Night Journey (21 page)

Harry nodded. “You shouldn’t be angry with her. Ma taught me to try to see the good in everybody. No matter how mean and ornery they are, you can always find a little spark of
something
to redeem them.”

“Oh, Harry. Now I know why I like you so much. You always make me smile.” Ivy leaned over and kissed him and his heart skipped a beat.

He wanted to keep on kissing her, but she resumed the conversation. “Do you have any brothers or sisters? I’m an only child.”

“I had a little sister named Denver.” Harry’s voice broke at the memory. “I was almost seventeen by the time she came along. I’ll never forget the night she was born. We was livin’ in Oklahoma and she came right smack in the middle of the worst dust storm I ever seen. Ma had already lost so many other babies, we all figured this would be just one more to bury. But Denver made it through and she was like a ray of sunshine in a dark, bitter world.”

“You lived in Oklahoma?”

“Yeah. Pa lost his farm at Siloam Springs in 1933 when he couldn’t pay the mortgage. We’d had a real good crop that year and made a nice profit. But Pa put all the money in the bank and then it failed. We lost every last cent we had, ‘cept for Ma’s butter and egg money.”

Ivy’s green eyes flashed in the moonlight and Harry heard the anger in her voice. “Did they sell your father’s farm at auction?”

“Yeah, somebody from up north bought it. People who still had money snapped up all the farms real cheap.”

Ivy hung her head. “I know someone who took advantage of people like your parents and I hate him for it—especially now that I’ve heard your story.”

“Don’t hate anybody, Ivy.” Harry lightly touched his finger to her lips. “It just hardens your heart—that’s what my Ma used to say.”

“I wish I’d known her. Would you tell me what happened to your folks and Denver?”

Harry sighed. “Well, after my folks lost their place, we went to Texas and did share-cropping in the cotton fields. It was hard, dirty work, but we were lucky to get it. Then, we ran into some trouble with the owner and we had to pick up and leave. That’s when we moved to Oklahoma.”

“And that’s when Denver came along?”

“Yep. But it was real hard to make a living there. No rain, nothing but sand and dust and tumbleweeds. The people who’d lived there before us had plowed the life out of the soil, and left nothin’ for us. We couldn’t get hardly anything to grow. And I think those constant dust storms just aggravated my Ma and Pa’s lungs, ‘cause a couple of months after we got there they both started coughing real bad.”

“Did they have consumption?”

Harry nodded. “Later on they found out they had tuberculosis. They got so sick they could hardly work, so they decided to go to California, hoping for a better climate. The three of ‘em piled everything we owned in an old Model T and they headed west. I went the other direction, looking for work. But there just wasn’t any work to be had anywhere.”

“How did you stay in touch?”

“It wasn’t easy, but we managed. There’s a whole network in the hobo world, so every time I was able to make a couple of dollars, I’d send it to ‘em. They was livin’ in these little shanty towns here and there, but it wasn’t a healthy way for grown-ups to live, let alone a child.” Tears threatened and he turned his head, but not before Ivy saw them.

“Oh, Harry. I’m sorry. If this is too hard on you, please stop.”

“No, it needs telling.” Harry took a deep breath and continued. “I completely lost touch with ‘em for a while. I asked everybody I saw about ‘em, but nobody seemed to know what happened. Then one day, a train conductor heard about my searching and he gave me a letter he’d been carrying around for several months. It turned out they’d all been moved to a TB sanitarium in Arizona. Even little Denver.”

“Did you go see them?”

“No. The conductor gave me another letter from the TB hospital’s office. They told me I’d have to join the CCC. I could go and work for the government, and if I wanted my family to stay in the hospital, I’d have to send all but five dollars a month to my family for their care. Well, that sounded like manna from heaven, I can tell you. A job, room and board, and the knowledge that my family was being cared for. I couldn’t believe my good luck.”

“Did you ever get to visit them?”

Harry hung his head. “No. I was too far away. They sent me to a camp up in South Dakota for a couple of years. I really liked the work and it sure took the pressure off, knowing where my folks were. We wrote lots of letters back and forth. I even saved up my money and sent Denver a little doll with a china head for Christmas one year. But I never got to see any of them again.”

“So how did you get back to Arkansas?”

“When my first term was up, I decided to re-enlist and I requested Northwestern Arkansas. I decided to take a leave of absence and go down to Arizona. But when I got there, they were all gone. Denver had come down with diphtheria and Ma and Pa just gave up after she died. They were too sad to write and tell me about it. They were both sick, but I think her passing was just too much for ‘em and they lost their will to live— now there ain’t nobody but me.” His voice cracked and he turned away again.

