Rise and Shine (Shine On Series, Book 2)

by Jewell, Allison J.

“Walter, can you just let me off here at the end of the drive?” she asked.

  “Nope. It’s too cold.”

  “Please. I need a minute to think by myself before I walk in that house looking like this.”

  “Want to come to my house and get cleaned up first?” he asked.

  “No. I want to get this done. I just need a minute.”

  Walter pulled over to the side of the road. “You be careful, okay? Call me.”

  She promised, grabbed her shotgun, and headed down the road that would lead her home.

  Chapter Thirty

  For the first time that day Emmie didn’t feel the cold, which was saying something, since the sun was setting and the wind had picked up. She could hear it whipping through the trees. The walk to the house was much too short. Her thigh stung as she stretched it moving up the stairs. She must have cut it on one of the falls up the ridge.

  When Emmie reached the door, she stood outside for a long time working up the courage to open it. She could hear the boys’ voices on the other side. Silas. Gabe. Trick. Everyone was there. They were engaged in some heavy conversation. She couldn’t make out their words, just the tone.

  Emmie felt Spotty’s fur brush against her before she heard him arrive at her side. He bounced from foot to foot wagging his tail. When she petted him, his fur was so cold. He’d likely spent part of the day looking for her. She’d have to be sure and put him up tomorrow. She didn’t want him to follow her. She wasn’t sure dogs were welcome companions there or what was worse, what they would do to one that just showed up.

  She took one last deep breath, gave a failed attempt to brush the dirt from her skirt and patted down her hair. Her trembling hand turned the knob and opened the door. It was no wonder she could hear them all so well, they were huddled around her kitchen table looking through newspapers, photos, and loose sheets of notes.

  “Hello.” She moved past them toward the stove. Someone had made coffee and she needed it.

  Gabe and Silas were intently staring down at the newspaper. If they heard her greeting neither acknowledged it. She let out a little sigh of relief as she poured the cup. Maybe they’d be too preoccupied to care what she’d been up to today. Clearly they were working out their own issues.

  Trick leaned back in his chair and grabbed her arm where the sleeve was ripped from elbow to wrist. He looked at her with wide eyes. At first she thought he might give her some smartass comment but after taking in her haggard expression his face fell. He stood abruptly and took in the rest of her disheveled dress.

  “You okay?” he asked quietly.

  “Yeah. I just fell.”

  “Where… down a well?” he asked with a laugh.

  When she didn’t smile back he knew this was a big deal.

  “Umm… Silas. You might want to look at your gal,” Trick said, looking over his shoulder.

  She grinned at Silas. It didn’t soften his expression. She was surprised he didn’t look angry. She didn’t know why she’d expected him to be angry immediately. He wasn’t. He was worried. He stood so quickly his chair fell behind him and Gabe reached out to save it from crashing into the cabinets behind him. In two steps he was next to her.

  “I’m fine,” she said with a smile.

  “The hell you are.” He grabbed the ripped part of her skirt. She realized now the branch had torn all the way through her stockings. His eyes went to the shotgun still in her left hand. She’d been so nervous when she walked in she’d completely forgotten to put it down.

  “Emmie what’s happened?” Gabe asked, also noticing the gun.

  “Oh, this was just a precaution. I didn’t need it.”

  Silas frowned. She could tell he was putting the pieces together. A deep crease settled in between his eyebrows.

  “I don’t know, maybe you should have used the gun. You might have come home a little cleaner,” Trick said, still believing she’d been in some sort of scuffle.

  “I promise I just fell. You all haven’t seen these hollers. Tough terrain.” She took a sip of her coffee.

  “How many times did you fall?” Gabe asked her.

  “Truthfully, I lost count.”

  “Were you being dragged?” Gabe asked. It took her a minute to realize he was serious.

  Goodness sakes, did she look that bad? Silas put his hand gently on her cheek and then ran it down the length of her body. He pulled up the hem of her dress and took a closer look at her leg, inspecting it and the gash on her thigh. In one quick motion he picked her up and set her on the counter so he could have a better look.

