“Fat chance of that, lady,” my father replied as he continued to hug Sara. “Tell me about school,” he said. “You must be enjoying it.”
Sara answered quickly, but I spoke out before Kelly could put Sara’s answer into words. “We’ve had a special teacher for Sara—she’s from the Deaf School. Her name is Thelma. She was a friend of Ace—I mean Mr. Kelly.”
Papa frowned, then spoke rapidly. “I heard about him. We’ve got a regular grapevine here. Us cons know things before outsiders learn them—especially if their families are involved. I thank Mr. Kelly for what he did. I guess it wasn’t really his fault that he placed you in danger.”
“He didn’t put us in any danger,” I answered sharply. “He protected us. Jessie protects us, too.”
Papa studied me, then turned back to Jessie. “I guess you deserve thanks, too, Miss Atkins. Not just for taking care of the children, but for keeping your mouth shut. We met before under some bad circumstances out there on the road. If you’d testified against me, I’d probably be lying in a grave in Arkansas. Billie, I want you to remember your old man as a fighter, even if he’s down for the ten count.”
I felt myself tearing up. It was like he saying goodbye.
Papa frowned again as he looked at Jessie. “I suppose you told them about us, I mean, what really happened out there. I hope you told them why I had to go along with that story about us shooting each other. Being in jail for a crime I didn’t commit is better than dying for a crime I didn’t commit. But that’s the plight of a colored man. I’m sorry my children are gonna have to learn that sooner or later. I might as well let ‘em know it now.”
Jessie tilted her head downward, putting her hand on her forehead. “Mr. Moran, you are quite mistaken if you think I remember anything about what happened. The only thing I can do is make life better for these children. I’ll put it to you in simple terms. I want to adopt them.”
“You what?” my father blurted, suddenly standing up. “You, a white woman, want to adopt my children? Don’t make me laugh!”
“Their mother was white, too,” shot back Jessie. “I’m no whiter than she was. Unless you’d prefer they go to an orphanage.”
“Well, at least they wouldn’t have their lives threatened,” Papa replied angrily. “We got a grapevine here, lady, and it tells me bad things. It tells me my children are in danger. You might be trying to protect ‘em, but that ain’t good enough. Right now, the radio is blasting out about a big scandal and threats to the governor’s family. And it’s because of your father’s politics. Some of the cons around here told me there’s a contract out on Billie’s life because he knows where something is hidden that some powerful people are afraid of. That’s what I’m hearing, lady, and I believe it. Look what’s happened already. Now you come here telling me you’re gonna adopt my kids. What the hell am I supposed to do?!” I could see the sweat dampen his shirt. He was beside himself.
Just then Captain Walker came in with his gun drawn.
“It’s all right,” Jessie told him. “Go back outside. We’re just talking loud. Mr. Moran had a right to shout. I might do the same thing.”
“You’re sure you’re okay now, Jessie?” asked Captain Sykes, stepping in behind Walker.
“Yes, I’m fine, Charles. Now, please, leave us alone.”
When they were gone again, Jessie stood up and paced around the room. “There is something to what you say and I’m sorry for it. Billie was told where some papers were hidden by Ace Kelly. Of course, Mr. Kelly’s dead now but certain people think Billie really knows where those papers are.”
“But I don’t know where they are!” I cut in. “And neither does Kelly. I told the cops where I thought they were, but they’re not there.”
“Well, these people ain’t gonna take your word for that,” my father said, his voice now even and controlled. “It seems they’re desperate. I hear there may be millions involved in this and corruption all the way to the governor. Nothin’ new about that, now is there, Miss Atkins?”
“Yes, in fact there is,” Jessie replied. “My father is not involved—that I assure you. He may be tough on his enemies, but he’s not corrupt.”
“How can I take your word for that?” my father answered. “You’ve already lied to the police about what happened at that road stop. Oh hell, I’m glad you did. Otherwise, they’d have shipped me back by now and I guess I’d be dead, wouldn’t I? So, I suppose I can thank you for my life, such as it is. But I don’t forgive you for not telling these children the truth. I don’t forgive you for that at all.”
“But I don’t know what happened!” Jessie pleaded. “I suffered amnesia, a complete memory loss about that whole thing. That’s the truth!”
