“What’s going on?” Joe asked from behind Julie. “That’s Deputy Weaver. What’s Evan doin’ with him?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.”
Julie went out onto the porch and, ignoring her father and the deputy, went to the side of the car where Evan sat. Before she could say a word to him, the deputy grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the car.
“Keep away from my prisoner, miss.”
“Prisoner? And …let go my arm.”
Evan opened the car door.
“Stay put,” the deputy barked. “Stay put or I’ll put the cuffs on you.”
“Papa, what’s going on?”
Julie looked from her father to the sneering face of the deputy. The rest of the family had come out onto the porch, followed by Birdie and Elsie.
“You goin’ to church with us, Mr. Johnson?” Joy yelled as she darted down the steps to the car.
The deputy caught her under the arms and roughly swung her back up onto the porch. Scared, Joy burst into tears.
“Get your hands off her!” Julie shouted, even as she heard a growl come from her father’s throat. Jack swung Joy up into his arms and held her protectively.
“What do you think she’d do?” the boy demanded.
“He probably thought she was going to slip him a knife or a gun,” Joe said dryly.
“I don’t think you understand what’s going on. I’ve got a job to do here and I’ll not put up with a couple of smart-aleck, wet-eared kids.” Deputy Weaver reared back and looked down his nose at Joe and Jack. “Keep your mouths shut unless I ask you a question. There’s been a murder, and this man is my prisoner.”
“Murder?” Julie’s hand flew to her mouth and her eyes to Evan.
“Walter Johnson was killed last night, and it’s my job to find out who did it.”
“You…think…Evan did it?”
“Yes, I think he did it. He says that he was with you last night.” Weaver’s narrowed eyes focused on Julie’s face.
“He was. He was with all of us until just after dark, then he and I went for a ride in his car.”
“Where’d you go?”
“We went along the river, then to the bluff overlooking town.”
“What did you do up there?”
“We talked.”
“Talked? Bull-foot!” The deputy cast a disgusted glance back toward the car.
“What do you mean by that?” Jethro’s irritation was evident.
“It means … well, never mind. What time was it when he left you here?”
“I’m not sure of the minute,” Julie said trying to remain calm. “But it was shortly after two o’clock. I heard the clock strike when we were on the porch, and we stayed a little while after that.”
“Talking? You must have had a lot to talk about.”
“We did. Not that it’s any business of yours,” Julie added sharply.
“That remains to be seen.”
He glanced over his shoulder as a car came down the lane and stopped. Chief Corbin Appleby got out and came to the porch. He nodded a greeting.
“She says he was with her until two o’clock.” The deputy raised his brows in an insinuating way.
“Are you sure of the time, Miss Jones?”
“I’m sure.”
“It was about that time, Chief,” Jethro said. “I heard her come in.”
“Then who came in a little after ten? I thought that was Julie; the boys had already gone upstairs.” All eyes turned to Birdie. She put her hands to her cheeks, and her eyes got large and fearful. “Did I say … something I shouldn’t have? Oh, Jethro, I’m sorry.”
Julie turned on her, her eyes blazing with anger. “What are you trying to pull now, Mrs. Stuart? You didn’t hear me come in at that time, and you know it.”
Birdie’s eyes became even larger and slowly filled with tears. “Oh, you’re just so … mean. I don’t know why you said you came in later.”
“Ma’am.” The deputy reached for Birdie’s arm. “Let’s go over here and have a little talk. Chief, see that this bunch stays away from my prisoner.”
“I don’t want to get Julie in trouble.” Birdie threw a pleading look over her shoulder at Jethro and choked back sobs. She grabbed Elsie’s hand and walked behind the chief’s car with the deputy.
“Papa, you know it was around two when I came home, don’t you?”
“I heard the car drive in and stop away from the house, and I heard the clock strike when you were on the porch.”
“Is the time important, Chief Appleby?” Julie asked.
“Yes, ma’am, it is. Gus Keegan, who runs a joint down on the river, was out on his dock around two o’clock. He told the deputy he was fishing, but I know that he was pulling up a gunnysack full of bootleg whiskey out of the river. A car drove up and someone began to pull something from it. He thought it was thieves out to steal his whiskey. He yelled. The man got in the car and drove off, leaving the bundle on the ground.
“Gus walked over and discovered the body of Walter Johnson. He had been stabbed many times and his throat was cut. Whoever killed him must have been in a rage, because he was cut up pretty bad. Gus thinks the man was going to get him in the river, hoping the current would carry him downstream. Doc Forbes said Walter had been dead for four or five hours.”
