by Wilson Harp
“I still have to think about my parents.”
Ted shook his head. “No, you don’t. Think if you had decided to postpone your trip by a week. Your parents would be down here and you up in Chicago. Would you have made the trip down here to find and take care of your parents? No. You would have prayed for them and hoped they would find friends and neighbors to help take care of them. You are not moving because of fear, David. And it’s eating at you.”
I felt more than a little attacked at this point. It seemed like they were ganging up on me.
“Did you plan to bring this up with me on this trip?” I asked Anne.
“Not really, we had talked about this, though, and felt you needed to hear it.”
“Who has been talking about this?” I asked. I was furious and I could hear it in my voice.
“No one,” Anne answered. She seemed to realize maybe she had gone too far. “Just me and Ted, and Kenny. And your dad. And Luke. And Missus Marsh.”
“What?”
Ted laughed. “You were right, Anne. Get him a little off guard and he really opens up.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means I can hear your real voice. You have a fire in you, David. I’ve seen it a few times, but you keep yourself too controlled. You are afraid of yourself.”
I snapped my mouth closed. My jaw was so tight it hurt, but I wasn’t going to rise to their bait.
Ted sighed and looked over at Anne. “If you haven’t given it much thought, then I’ll believe it. Just start thinking about it, okay?”
“And talk to your dad. He’s worried about you and I know he wants Lexi and Emma safe.”
I swallowed and told myself they just cared about me and wanted what was best. I didn’t like them getting involved in my life, but at least I knew I could trust them.
“I will. I promise.”
“Good,” said Ted. “Let’s get these spices delivered, then we can meet up at the library and see what is going on with Kenny.”
Chapter 17
The expressions of gratitude for the herbs and spices ranged from a mild look of surprise to a giddy joy at being able to provide new flavors for the daily meals. A few people asked what it was like up at Ted’s place. I didn’t provide many details, but told them I understood how Ted and his people were prepared to live through an event like this.
When I only had two empty bins to carry, I went home to check on my parents before I headed back into town. When I entered the front door, I saw mom and Rose on the couch. Mom was working her cross stitch while Rose was busy with her knitting needles.
“Hi Mom, Missus Johnson,” I said. “Sophia and her kids sent a bunch of herbs and spices down from their place. So, the meals should taste much better.”
“That’s wonderful,” Mom said. “Oh, that was so kind of her.”
“Why are you over here Missus Johnson? Just need a change of scenery?” I asked.
She wore a smile I knew held a lot of sadness and more than a little pity.
“Your father asked me to come over and keep your mother company while he is gone this evening?”
“That’s right,” Dad said as he walked into the living room. “I’ve been called and I must go.”
He was dressed in a full suit and stood a little taller and straighter than I had seen in many years.
“Have a job interview?” I asked. “Look like you’ll impress them.”
“No.” he blushed and waved his hand. “Ike came down and told me they wanted me for the jury tonight. I figured I had a nice suit, I should wear it. When else am I going to wear it?”
“That’s true. Wait, they are having the trial tonight?”
Dad nodded. “Yeah, they are sending the Ford down here to take me to the library in a little bit. I told Ike I didn’t think I could walk all the way into town and he said they would provide the limo.” Dad laughed and shook his head. “A busted up 1944 Ford pickup is as close as we have to a limo service in town. What a world we have slipped back into.”
“You sound cheerful for what is bound to be a tough night.”
“I know,” he looked over at Mom and Rose sitting on the couch. “I guess I should be more somber, but I’m sick of it. I broke into the bottle of brandy that’s been up in the cabinet for years.”
“You got that on your trip to France on your 25th anniversary,” I said. I lowered my voice and stepped closer to him. “Are you drunk?”
“No,” he said. “Just buzzed a little. I only had a couple of swigs.”
I was stunned. I had never seen Dad drink before. I knew he had drank during his Navy years, but Mom hadn’t wanted alcohol in the house and it never seemed like it was a big deal to not have it around. I remember I was a senior in high school when they took their 25th anniversary trip to Paris and came back with a small bottle of brandy. Mom said they bought it as a keepsake and Dad always said they would drink it on their 50th anniversary. That had already passed and I suspected Mom’s keepsake argument won the day.
The sound of the truck pulling up to the house pulled my attention away from my dad and the brandy.
“Pat, you’re ride’s here,” Mom said. “Don’t be gone too long.”
“I won’t be, Honey. Davey, you want a ride? I’m sure they won’t mind.”
I looked at Mom and she smiled and waved me on. I followed Dad out to the road where the rusted out truck waited for us. It was shaking so hard you could hear the windows rattling in their loose fittings. Dense smoke poured out of the decrepit tailpipe and it almost sounded like the vehicle had a chronic raspy cough.
“If you want a ride, David, you need to get in the back,” said Clint as I walked over to the truck.
I nodded and smiled. I had grown up riding in the back of pickups. Way too dangerous for the modern world, but I guess we weren’t in the modern world anymore. I pulled myself up on the bumper using the tailgate as leverage. That was not a prudent decision, because it felt as if the tailgate might give way with just an ounce more of pressure.
