Prom Night in Purgatory(67)

“So what did happen?” Chief Bailey ignored Johnny’s impudence; he figured he kinda deserved it.

“Momma drug in around 2 a.m. last night looking like she’d been through a battle with Custer and all the angry Indians at Little Bighorn. When I demanded she tell me who hit her, she just told me it was a misunderstanding and clammed up like she didn’t speak English.”

“You got any ideas?” Clark Bailey asked quietly.

“I got no proof....but I wouldn’t be surprised if the mayor knew something about it.”

Chief Bailey’s face got cold and blank in less than a heartbeat. “You mean to tell me that your momma has been hangin’ out with that sleazeball?”

Johnny didn’t reply; he wasn’t going to go saying ugly things about his mother, whether they were true or not. He just stared at the chief for several long seconds, letting the silence tell Clark Bailey all he needed to know.

“Why?” Clark Bailey’s tone was so incredulous and befuddled that Johnny almost forgot the seriousness of the situation and laughed right out loud. Suddenly, he really liked the Police Chief.

“Ah, hell, Chief. Do you really need me to explain it to you? I’m nineteen and you’re forty. You should be explaining it to me!”

Clark Bailey snorted and lightly cuffed Johnny on the back of the head. “You’re kind of a smart aleck, aren’t you?”

“I am,” Johnny agreed without rancor. “But if you talk to the mayor, tell him if he ever touches my mother again I’m gonna find him.”

“Don’t do that, kid. Let us handle it.” Clark Bailey stood as if to end the conversation, but his face was wrinkled in thought, and he scratched his clean-shaven jaw for a minute, looking off at nothing at all.

“Roger Carlton had the mayor’s car last night. I saw him after he met up with that fence post. So unless the good mayor and your momma were at his place--which I doubt Mrs. Carlton would have tolerated--it doesn’t seem likely that they were together. Your momma doesn’t have wheels, does she?”

“No sir, she doesn’t. When she needs something or to go somewhere, she uses mine.”

“Well, then. I guess your momma has some explaining to do, and the mayor looks like he’s in the clear. I’ll still have a word with him, though. You best be gettin’ back to work.”

***

It wasn’t until much later that Johnny remembered the gun in the back of the rusty grey jalopy. He waited until closing time, when it was time to sweep out the garage and put the place to bed. Gene was up front, running numbers and closing up the office. Johnny popped the trunk and felt around for the gun. It was gone. He pulled the blanket free and patted his hands all around the floor of the trunk. The spare had been changed out. He heaved it up and out. Still no gun. Maybe Gene had seen it and removed it until the owner could come back and claim his car. That was probably it. After all, you never knew who could get a crazy idea -- a crazy idea like stealing it. Johnny shook his head ruefully and silently thanked God for granting the tender mercy of a couple of hours and a cooler head. He would use his fists, thank you Lord. He didn’t need a gun to speak for him. Slamming the trunk, he finished up and headed out for the night.





~20~

A Time to Love





2011


A few nights later when Johnny dropped her off, Maggie asked if he would come inside, just for a minute. She had something she wanted to show him.

“Won’t...Irene...uh, your aunt mind if I’m in your room?”

“It’s just for a second. Don’t worry.”

Johnny looked unconvinced but followed behind her as she climbed the stairs to her room. She walked straight to her closet and pulled the red prom dress from its hanger and held it in front of her.

“Recognize this?” she said shyly.

Johnny reached out and fingered the tulle of the skirt. “Yeah.”

“And here’s your sports coat.” Maggie reached for the white sports coat and handed it to a stunned Johnny. “I didn’t mean to steal it. Hmm, I seem to be saying that a lot lately.”

Johnny shrugged the jacket on and looked at himself in the mirror. “Momma was so mad at me when I told her I’d lost this. She’d rented it for me, and we ended up having to pay for it. She asked me how I could lose a sports coat. I couldn’t really explain.” His eyes met Maggie’s in the mirror. Maggie realized this was the first time she’d ever seen Johnny’s reflection.

“I couldn’t tell her a pretty car thief had disappeared with it.” Johnny shrugged out of the jacket and seemed uncertain what to do with it.

“Johnny? I know girls don’t usually ask guys...but Saturday night is the Prom. My prom. I would really like to go with you. I already have a dress.” She held up the fluffy red confection. “And you now have a sports coat.” She winked. “I’ll be driving a Cadillac this time.”

Johnny’s response was interrupted by Irene calling up the stairs.

“Maggie? Are you home dear?”

Johnny looked at the door, and Maggie opened it wide and called down to her aunt.

“I’m here, Aunt Irene. Johnny’s here with me. We’ll be down in a second.”

The silence that answered her was telling, and Maggie wondered how Irene and Johnny would ever be comfortable in each other’s presence.