“Yeah,” he said, “sure you forgot. And those crackers in Arkansas had convenient memories, too. They didn’t say a word about why I went after that Plummer boy because he raped my wife. No, that was all right. She was a white woman married to a negro man. That broke the laws of God and man back there. We would have been better off starving in Harlem after I couldn’t box no more. It was a wicked day when she inherited that farm in Arkansas. It killed her sure as it killed me. She got cancer from all the hell she went through, and I got a life sentence.”
My father wiped tears away. “And that bastard raped her while I was out trying to grow things where nothin’ could grow. He raped her then struck down our daughter and bragged about it. I couldn’t help it. You’re damn right I went after him. I’d do it again, too. But as God is my witness, I didn’t mean to kill him. I didn’t even hit him! I threw a punch and missed and he hit his goddamn drunken head on the floor. But just like you, lady, just like you, those witnesses couldn’t remember. They had memory lapses, too.”
My father was sobbing openly now and so were we all. Then Jessie moved over beside my father and put her arms around him. He sobbed against her shoulder for a long time. Then all of a sudden he pushed her away.
“I don’t need your pity, lady,” he said. “You stay in your world and I’ll stay in mine. Just remember this. If I hear on the radio that these children have been threatened again, I’m coming after them. Do you understand? I’m coming after them. I broke out before and I’ll do it again if I have to. Nothin’ can stop me. Sooner or later I’ll do it anyway because these are my children and God knows I love them. We’re gonna be together again, somehow, someway. I promise you that so you can forget about adopting them.”
Right after that, Captain Walker and the guards came in and handcuffed Papa’s hands behind him. As they led him away, he looked back at us one more time, then turned toward the hallway with his guards.
No one spoke until we pulled out of the prison gate. Captain Sykes was driving. Jessie’s eyes were still red from crying. Sara hugged her rag doll tightly, sobbing quietly.
We followed the narrow asphalt road out toward the main highway. After we’d driven a couple of miles in silence, Captain Sykes spoke up. “It’s past five,” he said. “We have plenty of light left to drive back if it doesn’t storm. I don’t like what I see up ahead though.”
To the northeast, we could make out roiling black clouds with lightning flashes in their midst. “It’s probably dust blowing out of the desert, with rain following right behind it,” Jessie said. “It may blow over fast or it may last all evening. Let’s tune in the weather report.” She flicked on the car radio. Before long we heard static and an announcer’s voice came through in mid-sentence.
“Rumors swirling around the governor suggest that he and his appointees are siphoning off money from legal reserves placed under the control of the insurance department to guarantee policies issued by local companies. The attorney general has admitted to shortage in the funds, but claims that there is no proof about who is to blame. However, he stated that important files were missing from the Insurance Commissioner’s office, which Commissioner Roscoe claims were stolen by a man named Alton ‘Ace’ Kelly, who was recently murdered. Governor Atkins had no comment except to say
his office was not involved.”
I thought that was the end of the story, only the announcer went on. “Still more rumors implicate the governor in another scandal, this one involving real estate. The state has been issuing phony deeds on worthless desert lots to mobsters, who dupe people outside the state into buying them. Allegations from a highly placed source tie the scheme to the governor himself.”
“My God, who could be saying these things?” said Jessie.
I saw Captain Sykes reach over and grasp her hand to comfort her. “Don’t fret it, Jessie—it’s just politics. It’s a bunch of lies coming from his enemies.”
She stared straight ahead, silently. The radio droned on, with the announcer talking about threats against the governor and his family. Then, without even pausing, the announcer went on to the weather.
“A new storm gathering may be our worst of the summer, with winds estimated at seventy miles an hour, followed by rain and hail. People traveling along the Florence highway are being advised to pull over and find shelter.”
“That’s us,” said Captain Sykes. “The Pima Motor Lodge is just up ahead there. I guess we have no choice but to stop. You can call home from the office and tell your father we’re okay. He’ll worry about you if you don’t.”
Jessie sat silently for a long time, then finally agreed to stay at the motel. After we’d pulled into the driveway a few minutes later, she got out while everyone else waited. When she came back, she brought keys to three different rooms. Jessie put us kids in a room right between the ones that she and Captain Sykes took.
