Summer of the Guns

by Justin Daniel Herman

  “I ain’t comin out!” screamed Oaf. You can shoot me or I’ll shoot you, but I ain’t goin’ nowhere!”

  Riggs started counting the seconds aloud as he looked down at his watch.

  The mobs on both sides of the street quieted down then, waiting expectantly.

  Just as the minute expired, Riggs turned to Wells and told him to fire. I saw Wells put the carbine up to his shoulder and aim for the house where Oaf stood fully exposed in the window—not even bothering to hide. It was as if he wanted to die. Just as Wells was about to squeeze the trigger, Ace came jogging up to him and pushed the barrel down.

  “Get out of here, Kelly,” Wells stormed at him. “Get out or I’ll shoot you, too.”

  “Move away, Mr. Kelly,” said Riggs. “Let the man do his thing and get this over with before a riot starts.”

  Ace just stood there, panting like he was dying. The jogging had taken the wind out of him. Then he called out to Oaf. “Listen up, boy,” he said between gasps. “This is Ace Kelly. You know I’m your friend. If you keep this up, other people are gonna get hurt. There’s guns on both sides. I’m afraid that if the police kill you or you kill one of them, this mob will go crazy. It’s not you I’m worried about. I’m worried about all the children around here. Do you hear me, Earl?”

  “Yes, sir,” Oaf answered respectfully. “But I can’t give up. They’ll beat me, then kill me anyway.”

  “No they won’t. There’s good men here. I know Detective Riggs and Officer Parsons. They won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise you. Now, I’m comin’ in alone, Earl. I’m comin’ in unarmed and I just want to talk.”

  Before the police could stop him, Ace moved out into the open. People in the Hoover Camp backed away from him, giving him room. Suddenly it was deathly quiet. Then he opened the door to Oaf’s shanty and closed it behind him. I could see him in the window as he put his arms around Oaf. Oaf dropped the rifle and placed his head on Ace’s shoulder.

  They stood there for a few minutes, then they came back through the door walking toward the cops. Oaf had his head down the whole way, like he was afraid to look up at people. When they got to Detective Riggs, Oaf called out tearfully. “I didn’t do it, Detective. I didn’t kill them ladies, I swear it.” Then he cried in wracking sobs that everyone could hear.

  “Here’s your so-called killer, Detective Riggs,” said Ace. “Now take care of him like you promised.”

  I watched as Riggs gave Oaf a frisking. He pulled the lining of Oaf’s pockets inside out, then handcuffed him and walked him to the back seat of a patrol car. “I didn’t do it!” he kept wailing. “I didn’t do it! I broke into Jack Wells’s house but I didn’t kill no one! You can ask Ace’s nephew!” Then Riggs started questioning Jack Wells, who just stood there with his rifle.

  “Is that true about your house being broken into last night?” Riggs asked.

  I wanted to leave my hiding place and tell Riggs it was true, only I was too afraid to do it.

  “There was no break-in,” Wells answered. “My brother can attest to that. He was there with me. Oaf’s grasping at straws.”

  I stayed in the shadows watching as the two mobs dispersed, the Shanty Town dwellers disappearing into their squatter shacks and the neighborhood people walking in twos and threes toward their houses down the street, talking noisily.

  Jack Wells stood by himself, holding his rifle. I figured he knew about the lock box, but he couldn’t say anything. After he finally walked away, I came out of the shadows and ran back to the house.

  15

  Nobody slept much that night. Sara was in pain and we were out of the pills from the hospital. Ace had nothing to give her but aspirin. She cried off and on, although I could see she was trying her best to be brave as she clutched Raggedy.

  When morning finally came, Kelly got up and joined me in the living room. Ace came in, too, and sat by me on the couch. “We have to talk, Billie,” he said, taking out his package of cigarettes. Then he placed them on the radio next to him. “I’m quittin’ the cigarettes,” he said quietly. “The sisters were right. I don’t know how much time I have on this earth, but I’ll need every minute of it if we’re gonna get out of this mess.”

  “What do you want to talk about?” I asked. I knew as well as Ace that someone might come for us at any moment.