“Why does the deputy think Evan did it?” Julie asked.
“Because of the car. Gus said he had seen a car like the one that brought the body go by earlier in the evening and he thought it was the same one. The car he described was like Evan Johnson’s. From a previous conversation with Johnson, when Weaver and the marshal went to the farm to talk to Walter, Weaver believes he wanted his father dead so he could have the farm.”
“Can I go say something to Evan?” Julie asked.
“As far as I’m concerned it would be all right, but this is out of my territory, although Well’s Point where the body was found is and I’m in charge of the investigation.”
“Does Weaver know that?” Jethro asked.
“He was on hand and thinks he’s my superior. Ah, hell, come on, Miss Jones, and speak to Johnson. You’ve made your statement.” Julie hurried to the car. The chief followed and stayed a short distance away.
“Evan, I’m sorry about Mr. Johnson.” Julie reached her hand in and he clasped it tightly. She saw the deep tension in his face and took a deep breath that quivered her lips. Her eyes caressed his face. The look warmed him to his very soul.
“So am I. He was as ornery as the day is long, but he didn’t deserve to die like that. Honey, I didn’t want to drag you into this.”
“I don’t know what Birdie is telling the deputy. Did you hear her say I was home at ten o’clock?”
“I heard. Just stay calm and don’t let the deputy get you mad. He’s showing off. The marshal is a straight shooter. He should be here sometime today. What we’ve got to do is find out who around here has a car that would look like mine at night.”
“I love you,” Julie said on a breath of a whisper, and tears filled her eyes.
“I love you, too.” Evan brought her hand to his mouth for a quick kiss, his eyes glued to her face. “Tell Appleby that I’d like to have a word with him.”
Julie backed away and Corbin moved around to the car window.
“The tires on my car are special. Check the tread and compare them to the tracks made by the car that dumped Walter by the river.”
“Have you mentioned this to the deputy?”
“No. He isn’t interested in anything I have to say. You’ll know if the tracks by the river were made by my car; they cut deep. Check along the side of the road where he pulled over to dump Walter.”
Weaver and Birdie came around the end of the car. Corbin stood with his arms folded and waited to see what the deputy had to say about Miss Jones talking to Johnson. He knew from the look on the man’s face that he didn’t like it.
“I didn’t want her near him. They could hatch an alibi for him.�
� His tone indicated that he considered his experience superior to Corbin’s. “Did you hear what he said to her?”
“Every word.” Corbin looked him in the eye as he lied.
Birdie Stuart was dabbing at her eyes. Elsie was holding onto her mother’s skirt. They went up onto the porch, then directly into the house. Weaver jerked his head for the chief to move away from the car.
“The woman says the girl was here before ten o’clock. She doesn’t know why Jones is backing his daughter’s statement. She’s scared to death of Johnson. She says he has a terrible temper. She heard him say several times that he wished the old man was dead. While she was staying at her brother’s, she was sent over to the Johnsons’ with a pie or something. Johnson was in a fit of rage and threatened to kill Walter while she was there. He tried to bash in the old man’s head with a stick of stove wood.”
“You believe her?”
“Hell, yes. Why would she lie? She’s got to stay here with these folks until someone in Memphis sends her a ticket to come home. She doesn’t want them to know what she’s told me. But she said she would swear to it in a court of law when the time came.”
“Why isn’t she staying over at her brother’s?”
“Hell, I don’t know. Family squabble, I guess.”
“I don’t think you’ve got enough to lock him up.”
“I do. I’m going to hold him until the marshal gets here. I didn’t like that arrogant, know-it-all son-of-a-bitch the first time I saw him.” He yanked the car door open. “Get out, Johnson, and turn around.”
Evan got out, turned and put his hands behind him. His eyes were on Julie. He shook his head ever so slightly, signaling for her not to make a fuss.
“Why is he doin’ that to Evan? Papa, do somethin’!” Jill’s voice was shrill and angry.
Julie stood dry-eyed, with her chin up. Her eyes clung to Evan. He was so handsome with his blond hair and dark brows. Their eyes caught and held. A wave of helplessness came over her. He had become everything to her. She had never really understood the magnetism between a woman and a man before. It was both wonderful and devastating.
“Just a minute.” Jethro came off the porch. “Evan, don’t worry about things over at your place. Me and the boys will see to them.”
