“I don’t just think it. I’m sure of it. I’ve been looking for you for a long time.” Barker knew that Johnny was confused and hurt.
“Yeah? I wasn’t hiding anywhere.” Johnny felt as if an iron band was squeezing his chest.
“I came through Oklahoma City six or seven years ago and wondered what had ever happened to the girl, Dorene. I knew, even at age eighteen, that she would have had a bad end. I think I felt a little responsible for it.”
“Lookin’ for more of the same?” Johnny said nastily. “I’m surprised if she didn’t give you the clap.”
“My wife was in the hospital at the time and being with a whore was the last thing on my mind. From the tavern where she had worked I learned that Dorene had a boy who was part-Indian. I couldn’t do anything about finding you then. But after my wife died, I sent a detective to find the last man Dorene lived with. He told us that Dorene talked about her life when she knew that she was dying. She told him that the father of her son was an Indian kid. She wanted to see her boy, but knew that he was better off with her husband.” This being so important to him caused Barker to speak hurriedly and in jerky sentences.
Johnny turned his back and looked off across the prairie. He wiped a hand across his face. This was something he didn’t want to deal with. He had put the circumstances of his birth behind him, and he wanted to know nothing about the man who had sired him.
“Didn’t you ever wonder about your father?”
Johnny turned. His eyes bored into those of the other man.
“I didn’t have to wonder. I was told up until the time I was big enough to fight that my mother was a whore and that my father was a drunk Indian, a blanket-ass, a dirty redskin, a dog eater, or anything else anyone could think of to make me feel dirty and worthless. No, I never wanted to lay eyes on the son of a bitch.”
Barker winced at the raw hurt in his voice. “Was it so bad for you?”
Johnny ignored the question. “The best man I ever knew was Ed Henry, Dorene’s husband. He gave me my name and a roof over my head. He taught me to love horses, how to fix a car, and how to be responsible for my actions. He suspected that I was Cherokee and even told me to be proud of my people. For the short time I was with him, he taught me a hell of a lot.”
“I’d like to meet him.”
“He’s dead.”
“Do you want to know about me, my family—?”
“Hell no! Why should I? You mean nothing to me. Nothing is changed. I’ve made my own path up to now and will make it alone from now on.”
“I found your birth certificate in the courthouse in Oklahoma City. Dorene listed me as the father of a boy born April 15, 1913. I’ll get a copy if you want to see it.”
“I don’t.”
“I would like for you to come to Elk City and meet your half sisters, your brother, and your grandfather.”
“Listen, mister, let’s get something straight. I’ve gotten along without you for twenty-five years. As far as I’m concerned, you are like a bull that serviced a heifer. There is no more connection between you and me than between that bull and the calf.”
“There is, but I’ll not intrude in your life if I’m not welcome. I wanted you to know that you have a family, blood ties; and if you ever need us, we are there.”
“What I need is to get to town and get my truck. I’ve got chores to do at home.”
“All right. Get in.”
They drove into town in silence. Not a word was exchanged until they neared the alley behind the
Gazette
, and Johnny said, “Stop here.”
As soon as the car stopped, Johnny got out.
“This has been a shock to you, as it was to me when I first heard about it. I’m leaving for Elk City tomorrow, but I’ll keep in touch.” Barker spoke while Johnny was getting his saddle out of the backseat.
“Suit yourself.” Johnny hoisted the saddle to his shoulder and walked down the alley toward his truck.
• • •
Kathleen began work on her story for the magazine after she had washed her hair. She needed to wash all of her underwear, but it wouldn’t do to hang it outside on the line on Sunday. She washed a couple pairs of panties and her hose and hung them in the bathroom.
Clara had come home in the middle of the morning. She was in a foul mood. Kathleen could hear her arguing with her mother and tried not to let their voices distract her as she sat before her typewriter.
With effort she dragged her mind away from the time she had spent with Johnny. For her it had been wonderful. She would treasure the memory of his kisses forever. For just a small moment in time they had been the only people in the world. He had said that he had thought about her since he met her on the highway; yet, when he said it, it was as if she were a thorn in his hide. How would he act when she saw him again? He had promised to go with her to Red Rock. Surely he’d not back out on the promise.
Kathleen forced herself to go back to the story she was writing. After reading the last few pages of the manuscript, she began to type.
Durango wakened with a start. Someone was trying to get into his ranch house. He eased open the barn door and saw a shadowy figure. “Put your hands up, stranger. No funny business or you’ll get both barrels.” The stranger turned and the moonlight shone on her face. Durango gasped, “Oh, my God. Hallie, little sister. Is it you?” He shoved his gun into his holster. He—
Kathleen yanked the page from the typewriter, turned it over, and tried to start again. But the words wouldn’t come. Johnny’s face intruded into her mind’s eye. She felt the roughness of his cheeks and the softness of his lips when he kissed her. Why had this man become so important to her?
Pressed by the magazine deadline, Kathleen determinedly brought her mind back to Durango and Hallie.
He ran to her and lifted her in his arms when she sagged against him. “Help me, brother. Hide me—”
It was no use. This wasn’t the direction she wanted the story to go. Kathleen stood up and walked to the window. It was late afternoon and she had written only two pages. To meet her deadline she had to write eight pages on Sunday and at least eight pages during the week. So far she was behind schedule.
Today Johnny was going to drive the horses and cattle back to Keith McCabe’s ranch. Kathleen wondered how he was able to get back into the saddle after the beating his body had taken. He was hurting last night.
