Summer envisioned the scene he described.
“And you know what? She’d actually been afraid to tell me. Afraid I wouldn’t want any part of it. Of her or the baby. Do you know who filled her head with that crap? I’ll give you three guesses.”
“Justin?”
“Bingo!”
“Oh, Steve…”
“She’d gone to him. They’d been friends since the third grade. She’d told him about the baby and wanted to know how he thought I’d take it. Know what he told her?” Steve asked, getting right in Summer’s face.
She shook her head, backing away. “No. What?”
“To have an abortion.” Steve paused and looked at Summer’s expression. “He told her that having my baby was going to ruin the rest of her life. He told her that I’d dump her when I found out, and that she’d be left to deal with it all on her own.”
Summer noticed the tick in Steve’s jaw as the anger rolled through him.
“Things between Justin and I had been difficult and strained, to say the least, but when I found that out, I think I started to hate him.”
Summer swallowed and braved it out. “He thinks you may have killed her. Out of jealousy.”
Steve backed her up against a stall. Staring down at her, his voice deep and low, he asked, “You really think I could have killed her? I loved her, for God’s sake! She was the mother of my child. Do you know what it did to me when I lost her?” He put his fist over his heart. “It tore my heart out.”
“He said you had a temper. That you hated her to even talk to him.”
“Yeah, I got pissed off, royally! Is that what you wanted to hear? He wouldn’t leave her alone. It was over between them, but he just wouldn’t let it go. She was my
wife
, damn it! What was I supposed to do, ignore it? He just wouldn’t quit. It’s not that I wouldn’t let her keep her friendship with him. Hell, she’d known him a lot longer than she’d known me. They’d grown up together. I wouldn’t have taken that away from her. But he wouldn’t leave it at friendship. He wanted her back. Was I supposed to just let him try and take her? And now she’s gone. Gone, Summer. For good.”
“I’m sorry, I…”
“Shit, everybody in town had to give their opinion on what they thought happened to her. It was the biggest buzz to ever hit this town. Kept the busybodies occupied for years. The accusations were flying from everywhere.” He stared down at Summer, his eyes narrowing. “It’s taken twelve long years, Summer. Twelve years, but the story has finally lost its gossip appeal. Jessie and I are finally getting over it. Don’t drag it all out again by questioning everybody in town about things that are none of your business anyway.”
“I…I just want to know…”
“Why?”
“Why?” she countered quizzically.
“Yeah. Why do you need to know what happened? Why’s it so important to you? You didn’t know her. You weren’t here at the time. Shit, you probably won’t be here come spring. So, why’s it so all-fired important to you to know about things that had nothing to do with you?”
She turned away, his words cutting deep.
Steve grabbed her arm and hauled her back. He lifted her chin and brought her face up to his. He saw the fear flash in her eyes a moment before she looked away. She didn’t trust him. The knowledge cut him, deeply.
“Why?”
Summer closed her eyes and wouldn’t look at him. “Because…”
He shook her. “I asked you why?”
“Because I think I’m falling in love with you,” she whispered.
He stared at her a long moment until she finally opened her eyes and looked up at him.
“That’d be a damn-fool thing for you to do, baby,” he whispered back, then he let her go, and stepped back.
She stood there, wide-eyed, the hurt showing in them unmistakably.
“A man wants his woman to believe in him, to have faith in him, not doubt his every word.”
“I don’t, I…”
“Don’t you? I can see it in your eyes. You’re not sure of me, and you don’t trust me.”
“I do, I…”
“Don’t! Don’t speak lies to me. I’ve never spoken one to you, whether you believe it or not, and I won’t have them between us now.” His eyes searched hers. “Be honest with yourself, Summer. You think it’s possible I may have murdered my wife. I really guess I shouldn’t blame you. I guess the way people see it I had a motive, just as much as Justin. But…I guess I expected more from you, baby. There’s no room for doubts between us. And there won’t be anything more between us, until you can come to me with trust in your eyes. If you have no faith in me, we’ve got nothing.”
At that, he turned, and strode from the barn.
Summer slid down the wall and there, sitting on the stall floor, she let the tears come.
*****
The next morning Summer was in the kitchen, dishing up breakfast. Steve and Cary came in the mudroom and began washing up. They came in, and Cary sat at the table.
