by E A Lake
I opened my mouth to defend myself, but she wasn’t finished.
"I think sometimes you want Charolette to go back to him," she ranted. "Sometimes I actually believe you want all of us to be returned to him."
I gazed up at her and nodded. That changed her attitude instantly. "What?" she asked.
"He let the other seven go. He didn't work them to death or torture them or hang them. He let them go."
"And you believe a man like him," she snorted.
"And he said we still have a week to get her back to him."
That made her step back a moment. "So?"
I leaned forward and nodded again. "He said we had 10 days over a week ago. That means–"
"All that means is he's lousy when it comes to using a calendar," she retorted in a somewhat softer tone.
"And he was almost contrite," I continued. "He made it sound like there was some wiggle room in all of this. And..." I raised a finger to stop her interruption. "Carla has a lot to do with this. But she's basing that all on the man I use to be, not who I've become. She's got him convinced he can strong-arm me into giving Charolette back."
"But he can't," Morgan whispered, seeming to understand the situation a little better. "His usual negotiating tactics won't work because you won't give in."
"Yep," I replied, another thought coming to mind. "Now I just got to show him that I'm serious. Show him this is a losing proposition for him. If he lets a little girl get hurt just to prove a point..."
Morgan nodded and tilted her head to the right, grinning slightly. "It will ruin his reputation. Treating people like slaves is one thing. Involving a young girl is completely different."
She got it; Morgan understood completely what I had decided on my ride back. Tony Shaklin was painting himself into a corner; and he didn't like it one bit.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE
"He couldn't have possibly sent Jimmy Yelk here with the intention of kidnapping Chloe and Avellyn," I mused to my group as we ate dinner that night. "He knows better than that. There had to be outside involvement, someone else who influenced the decision."
Sasha and Charolette ate quietly as the candlelight bathed their confused faces. Morgan wore more of a contemplative look.
"Maybe Jimmy decided it was the best course of action once he heard Avellyn refer to you as Daddy," Morgan said, setting her fork down on her plate. "I know he's kind of a clever guy. He's not stupid. Maybe he just changed the plan somewhere in the middle."
That could have been the situation, but that logic bothered me. Tony was the decision maker of his farm. Sure, the wives had influence here and there. Certainly Carla used whatever leverage she could to get him to see things her way. But a hired hand? That didn't make any sense.
"I honestly believe if we can mount a sizable force, we can force his hand and he'll give us back Avellyn at the very least," I said.
Charolette gazed at me sadly. "But you're not having any luck with that. As far as we know, you only have an army of six right now. Seven if you include yourself."
Something would change that, I figured. Even if it took another trip to plead with my two-by-four yielding father, something was going to change.
There are certain sounds that make a person have an instantaneous memory recall. I remember one of my uncles saying every time he heard a cardinal sing, he thought of his mother. A girlfriend in high school once told me that each time she heard a certain song, she thought of me. What the song was I no longer remembered. Even Tony told me that whenever he heard a babbling brook, he thought of his grandfather and fly fishing.
The following morning at the office, I heard something that made me forget whatever it was that was bothering me. In the snap of a finger, I was reverted back to a family vacation 30 years earlier. And it wasn't a pleasant recollection.
I'd been flirting with several young ladies by the pool, and making substantial progress might I add, when I heard the sound of metal rattling against metal. That meant and could only mean one thing. My nasty Aunt Audra was coming to give me a piece of her mind about something. And it was never good.
"A decent young man like you," she scolded loudly enough for the entire camp to hear, "shouldn't be hanging out with a pair of scantily clad hussies like them." She even jabbed her cane their direction several times to emphasize the point.
Needless to say, I lost my chance at love and grew more resentful of my mother's sister. That wasn't the first scene she'd made in my life. And I doubted it would be the last. Audra was crass, cruel and always showed up at the worst possible time.
That was the sound that caught my attention and made me set everything else aside and stare at the door. But, thank God, no one entered.
"That was so weird," I said to Art. "I would have sworn..." My words faded as the door swung open.
Petri took two steps inside and glanced my direction. "Someone here to see you, boss."
My stomach tightened slightly. "Do you know who it is?"
He shook his head and peeked at the open door behind him. "Some lady."
I fought back the urge to barf. "An older lady."
He nodded. "Yeah. How'd you know?"
My lips twisted as my fingers tightened. "Send her away."
But it was too late. The small, frail figure in the doorway leaning heavily on the cane in her right hand was already upon me.
"Shit," I muttered, letting my head fall forward against a pile of papers on my desk.
"Just as foul-mouthed as ever," she barked, hobbling closer to me with her cane clanking on the floor. "I told your mother coming to see you was pointless. But no, she thought I could talk some sense into you."
"Please go away," I moaned. "Art, make the bad woman go away."
"That beard looks terrible on you, young man," she continued. I wasn't all that young, but compared to a fossil like her, I was still a teen.
"I see your hair is trimmed nice and short as ever," I replied, turning my head on the papers to face her. "You must give me the name of that barber of yours. Or was it the local sheep shearer? Whoever it was left all the gray though."