“I’d appreciate that, Jethro. If I’m not back after I speak to the marshal, would you or one of the boys go to the telephone office and have them call my lawyer over in St. Joseph? His name is Casper Jenson. Tell him to come over right away. I’m going to have to make arrangements for Walter, too, but I suppose that can wait.” Evan turned to Corbin Appleby. “Chief, I’d like to talk to you as soon as we get to town.”
“Hush your gabbing and get in the car.” The deputy opened the door and shoved Evan down on the seat. He was in a hurry to leave. He started the car, turned around in the barnyard, but the chief’s car was blocking the lane and he had to wait. He hung his arm out over the side and slapped the door to get Corbin’s attention.
“Chief Appleby,” Julie said, as he turned to go to his car. “Evan was with me. He couldn’t have done … that. I don’t know why Mrs. Stuart said what she did.”
“I’ll bring the marshal out to talk to you. He’ll want to talk to Mrs. Stuart, too.”
The group stood on the porch and watched the two cars until they were out of sight.
“Papa.” Julie put her hand on Jethro’s arm. “Why is Mrs. Stuart saying that I was home at ten o’clock?”
“I don’t know,” he answered tiredly. “Maybe she really thinks she heard you come in.”
“Hockey!” Joe snorted. “I wasn’t asleep at ten o’clock. I’d have heard Julie come in.”
“Have you wondered why none of the Humphreys come over anymore?” Jack was still holding Joy, whose little face was still streaked with tears. “This and That won’t even come play catch with me.”
“I bet they’re afraid she’ll want to go back home with them. She hates Julie and wants to make trouble for her,” Jill finished angrily, turning to glare at her father.
“What can we do, Papa?” Julie turned to the one on whom she had always relied in time of trouble.
“There’s nothing we can do now, Sis. We’ll wait for the marshal. Joe, you and Jack better get over to the Johnsons’ and see whether the chores are done. Weaver’s got it in for Evan, for some reason, and might not have given him time to pen anything up.”
“Chief Appleby seems a decent sort.” Jack set Joy on her feet.
“I’m counting on him not to let Weaver railroad Evan if he didn’t do it.”
“I’m going to ask Mrs. Stuart why she’s lying.” Julie opened the door to go in the house.
“Leave her be, Sis,” Jethro said quickly. “You could just make matters worse.” He avoided looking at his eldest daughter, stepped off the porch and disappeared around the corner of the house.
To keep from crying, Julie held her lips tightly between her teeth and swallowed the lumps clogging her throat. Fear for Evan had caused her heart to shrivel within her. She longed to crawl in a dark hole and cry. Instead, she went to the kitchen and tended the chicken she had put on earlier and, because she had to be busy, she stirred up a batch of bread dough and left it on the back of the stove to rise.
When she had run out of things to do in the kitchen, she sat on the back porch and worked the dasher up and down in the churn, trying to stave off the memory of the deputy putting the handcuffs on Evan. It was usually Jason’s or Jill’s chore to churn, but everything about this day was different.
Birdie and Elsie had not come out of the bedroom, Jason sat quietly in the shade with Sidney, and Jill swung Joy in the rope swing suspended from a branch of the oak tree. Julie had not seen her father since he left the porch after telling her to leave Birdie alone.
Julie worked the dasher and waited for Joe and Jack to come back from the Johnson farm. Her brain was full of turmoil. It was hard for her to comprehend why Birdie hated her and Evan so much that she deliberately lied about the time she came home last night. Was Birdie hoping to convict Evan of murder? Her father had known the woman was lying. Maybe now he would see her for what she was.
What Julie had expected to be one of the happiest days of her life had turned out to be the most miserable.
Chapter 24
CHIEF CORBIN APPLEBY CAME UP out of the basement of the court-house after locking Evan Johnson in the holding room and walked down the street to the furniture store, where the members of the City Council were meeting.
Something about Deputy Weaver didn’t sit quite right with Corbin. The man’s determination to prove Evan Johnson guilty of Walter Johnson’s murder without even considering that someone else could have done it and his unnecessary roughness were not the actions of an impartial officer of the law.
Evan, aware that for some reason Weaver had a grudge against him, neither resisted when Weaver shoved him or responded to the jibes made about his wanting his father out of the way so that he would inherit the farm. The only time Evan’s anger flared was when the deputy referred to Julie Jones as a hot little piece of ass.
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