Steve turned the radio from Summer’s country music station to the farm report, like he did every morning. He sat at the table, and she carried over a plate of biscuits.
They listened intently to the report, which included crop prices and weather forecasts. Summer didn’t pretend to understand it all.
“We need to wait another two weeks,” Steve said to Cary. “We need a good crop this year.”
“We need to bring it in now,” Cary argued back. “If the rains move in and stay, or an early frost hits us, the crop will be ruined.”
“That won’t happen.”
“You don’t know that.”
“If I bring it in now, I won’t get top dollar and even with top dollar, I’ll only break even.”
“What good will it do if there’s no crop left?”
Steve didn’t say anything. He forked up some hash brown potatoes and shoveled them into his mouth.
“Steve, if you lose the whole crop, you’ll be finished. You’ll lose everything.” Cary tried to reason with him.
“Don’t you think I know that?” Steve barked, throwing his fork down on his plate.
“It’s your decision, but…”
“Yes, it’s my decision, and I’ve made it, damn it!” Steve yelled, slamming his fist on the table.
Cary got up and stalked out.
Summer stood frozen, with the coffee pot in her hand. She looked from the door to Steve, but he was picking at his plate with his fork and wouldn’t look at her. She set the coffee pot back down and went after Cary. She found him standing out in the yard, lighting a cigarette.
When he saw her, he blew a pissed-off stream of smoke in the air, and said, “He’s a damn, mule-headed, stubborn cuss. He’s going to lose everything.”
Summer was taken aback, shocked by his words. “How can that be, Cary? I mean, there’s the money from the dairy cows, and…”
“Hell, Summer, the price of milk went through the floor back in May. Those damn cows of his are probably costing him more in feed and vet bills than what he’s making off their milk.”
“I…I had no idea.”
“Yeah, well, it’s bad. And he can’t afford to gamble. Not like this. Not on the weather of all things.”
The screen door creaked. They turned as Steve came out the door and down the steps. “Let’s go, we’ve got work to do,” he informed Cary.
Cary flung his cigarette in the air and stalked off toward the barn.
Summer grabbed Steve’s sleeve. “Wait, Steve. Please.”
He stopped, looking down at her. “This doesn’t concern you, Summer.”
“Steve, listen to me, please. You can’t afford to pay me, to feed me. I should go-”
“No!” he cut her off, then took a breath, and calmed down. “You’re not leaving, Summer. I need you here, okay? Things aren’t that bad. I just need to hang on until the crop is sold, then everything will be fine.”
“But, what Cary said…”
“Everything will be fine. Please believe me, for once. Okay?” Without waiting for an answer, he stalked off.
Chapter Seventeen
Sheriff’s Deputy Wilcox was parked on a side street off Main Street when he noticed Jessie Garrett walking down the street. She sure was a looker, just like her momma used to be. She was a long-legged filly, and he thought how he sure would like to get those legs wrapped around him.
As she got to Wilson’s Drug Store on the corner, the Garrett’s hired hand walked out and almost knocked her over. Wilcox watched as he grabbed her around the waist to keep her from falling over. They had a good laugh and talked for a while. Then the hired hand, Wilcox struggled to remember his name…McBride…that was it. Cary McBride leaned down, whispered something in her ear, and she smiled. McBride glanced around to see if anyone was watching, then he leaned down and kissed her, right on the mouth.
Wilcox watched as McBride walked away, and Jessie’s eyes followed him down the street, a smile on her face.
“Well, well, well…what do we have here? Seems like there’s a rooster in the hen house. Hmm? This information could be useful,” he said to himself. He waited until Jessie finished her shopping and returned to her car. Then he pulled out and followed her.
Jessie was driving down the highway, headed for home. It was a cool day, and she had her windows down, letting the breeze blow through her hair. She was about three miles from home, when she noticed flashing lights come on behind her. She swore and pulled to the side of the road. She turned to dig through her purse for her license, and was startled when the officer banged his hand on the roof. She jumped, and glanced up, and she thought she heard something make a thudding sound on the floor in the backseat.
“Well, well, Miss Garrett. We meet again.”