Johnny, Johnny, get out of my mind!
Kathleen started to turn from the window when she saw a car pull up in front of the house and stop. Why in the world was Mr. Fleming coming here? Kathleen opened the door and stepped out on the porch. He got out of the car, came up the walk to the porch, and removed his hat before he spoke.
“Miss Dolan, I hope you don’t mind that I took the liberty to find out where you lived.”
“Is something wrong, Mr. Fleming?”
“No emergency. I’m leaving in the morning, and I wanted to talk to you. Are you free to take a short ride with me? We could have dinner later.”
“I’m not dressed to go out for dinner, but I can go for a short ride. I’ll get a jacket.”
Kathleen opened the door of her wardrobe and reached for a jacket. It was not there. She looked to see if it had dropped on the floor and checked to see if something had been hung over it. She didn’t find it, so she put her coat around her shoulders and went back to the porch to find Clara talking to Barker.
“You from around here?”
“No.”
“I saw you at the rodeo.”
“I saw you, too.”
“Ya did?”
“Yes, ma’am. You should be more careful of the company you keep.”
“There’s nothin’ wrong with Marty.” Clara said belligerently. “Bet he’s got more money than you got, and he’s got a town named after his granddaddy.”
“Are you ready to go, Miss Dolan?” Barker said.
“I’m ready.” Kathleen ignored Clara and stepped off the porch.
“You’ll not have no fun with
her
,” Clara called.
Barker opened the car door for Kathleen. When she was settled, he went to the driver’s side and got under the wheel. Clara was still standing on the porch.
“I would move out of that house, but I don’t think that she’ll stay long. She comes and goes.”
“She sure tore into Johnny yesterday.”
“Yes, and he’s tried to be a friend to her because he feels sorry for her mother and little girl. The only reason I stay there is because her mother needs the money from renting the room.”
Barker turned south. He drove slowly along a dirt road.
“I helped drive McCabe’s stock back to his ranch this morning. I got back a little while ago.”
“Johnny told me last night they were driving the stock back. It’s a long ride.”
“Nice folks, the McCabes. I’m glad Johnny has such good friends.”
Kathleen didn’t know what to say to that, so she remained silent.
After a while Barker said, “I like to drive. I do my best thinking when I’m driving or riding a horse.”
“That’s funny,” Kathleen turned to look at him. “So do I.”
“See those buildings over there?” Barker pointed in the distance. “That’s Johnny’s ranch. Have you ever been there?”
“No. How did you know where it was?”
“I asked my friend, Judge Fimbres. He looked it up in the tax book.”
“Why were you interested? Oh, I’m sorry. That was a rude question.”
“I want to tell you.” Barker pulled the car to the side of the road and stopped. He took off his hat and placed it on the seat between them. He looked at her until she met his eyes before he spoke. “I’m Johnny’s father.”
The silence was loaded with surprise and almost disbelief.
“Johnny doesn’t know?” Kathleen asked when she was finally able to speak.
“He does now. I told him a little while ago.”
“I don’t know much about his background. His sister is married to my Uncle Tom. I knew that they had the same mother but different fathers.”
“I met Johnny’s mother, Dorene, in Oklahoma City. I was a stupid undisciplined kid of eighteen who thought he knew all that was worth knowing. I’m Johnny’s father. My name is on his birth certificate.”
“This is the first Johnny knew about you?”
“He didn’t want to believe it. He’s had a rough time and doesn’t want me intruding in his life.”
“He’s shocked. After he thinks about it, he might change his mind.”
“I’m afraid that he won’t. The funny thing about it is that I understand how he feels. It’s the way I would have felt.”
“Johnny is a son you can be proud of. My Uncle Hod Dolan was in the Federal Bureau. He called on Johnny to help him trace the movements of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow that resulted in the ambush that killed them. Uncle Hod thinks the world of Johnny.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” They didn’t talk for a few minutes. Barker looked toward the distant buildings. “Do you care for Johnny?”
“I like him very much,” Kathleen said, keeping her face turned away.
“I think he’s on the verge of falling in love with you.”
Kathleen’s head swiveled around. “Why do you say that?”
“He’s concerned for you, watches you when you’re not looking. He was embarrassed yesterday that you were there when he had the set-to with that couple.”
“It wasn’t his fault.”
“I’ll be back down here in a week or two. In the meanwhile, if you should want to contact me, I’ll be in Elk City.”
“I don’t think it will be necessary. I’ll probably not see Johnny until next Sunday. We had planned to go over to Red Rock to see his sister and my Uncle Tom.”
Barker started the car. “I wanted you to know about my being Johnny’s father should there be something you could do to help him come to terms with it.”
“He might never mention it to me. He’s a very private person.”
“It’s his Cherokee blood.” Barker looked at her and smiled for the first time.
“It’s what makes him so handsome, too,” Kathleen said, and smiled back.
Barker turned into a crossroad preparing to turn around and head back to town. A string of calves were crossing the road. Coming up out of the gully behind them was Johnny on horseback. He turned his head toward them, looked briefly, then put his heels to his mount. Johnny and the calves he was driving disappeared in a gully.
“Lordy. That put the hair on the cake,” Barker explained. “He’ll think I’m out here spying on him.”
Kathleen couldn’t have said anything if her life had depended on it. All she could think of was that at one time Johnny had thought that Barker was her boyfriend. What would he think now after seeing them together on a lonely road near his ranch?
“Let’s go back to town.” Kathleen’s heart felt like a rock in her breast. “He’ll think whatever he wants to think.”