  “Here’s the situation,” Ace began. “I think Wells and his brother know Oaf took that stuff but they’re not sure about you yet. They may think Oaf hid the stuff himself, so they’ll probably grill him first. I’m sure they won’t have trouble seeing him in the jail, what with Jack’s connections down there. Only they can’t say anything about the break-in to the police, since Jack’s already said it didn’t happen.” He paused a second as he rubbed his neck. “Jack’s in on something. I don’t know what it is, but he’s got some reason of his own to keep the police from getting that box. It ain’t just about Lenny.”

  “I heard Tommy Sykes say that Mr. Wells is sellin’ land he don’t own,” I put in.

  Ace pursed his lips. “I wouldn’t put it past him,” he said. Then he paused and went to the window that looked out over the church tent. It was empty now except for the strong morning breeze that caused it to sway and billow. The clock on the wall was pointing to eight.

  “I still can’t believe this,” he said, reaching for his cigarettes. Then he put them back and sat on the couch, placing his hand on my shoulder. “We have to get that box to Cora. I’m fearful about going to the police. I don’t trust anybody down there—not even Riggs.” Then he went to the window again. “I wish I could drive that damn truck of theirs,” he continued. “I’d borrow it and bring it right back. I imagine Sister Muir’s relatives from California will be here pretty soon to settle her affairs and take the body home. I hear Alex didn’t have any relatives. They’ll probably just drop her in one of those pauper’s graves without a marker.”

  “We can put a marker on her grave,” said Kelly.

  “Shit!” I heard Ace utter. When I followed his line of vision, I saw Tommy Sykes’ blue Model A passing slowly in front of our house, headed toward Grand Avenue. Tommy was driving, with Jack by his side. Lenny was by himself in the rumble seat. “Ten to one they’re headin’ down to the jail to talk to Oaf and Boomer,” Ace said. “They’ll be back here for certain. Get your shoes on, Kelly, and run down to Wong’s store fast. Tell ‘em it’s an emergency. We’ve got to get this stuff to Cora Malcome.”

  When Kelly didn’t move right away, Ace took his shoulders and pointed him toward the door. “Kelly, this is life and death. Now, get on down there right now.” Kelly stood up, stepped into his sneakers and hurried out the door. Then he stopped and looked back.

  “What if I run into the Wells?” he said with a quiver in his voice.

  “You won’t,” Ace replied. “But if you do, just run like hell into that store. The Wongs will protect you.”

  We watched Kelly go jogging off, then we waited ten minutes while Ace paced back and forth, fumbling with his package of cigarettes. He started to take one out, then crumpled the package and threw it against the wall. Finally, we heard the roar of a delivery truck pulling up. There was a young Chinese man at the wheel. As soon as he stopped, Kelly jumped out the passenger door and ran over to us.

  “It’s okay,” Kelly said breathlessly. “Louis brought me, but he can only be gone an hour.”

  Ace started for the door, then stopped short of it with a frown on his face. “I hate leavin’ you all like this, but I can’t help it. You’ll be all right. I’ll bring help. Now don’t open the door for nobody.” Then he went back into the living room, pulled the lock box from under the couch, and wrapped it in a blanket. “No point in advertising it,” he said. “I’ll bring back pain pills for Sara. I’ll try to get Cora to call Jimmy Parsons, too. I think he’ll help us.”

  Louis Wong honked his horn just then, causing Ace to scurry out the door carrying the wrapped-up box in both hands. A few seconds later, the truck sped out of sight. I loc
ked the door, then braced it with the overstuffed chair.

  “That won’t stop them,” said Kelly.

  “I know,” I answered. “We might have to run for it if they get here before Ace. I sure hope he brings Officer Parsons with him.” Then we settled down and waited. I gave Sara the last aspirin in the bottle so she could relax and close her eyes again. But she continued to sob, holding on to her doll with her good hand.

  The clock on the wall ticked loudly. An hour came and went. Still there was no sign of Ace. Then I saw the Model A Ford roadster come barreling up the dirt street headed right into Jack’s driveway. I stuck my head out the door and watched them all climb out and go into the house. They were talking loudly, but I was too far away to make out the words.

  “They’ll go in there and talk things over now,” I said. “Maybe that’ll take a while.”

  “I think I can throw ‘em off our trail,” said Kelly as he sat down across from me.

  “How?” I asked. “You’re just tryin’ to make me feel better.”