“Oh, Harry. Please don’t be sad,” Ivy pulled his face toward her and stared into his eyes. “You’ll always have me.”

Harry couldn’t believe what she’d just said. “That’s the sweetest thing anybody’s ever said to me.” He pulled her into his arms and held her, fighting back the tears. He wasn’t usually so emotional. She returned his embrace and he thought he would die from the sheer joy of her touch. “I know we don’t know each other very well. I know we just met a few days ago, but…” His tongue became dry and he couldn’t get the words out.

“What is it?” She searched his face and his whole body quivered beneath her gaze.

“Would you…I mean, do you think…” The words refused to come. She would think he was crazy. They barely knew each other, yet he felt like he’d known her forever.

“Say it,” she insisted. “I want to hear you say it.”

Harry felt his pulse throb in his temples and he fought for the courage to say what was in his heart. He gazed into her eyes, took a deep breath, and took the plunge. “I’m in love with you Ivy—will you marry me?”

Dear God, he’d said it and he knew he’d die right then and there if she said no. His thoughts fragmented, suddenly worrying about how he could take care of a wife, with no money or home or car or…anything. “I mean, I know I don’t have any money right now, but I promise I’ll work hard—and I’ll do anything to make you happy and…”

“Yes, Harry.”

Harry looked confused. “What?”

“I said yes. Yes, yes, yes!” Ivy exclaimed and threw her arms around his neck. “I don’t care about money. I don’t care that we only met two days ago. It wouldn’t make any difference to me if it were two years. I know how I feel about you and it’s never going to change. I’m in love with you too. All I care about is you.”

Harry stood up, whooped like an Indian on the warpath, and picked Ivy up from the blanket. He twirled her around and then kissed her long and deep. He’d made his wish on the falling star and it had just come true.

“Hm, looks like the two of you are getting along just fine,” said Tyme. She stood beside Clyde, with her blanket under one arm and her other hand on her hip. Clyde ran his hands through his hair and then nuzzled the back of Tyme’s neck.

“Harry and I are getting married!” Ivy squealed with delight and Harry grinned.

“My, my you shore do work fast,” remarked Clyde, as he reached down and scooped up the other blanket. “Wagon’s about to leave. Gotta go. Sarge’s gonna be waitin’ for us in town.”

“Congratulations, you two,” Tyme hugged them both, then turned to Ivy. “Your Papa’s gonna blow a head-gasket.”

“I know,” giggled Ivy. “We need to keep it a secret for now.”

“Mum’s the word.”

Harry’s hand was gentle yet firm when he helped Ivy climb back into the wagon, protecting her as if she were made of fragile Dresden china. He couldn’t believe he’d just become engaged to the sweetest, most beautiful, most wonderful, most—he couldn’t think of words good enough to describe her—woman in the world. He tried not to think about Sarge, who would be waiting in town to take him and Clyde back to camp. Away from his betrothed. Hm. He’d never used that word before, but he liked the way it sounded.

Ivy’s eyes glistened in the moonlight as Harry climbed in beside her and pulled her close. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Clyde and Tyme had covered themselves with their blanket, even though the night was warm and balmy. Someone near the front of the wagon pulled out a harmonica and began to play the sweet sad melody of
Barbry Allen
. A girl beside the harp player sang the words, her voice low and quivery and poignant.

“Twas in the merry month of May;

When green buds were a swellin’;

Sweet William on his death bed lay;

For the love of Barbry Allen…”

Harry leaned back and relaxed, cuddling Ivy while he listened to the haunting verses of the ancient love song. The wagon trudged back down the twisting mountain road, the mules snorting and shaking their heads when a pair of deer stepped out of the woods and crossed in front of the wagon. A hoot owl swooped to the ground somewhere behind them, grabbed something in its mouth, and flew away.

“When he lay dead and in his grave;

She heard the death bells nellin’;

And every stroke to her did say;

Hard-hearted Barbry Allen…”

The world still turned on its axis and life went on as usual. But there was nothing routine about this day as far as Harry was concerned. His life had changed forever. He was getting married!

Harry’s spirits dropped when the wagon pulled into the parking area. He saw Sarge puffing on a cigarette and leaning against his old jalopy at the designated meeting place. It was time to say good-bye to Ivy. He took her in his arms and kissed her one last time, just as the girl was ending her song.

“They grew and grew in the old church yard;

Till they could grow no higher;

At the end they formed a true lovers’ knot;

And the rose grew ‘round the briar.”