That wasn't going to slow her down and I knew it. I just had to say something to defend myself, no matter how futile.
"Your mother says you're an adulterer," she shot back. "Is your whore close by or do you keep her locked up at home for your manly urges?"
Yeah, she was just as tactful as ever. I would have shot her if she hadn't sucked all of the life out of the room.
"Murderer, adulterer, thief and still just as inconsiderate as ever," she railed. "You haven't even stood up and given me a proper hug yet. I know your mother taught you better than that."
Oh yeah, I was so anxious to give Beelzebub a hearty welcome. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to do that, until the 666 got branded into my chest.
"You stand up now and give me my hug and kiss and I'll talk about a peace offering from your daddy," she said, knocking her cane against my desk.
Well, maybe it wouldn't hurt to hear her out. Even if it would cost me my last bit of dignity.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-FOUR
Audra only gave me bits and pieces during our talk at the office. What she really wanted to do, she claimed, was to meet my new family and have a meal together. Given her reedy physique, I figured it was her once a month feeding time. Begrudgingly, I escorted her to my house.
"How'd you get here?" I asked as we all ate dinner together. "I didn't see your broomstick parked out front."
She rapped me in the shins with her cane, not even bothering to look at me. "I rode that horse that was tied up out front, you dimwit. One of your father's congregation was gracious enough to provide it for me."
"Don't you mean cult members," I joked. There were no churches any longer as far as I was concerned. Just lost souls looking for salvation in whatever huckster managed to lead them astray.
She shot me a wry grin and dug into her second helping of mashed potatoes.
"Could be a little crea
mier," she said with her mouth still half-full. "I know you didn't make them, Morgan. But tell whoever did they can add a lot more milk or cream than they did. Makes them go farther and doesn't hurt the taste one bit."
"I'll mention that to her," Morgan replied politely. "I knew Quinn had an aunt, but I never knew your name. It's nice to have you with us, Audra."
"Oh, save the crap for someone who might buy it," the crass old woman replied. "Quinn's my favorite nephew. When his mother asked me to see what I could do to help, there was no way I could turn her down."
"I'm your only nephew, Audra," I replied, pushing my half-eaten plate aside. "Now, tell me what that father of mine is up to."
Instead of answering me, Audra smiled and took hold of one of Morgan's hands. "I don't know what you see in him, sweetie. He must be 20 years older than you, he's a killer and he's got that awful growth all over his handsome face." She peeked at me and then back to Morgan. "Well, he used to be handsome...once upon a time."
Morgan smiled graciously. "First off, he's only 14 years older than me. And that really doesn't bother me. Secondly, he takes care of the town as best as he can. I've been told over and over that he's never killed anyone unjustly."
Audra nodded and picked at something stuck in a tooth. For a woman of her age, and seven years into the apocalypse, I was amazed that she still had any of her teeth.
"Well, every toad's got its warts," she crowed. "As long as those warts aren't contagious, I guess it's none of my business."
"My father," I urged, hoping to move Audra along. I knew she'd already be spending the night with us. I just hoped it wouldn't take the better part of a week to get her to talk.
"All in good time, Quinn," she said, shifting her eyes my direction. "After dessert. I believe I saw a blueberry buckle in the kitchen earlier. There must be a nice, big center piece with my name on it."
Sure, feed the witch full before she'd spill her guts. Whatever it took, I guess.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE
Morgan and I sat in the living room watching Audra belch and moan about the fact that she was so full. She called it a good full though. As long as she was happy and was ready to talk, I didn't care.
"I have a proposition from your daddy," she said, taking a pencil-thin white paper from one of her pockets. Sticking it between her chapped lips, she lit the end. A drag and a puff and Audra smiled.
"What the hell is that?" I asked when the foul odor reached my nose. "Morgan, go open a couple of windows, please."
Audra held the paper towards me. "Want some? It's quality cannabis. Need it to help ease the pain of my arthritis."
I extended a hand, waving away her offering. "Try low-quality ditch weed. That stuff smells awful."
"Yeah, but it helps with the pain," she said, coughing. "Since you can't hardly find no pills no more, or they cost an actual arm, beats the hell out of suffering."
I leaned towards her, folding my hands in front of me. "Audra, what's the word from my father? Don't make me beg, please!"
After taking another drag of her “quality” shit, she leaned back in her armchair and rested her head on the soft back. Slowly, a grin crossed her lips. Great, she was getting stoned.
"He's got a deal for you, Quinny," she giggled. "A great deal. You're going to love it."
"Quinny?" Damnit, Morgan had heard her.
"Yeah," I replied, making sure I didn't look happy. "A stupid nickname she's always had for me. I just realized something though. She was always buzzed every time she used it."
"Can I call you–" I stopped Morgan with a stern look. She got the idea and sat in her chair on the other side of Audra. "Just asking. Don't get so pissy, Quinny."
"Your daddy says he could help round up some people for you," Audra purred. "Good people willing to stand up to a man like Tony Shaklin."
"Any idea how many?" I asked.
Audra's gaze floated away from me to Morgan. "You're a beautiful young woman. Such pretty eyes. Such nice smile."
