by Ellery Adams
“I don’t like the sound of this,” Lucy murmured.
“My family lived in a trailer at the end of a dirt road. There were three of us kids then, my parents, and my father’s brother, Uncle Abe, who worked in a machine shop in Lynchburg. Wasn’t a big trailer, either,” Bennett said, his eyes brightening with the memory. “But my mama made sure it was full of love and good home cooking. A typical day for me was to get my two little sisters—Trinity and Grace—up and give them cereal. Then Mama got them dressed and herself ready for work. Then I’d go to school. While I was at school, one of Mama’s cousins, Aunt Mimi, would watch my sisters. Aunt Mimi was a nurse and worked nights, so she was real tired by the time she got to our house in the morning, but I never heard her complain. Then, when I got home from school, Aunt Mimi would leave, and I’d take care of my sisters, getting them snacks and toys, until Mama and Daddy or Uncle Abe got home.”
“So even as a little boy, you had to be a parent,” Lindy said. “There are kids like that in my class.”
“I think that’s why, as an adult, I’ve never wanted children of my own,” Bennett said. “But I ain’t complaining, no, sir. I had a good childhood. Uncle Abe was a big part of it. He was twenty-nine then, the proverbial guy who’d give you the shirt off his back. Liked to cook and grill and would fight Mama for the stove sometimes. Uncle Abe ran the local Cub Scout den. That’s how I got involved with scouts.”
“You told us once that you made it to Eagle Scout,” James said.
Bennett nodded. “Yeah, and it’s all because of Uncle Abe. He got me in his troop in the spring of the time I’m telling you about. Man, Uncle Abe’s troop was the best. With next to no money, he’d set up scavenger hunts, take us out on nature trails, organize baseball games—or, Uncle Abe’s version of baseball, which was a lot like stickball. We used broom handles and a tennis ball because families in our troop couldn’t afford baseball bats and gloves. Plus, we saved our money for the big event, camping out. Everybody brought hot dogs to cook over the fire Uncle Abe would build. We’d roast marshmallows and make s’mores.” Bennett laughed. “Uncle Abe could tell the best ghost stories too. He’d save the scariest for last so that we’d all run to our tents and hide afterward, eventually falling asleep for the night.”
Bennett turned the Dr. Pepper can around in his hands. “One Saturday morning in July, I woke up extra early because I was so excited. I got dressed and packed some clothes in a grocery bag. Uncle Abe was taking our troop on an overnight camping trip. He’d promised to have us back in time for church Sunday morning, but a whole night of camping! I couldn’t wait. I set the table with bowls, took out the cereal box, and turned on the old black-and-white TV real low so I could watch cartoons until it was time to go. I was eating Cheerios and watching Bugs Bunny, trying not to laugh too loud at Elmer Fudd chasing him and wake my parents when, all of a sudden, there was a crash behind me. I stood up so fast, I dropped my bowl on the floor, milk going everywhere on Mama’s rug.”
Bennett blinked a few times, and then said, “My Daddy came through the front door carrying Uncle Abe like he was a child. I knew something bad had happened. There was blood all down the front of Uncle Abe’s shirt and his face . . .” Bennett grew quiet for a moment, his eyes misty.
None of the supper club members said a word.
“I ain’t never told this story before,” Bennett said, his voice breaking. He cleared his throat, and then said, “Daddy yelled for Mama. They laid Uncle Abe on his bed. Mama called Aunt Mimi, and then started cleaning some of the blood off of Uncle Abe’s face. His lip was all busted up. Split. They didn’t notice me, but I stayed by Uncle Abe’s door, watching while Aunt Mimi ministered to him. Daddy told Aunt Mimi that when Uncle Abe hadn’t come home the night before, he’d gone out looking for him. He found him unconscious in a ditch down the dirt road, his truck off in the grass. I heard Aunt Mimi say the word ‘concussion,’ but I didn’t know what it meant. I was so scared Uncle Abe was gonna die that I didn’t even think to wonder at first what had happened to him.”