  “Silas,” she said through gritted teeth, pulling the dress down. She didn’t really like this public inspection. “I’m fine.”

  He ignored her and pulled the dress back up. “Trick get some hot water, let’s get this cleaned up. You’re not fine. You’ve been bleeding.”

  She reached a hand down to her right thigh and felt a large gaping hole in her stockings. It was stuck to her skin, matted with sweat and blood. That must have been the last fall on the way back to meet Walt or otherwise it would have been hurting the whole walk. She’d been so full of adrenaline she hadn’t even noticed until now.

  “I can take care of it.” She put her hand on his in an attempt to stop him.

  Silas ground his teeth together and gave her a look that said she had no choice in the matter. He pulled her hand away. Trick walked over with a bowl of hot water and a rag. Silas rubbed the hot cloth against the thick stockings, cleaning off the mess that had matted to her leg. This was utterly humiliating. It was bad enough for Silas to see but Gabe and Trick were waiting there, watching every move.

  “Is she gonna need a stitch?” Trick asked.

  “Not sure yet.”

  “We are not calling the doctor for this tiny scrap. You guys have me confused with some kind of princess.” She looked up at the ceiling.

  The water stopped and she thought Silas was done. He placed a hand firmly on her leg and ripped the thin stockings. She jumped at the sound. The material hung loose around her boots leaving her leg totally bare.

  “That was unnecessary,” she snapped.

  He ignored her and washed her leg again.

  “Do you have any alcohol?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” She tried to hop down from the counter but he stopped her. “It’s under the sink, behind the fabric, the box to the left.” She sighed.

  Gabe bent over and grabbed it, passing the old bottle over to Silas. Emmie sucked air in between her teeth as the sharp sting of alcohol hit her gash. She was surprised when he blew on the wound, taking out the sting. She felt her face blush and internally cursed herself. This was no time to be blushing.

  “Stitches or bandage? It’s not too deep, so it’s your call,” he said, not looking up from the bottle.

  “It’s fine. You are overreacting.” She was annoyed.

  “Bandage it is.” He got her sewing box that was in the den and pulled out a piece of scrap, ripped it, and tied it around her thigh to cover the wound.

  “Finished?” she asked.

  “Not even started.” He looked at her with a deep frown.

  Emmie sighed and rubbed her brow. He was going to be so angry. She was so tired, she wasn’t sure she had any fight in her. She slid down from the counter. He grabbed her waist and helped her down. She was surprised at the pain she felt in her leg when it scraped against the counter. Maybe he wasn’t overreacting. She was careful not to grimace as she moved to the table. Trick grabbed her coffee cup and set it down in front of her.

  Silence passed through the room. She knew it was the calm before the storm. Everyone in the room was tense. Silas was the first to speak.

  “Emmie you gotta start saying something here. Cause I’m thinking all kinds of things in my head.” He was pacing like a cat in front of her. “You come in here with your stockings all ripped, your dress is torn, you’re carrying a shotgun.”

  She turned and looked up at him. She reached an arm out and pulled him into the c
hair next to her. He did as she wanted and sat with his hands on his knees facing her. Gabe and Trick moved to the outer edges of the kitchen, just a few feet away giving them the illusion of privacy.

  “It’s not what your thinking. Nowhere near that bad.” She was eager to put his mind at ease. His shoulders went forward as he exhaled in relief.

  “You’re not gonna like this though. But it’s something I’ve got to do.” She closed her eyes unable to look at him. “I’m having a hard time finding the right words to make you understand.”

  When she opened her eyes she noticed he was completely tense again. “Spit it out, Emmie. I’ve never been known as a patient man and you’re testing me here.”

  “I know you never wanted me in the business again. But I’ve got to do this, just one last time,” she said quickly.

  “The business?” He frowned. Clearly that hadn’t been what he was expecting to learn.

  Emmie ignored his question and continued. “Moonshine. I’ve to make some apple pie, Silas.”