He had the sun to his back, and she shaded her eyes to see him. It was the deputy that had caught her with the fake ID. Shit. “I…I didn’t think I was speeding, Officer,” she said, handing him her license.
He glanced at it, looked at her, and then his eyes strayed to the back seat of her car. “Step out of the car, ma’am,” he ordered. Jessie got out, not knowing what for. He pointed into the backseat and asked her, “What’s that?”
She leaned over to look at what he was pointing at. There was something on the floor. It appeared to be about the size of a brick and was wrapped in plastic wrap. “I…I don’t know what that is.”
He opened the car door, reached in, and picked it up. He held it up in front of her and smelled it. “Well, well, well. Look what we have here. Looks like about a pound of marijuana.”
“What? It’s not mine. I swear. I don’t know how it got there,” Jessie protested, starting to panic.
“Darlin’, is this your car?”
“Yes, but…”
“So, you’re driving around with drugs in your car, but you don’t know how they got there. Is that your story?”
“Yes, no…I mean it’s my car, but I’ve never seen that before.” She pointed to the drugs.
“You swear that’s the truth?”
“Yes, I swear.”
“Well, maybe you and I can come to some sort of an agreement. I’d hate to see someone go to jail, when they’re innocent. But, unfortunately, sometimes, innocent people do time for crimes they didn’t commit. It’s a sad thing, but it happens. You know, I noticed your hired hand, McBride was in town earlier.”
“Yes. What about him?”
“He has a speeding problem, too. I’d hate to stop him and find out he’s got drugs like this in his vehicle, too. Just like we found here, today.”
“I don’t understand,” Jessie said.
“Let me clear it up for you. You wouldn’t want me to stop your ‘friend’ and find drugs in his truck, would you?”
“No, but Cary doesn’t do drugs.”
“If I say I found these drugs in his truck, it’d be my word against his. And Judge Harper is real tough on drug dealers. You see his son died of an overdose. So, he has a tendency to sentence anyone who comes before him to the maximum penalty. I’d say this much dope, he’d probably get ten years, easy.” He smiled. “Are you beginning to understand, Jessie?”
“What…what is it you want?” Jessie asked softly, beginning to see just how corrupt this guy was.
He stepped closer to her and ran the back of his index finger down her cheek. “You sure are a pretty little thing. Just like your momma used to be. I knew your momma. Did you know that?”
Jessie shook her head, a sick feeling forming in her stomach.
“I think you and I can come to an arrangement, Jessie. And if you’re real nice, nothing bad will happen to Mr. McBride. Okay?” He paused, waiting for her answer. “I said, okay?” his voice dropped menacingly.
She nodded.
“There’s a little motel out on Highway 17, half way to Clarksville. It’s called The Sunset. You meet me there tomorrow at four. Room 108.” He opened the car door for her and gestured for her to get in. Once she did, he closed the door and leaned inside. “Don’t be late, now.”
He walked back to his squad car, taking the drugs with him. Jessie started her car and drove away. Her hands were shaking, and she felt like she was going to vomit. Would he really do those things he threatened? If he planted drugs in Cary’s truck, whom would they believe, a cop or Cary? She knew the answer to that.
That evening, Jessie was in the kitchen, helping Summer with dinner. She took a pan of biscuits out of the oven. As she slid them onto a plate, all she could think about was what the deputy had said to her. She stared off into space.
“Jessie!” Summer said her name.
Jessie turned and looked at Summer blankly. “Hmm?”
“Boy, you really were off in dreamland. Here, honey. Can you carry this to the table?” Summer handed Jessie a large ceramic bowl of steaming mashed potatoes. “And then call your dad in for dinner.”
Jessie carried the bowl into the dining room and set it down with the rest of the food. Then she went outside, and yelled from the back steps to where he was bent over working on one of the tractors. “Dinner’s ready!”
Steve looked up. “I’ll be right in, honey.”
She turned and walked back into the house. She helped Summer carry drinks into the dining room, and they sat down. A few moments later they could hear Steve come in the backdoor and stop to wash up in the utility sink in the mudroom.
“Something sure smells good in here,” Pop exclaimed as he came into the dining room and sat at the table.
“Summer made meatloaf,” Jessie said, passing him the platter of meat.