“Someone had beaten him,” Gillian whispered.
“That’s right,” Bennett said. “The Delford brothers. Three no-account teenage white boys whose parents owned the farm next to the one Mama and Daddy worked at. They took exception to something Uncle Abe was doing. Uncle Abe had a girlfriend that he’d met in Lynchburg. She’d graduated from the private college there, and then worked her way up to an administrative position at a big-name insurance company. I’d never seen her but I knew about her from listening to Mama and Daddy talk when I shouldn’t, like I did when Daddy brought Uncle Abe home that morning. Uncle Abe had taken Linda—that was her name, Linda Lloyd—to the movies. They didn’t go into the theater together because, as you’ve probably guessed, Linda was white.”
James felt his stomach knot.
Gillian, who rarely consumed alcohol, poured herself the last of the wine.
Bennett struggled out of his suit jacket and hung it on the back of his chair. “Uncle Abe was in love with Linda, and his feelings were returned. The plan was that the two of them would elope up in DC, where interracial couples were more common. Linda’s parents didn’t know anything about it, even though she was living with them. She hid the tiny diamond ring Uncle Abe had given her whenever they were around. But somehow the Delford brothers found out Uncle Abe and Linda were dating. Lord knows what might have happened that night if they knew the two planned to run away together. As it was, one of the boys saw them at the movies and called his brothers, who called two of their friends. When Uncle Abe and Linda parted ways after the movie, Linda went to get in her car. Way I heard it, two men were waiting for her inside.”
“Oh, God,” Lucy breathed.
“They didn’t hurt her in the way you’re thinking, Lucy. Instead, they roughed her up, left her with a black eye, and told her if she didn’t stop seeing Uncle Abe, there’d be much worse to come. They also made sure that Linda’s parents knew she was dating a black man. As for Uncle Abe, the three Delford brothers waylaid him when he was almost back at the trailer, ran him off the road, and beat him. Three against one. He recovered physically, but Linda had to be sent away to an older relative up north in Pennsylvania, she was so traumatized. I guess her parents wanted her far away, too. In any case, she never came back. Uncle Abe wanted to follow her but didn’t have any money. When he’d saved up enough, he found out her relatives had set her up with a white man up there, and she’d married him. Whenever I think about it, I can still hear Uncle Abe sobbing his heart out when he heard.”
Bennett sat silent.
“Where is Abe now, Bennett?” James asked.
“He’s dead. He never did date anyone else. He took to drinking, the Cub Scout troop disbanded, and one November night on Highway 29, he hit a deer and was killed instantly. Linda’s picture was in his wallet when they recovered his body. He was only thirty-three years old.”
James blinked back tears. Lucy and Lindy’s cheeks were wet. Lindy handed Lucy a tissue and they both blew their noses.
Gillian reached across the table and touched Bennett’s hand. He turned his palm over and held her hand tightly. He said, “I’ve never talked about this before, Gillian. But, do you see now why I can’t be affectionate with you in public? Why I can’t marry you? Maybe if we were in a bigger area, say, DC, like Uncle Abe planned on with Linda, but we both love Quincy’s Gap. We have homes and good friends here. I can handle myself if there’s trouble. It’s you I worry about. I don’t want you threatened. Or worse. I’m scared to death of something happening to you because of me.”
“Bennett, it’s terrible, to say the least, what happened to your uncle,” Gillian said, her face filled with concern. “Unforgiveable. And no little boy should have to see hate in action like that. But it’s not the seventies anymore.” She held up the hand not holding Bennett’s. “I’m not trying to minimize the issue, but I believe that people are more tolerant now. I choose to believe they’re also more understanding and
accepting.”
“That’s true to a certain extent. I know it’s not the seventies. But what about the justice in Louisiana who refused to marry an interracial couple. That was in 2009,” Bennett said. “How about those rallies in Charlottesville last year?”
“The organizers of those rallies came in from out of town,” Lucy put in.
“No one’s saying that racism isn’t a huge problem,” James said. “But everyone in Quincy’s Gap has known that you and Gillian are a couple since you announced that you loved her on Jeopardy! That was well over a year ago. Has anything hateful happened?”