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Trick had never ever seen his brother too startled to speak. He’d seen him in many precarious situations but never had seen the carpet ripped out from under him like this. His mouth actually fell open for a second before composing himself. Trick grabbed Gabe’s arm and pulled him into the small entry. This was a conversation they didn’t need to be involved in.

  Emmie noticed their departure and thought it was probably for the best. This wasn’t going to be pretty. Silas was turning a deep red from his neck up to his ears. She had never seen him quite this angry. Not even the time he’d caught her in the pig.

  “You think you are making moonshine again. That’s what you are telling me?” he asked just to clarify.

  “Not think. I am. Well the shine is already made. That’s what I went to check today,” she answered honestly.

  “You went to check on moonshine, today?” he shouted, towering over her.

  “Yes. Check on the moonshine and the supplies. I had to be sure they had a place for me to cook and all the apples and other goods I needed.” She tried to keep her voice level and calm. He had a right to know this. He had a right to his emotions. She hadn’t explained this was all for Max yet, she reminded herself.

  “What the hell Emmie? You were here with me until noon. How’d you find time to get this all planned out today?” he shouted, pointing to the loft.

  Guilt made her stomach turn; she looked down at her fingernails, trying to find the right words to answer.

  “No.” He shook his head. “No. You had all of this planned before last night didn’t you?”

  She tried to answer but couldn’t find the words.

  “You laid up there all night and half the day with me and never mentioned you were gonna get back into making moonshine.”

  “No. That’s not exactly true. I didn’t have it planned for today. I was going to ask for your help. It’s just that they changed their mind and wanted me to come out right then. I had the idea but it wasn’t all planned out. I would have told you. I was going to tell you. Tonight,” she said. “Honestly, I promise.”

  “Who is the ‘they’ you mentioned? Who’s drug you back into this bullshit?” he asked through gritted teeth.

  “No one has drug me back really. I haven’t explained yet. If you’ll just let me.”

  He cleared the few feet between them and leaned down into her face, his hands bit into her arms. “Tell me right this damned second who took you to make the apple pie?”

  “Hey,” Gabe called from the doorway of the kitchen. “Get your hands off her. Yell, be mad, but get your damn hands off her.”

  Emmie had never seen Gabe look more serious. Silas looked at Gabe like he wanted to rip his head off but he let go of her arm. He grabbed a mason jar as he turned and smashed it to the ground.

  “I made it clear to those hillbillies that they were not to ask you to do that again. Walter. James. All of them.” He walked away from her.

  “Walter told them no. It was me that went to Mr. Johnson. If you have to be mad at someone, let it be me.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “You still haven’t listened to me.”

  “I’ve heard all I need to.” He grabbed his coat.

  Oh No. That was not good. She followed after him. “I’m doing it for Max. I don’t want a penny of the money. I told them it was a one time thing.”

  Silas stopped mid-step. He clearly hadn’t expected her to start talking about Max.

  “What the hell does that kid have to do with this?”

  “Max’s is not doing well. He’s falling all the time. Walter and Mae are afraid if this keeps up he won’t be able to walk without crutches… or at all.”

  “Still not seeing what this has to do with your ridiculous apple pie moonshine.”

  “Well, there’s a doctor in Louisville that’s offered to see him. Max is gonna need to live up there for a few months while they work on him, teach him things, maybe even make him special shoes. All of that is going to be expensive.”

  Silas shook his head and gritted his teeth. “Still don’t see how this adds up to you bootlegging with Bo Johnson.”

  Emmie frowned. “I never said Bo. I said Mr. Johnson.”

  “I’m not a fool,” he said slowly.

  Emmie ignored his side bar and continued. “Walter would never be able to get his hands on that kind of cash. They are just living, not everyone has stacks of money like you people.”

  He glared at her in reply but gave her time to finish.

  “I offered him Gabe’s dad’s money.” She couldn’t bring herself to call him Dad, especially in front of Gabe. “But Walter wouldn’t take it. He said money comes with strings and he didn’t want to be attached to someone like…” Emmie trailed off and left the rest unsaid. She didn’t want to hurt Gabe. “He just didn’t want to be in debt.”

