“Hey, Dane, are you ready to see the barn?” he said as soon as his head was inside the door.
“Slow down, mister, since when do you get up this early?” Emma asked as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.
Curtis grinned. “I don’t know. I just woke up.”
“Well, since you’re up, you can go gather the eggs and feed the chickens.”
“Aw,” Curtis whined.
“Don’t give me lip, or I’ll have you do the dishes too.”
Curtis grabbed a Dr Pepper from the fridge. “Come on Dane, let’s get out of here before she gets ugly.”
Dane laughed. “Give me a minute to change. I’ll meet you outside.” She drained her coffee and rinsed her cup. She stopped at the door before leaving. “Thanks for letting me stay.”
Emma nodded, looking at Dane over the rim of her cup.
A few minutes later she heard the screen door close and looked out the window to see Dane walking across the lawn toward the barn. Curtis met her at the gate of the chicken coop, his hands moving as fast as his mouth as he talked. She smiled. He was such a little kid sometimes. He didn’t really have friends. Most people were cruel to him or used him in some way. He had always been a happy kid, but Emma knew he was lonely and just wanted to be liked.
Dane was playful and patient with Curtis, but Emma didn’t trust her. She couldn’t afford to trust.
* * *
Dane was eager to find out what she could about her mother. She had done a quick search online and had even looked through the old phone book lying next to the phone on the table in the living room. She had tracked down what she could on the ancestry sites and was beginning to wonder if any of her family had survived. She had some old records, but no current addresses. Most of the names she located were deceased.
“Hey, Curtis, do you know of anyone around here with the last name Stewart?”
Curtis thought for a moment. “Well, I went to school with Michael Stewart and his sister Stacey. They live in Coalfield now.”
“Coalfield.” Dane wasn’t familiar with the area and had never heard of the place. “How far is that from here?”
Curtis shrugged. “Not far, an hour or so, maybe more. Something like that.”
“What about their family? Do you know anything about them?”
“They used to live in Rugby, but I don’t know where.”
This wasn’t the answer she had hoped for, but at least she knew there were Stewarts in the area. Maybe they were her relatives.
“I have a buddy I go see sometimes in Rugby. If you want to go with me, we could ask him if he knows where we could find ’em.”
“Sure,” Dane answered. “Can you call him?”
Curtis shook his head. “I’ll get in touch with him. I’ll see if he’s around.”
Dane wanted to push, but Curtis had his way of doing things. She had to do this his way. Maybe she’d turn up something soon. She planned on going to county records as soon as they opened on Monday morning.
“So, you’re lookin’ for your momma?” Curtis asked.
Dane shook her head. “No, her family.”
“Why don’t you just ask her?”
Dane looked at Curtis, surprised by the question. “She died when I was young. I barely remember the stories she used to tell me about growing up around here.”
“My momma died too. I miss her sometimes.” Curtis looked up at Dane and smiled. “But now I have Emma.” He seemed to think about things for a while before asking his next question. “Is your daddy dead too?”
Dane frowned, remembering the way her father always avoided her questions about her mother. It was like he wanted to forget her. “No. He’s alive, but he won’t talk to me about her.”
“Yeah, I get it. Emma gets real sad when I talk about Momma and Daddy too. After Daddy died, Momma got real sad for a long time and she died too. Emma said Momma loved Daddy so much she just couldn’t live without him.” He was quiet for a moment. “Do you think that’s true? Can somebody love someone that much?”
Dane looked out over the farm from their perch in the hayloft. She thought of Michelle. They had been through a lot together. Michelle had been her best friend, the one person she could go to with anything. Michelle was the one person who always put up with her shit. Other than her mother, Michelle had been the only person she had ever loved. But here she was, alive and well, but Michelle wasn’t. Her parents were out of the question. Her father had remarried only months after her mother’s death.
“I don’t know, Curtis. I’ve never seen that before, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Curtis stood and dusted himself off. “Want to drive me into town? I have somethin’ I have to do today.”