I was about to jump in when I saw the bed of the Ford already had a sizeable amount of passengers. Several boys, none more than seven or eight, and about half a dozen dogs were milling about in the rough metal pit. I climbed in and took a seat against the back of the cab.
The truck lurched forward and I thought it was going to stall the way it sputtered, but the engine righted itself and we went flying down the road. I realized we were probably not going more than thirty miles per hour, but this was the first time I had been in a moving vehicle in three months and I could not help but laugh. A dirty grey hound lay down across one of my legs and looked at me with his tongue hanging out. I smiled back at the dog. The sheer exhilaration of riding where the wind blew by and the fields drifted along was something I never even realized I missed.
The truck slowed as we headed into town. A three minute ride, like an amusement park roller coaster, and it was over. Twenty minutes saved and my legs were glad for it.
The truck jostled to a stop and kids and dogs started pouring out of the bed. The tailgate never came down, it was just like a mass escape over the rusty steel sides. I found my footing and stood up.
“Dangerous to ride in an open bed like that,” Anne said. She looked up at me from the side of the truck. “Why don’t you get out of there and join me? They are almost ready to start the trial.”
I wanted to hop off the side of the truck like a young foolhardy teenager would, but I decided a broken ankle wouldn’t impress Anne much and would cause considerable problems for my own well-being. Why did I want to impress Anne? The thought pierced my heart, but I pushed it aside and scrambled out of the truck.
“Nice dismount, Grace,” Anne said as she smiled at my safe yet clumsy climb down the side of the truck.
“How are they going to do a trial? Who is the judge?”
“Mayor Mueller will be the chief judge, but the council and six citizens they have chosen will be the jury. Ted, of course, has been removed f
rom the proceedings.”
“How will it work? I mean does Kenny get a lawyer?”
Anne shrugged. “Buck Fredrickson is going to speak for Kenny from what I understand and Deputy McDaniels is going to act as the prosecutor.”
That news made me feel a little better. McDaniels, especially in the state he had kept himself, wouldn’t be able to build a good case against anyone. But Buck’s involvement didn’t sit well with me.
“Buck?” I asked. “Is he really the best choice? I mean, just yesterday he opened fire on a bunch of men on the bridge.”
“And he isn’t in trouble from the council, is he? He must have showed them why it was in the town’s best interest to kill those men.”
“Okay, you have a point,” I conceded.
People were milling about the library as word had spread of the trial. Ted was standing at the top of the steps talking with several men, including my dad. I waved at him and he waved for me and Anne to come join him.
We worked our way up the steps and waited until the men who would serve as the jury had filed into the building.
“I’ve saved some seats, we better get in there, it will fill up soon,” Ted said as he turned to us.
“Seats?” I asked.
“Come on,” Ted said.
When I passed through the doors, I couldn’t believe the changes that had been made to the main room of the library. Dozens of chairs had been set up in rows all facing the far end of the building. All of the bookshelves and tables had been moved to the side. I never even imagined they could be moved, although it made sense. They had seemed like permanent fixtures. But with them cleared away, an enormous room was revealed.
At the far end, several long folding tables were set up. One had six chairs sitting behind it. Two other tables were set up facing it. Six chairs were set to the side. That was where the jury would sit.
Behind the tables that were for the prosecution and defense, there was a barricade of library carts. Ted led us up to the third row, where he had saved three seats for us. The building was filling up as people realized they would have to be seated before it began to have any chance of watching what was happening.
Mayor Mueller came out of a door near the head of the room and looked at the table he and the rest of the council would sit behind. He walked behind it and sat down. He looked out toward the crowd and nodded. It apparently met his approval. He walked to the doorway he had appeared from and motioned to the others inside. Soon the entire council had seated themselves behind the long table in the front and the citizen jury had taken their seats along the side of the court.
The seating around us had filled up when the Mayor had appeared and soon there was a commotion near the back of the room.
I turned to see several men furious there didn’t seem to be any seats left. Some people were urging the doors be shut, but as warm as it was already in the room, I didn’t think that was a good idea.
A series of loud bangs quieted the room and shifted everyone’s focus on the mayor. He stood with his gavel in his hand and waited a few seconds for the crowd to settle down.
“This court is now in order. I will hear of no outburst from anyone tonight. Anyone who disturbs this proceeding will be escorted from the building with no warning.”
Murmurs started through the crowd and Mayor Mueller again banged the gavel three times.
“We the council and the jury must be able to hear the case. If it becomes impossible to hear, then we will clear the library of all observers. So please, I beg you, just watch and remain silent.”
The mayor stood and watched until he was satisfied the low buzz of quiet conversations would not increase in volume.
“Today we are here to determine the fate of Kenneth Jackson in the case of the death of Brent Talley. The prosecution will make its case to the council and jury, then the defense. The prosecution will then be able to make its final plea, and then the defense. After we have heard everything, the council and the jury will meet to make a final decision as to what the verdict is and, if guilty, what the punishment shall be. Let us begin.”