“I delivered a certified letter to Mr. Laxman last November. He thanked me, but then asked if I didn’t think I was punching above my weight by dating Gillian.”
Lucy snorted. “That old fool.”
“He may have meant my beauty and perfect figure,” Gillian said, adopting a teasing tone. “Not the color of my skin.”
If she’d meant to lighten the mood, she succeeded. Even Bennett smiled.
Then Gillian said, “I have never been worried about my safety because of my relationship with you, Bennett. I choose not to live my life in fear. We all know that when you give in to fear, fear is in control.”
“True,” Lucy said. “I know it’s not the same, but think of the hate often directed at law enforcement. I’ve had the word ‘pig’ written with shaving cream on my patrol car. Of course, the person who did it could have seen me eating directly out of a can of frosting.”
This brought smiles to the group.
Lindy said, “I can’t go into my classroom every morning thinking of the tragic school shootings that have occurred in our country. I’ve been trained, and I am prepared for an incident, but I can’t dwell on it.”
Gillian looked at Bennett. “I do understand your point of view now that you’ve told me what happened. It hurts me to think of the pain you carry around inside you from what happened to Uncle Abe and then of losing him. I hurt for Abe, even though I never got to meet him.”
Bennett’s shoulders relaxed. “Really?”
“Yes,” Gillian affirmed. “I love you, Bennett. That’s what matters most. I’d rather live my life with you in it even though it means no marriage and separate houses, than have you stressed and worried all the time. Stress causes all kinds of damage to your body that could result in early death.”
Bennett expelled a breath. “I love you, Gillian.”
Gillian smiled. “How about another slice of that flan? Lindy, there’s some left, isn’t there?”
The supper club members indulged in another round of the creamy treat, and then everyone got ready to face the cold weather.
Lindy said, “I’m going home, Gillian. I want to tell Luis about the restaurant idea for Alma. I miss my husband so much. I shouldn’t have left the house in the first place. We can work things out.”
Gillian gave her a big hug. “I know you can.”
Lucy said, “Tomorrow morning, James, let’s get together and visit the Red Bird. I need to question Brandon Jensen, Doug Moore, and Joel Foster.”
“Do you think you’ll know about the authenticity of the handwritten will by then?”
“Can’t promise that. I’ll be going to the courthouse first, though.” She frowned. “I wonder if they’re still holding Murphy.” She punched in a few numbers on her cell phone, spoke with someone, then disconnected. “She’s still there.”
James sighed. “All right. Why don’t you swing by the library and pick me up when you’re ready?”
“See you then.”
James waited while Gillian gave Bennett a warm kiss. Then the two men walked outside.
“Look at the stars, James,” Bennett said. “No snow tonight.”
“Nope,” James said. He stayed next to his friend in the freezing cold, sensing that Bennett had something to say.
“Telling that story, man, it was like reliving it all over again.”
“It was brave of you, Bennett, and showed how much you care about Gillian.”
“You’re wrong. I haven’t been brave,” Bennett said solemnly. “That’s what I learned tonight. I’ve been acting like a coward.”
“Don’t say that.”
“No, it’s true. If Gillian was black, I would have married her already. I want to marry her, James. I don’t want fear to control the rest of my life.”
“But would the Dalai Lama accept you?” James quipped.
Bennett burst out laughing. James joined in. They stood next to each other, almost frozen, laughing their heads off.
“Have a good night,” James said when they got control of themselves. He turned his steps to the Bronco.
“James,” Bennett called and then caught up with him. “I don’t know the first thing about engagement rings. Would you go with me to the jewelry store tomorrow afternoon when I’m done with my route?”
James grinned. “I’d be honored.”
Chapter Twenty
At the library Tuesday morning, James surveyed his kingdom of books. He had to admit that he was distracted. He’d not slept well, thinking not only about the investigation but of the awful fate of Bennett’s uncle.