Ivy gazed at the view from the third-floor hospital balcony, wishing she was anywhere but here. She hated this place; hated her mother’s disregard for her time; hated all the wasted hours as she waited for Winifred to appear.

Visiting her mother had become strained over the past three weeks. Ever since Winifred had met Harry, an icy wall of mistrust had sprung up between them. Even though Harry had urged her to be more understanding, she had found it impossible. She just wanted to say hello and leave.

“Mrrrr.”

Ivy stared in amazement when a big gray tomcat jumped into her lap. He gazed at her with intelligent green eyes, circled once, and then made himself comfortable.

“Now where did you come from, pretty boy?” Charmed by the friendly animal, Ivy began to relax as she stroked the velvety softness of his fur. The cat rewarded her by stretching up to rub his head against her forehead and purring.

Such a beautiful, unusual cat. He had gray tabby stripes, and a spotted underbelly, somewhat like a lynx. The hair on his ears tapered into long pointed tips and his tail was bobbed. His feet were large, with extra toes on each foot.

“What
is
that creature in your lap?” Winifred’s horrified voice startled both Ivy and the cat.

“Hello, Mama. I hope you’re feeling better.” Ivy stroked the cat to reassure him. “Isn’t he beautiful? He must belong to someone here at the hospital—sweet kitty cat.” She murmured softly, running her fingernails down his spine. The cat purred louder and lifted the angle of his backside.

“That is hardly a normal cat,” remarked Winifred, her eyes narrowed and her expression grew wary. “It’s much too big and wild looking. It looks like a bobcat to me. You should put it down before it hurts you.”

“Oh, don’t be so silly…”

Suddenly Ivy heard dogs barking and the thump of huge feet drawing near. The cat heard it too and instantly tensed, arched its back, and flattened its ears. His green eyes flashed, and his gray fur stood at attention, while his half tail frizzed into a ball. Two gigantic, slobbering brown heads poked themselves between the arms of Ivy’s rocker and proceeded to bark insults at the cat.

The cat hissed and growled, displaying its fangs and claws as a warning to the dogs. Then like a flash, it leaped straight up from Ivy’s lap, landed on the balcony railing, and was gone. The Saint Bernards went berserk, running around in circles, trying to figure out what had happened. They raced back inside the building, bumping into Winifred as they went.

“Goodness gracious.” Winifred clutched her chest and sank into a rocking chair. “Such a shock. I think I might just faint!”

“Oh, for goodness sakes. You make such a drama out of everything.”

Winifred ignored Ivy’s comment. “What a terrible racket those animals make. And I thought they were going to trample me. It’s quite disturbing to have creatures the size of ponies running free all the time. Dr. Baker really needs to do something about it.”

Ivy rolled her eyes. “Here, Mama. Let me get you something to drink.” She reached for a pitcher of lemonade on a nearby table and poured a glass.

“Thank you, dear.” Winifred sipped, took several deep breaths and managed to compose herself. “I’m so looking forward to going home.”

“You’re going home? When?”

“On Monday. Dr. Baker has agreed to discharge me.”

“Why, that’s wonderful. So you’re cured?”

“Dr. Baker says my tumor is almost gone. I’m doing much better now, but I’ll need to continue taking my treatments at home for a while. He has graciously allowed me to purchase some of his wonderful medicine to take with me.”

“Is Papa coming to get you?”

“Yes, and Ivy—your father wants you to come home with us.”

“What?” Ivy froze. She wasn’t ready to go home with her parents. In fact, she knew she never would be ready. All she wanted was to be with Harry. “I can’t go home now. Tyme needs my help in the store.”

“Tyme will get along very nicely without you. You need to have all your things packed and ready to go on Monday morning.”

“But Mama—Papa said I could stay here all summer.”

Winifred frowned. “That was before you started running around all over creation with that Harry person. And Tyme has been an utter disappointment to her brother—again…”

“Mama!”

“Don’t deny it, young lady. This is a small town. People talk, you know.” Winifred folded her arms and glared at Ivy. “I’ve heard it all—in sordid detail.”

Ivy froze when she heard her mother’s words. The past three weeks had been the happiest of her life. She and Tyme had worked out a system to meet with Harry and Clyde each weekend, and her time with Harry had been magical. The guys always stayed at Doc Pruett’s farm and met with Ivy and Tyme in the evenings. Both couples had gone to the movies, gone dancing, and taken long walks in the moonlight. But never once had Harry crossed the line of propriety.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to go back to St. Louis.” She folded her arms and stared at her mother. “I don’t know what kind of stories you’ve been hearing about Harry, but I can assure you nothing improper has occurred.”

