Dread Nation (Dread Nation #1)(34)
The neighbors nodded and made polite clucking noises as they walked to their iron ponies. They believed my momma, but they hadn’t felt the way she tensed when the major yelled, or the way she gripped my arms when he called me a darkie. I was old enough to know that things were about to get bad at Rose Hill. But I wasn’t afraid of the major.
No, I’d seen what happened when momma didn’t get her way. It never ended well.
Two days later, the major was a shambler with a bullet in his skull and I had my first harvest at ten years old.
“Jane, are you even listening?” Katherine’s sigh jolts me from my reverie. There’s an ache in my chest from thinking about my momma for too long, and I curse myself for getting lost in the past. Now I’m going to be maudlin for the next few days, remembering times gone by. This is why it’s better not to think about Rose Hill at all.
“Jane!”
“What?”
“I do believe that’s Jackson waving to you from the tree line.”
I glance up, and sure enough there’s Red Jack, jumping around on the other side of the barrier fence like he hasn’t got a lick of sense. I shake my head and point him toward the back of the school, through the trees to the old slave cabin. We used to meet back there when we were something more than uneasy friends, and I hope he remembers the spot. If anyone from the house sees him, they’re going to wonder why a boy is tromping around the school grounds, and I’ll be in hot water.
I wait a full minute or so before climbing to my feet and going to the back of the yard. Katherine stays put, flipping pages and muttering to herself about my inability to appreciate good fashion. The sound of fighting comes from the practice grounds as I cut toward the back of the property. The younger girls have their first evaluations coming up at the end of the month. How they rate will determine their rankings, and those rankings will one day make the difference between eking out a living on one of the mayor’s cleanup crews or an assignment as a lady’s Attendant, offering protection and companionship while living the good life.
I manage to make my way to the barrier fence without discovery, and Red Jack is there, leaning against the tall wrought iron and looking like he hasn’t a care in the world. His nonchalance is belied by his split lip, swollen eye, and the blood dotting the front of his waistcoat.
“Uh-oh, did Harvey Parker finally catch you fooling around with his wife?”
Jackson scowls at me. “Very funny. No, this is what happens when you try to sneak into Mayor Carr’s estate.”
“You went trespassing at the mayor’s? Near as I figure, you’re lucky to still be breathing.”
“That’s the same thing his boys told me. Luckily one of them is a fan of the dog races, and he did me a favor in exchange for making sure a few of the well-known puppies never make it to the track to run again.” Red Jack winces as he shifts his weight from one foot to the other, hand holding his side.
Katherine gasps, stealing up behind us like a shambler in the night, me near to jumping out of my skin from the surprise. I scowl at her, but she ignores me. “You aren’t going to kill a dog are you? That’s awful.”
Jackson raises a single brow at her. “Of course not, I ain’t a monster. There are lots of kids in the city who’d like to claim a stray as their own, that’s all. And you’d be surprised how easy it is to switch out a winner for a similar-looking loser.”
“You came all the way here, half-broken, just to tell me that the mayor’s boys almost stomped you into mush and that you’re planning on fixing a few races in the future?” I ask, interrupting. I ain’t at all endeared to the friendliness between Jackson and Katherine. It’s petty, but I’m okay with that.
Jackson shifts slightly and sighs. “You heard those people at the Spencers’. Mayor Carr has something to do with Lily’s disappearance. I need to get into his house and figure out what.”
I open my mouth to offer some paltry platitude, when I’m interrupted by Katherine saying, “Maybe we could help. We’re going there for dinner.”
I shoot Katherine my best Are you stupid? glare, but Jackson’s already perked up. “Going where for dinner? Mayor Carr’s?”
Katherine nods, bouncing up onto the balls of her feet and back down again. “Yes! We got invited to this fancy dinner party on account of saving so many folks at the lecture a couple of weeks ago.”
Jackson looks at me and I shake my head. “We’re going as Attendants. Fancy servants with sharp weapons. But you didn’t want our aid before, and we ain’t going to have time to help now with whatever poppycock plan you dream up. Plus, I ain’t so sure this whole invite is on the up and up. We’ll have our hands full just taking care of ourselves.”
Katherine sighs heavily. “You have such a morbid outlook, Jane. That doesn’t make any sense. Good Attendant positions aren’t getting any easier to land. This is a real opportunity.”
“Nothing those Survivalists offer is an ‘opportunity,’” I mutter.
“When are you two supposed to go?” Red Jack asks, a familiar twinkle in his eye. He is planning something, and whatever it is ain’t going to be good.
“Tomorrow,” Katherine says. “We even got new dresses. It is going to be quite the event.”
Jackson nods, and just like that I know I’m in for some kind of mischief. I glance at Katherine, hoping maybe I can convince her this is a terrible idea, but she’s just giving Red Jack this friendly grin and I bury my face in my hands. Despite my best intentions I’m about to be sucked into some kind of high drama.