running all the way down my back.” Apparently she thought that statement would do the trick, unfortunately it was having the completely opposite effect.
She stared at my arm and licked her bottom lip. “I sure do love that tattoo around your arm. You never did tell me why you picked barbed wire.”
I shrugged. “I guess I didn’t tell you because I don’t know myself why I picked it.”
She laughed. “You’re so funny, Nick.” Berta leaned forward over her desk. Instinctively, I took a step back. “So is it true?” she asked.
“Is what true?”
She glanced around the room as if she thought the walls might be listening. “Is it true he’s back?” She’d dropped her voice to a whisper.
I glanced around the room like her, leaned forward, and whispered back. “Who’s he ?”
She straightened. “Why, Zedekiah, silly.”
“Oh him. Yeah, I guess he’s been floating around.”
“Crush,” Mr. Mitchell barked from his office, “get in here.”
“You better hurry in there. He’s in a terrible mood, by the way.”
“Really, what gave it away?” I headed to Mitchell’s office and was actually relieved not to have to talk to Berta anymore. Of course, Mr. Mitchell did not look like he’d be much more fun. His face was red and if it had been physically possible, I’m sure flames would have been shooting from his nostrils. The whole thing reminded me a lot of the earlier scene in Hammersmith’s office. Only in the principal’s office, I had sweet, little Jessie by my side. Man, that girl was really growing on me. Rarely a moment went by when I wasn’t thinking about her.
“Nick, what on earth happened at the high school today?”
I shrugged. “Learning?”
He stood abruptly. “Don’t get cocky with me, son. You know what I’m talking about.”
“Yeah, sorry. Apparently Zedekiah Crush has returned, but I didn’t summon him if that’s what you’re asking. He came back all on his own.”
“I heard he’s come back for the great-great-granddaughter of that woman he shot.”
“Stuff gets around this town fast. I don’t know for sure why he’s back. Now, shouldn’t I be out there loading the truck?”
He waved his hand toward the door. “Damn right you should. You’re on the clock and I’m not paying you for standing around. Get.”
I was happy to get out to the yard. My lovesick ancestor rises from the swamp and everyone is looking to blame me for it. What a stupid-ass town.
I yanked on my gloves. Bill, one of the workers, motioned for me to jump up on the flat bed of the semi. I hopped up and he started handing me two-by-fours. Two hours into it, sweat was dripping into my eyes, my back ached, and my hands were tired. It was the best I’d felt all day. Bill had handed up the entire order just as his shift ended. He hurried off and I was alone in the yard. All I needed to do was finish stacking it so it could be tied down.
“Nothing like an honest day’s work to build a man’s character.” The voice drifted up from behind and though Berta sort of looked like a man, she definitely didn’t sound like one. Besides it wasn’t my character she’d be commenting on.
I twisted around. Zedekiah was perched on a pile of uncut lumber a few feet away. “And just what would you know about an honest day’s work?” I asked. “The way I hear it, you never had a dime that wasn’t stolen or won at the poker table.”
“Not true. I did plenty of work. Even pounded stakes for the railroad. Just discovered one day that taking the money was easier.”
I glanced toward the office hoping no one saw him sitting in the yard. The office looked quiet. “Easier, except you had to kill people to get it.”
Zedekiah shook his head. “Not true. All rumors started by that jackass, Bridger. He was hoping to drive up the
She stared at my arm and licked her bottom lip. “I sure do love that tattoo around your arm. You never did tell me why you picked barbed wire.”
I shrugged. “I guess I didn’t tell you because I don’t know myself why I picked it.”
She laughed. “You’re so funny, Nick.” Berta leaned forward over her desk. Instinctively, I took a step back. “So is it true?” she asked.
“Is what true?”
She glanced around the room as if she thought the walls might be listening. “Is it true he’s back?” She’d dropped her voice to a whisper.
I glanced around the room like her, leaned forward, and whispered back. “Who’s he ?”
She straightened. “Why, Zedekiah, silly.”
“Oh him. Yeah, I guess he’s been floating around.”
“Crush,” Mr. Mitchell barked from his office, “get in here.”
“You better hurry in there. He’s in a terrible mood, by the way.”
“Really, what gave it away?” I headed to Mitchell’s office and was actually relieved not to have to talk to Berta anymore. Of course, Mr. Mitchell did not look like he’d be much more fun. His face was red and if it had been physically possible, I’m sure flames would have been shooting from his nostrils. The whole thing reminded me a lot of the earlier scene in Hammersmith’s office. Only in the principal’s office, I had sweet, little Jessie by my side. Man, that girl was really growing on me. Rarely a moment went by when I wasn’t thinking about her.
“Nick, what on earth happened at the high school today?”
I shrugged. “Learning?”
He stood abruptly. “Don’t get cocky with me, son. You know what I’m talking about.”
“Yeah, sorry. Apparently Zedekiah Crush has returned, but I didn’t summon him if that’s what you’re asking. He came back all on his own.”
“I heard he’s come back for the great-great-granddaughter of that woman he shot.”
“Stuff gets around this town fast. I don’t know for sure why he’s back. Now, shouldn’t I be out there loading the truck?”
He waved his hand toward the door. “Damn right you should. You’re on the clock and I’m not paying you for standing around. Get.”
I was happy to get out to the yard. My lovesick ancestor rises from the swamp and everyone is looking to blame me for it. What a stupid-ass town.
I yanked on my gloves. Bill, one of the workers, motioned for me to jump up on the flat bed of the semi. I hopped up and he started handing me two-by-fours. Two hours into it, sweat was dripping into my eyes, my back ached, and my hands were tired. It was the best I’d felt all day. Bill had handed up the entire order just as his shift ended. He hurried off and I was alone in the yard. All I needed to do was finish stacking it so it could be tied down.
“Nothing like an honest day’s work to build a man’s character.” The voice drifted up from behind and though Berta sort of looked like a man, she definitely didn’t sound like one. Besides it wasn’t my character she’d be commenting on.
I twisted around. Zedekiah was perched on a pile of uncut lumber a few feet away. “And just what would you know about an honest day’s work?” I asked. “The way I hear it, you never had a dime that wasn’t stolen or won at the poker table.”
“Not true. I did plenty of work. Even pounded stakes for the railroad. Just discovered one day that taking the money was easier.”
I glanced toward the office hoping no one saw him sitting in the yard. The office looked quiet. “Easier, except you had to kill people to get it.”
Zedekiah shook his head. “Not true. All rumors started by that jackass, Bridger. He was hoping to drive up the
Similar Books