Winifred scowled at Ivy. “Your father and I think it will be better for you to be away from certain influences here. Everything will be much easier when we’re back in St. Louis.”

“I am not a child anymore,” Ivy raged. “Is this the only reason you’re going back? Because you don’t trust me?”

“No, Ivy. That’s not the only reason.” Her expression changed to worry and she wrung her hands. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure nobody else was listening and lowered her voice. “Your father is going through some financial difficulties at the moment and he needs your cooperation. What happens next could make a difference in whether we can afford to continue the treatment I need.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Jared has agreed to make certain investments in your father’s businesses. These investments are vital if your father is to avoid bankruptcy.” Winifred sighed and her voice took on a pitiful tone. “If your father loses all his money, I don’t know what will happen to me—or any of us, for that matter.”

Ivy felt the color drain from her face. “What do I have to do with it?”

“Jared was very hurt by the callous way you flung him aside. Your father and I are terrified that if he relinquishes his financial backing to your father’s businesses we’ll be ruined. We need you to come home and be nice to him. Please, just give it a try?” Winifred smiled hopefully at Ivy. “When everything gets back to normal, we can begin to plan your wedding.”

Ivy stared at her mother. She obviously lived in a dream world. She never thought about anyone else’s happiness except her own. Ivy knew it wouldn’t do any good to argue with her mother about Jared. She’d tried to explain that she and Jared would never get married, but her mother refused to understand. Further discussion would be futile.

And there were apparently spies here twisting the truth about her and Harry. She knew she had to be careful until she had a chance to talk with Tyme and figure out what to do.

“Well, I guess I should go back to Tyme’s and let her know I’ll be leaving.” Ivy stood, straightened her skirt, and put on her hat. “She’ll need to hire another shop girl to take my place, and I’ve got a lot to do before Monday.”

“All right dear.” Winifred’s smile lit up her face. “I’m so glad you understand.”

“Have you seen my cat?”

Ivy looked up in surprise at a tiny, elderly woman standing on the balcony. “Was he gray with a stubby tail?”

“Yes, that’s him. I’ve been searching for Bob everywhere.” The old woman hobbled toward the two women and offered her hand. “How do you do? I’m Theodora Hardcastle. Are you patients of Dr. Baker?”

“Glad to meet you Mrs. Hardcastle. My name is Winifred Turner and this is my daughter Ivy,” replied Winifred. “I’m a patient here, but I’ll be leaving in a few days.”

“Oh, that’s so nice for you. I hope Dr. Baker has success with me as well.” She glanced around the porch. “Did you see where he went?”

“I’m afraid Dr. Baker’s dogs chased him off,” said Ivy. “I think he might have gone up on the roof.”

“Humph. Lucky for those dogs.” Theodora craned her neck, trying to see up on the building’s turrets. “He wasn’t in the mood to fight today or he would have had them running for their lives.”

“I thought it looked more like a wild animal than a domestic cat,” said Winifred. “Do you think it’s safe to keep it around a lot of sick people?”

“Oh, he would never hurt a person,” replied Theodora. “He just doesn’t like dogs.”

“He seemed very friendly to me,” said Ivy. “What kind of a cat is he?”

“Well, his mama was a little gray tabby named Pixie. People don’t believe me when I tell them this,” said Theodora. Her eyes gleamed and her smile created even more wrinkles around her eyes. “Pixie got outside one day and I finally found her in the woods. Later on, she gave birth to a kitten. I believe that she mated with a bobcat, because how else would she produce a cat like Bob?”

Winifred sniffed and rose from her rocker. “I have never heard anything so ridiculous in my life. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go lie down for a while now. Ivy, I’ll see you on Monday.”

“It was very nice meeting you,” Theodora called to Winifred’s retreating figure.

Ivy turned to Theodora and said, “I’m sorry for my mother’s rudeness. I’d like to say she isn’t usually like that, but I’d be lying.”

“That’s all right, dear. I hope to see you again real soon.” Theodora smiled, patted Ivy on the shoulder, and went in search of Bob.

Ivy nodded, took one last look at the roof of the huge building and headed down the outside steps. Her mind whirled as she made her way through the hospital gardens and down the steep stone steps that descended into the town.

Ivy let herself into the dry goods store through the back door, surprised at how dark and cold it seemed. She glanced around, wondering why every window was shaded and the front door was locked. Then, to her surprise, she saw Tyme on her hands and knees in a corner of the back room. Goose bumps rose on her arms when she stepped into the frigid room. The electric lights flickered and buzzed.

“Tyme, what are you doing?”

But before Tyme could answer, Ivy stopped, frozen by the sight of a deathly pale, thin man standing in the opposite corner.

