposed stars of the show, walked alongside the wagons, tails drooping. For all appearances, their behavior told a story of failure, of a hunt without reward. She let her breath out. They didn’t have him. Thank the good Lord, he’d got away. Better to take a chance on what the swamp doled out than what some of these men would’ve done. Peewee came out of the office building, hands on his hips.

“Well? Where is he?”

Crow threw his arms wide, clearly annoyed. “Them dogs, they was on his scent most of the day, then lost it at some point this afternoon.”

“Damn. It would have to be him who took off. He owes me more’n anyone here.”

Del said, “How long’s he been here?”

Peewee said, “Since he was about Georgie’s age. Ain’t never been nowheres else. Him and his missus got married right over yonder.”

Del said, “It ain’t like he took real money, I mean, hell, you don’t pay in real money.”

Crow tipped his head toward Del and said, “See? His way ain’t gonna work here.”

As the men argued, Rae Lynn nudged Cornelia, who chewed on her thumbnail.

She said, “Least somebody’s got some sense.”

Cornelia mumbled back. “Peewee’s fair minded, too, but he don’t like nobody running. He has to report it. He also don’t like nobody telling him how things ought to be.”

Otis said, “What’re you whispering about?”

Cornelia straightened up and said, “Just telling Rae Lynn here since she’s new to all this what might happen.”

Otis said, “You two don’t need to worry about that. You need to get on to the house and fix my supper. This here’s men’s business.” He watched the other men, mumbling, “Only thing matters is they keep searching for the bastard. I warrant they’ll go back out after supper.”

Rae Lynn didn’t want or need to see more, nohow. She went across the yard, avoiding looking at anyone directly. There was a pause, her movement momentarily distracting the men, and she hurried to get out of sight.

Cornelia came behind her, and when they got to the house, she said, “Could you feel all them eyes on you?”

Rae Lynn squirmed and said, “Kind a hard not to.” She got out the lard and flour to make the biscuits. “What should we fix for supper tonight?”

Cornelia didn’t answer the question, instead she said, “You’re a wonder to’em. Some can’t get over the fact you lived.”

Rae Lynn sniffed. “You mean Crow.”

Cornelia huffed. “Him. Who cares about him?” She came close, bumped Rae Lynn’s shoulder with her own, and said, “You don’t find him handsome?”