“You can guard the lady’s honor tonight, Billie,” said the captain as he walked behind us. Jessie pretended not to hear as she herded us into our room. There were a pair of queen-sized beds crowded between a dresser and a bathroom. We girls promised to sleep in the same bed so that Kelly could have his own.
After we’d washed up and relieved ourselves, I heard a loud knock on the door. “Dinnertime,” said Jessie as I opened the door. She held out two large sacks. “Hamburgers and malts. I hope you like vanilla, it’s all they had.” Then she sat down on the bed and ate her sandwich with us.
“What about Captain Sykes?” asked Kelly. “Isn’t he gonna eat, too?”
“He’s having drinks at the bar,” Jessie answered. “He’ll eat later.” No sooner had we bitten into our hamburgers than we heard the storm hitting with full force. The curtains were open partway, giving us a view of the giant cloud of dust that came rolling in off the desert, accompanied by the crack of thunder and wind-blown rain drops. Jessie hurried to her room and disappeared inside. Kelly, Sara and I stood for a while with the door open, feeling the rain on our faces. Only then we saw a lightning bolt strike a tree only a hundred feet away. We slammed the door and listened to the beat of rain on the roof. It was a long time before we finally fell asleep, even though we were all exhausted.
Later that night, I was awakened by noises from Jessie’s room. It was still raining lightly, but I could hear Jessie’s voice. “I told you this isn’t the time for it,” she said angrily.
Then I heard Captain Sykes, his voice loud and thick. “Goddammit, Jessie, I’m crazy about you. I always have been. You can’t reject me now. You’re the only thing I’ve got left. Please, Jessie, don’t turn me away.”
“It’s just not right,” she answered. “You’ll be sorry if you’ve done something to ruin your marriage, Charlie. Vergie still loves you, whatever she may have said. I can’t be a party to this. I’ve already done enough to you.”
“To hell with Vergie,” the captain said in a loud voice. “I never loved her—never. She ruined the boys, too.”
“Shut up, Charlie! Get out of here before I scream! You’re drunk, Charlie. You don’t know what you’re saying!”
“Yes indeed,” he yelled back at her, “I’m drunk as hell. I’m drunk because of you. Please say you’ll marry me!”
“Please stop it! Please, Charlie, don’t go any further.” Then I heard her shriek.
I quickly pulled on my clothes and ran to Jessie’s door, pounding on it and screaming at Captain Sykes to stop. Then I turned the handle and flung the door open. I ran into the room and threw myself onto the captain’s back. He rose up like a bull, slamming me against the wall. I was only dimly aware of what came next. I heard Jessie scream, only it sounded like she was far away.
Then Captain Sykes came over and picked me up in his arms. “Oh, my God, what have I done to you, Billie?” he said. “Billie, I didn’t mean to, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t know it was you.”
Jessie pulled me away from him and helped me to her bed. Kelly came in to see what was happening with Sara right behind him. They both stood there in the open doorway. A minute later, the desk clerk showed up.
“It was nothing,” Jessie said calmly. “The girl just fell and I screamed. Please leave us alone.” The desk clerk was a dried-up looking old man who obviously didn’t want any part of whatever was going on. He shook his head, then walked away. Captain Sykes just sat in a chair with his head in his hands. “Go on, Charlie, go on to your room,” Jessie said. “Sleep it off. You’ll feel better in the morning. We’ll talk about it then.”
“I’m sorry, Jessie, I’m so sorry,” he kept saying. She didn’t reply as she pushed him out the door. Jessie kissed my forehead lightly, then helped me to the door.
“Go back to bed now,” she said. “It’s been a terrible night. Thank you for being so brave, Billie. Not many girls would have done that.” Then she said something in a mumble that I could hardly hear. “It’s been a hellish summer.”
Kelly, Sara and I went back to our room, but I couldn’t sleep. Not only did my head ache, but I kept hearing Jessie’s sobbing. I prayed she wasn’t drinking again.
23
The next morning, Jessie took us over to the restaurant for breakfast, but Captain Sykes didn’t show up at all. After we’d finished, we all piled in the car to leave. Then Jessie walked over and knocked on the captain’s door. “Hurry up, Charles,” she called out. She was acting like nothing had happened between them. When he didn’t answer, I got out of the car and walked over to her. Just then the door opened. Captain Sykes was grim-faced and unshaven, his head down. He looked like he’d slept in his uniform. Jessie handed him a small bottle of orange juice she’d brought from the restaurant.