Ivy screamed. “Chauncey!”

Tyme looked up, startled by Ivy’s outburst. Chauncey’s head turned toward Ivy and her blood ran cold by the hatred in his gaze. He stared at her, and her knees buckled when she saw the pin in his lapel. She sank to the floor, overcome with terror.

Her eyes were riveted to the shining metal object on the jacket of his burial shroud. She’d seen that stickpin before. How could she ever forget the sight of the strange looking symbol—a dagger in front of a curved cross within a circle. Chauncey had worn it in his coffin. Now, seeing it again, she realized someone else she knew wore one too—Jared.

“Get out of here, you blasted monster!” Tyme shouted and hurled a pry bar at Chauncey’s ghost.

His expression showed surprise and then he disappeared. The heavy metal tool hit a display case and broke it, sending hats and bags flying in all directions.

Tyme grinned, dusted off her hands, and stood up. “It’s okay, honey. He’s gone now. He’s just like a cur dog. Throw somethin’ at him and he’ll turn tail and run.”

Ivy kept her eyes squinched tight and covered them with her hands, afraid to look up. “Are you sure? Is he really gone?”

“I’m sure. Come on and get up. I’ve got something to show you.”

Reluctantly, Ivy opened her eyes and gazed around the store, still shivering from the cold that hung in the air. When it seemed safe, she stood up and followed her aunt. In a far corner of the store’s back room was a hole in the floor. “What happened to the floor?

“I pried up the boards,” said Tyme. She put her hands on her hips and smiled. “I stubbed my toe while I was cleaning and that’s when I noticed the loose nail. And then when I looked a little closer, I saw that the boards were uneven. So I got a lever and pulled ‘em up to see what was down there.”

“What’s in there?” Ivy peered into the hole. She saw a bulging, burlap sack, covered with dust.

“I think it’s Chauncey’s treasure.” Tyme rolled her eyes when the lights flickered again. “I
said
go away. You’re dead, you moron. This isn’t gonna do you any good any more.”

“Is he going to start throwing things again?” Ivy’s pulse quickened. “Maybe we ought to leave right now.”

“Oh, no. That’s just what he wants us to do. I knew he had to have some money stashed somewhere. I’ve been searching for it for months and I’m not gonna run away now. He’s been prancin’ around like a killdeer protectin’ its nest every time I get too close, but I finally figured out his hiding place.” Tyme reached into the hole and tugged on the sack. “Here, help me pull it out.”

Ivy wrinkled her nose at the musty smell. The bag was heavy and awkward, but together they managed to lift it. A frisson of excitement coursed down her spine when she peered again into the hole. “Look! There’re two more.”

“That stingy bastard had even more money than I thought.” Tyme wiped dust off her face and prepared to haul out the other ones.

“Money? Is that what’s in these sacks?”

“I hope so.” Tyme grinned, reached into her pocket for a knife and cut open one of the bags. Stacks of neatly bound currency held together by rubber bands fell onto the floor. “By God, we’re rich!”

Tyme and Ivy laughed and giggled and hugged as they counted out the money, ignoring the growing coldness caused by Chauncey’s anger. They could hardly believe their eyes when they opened the other two bags, which held jewelry, watches, and coins, as well as more cash. Together, the three bags held ninety-three bundles of bills and they estimated that each bundle contained at least five thousand dollars.

“Ivy, can you believe it? The cash alone is worth almost a half a million dollars!” exclaimed Tyme.

“But where did it all come from?”

“Remember I told you Chauncey ran several speakeasies? He also had partnerships in some moonshine stills scattered here and there. There was a lot of money to be made in corn liquor, especially before the repeal of Prohibition. God only knows what else he was involved in. Judging by the other loot, I would guess he had some kind of fencing operation for stolen goods. I know some of those big-time Chicago gangsters would come around now and then, but he always banished me from the room when they were here.”

“But why did he hide it under the floorboards?”

“Well, he couldn’t exactly put it in the bank, could he? How’s a humble dry goods store owner gonna explain that kind of money to the Income Tax people?”

“Tyme, I’ve got a problem.” In all the excitement, Ivy’d almost forgotten about her mother’s ultimatum.

“What’s the matter, kiddo?”

Ivy related the story to Tyme about her earlier encounter with her mother. “What am I going to do about Harry?”

“I thought you two were gonna get married?”

“But we don’t have any money. Harry has to live at the camp and we don’t have any place to go. Where would I live?”

“Consider this a wedding present.” Tyme handed Ivy a bundle of currency.

“Oh, Tyme. Five thousand dollars? This is way too much.”