"Audra," I groaned, trying to bring her back to the topic at hand.
"Of course," she continued in a wandering voice. "You got the body of a scarecrow. Let me ask you, do you even have boobs?"
"Audra!" I shouted. "What kind of an army can my dad raise? How many people can he provide?"
"And I doubt you'll be able to carry any children with those skinny hips," she added, still focused on Morgan.
I popped out of my chair and stood between the two women. Placing my hands on the arms of Audra's chair, I got into her face. My God, her pupils were the size of quarters.
"How many people, Audra?" I demanded. "I need to know if you're wasting my time. I've got a deadline here."
She finally looked at me with a great big smile covering her happy face. "Enough to make it interesting," she whispered. "Enough to really get Tony Shaklin's attention."
Okay, she had my attention. But I was sure my father and I had different standards when it came to intimidation.
I opened my mouth for more, but she placed a thin, dry finger against my lips.
"How's a couple thousand people sound, Quinny?" she said, her eyes twinkling as she spoke. "Think that'll teach that bad man a lesson?"
Yes, yes it would. It would do just fine. All I needed to know now was the cost. That would be the kicker. Ed never came cheap.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX
Lying in bed with Morgan, I watched the dull light from the candle flicker against the dark wood ceiling. My thoughts were as scattered as a man without a memory, which I had been, so I ought to know. Audra had given me a lot to think about. I only hoped Morgan focused on the second part of the dilemma and not the first.
"So, and be honest about this," she began. Shit, she was gonna–
"Why don't you want to get married?" Her tone wasn't as hurt as I thought it might be. It was far more confused than I had expected.
I turned to face her, smiling softly. "I never said I didn't want to marry you, sweetie." There, that should have helped. But she didn't return my smile. A new approach was needed. "I just want to do it on our terms, not anyone else’s."
She nodded meekly and looked away. I couldn't tell if my reasoning had helped at all. Her sigh told me it hadn't.
My own father painted me into a corner, under the guise of offering me help. I could have one to two thousand of his followers at my disposal. None would be armed, but everyone would carry an alternative weapon of some sort. Some would have old wooden bats or axes or maybe even pitchforks. That sounded like just what I needed.
These “soldiers” wouldn't necessarily engage the enemy, Audra passed along. They weren't meant to fight; they would be there more to intimidate. That was fine with me; there'd be more than enough of them to scare Tony straight.
However, while the help came with a price tag much like I’d expected, Ed proved that he had me where he wanted me.
First, as Audra announced, I had to marry Morgan. No more living in sin. I had to make an honest woman of her...his words, not hers she’d said. While I had planned on marrying the woman I loved someday soon, I wanted to wait until the whole Shaklin mess was cleared up. But now that was impossible.
We were to be married, officiated by my own father no less, in a church of our choosing before the first help would show up. Thanks Ed; nothing like applying a punch to an already bruised situation.
The second request was a no-brainer. It didn't even need too much discussion. Not immediately at least. All I had to do was to allow Ed to establish satellite congregations in Pimento and Farmersburg. Since Pimento hadn't had a mayor in more than two years, I figured I got to make that call. Since he hadn't requested that I go to said church (yet), I didn't much care.
Yeah, I'd have to convince Lucas Cotter and his mayor, Sara Keenan, to let Ed set up shop down in Farmersburg. Maybe it would be an issue, maybe not. Lucas had always pledged me his support. As long as I told Ed he could do it, I figured I was free and clear on that issue. Lucas, Sara and Ed
could always work out the details after we took care of Shaklin.
The third request, Audra said, was a minor thing that Ed would tell me when he and my mother came for my wedding. I trusted my aunt more than my dad, so if she said it was minor, it had to be such.
I drew a deep breath and released it slowly. Back to the issue at hand.
"Morgan," I said softly, hearing her turn next to me. "Would you like to get married as soon as we can get Ed here?"
For some stupid reason, I expected her to scream yes, jump on me and proceed to make magical love for the rest of the night. That only proved how little I understood my soulmate.
"Of course I would," she replied without her usual vigor. "But you're only doing it to save Chloe and Avellyn. I want you to do it because you love me."
I rolled over her and nuzzled her in my arms. "I wouldn't do it just for that reason and you know that. I planned on us being married and I'll marry you today, tomorrow or whenever you want. I love you and only you, Morgan. So let's do this, okay?"
I felt her nod against my chest. "I will," she whispered. Was that a giggle I detected in her voice? Was everything okay again?
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN
When we rose the next morning, we were shocked to discover Audra making breakfast for everyone. The woman had snored like a trucker most of the night. At one point, she’d gotten so loud that Morgan swore she was going to go into her room and smother her with a pillow.
But there she was, standing over the cook stove with eggs and bacon sizzling in the pan. Though I hadn't seen a bag with her, she wore fresh clothes. Black jeans covered her thin, frail legs and a dark blue sweater covered the rest. For being in her late seventies, I was amazed she still cooked, or knew how, or even got out of bed every morning.
"Better have a big breakfast," she called out after Morgan and I had both greeted her good morning. "It's going to be a busy, busy day and all."