The River Widow(45)
Someone must have heard; she was sure of it. Curling inward, she scooted up against the barn door, hoping to hide in the shadows, even though it would do no good. At any moment, she would see a light go on in the house or hear the back door flung open.
Her chest rose and fell with rapid breaths as she waited to be discovered. And waited.
But nothing happened. Perhaps in her excited, anxious state, Adah had imagined the sounds of the chain and the dog’s half bark to be much louder than they were. The house remained silent while Adah gradually regained her composure, gazed in gratitude up at the sky, and eased to a standing position again, barely breathing.
Still half expecting to be met somewhere along the way with a gun aimed at her head, slowly but surely she retraced her steps back to her room.
She was tired. Suddenly so tired. Daisy had fallen back to sleep, and Adah crept slowly into the room, then lowered herself onto the bed, lifted her legs, and lay down on her side, hugging her pillow. She gazed out beyond the window, where the moon was sinking and new leaves flitted in the branches just outside.
The view brought back memories of her childhood before her parents died. She blinked and wished for the impossible. It wasn’t long before she had been forced to face the reality of being an orphan. Then reality after reality. And now the newest ones: The Branches were capable of hiding a murder. And they were making moonshine. Her mind was awash now in new questions, the main one being, How can I use this to my advantage?
Chapter Fifteen
After church on Sunday, Mabel seemed to be going to extra trouble for supper that night. She had pulled out her best Crooksville china, baked fresh bread, and was making an extra pie for dessert—one made with strawberries, the other custard. Adah then noticed that none of the Branches had changed out of their church attire. A guest or guests must be coming, Adah concluded. Building up courage, Adah offered once again to help Mabel in the kitchen.
“No, thanks,” Mabel replied as she pulled a pork roast out of the oven and started to baste it, not making eye contact with Adah.
The “thanks” part was new, and Mabel was moving around excitedly, as if anticipating something special.
“Are we having guests for supper?” Adah asked.
Mabel looked up at her warily. “You could say that.”
“Who’s coming?”
“You’ll find out soon enough,” Mabel snapped. Then, changing her tone somewhat, she said, “Keep Daisy in her church dress, and don’t go letting her get dirty. We want her looking her best.”
Looking her best? Daisy? What did this guest or guests have to do with Daisy? As Adah had feared, so far there had been no lifting of her restrictions. She had not been allowed to take Daisy with her on her laundry rounds, not even to see the family with children Daisy could’ve played with. She and Daisy were like prisoners here, barely seen by others. So why did Daisy need to look good today? Instead of clarity, Adah had gained nothing but new questions. Who was the mystery guest? And what scheme was Mabel launching?
“I don’t want no trouble outa you today, you hear? Both you and the girl need to be on your best behavior,” Mabel said as she continued to flutter about the kitchen.
The thought of food curdled Adah’s stomach. She had to inhale deeply and let out her air slowly. Hoping to calm herself, she turned away and left, knowing she would receive no answers from Mabel.
Soon after, Jesse drove away in the sedan and returned about half an hour later. From an upstairs window, Adah watched him pull up, get out of the car, and go around to open the passenger-side door.
A woman stepped out. A tall woman who looked to be in her early thirties, wearing a severe dark-brown suit without jewelry or adornments, but having a stately and noble appearance. A memory of the woman suddenly floated to the surface of Adah’s mind. Esther Heiser, a former teacher and now the principal of the town’s elementary school. She was the district’s staff advisor and the only woman on the school board. She had visited the Branches’ church a time or two.
Adah couldn’t imagine why she was here. Daisy wasn’t old enough to start school.
Adah watched as Jesse led Esther to the front steps. She walked as upright as a flagpole, and Adah remembered her impression of the woman, that she seemed as allergic to smiling as the Branches did. She had a plain appearance with small birdlike eyes, a stern face, and her dull hair pulled back taut with combs. Adah was intimidated by a woman who was so well educated, who functioned on the same level as men, and whose astute eyes searched with the calm sharpness of someone who knew a lot about people. Both her striking demeanor and position in the community had inspired in Adah a rather wary admiration.
So what was Esther Heiser doing as a supper guest of the Branches?
As Esther climbed the front-porch steps, Jesse placed his hand at the small of her back. Adah blinked a few times. Was it even remotely possible that Jesse Branch and Esther Heiser were dating? How could a woman who didn’t need a man, who had a career and a life of her own, possibly be interested in Jesse Branch? A woman like Esther Heiser would be too smart for that.
And then a surge of excitement. Tonight there would be conversation at the table. The Branches would be putting on their happy-family act. Adah was still nervous about Mabel’s mention of Daisy’s attire and what it meant, but at least this would amount to a different afternoon and evening.
Adah headed downstairs with Daisy in tow and found Jesse, Buck, Mabel, and Esther standing in the living room sipping on iced teas that Mabel had already passed out. Immediately Adah noticed that Jesse was wearing heady aftershave. After cursory introductions were made, Adah couldn’t wait to speak to Esther.