Dane shrugged, surprised yet relieved by the change of subject. “Sure.”
Curtis smiled. “Cool. I have to get somethin’ first. I’ll be right back.”
Dane watched Curtis come out of the barn below and move to an old storm shelter or cellar. She shook her head. Curtis was an odd kid, but she liked him. She stood and dusted herself off. She didn’t mind driving him around. It would give her a chance to get to know her way around, and maybe she could ask some of the locals about her mother. If she was with Curtis, maybe someone would be willing to talk to her.
Town turned out to be a row of small stores and a couple of fast-food joints. They stopped at a run-down mobile home with bags of trash piled outside the front door. An old Toyota Corolla sat on cinder blocks. The wheels and engine were missing, and the hood was propped up against the side of the house. A few chickens ran loose in the yard, and a brown dog tied to a tree next to the house barked as they pulled into the drive. An orange cat sat on the roof of the car casually licking its paw.
Curtis knocked on the door and waited. A gaunt looking young man with pale skin answered the door. His black hair looked like it had been pasted to his scalp with motor oil. He blinked against the sunlight as he peered down at Curtis.
“Hey, man,” Curtis said cheerfully.
The man rubbed his face with his hand. “Where the hell have you been, Curtis? I expected you yesterday.”
Curtis shrugged. “I was busy.”
The guy looked at Dane. “Who’s this?”
“That’s my friend Dane. She’s stayin’ with us for a while.”
“She looks like a narc.”
Curtis laughed. “Naw, Dane’s cool.”
“You better be right,” the thin man warned as he opened the door and walked away.
Dane took this as an invitation to enter and followed Curtis inside. The smell was the first thing to hit her. She cleared her throat and tried to get a grip, but the smell of body odor, vomit, and something she couldn’t quite place was assaulting. Her eyes watered.
Curtis sat next to the man on the couch. Dane wasn’t sure she wanted to touch anything in the room and chose a plain wooden chair after clearing away discarded sales circulars.
“You have my shit?” the man asked Curtis.
Curtis pulled a small bag out of his pocket and handed it over. The man opened the bag and smelled inside before handing Curtis money.
Dane couldn’t believe what was happening. She was sitting in the middle of a drug deal. She was going to kill Curtis.
“Hey, do you know where Michael Stewart’s staying?” Curtis asked.
The man frowned. “I haven’t seen him since school. Who wants to know?”
Curtis nodded to Dane. “Dane’s looking for the Stewarts.”
The man turned his gaze back to Dane. He looked distrustful as he scrutinized her more closely. “What’s it to you? Are you a fucking cop?”
Dane cleared her throat again, trying not to gag from the filth she felt attaching itself to her clothes. “No. I’m not a cop. I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“Mark,” he snapped.
Dane went on as if she wasn’t about to climb out of her skin. “I have family around here I’m trying to find.”
“What?” he answered.
“Where are my fucking cigarettes?”
“How the hell would I know?”
Mark turned back to Dane, the flash of anger in his eyes and the bite in his voice telling her he was quickly losing his patience. “Mike went to the pen last year. It sounds like he’ll be there awhile.”
Dane frowned. This wasn’t what she wanted to hear.
“Mark?” the woman called again.
“Look, man, this isn’t a good time. You guys need to go.”
Dane stood and turned to leave. The man grabbed Curtis by the arm. “This better not be a problem, Curtis. And don’t be late next time.”
“It’s cool, Mark. Don’t worry.”
Dane slammed the door to the Jeep. “What the hell was that?” she asked, her voice raised. “What the fuck are you thinking, taking me to a damn drug deal?”
Curtis laughed. “It’s no big deal, Dane. It was just a little weed. Everybody around here does it.”
“Not me. Got it? Not me.”
“Fine. I just thought you wanted to find your family. Mark knows everybody. I thought he could help.”