“Drink this,” she said. “You’ll feel better. It’s gonna be okay. We don’t need to say anything about last night. It’s nobody’s business but ours. Isn’t that right, Billie?” She said the words coldly.
“Billie,” said Captain Sykes, placing his hand on my shoulder, “you know I didn’t mean to do that.”
“I forgive you,” I said. “You weren’t thinking straight.”
Finally Captain Sykes climbed behind the wheel and rolled the window down, but he got out when Jessie insisted on driving. He still reeked of whiskey.
“You’d better get one of the patrolmen to take you back,” Jessie told him. “You smell like you need to sober up some more. If one of these local town cops pulls you over, you’d be in quite a fix. I’ll take the children back myself.”
She pulled out and left him standing there in front of the motel. We drove on for about a mile when we came to a barricade with some men standing in front of it. One of them came over and spoke to Jessie.
“Sorry, m’am,” he said, “but the highway’s washed out up ahead. It’ll take at least two days to fix it. You’ll have to go back to the other side of Florence and take that county road that cuts through to Highway Sixty-six. It’ll be a hundred miles or so out of your way, but a lot faster than waiting on us if you’re heading for Phoenix.”
Jessie thanked the man and backed up to turn around. As she did so, I saw a dark blue Buick about two hundred feet behind us. Then it pulled off the road and into the desert and just sat there. Jessie didn’t seem to notice it. When we passed by it, I had a good look inside. The driver was a blonde guy with a chubby face. There was one man in the seat nex
t to him and a couple more in the back seat. I leaned forward and tapped Jessie on the shoulder. “Isn’t that the car the same one was following us the other day?” I asked. She looked back just as the Buick pulled onto the road behind us.
“Good Lord!” she blurted. “Let’s speed up and see what they do. Maybe it’s not them.”
I could see the Buick getting smaller as Jessie pressed the accelerator. At first I thought we were losing them, only then the Buick started getting bigger again. “They’re gaining,” I shouted.
Jessie put her foot down harder on the pedal. “If worse comes to worse, the Cord can outrun them.” She was trying to sound confident, but her voice was shrill. Then she gunned the engine.
After a couple of miles, the Buick dropped out of sight. When I looked at the speedometer, I saw why. Jessie was hitting 90. Then she slowed to about 70 and pretended nothing had happened. “I think we’re all a little jumpy today,” she said. “It’s only natural.”
We slowed even more when we went through the little town of Florence. Then we reached the cutoff the worker had told us about. The way ahead was level and straight. We saw desert and brush on one side and fields of alfalfa on the other. There were mountains in the distance in all directions.
“I think we’ve lost them,” Jessie mumbled. “Assuming they really were following us,” she added blandly. I could feel myself still shaking.
The country had become hilly and the mesquite brush was thick on the south side of the narrow road. I kept glancing back. Far in the distance I could see the speck of a car. I watched intently as it gained on us. When it got within a hundred yards, I shouted at Jessie to step on it.
“Oh my God!” she screamed as she looked out the rearview mirror. She stomped on the gas so hard that the car shook. She almost swerved off the road, but she regained control. When I looked back, I saw a man leaning out of the passenger side of the Buick and aiming a gun at us. He started shooting, but missed. When one of the bullets hit the trunk, I yelled at Sara and Kelly to get down. They were already ducking. Up ahead, there was a bridge over a dried-up river. The left lane was blocked off and a car was coming on the other one. Jessie tried to slow down and swerve. We crashed through a wooden sign that said “lane closed” and continued over the bridge. She swerved again to avoid the oncoming car, causing the Cord to scrape against the cement railing. Just as we came off the bridge, the Cord went off the road. Jessie desperately pumped the brakes but the Cord rolled straight into the desert. She turned the steering wheel back toward the road, then suddenly she fell toward me as if in slow motion. I thought she’d been shot, but her eyes were still open. She started thrashing, like she couldn’t control her arms and legs. Finally the car came to a rolling stop against a mesquite tree.
Summer of the Guns Page 21