  “No,” he answered. “I can go out front in the yard and act normal, like I’m playing and not even thinking about them.”

  “What good would that do?” I said dejectedly. “They’ll just come on in.”

  “Not if I tell them you and Ace left with Louis Wong for the hospital. I can tell them to check with the Wongs if they don’t believe me. That’ll give us a little more time anyway. By then, Ace should be back.”

  “It won’t work,” I answered.

  “We don’t have any choice,” Kelly insisted, “at least I can try.”

  After Kelly went outside, I watched him through the window as he started climbing the Chinaberry tree in the front yard. He swung from a low branch, dropped to the ground, then repeated the process. It must have been ten minutes before anything happened, but sure enough, Tom Sykes and Lenny pulled up in the Model A. Jack Wells wasn’t with them.

  “Hey,” said Lenny to Kelly, who was sitting on a tree branch. “Is your cousin in there? We need to talk to her.”

  “She’s deaf,” he said casually.

  “Not that one, you dimwit. The other one. The one that’s a girl-boy.”

  Kelly was quiet for a second. “He’s not here,” he said casually. “He and Ace went to the county hospital. Louis Wong drove them down there.”

  “He?” said Lenny sarcastically. “We hear he’s a she. Or she’s a he. Or some damn thing.”

  “Kelly’s full of crap,” said Tommy, who had joined Lenny under the tree. “Let’s go on in and find out for ourselves.”

  “Better not,” Kelly cautioned him. “Ace said the next time I got bothered by you, he’d kill you. He’s got a gun in there.”

  “I ain’t gonna bother you,” Lenny answered. “We just want your damned....”

  “We’re wastin’ time,” Tommy cut him off. “Let’s go on in and check. If they’re not there, we’ll just wait. You come in too, kid,” he said to Kelly. “We’ll play hide and seek.”

  “They went to the hospital,” Kelly said pleadingly. “Louis Wong took ‘em. You can go ask ‘em at the grocery.”

  Lenny stared at Kelly, then looked back at Tommy. “Come on. Let’s go over there and ask. It won’t take but a couple minutes.”

  “You’re just afraid of that damn Ace,” Tommy said contemptuously. “I wonder why I ever got hooked up with a coward like you. Now come on, let’s get this over with.”

  When Lenny continued to hold back, Tommy grabbed him by the arm. They were so preoccupied that they didn’t notice Kelly dropping down from the tree branch.

  “Okay, okay,” Lenny finally agreed. “I guess I don’t have any choice, do I?”

  “You’re damn right you don’t,” Tommy snarled. Then I heard a loud knock on the door.

  “Get this door open,” Tommy shouted. “We need to talk about what you stole, Billie.” I breathed a sigh of relief as Kelly slipped out of the yard and started to run across Cypress Street toward the old brickyard where his clubhouse was. “He’s leading them the wrong way,” I thought to myself.

  They were so intent on the door that he was a hundred yards away before they noticed him. I pushed the blind completely closed and moved away from the door.

  “Go after him,” Tommy barked. “I’ll take care of this.”

  “It’s too late,” Lenny shouted. “He’s disappeared into the old brickyard dump. It’d take all day to find him there. There’s a million hiding places.”

  “Oh the hell with it. Let him go,” said Tommy. “He can’t do us no harm there.”

  Tommy continued to knock loudly, shaking the door. “You’ve got one minute to open this door,” he shouted. “Do you hear me? I know you’re in there.”

  I got up quietly and headed for the back door. I was pretty sure they wouldn’t hurt Sara even if they couldn’t find me. Then I looked back at her, lying there sobbing and helpless, the doll clutched to her breast. I couldn’t leave her. Just then, the door trembled as Tommy threw his weight against it. It flew open with a bang.

  Tommy stepped inside first. I ran into the bedroom and closed the door, but it didn’t have a lock. I sat down on the bed, trying to protect Sara. Then I heard Lenny’s voice. He sounded fearful. “Ace might be back in there with a gun,” he said. “Let’s just get out of here. We can catch ‘em later.”

  “No!” said Tommy. “We’re stayin’ right here ‘til we find the damned box.” Then he shouted toward the bedroom. “If you’re in there, Billie, just give us the box and we won’t hurt you.”