Dane opened the window, hoping the breeze would blow out some of the stench clinging to her skin and clothes. She didn’t think Curtis had meant any harm, and it was hard to stay mad at him for long. “Look, man, you’ve got to be careful doing that shit. It’s illegal in Tennessee. You could go to jail. And thanks to you, I could have too.”
“You sound like Emma. But really, it’s no big deal. Besides, I have to do it sometimes.”
“Why? Why would you have to? Do you need money or something?”
“Naw. It’s nothin’ like that. Emma gives me money every week, and I get a check from the government.”
Dane was frustrated. “Then what do you mean, you have to do it?”
Curtis looked uncomfortable. “I’m not supposed to talk about it to nobody.”
“Curtis, are you in some kind of trouble?”
“No. I just have to. That’s all.”
Dane could see this wasn’t going anywhere. “Look, Curtis, if you’re in trouble, you can tell me. I’m your friend, remember? Friends talk about things. They tell each other secrets.”
Curtis wouldn’t answer.
“All right, at least promise me you won’t involve me in any more of your drops or deals or whatever you call it.”
Curtis bowed his head. “I’m sorry I made you mad.”
“I’m not mad, Curtis. I was scared.”
He nodded. “Sorry. I just wanted to help.”
“I know. Thanks for that part,” Dane said, relenting. She patted Curtis on the back, making their amends.
The familiar smile returned to his face and Dane’s heart softened. Curtis was a good kid, but he had no idea what he was doing.
“I’m hungry,” Curtis announced.
Dane smiled. “Good, I’m thirsty. Let’s go see how Emma’s day is going.”
* * *
Dane took a seat at the bar. There was only a handful of people mingling about, which made the room seem too quiet. Emma smiled at Curtis as he took the stool beside Dane.
“What’s up, kid?”
Curtis shrugged. “Not much. We’ve just been ridin’ around. Can I have a beer?”
Emma looked at Dane. “And you?”
Dane got the feeling Emma wanted to know more than her drink order. The distrust in her eyes was as thick as the rust on her truck. Emma wore the same baseball cap she’d had on the day before, her hair pulled back, exposing the gentle curve of her face and the strong set of her jaw. Despite Emma’s earlier warnings, she couldn’t help but notice how beautiful Emma was. She bit back the suggestive remark that was on the tip of her tongue.
“Bud Light and a shot of Jack.”
The storm clouds in Emma’s eyes darkened. She placed two beers on the counter and poured the whiskey. “It’s a little early for the hard stuff, isn’t it?”
“Not by my watch. What’s the point in waiting?”
Emma slid the glass in front of Dane. “Suit yourself.”
Dane disposed of the whiskey with one swift toss. She shook her head as the firewater burned its way through her system. The cold beer chased the fire to the pit of her stomach, freezing out the last embers of memory.
“It’s too quiet in here,” Dane said on her way to the old jukebox in the corner. The player was a relic. As the music filtered through the room, Dane inhaled the smell of stale beer that mingled with the cleaner Emma used on the bar. Like always Dane surrendered to the isolation that came from being a stranger. Most people would find it lonely, but she found comfort in the disconnect. Being an outsider meant she could see the world as it was without being tainted by expectation or disappointment.
She turned as a soft hand touched her back. A young woman with hair the color of midnight stepped beside her.
“Hi.”
“Hello,” Dane answered.
“You mind?” The girl pressed a couple of numbers on the keypad. “I love to dance to this song.”
Dane straightened. “By all means.”
The woman took Dane’s beer from her hand and took a drink. “I haven’t seen you in here before.”
“Nope,” Dane replied, amused by the woman’s daring.
The woman swayed her hips, drawing Dane’s gaze to the exposed skin of her midriff. A gold bar pierced the skin of her belly button. She looped her thumb into the waistband of Dane’s jeans and gave her an inviting tug.
“Want to buy me a drink?”