From the side door, Kenny, Buck and McDaniels walked into the court and took their seats behind the tables prepared for them. The murmurs started and the mayor banged his gavel and stood up.
Once it had quieted, Mayor Mueller motioned for the deputy to begin speaking.
McDaniels was wearing one of his clean uniforms for a change, and it looked like he had washed and combed his hair for this event.
“Well Mayor Mueller, I didn’t have much time to prepare my case, seeing as how Jackson there wanted a speedy trial. But as luck would have it, I don’t have much of a case to prepare. We have a confession from Jackson. He gave it willingly and repeatedly. He killed Brent Talley in cold blood, and was found sitting under the dead body early this morning.
“And I might want to remind all of you that he has a long history of criminal activity. He was an admitted thief, he sold and used drugs, he attacked people, he engaged the services of prostitutes and he has served time in jail for the assault of a police officer. Now that the rules of civilization have crumbled, who knows what a man like that is capable of? If we don’t end him here, and I want to be perfectly clear that I am talking for his execution, then we will have a lawless killer locked up taking up our precious and hard earned resources.
“There is no use in talking about his guilt, but I do want the council and the jury to think hard about what we should do about those who don’t follow what we all understand to be the law. To kill another man, for whatever reason, makes you a murderer. And a murderer cannot be allowed to walk free. And yet, in our current circumstances, we can’t afford to keep someone locked up. He should be taken out and killed tonight.”
McDaniels gave an awkward small bow toward the table with the council and returned to his seat. He wore a smile that conveyed the idea of smug satisfaction and leaned back in his chair as the mayor gaveled the courtroom back into order.
“He didn’t score a single hit,” Anne said. “He would have had a better chance if he had just kept his mouth shut.”
I agreed, but didn’t want to add to the general noise, so I nodded and smiled at her.
When I looked back at the court, Buck had already stood and had moved to the center of the space between the council and the jury. Instead of facing either collection of men and women, however, he turned and faced the audience at the trial.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the council and jury, let there be no mistake, Kenneth Jackson killed Brent Talley and left his body to be found by the whole town. Those facts are not in dispute. However, what we must consider is the type of man Kenny is and why he did what he undeniably did.
“Deputy McDaniels is right about Kenny’s past. In fact, I heard about his past in the same place Deputy McDaniels did. Right from the pulpit of the Freewill Baptist Church on the night Kenny was baptized. He told his whole story that night. Confessed his sins against God and man and asked for forgiveness. God forgave him of his past that night, and so did I.
“But his past isn’t really what is at issue here. What is at issue is Quod est necessarium est licitum, which means what is necessary is lawful. I know the council is familiar with this term as I used it to justify myself and the other men on the Carter’s Creek Bridge yesterday. We fired on those who would seek to destroy and dominate us from the outside. Those men would rule us with fear and sow seeds of mistrust and suspicion. That, more than anything, would destroy us and make us slaves to the most powerful man. We would seek him out for protection, hoping that being in his good grace, he would not turn his gaze upon our possessions and our lives.
“And that type of villain is exactly what Brent Talley was. I’m not glad to see him dead, but he was determined to walk down a path of evil. He would take whatever he wanted, without regard for personal privacy or need. He was caught with medicine, tools, jewelry and food. He was sowing the seeds of mistrust and suspicion. He was the barbarian, not at our gates, bu
t living within our midst.
“Kenny saw this danger. Saw it as clearly as you see the danger that no wells, or no latrines, or no food pose to us. He knew it had to be dealt with. He knew if he had waited, others who did not recognize this danger for what it was, would seek to turn their face from the duty that was necessary for our survival.
“Kenny did not run. He did not hide. He was open about what he did and why he did it. He does not seek mercy, he only seeks justice. We are safer with Brent Talley dead and Kenny among us. We are safer with a protector having killed a predator.”
Buck turned back to the council, his voice still booming so all in the library could hear him.
“But is that all that is on trial here? Kenny’s protection of the town? No. This trial is also about the responsibility we all have to help Kenton survive the current crisis. Kenny has worked the fields. He has helped people create the hand mills we will need when we harvest the wheat and corn. He has dug graves, he has dug wells, and he has put his hand to work where ever it was needed. And late last night, his hand was needed to protect this town from criminals.
“Our only representative of the law enforcement community has shown no interest in protecting us. He has had criminal behavior reported to him and has chosen to ignore the issue. He has spent most of his time five miles from this spot, smoking weed, sleeping with women, and being drunk. He is the arm of the law? No. Kenny is the arm of the law. He saw a need and put his hand to work. He did what needed to be done and I ask the council and the jury to do likewise. If you don’t think he should be here, then by all means, send him away. But don’t for a minute think any of you will be safer with him gone.”
Buck looked out at the audience, shot a withering look at McDaniels, and sat down next to Kenny behind the defendant’s table.
The deputy didn’t even wait for the mayor to tell him it was his turn. He jumped to his feet and started talking before he had even worked his way from behind his table.