After the second time that he’d woken Jane—and Miss Pickles—with his tossing and turning, he’d slipped downstairs and set himself up on the sofa with blanket and pillows. All set to sleep, he gave in to a confused Snickers’s whining and let the dog out and waited until he came back inside. Near dawn, James had finally fallen asleep, only to be roused by Eliot shaking his shoulders and asking for breakfast what seemed like minutes later.
James saw his son off to school and then came back in the house for his packed lunch. Jane had told him that one of the members of their Lamaze class had called and said that Denise had given birth to her twins during the night. Both mom and baby boys were doing well. James avoided Jane’s hint about Denise’s Ford Explorer.
Now, as he filled the copier and printers with fresh supplies of paper, tidied the bookmark displays, and greeted patrons, James realized he was waiting for Lucy to call. He’d had an idea and hoped she’d go along with it.
The Fitzgerald twins dawdled in the Romance section, where Fern, along with Willow, added red construction paper hearts to the Valentine tree on the wall. Wandering over, James saw that Fern and Willow had blue markers in their hands. They wrote the names of literary couples on the hearts before adding them to the tree. James saw Romeo and Juliet, Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester, and Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara, among others.
Scott said, “Hey, Professor, do you think Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan should have a heart?”
Francis laughed. “Dude, did you hear what you just said? Gatsby had a heart. I’m not sure about Daisy.”
Willow smiled.
Fern said, “Their story didn’t end well, but a happy ending is not the criteria for selecting couples.”
“The love between them is what matters,” Willow explained.
“I agree,” James said. “Willow, it’s good to see you, but I’m surprised Milla let you have time off. The day before Valentine’s Day must be one of your busiest.”
“Mrs. Henry gave me an hour for lunch,” Willow answered. She glanced at her watch. “I’d better start back. See you later, Francis.”
“I’ll walk you to the door,” Francis said. “Don’t forget about our super-special plans for tomorrow night.”
James saw Willow smile at Francis and silently thanked Milla for the chocolate boxes she promised to put together for Fern and Willow. He suspected Milla let Willow have a full lunch hour today so that she could put the boxes together.
With Fern busy with the Valentine tree, James called Scott and Francis over. “Here you are,” he said, holding out a brass key with the words “Do Not Replicate” on it. “Your own key to the library.”
The twins gasped. Each one held out his hand to take the key, then they looked at one another. With a nod, they performed some complicated version of rock, sc
issors, paper, and a grinning Francis plucked the key from James’s hand.
James had to smile as he watched them handle the key with reverence. He shook his head and chuckled when he saw them produce a mini treasure chest, no bigger than the size of Scott’s hand, and place the key inside.
Turning away, James decided to update his section of the “Staff Picks” rack, when his phone rang. He saw “Lucy” on the phone’s screen and couldn’t answer fast enough. “What have you found out? Anything on Edwards’s will?”
“Good morning to you, too. I spoke to Pat Hearne, Edwards’s attorney. She’s sent the handwritten will out to a handwriting expert. She promised to get back to me as soon as she hears anything.”
“Excellent.”
“About the statements Deputy Truett took from the actors regarding the time Kitty Walters was murdered,” Lucy said. James could hear her shuffling papers. “Valerie, you already know, was in her room. Amber, Brandon, Joel, and Doug were all downstairs by the fire in the living room on their phones, probably playing games or checking social media. Truett told me that he thought Doug had been drinking. On a hunch, he went by the White Horse bar; you know, that dive a few miles south of Cardinal’s Rest?”
“No, but go ahead.”
“The woman behind the bar told Truett she’s sold bottles of bourbon to Doug three times since he’s been in town. She also told him to check with the night manager. Truett did and said the man told him Doug was in one night last week, possibly Thursday. He couldn’t be sure.”
“The night of the murder?”
“That’s right. If it was, then Doug lied to us when they were all questioned the next morning. He claimed to be asleep.”
“We need to ask him about it. Here’s something else. I thought of a way we could find out if Edwards and Kitty really were engaged. Or, at least, if that diamond she flashed around is real.”