Dane glanced around the room, taking in the faces as if reading signs on the wall. A man and woman were making out at the back table. Two old guys played cards in the corner. A man in dark jeans and black cowboy boots sat at the end of the bar nursing a beer. Dane studied him. He was in the perfect position to see her through his peripheral. His left foot was on the floor turned slightly in her direction. She shifted her gaze to Curtis at the end of the bar chatting to Emma. Emma glanced nervously at Dane, meeting her gaze with a slight shake of her head.
Dane wondered if Emma was warning her or just disapproving. Either way she wasn’t in the mood to play this game.
“Sorry, doll. I already have a date tonight.”
The woman stuck her bottom lip out in a pout. “Come on, just a little dance won’t hurt.”
Dane took a step back. “Maybe your boyfriend over there will take you for a spin.”
The woman straightened.
“Enjoy the drink and the music. But like I said, I already have a date tonight.”
Dane walked back to the bar, watching Emma’s eyes as she turned her back on the girl. Emma hadn’t taken her gaze off the man at the end of the bar. Her hand rested on the small bat she kept by the cash register.
The woman turned to the jukebox, swaying her hips from side to side. Dane shook her head. She nodded to Emma and tapped the bar. “Another round if you don’t mind.”
“How did you know?” Emma asked.
Dane took a drink of the beer. “Oldest trick in the book. I’m not that drunk or that stupid.”
Emma smiled.
“How often do they come in here?” Dane asked.
“They make the rounds. I see them in here a couple of times a month.”
Curtis turned to see what the fuss was about. He grinned. “Dang, Dane, how’d you say no to that?”
Dane slapped Curtis on the back. “Not my type, buddy.” She turned to Emma. “But how about you, Emma, want to dance?”
Emma shook her head. “I’m not that drunk or that stupid.” She picked up the empty bottles and walked away.
Curtis laughed.
“What?” Dane asked with a smirk.
“Nothin’.”
Dane lifted her drink to her lips as she cut her eyes at Curtis.
He laughed harder.
“Cut it out,” Dane warned, giving him a playful shove with her shoulder.
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Chapter Two
Dane sat in the hayloft watching the farm wake up. She was restless and hadn’t been able to sleep. She pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger, trying to push back the headache. No matter how tired she was or how much she drank, the dreams always came. She wondered if she was doomed to relive that day over and over for the rest of her life.
The rooster crowed, signaling the time for the day to begin. It was a good thing she was an early riser. It wasn’t long before she saw Emma come out of the house to begin the morning chores. She started with feeding the chickens, and then she gathered the eggs, fed the pig in the pen beside the barn, and spent some time working in the garden. She used an old-fashioned blade to cut back overgrown weeds around the edge of the fence. She used a back and forth swing of the blade that sliced through the growth like a scythe in both directions of the swing. Grass and weeds were sliced and tossed aside, leaving a rough but effective cut. Dane was getting tired just watching her. Did she ever take a break?
Emma picked up an ax from the shed and headed for the back of the house. The dull thud of the ax sounded moments later. Dane knew Emma still hadn’t warmed to her much and didn’t have much to say to her, but if she was going to stay here, she needed to start pulling her weight. The money she gave Emma wouldn’t go far, and she was drinking her coffee and eating her food.
Dane decided it was time to intervene. She rounded the corner of the house just in time to see a dead pine tree fall away from the other corner of the house. The tree bounced once when it hit the ground, and branches snapped under the weight of the impact. The top of the tree was so brittle it broke into three pieces along the trunk. Dane jumped at the thundering sound of splintering wood.
Emma leaned on the ax handle as she wiped sweat from her brow. Her skin glistened in the morning sun as the light danced across the perspiration coating her neck and chest. Dane’s heart fluttered, and she felt a flash of warmth rush across her skin.
She gathered herself and walked toward Emma.
“Hey,” she said, not wanting to startle her. “Good job with that. Looks like it was ready to take out part of the house.”
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