  “I’m not seeing how the fact that Max is crippled has become your problem.” Silas arched an eyebrow.

  Now, it was Emmie’s turn to be shocked. She couldn’t believe he would say that. “He is not a problem. He is a child… that needs help. That needs adults that love him and take care of him.”

  “Yeah, well he’s got that. A family named Mae and Walter,” Silas spit. “That doesn’t include an Emmie.”

  “You know I would do anything for Max. He is my family.”

  “That old moonshiner and his grandkid are not your family. Your mother, Ronnie, His father,” Silas pointed at Gabe, “They messed you up your idea of family. You don’t have to bend over backwards for these people to make them love you. Damn it Emmie.” He ran his hands through his hair and paced the room before turning to look at her again, “You do this to try and make up for the love you lost from your real family.”

  “You use words like poison, you know that Silas? They burn going down.” She walked away from him, her heart stinging.

  He moved closer to her and grabbed her arm, this time gentler. “They are using you, Emmie. You think that old man isn’t capable of making his own moonshine? He did it for years without you.”

  “He doesn’t have a way now. He sold Ole Maizy to Mr. Johnson.”

  “Who the hell is Old Maizy?” Silas shouted like she was an idiot.

  “The still that was in my cave.”

  “Damn fools.” Silas swore under his breath. “How much money does he need?”

  “He won’t take money from you either,” she said quietly. “I tried that too. He doesn’t want to be in debt to you.”

  “Oh, so you’re the only one he is comfortable being in debt to. Well,” Silas laughed and ran his hands through his hair. “That old man’s gonna owe more than money.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked. “He doesn’t owe anything. I went to Mr. Johnson without his approval. He was just as mad about it as you are.”

  Silas thought for a second. She could tell by the clenching and unclenching of his jaw he was working something out. “How’d you get to Mr. Johnson?
Because Emmie I’ve been working around him for a while now and he isn’t exactly an easy man to sneak up on.”

  Emmie took a step away from him. He wasn’t going to like this. “Bo took me. I ran into Bo in town, asked him, and he took me.”

  Silas didn’t say anything for a long while, just nodded like he was processing everything she had unloaded at his feet.

  “So this is you and him then. Last night you thought about asking me for help but as soon as I left your bed you jump in the truck with him? He sends you back to me all broken and scratched?” Each word got a bit louder than the one before it.

  “No. It’s not like that,” she said. “You’re twisting it around.”

  “Am I?” he asked.

  “Well none of that matters. You’re not going through with this.” He pointed a finger in her face.

  She swatted it away. “Yes. I am. In case you haven’t heard, Mr. Johnson isn’t someone you can just back out on.”

  “Oh you’re afraid of him are you?”

  Emmie nodded. “A little.”

  “Well, it isn’t him you should be scared of. That asshole answers to me,” Silas shouted, slamming his hand on the table to her right.

  “I’m finished with this conversation.” She turned away. He would not try to intimidate her. It could never work. She knew too much about him.

  “I’m not done with you.” He grabbed her shoulder.

  Gabe stepped forward to intervene. She put her hand up to stop him. She wasn’t afraid.

  “I was a fool to think you would help or support me on this,” she said, her lip quivering.

  “I offered to pay for it. I asked how much money he needed. You said they don’t want my money.”

  “You cannot always throw money at a problem Silas. That’s what’s wrong with you people. Love is shown in action not dollars.” With that she spun on her boot heel and climbed the stairs to the loft.

  And Silas didn’t follow her.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Emmie lay stretched across her bed in only her slip and flour sack drawers. She was half listening to the men downstairs, half lost in her own thoughts. She couldn’t believe Silas had said those things to her but now, in the dark and still of her room, she wondered if there was some truth in them. Why had she felt like it was her place to jump in and save Max? Was she looking for a family to replace her screwed up one? Emmie shook her head to clear her thoughts. This was what happened when people poisoned you with words. They were the words that leaked in and bruised your insides with worry and second-guessing.