  Sara’s sobs were so loud they shook her body. Then Tommy yanked open the bedroom door and stood there looking at us. Lenny came up behind just as Tommy pointed his gun at my face. He had a crooked smile that exposed a perfect row of white teeth. He just stood there, smiling and saying nothing.

  His face was so smooth and youthful that he almost looked innocent. I could imagine we were playing cops and robbers. His black hair was combed back neatly, plastered down with hair oil, and his blue shirt was pressed. His denim pants looked new, like he hadn’t worn them before. Lenny stood there beside him, his eyes squinted with worry, his hair tousled like he hadn’t combed it for a week. It was really crazy—me studying them and nobody saying a word. Then Lenny broke the spell.

  “Where’s Ace?” he asked.

  “Back there in his room,” I lied. “He’s back there with a gun. Kelly’s gone to phone the police, too. They’ll be here pretty quick.”

  “No he ain’t,” Tommy finally answered. “Kelly’s over there in the damn dump with the stuffing scared out of him. He’s just hiding right now hoping we don’t find him. Now, where in the crap did you put that lock box? Get it for me now! I know you’ve got it. Oaf told us that you took the box after he got the money out of it.”

  When I didn’t answer, Tommy came closer with the pistol. Then Sara screamed and began to tremble. All of a sudden she held out her doll up, using her good hand. Then she started signing, spelling out words slowly. “Doll,” she spelled out weakly. Then came “gun.” She repeated it twice.

  The gun was in her doll, I realized. I’d forgotten all about it.

  “What’s she doing?” Tommy asked, moving closer. “Why’s she movin’ her fingers like that?”

  “Can’t you see she’s scared?” I said as I pushed him away.

  “Forget it,” Tommy snarled. “I ain’t wastin’ more time on you two.” Then he turned to Lenny. “Get out your knife.”

  Lenny squinched up his face like he was mad, only then he started sobbing. “I ain’t gonna do it. I ain’t gonna do this again.”

  “Okay,” Tommy said, grinning. “You take the gun and give me the knife. You can watch. I’ll slice up the girl first.”

  I figured he was bluffing to make me tell where the box was, but I couldn’t be sure of anything except he was crazy. “Okay, I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you,” I screamed, taking the doll from Sara and trying to unzip the back of it. It was stuck and I couldn’t budge it. “The lock bo
x is under the couch in the living room,” I said. “Take it and leave us alone, you son of a bitch.”

  “Don’t you call me that,” Tommy said, screwing up his smooth face into a crazy expression.

  “The damn box,” Lenny yelled. “Let’s get the stuff and go. They can’t hurt us none. Nobody would believe them anyway. Let’s just get the box and go.”

  “You get the box,” said Tommy, lifting up the knife and turning toward me again. “I can’t let some little colored girl get by with what she said about Momma.” Just then the front door flew open and Ace stood there, holding a package. He dropped it as he walked toward Tommy.

  “Shoot him!” Tommy screamed. “Shoot the bastard!” When Lenny hesitated, Tommy grabbed the gun away from him. Ace reached Lenny first and pushed him toward Tommy, who fell backwards onto the floor between the beds. Then Tommy pointed the gun and fired twice. At first I thought he’d missed. Then I looked at Ace. He fell backward onto the floor, then just sat there. He turned toward Sara and then me. “Run,” he gasped. “Run, Billie.” He was bleeding all over the floor.

  “You killed him!” Lenny screamed.

  Tommy stood up, still holding the revolver. The room was full of smoke. Then he pointed the gun toward Sara. “Now you can watch your little sister die,” he said, “and then I’ll kill you.” As he walked closer to us, I held the doll in front of me as if I was protecting myself while I grasped the gun inside it. I pulled the trigger five times as fast as I could until it finally reached a loaded chamber. There was deafening blast as stuffing from the doll exploded. Tommy let out a gasp, dropping the revolver as he fell backwards against the other bed.

  He sat there staring down at the blood as it turned his blue shirt to red. Then all at once he began to scream. “I’m shot, oh, God, I’m hit!” He got up, then staggered past Ace’s body and into the living room where he fell to the floor, lying there on his stomach. “Momma, help me,” he kept saying. “Momma, help me. Please, momma, help me.”