Read Online Dark Places by Reavis Z Wortham - Free Book Online Page B

Twelve
    James and Pepper were on the way home from her Grandpa Ned’s house when he remembered Ida Belle’s order to pick up a loaf of Ideal bread. He pulled into Oak Peterson’s gravel drive and left the engine running while he went in.
    Arms crossed in her usual aggravated posture, Pepper stiffened when she caught sight of John T. and Freddy killing time with the Spit and Whittle Club that had migrated from Neal’s place. She didn’t expect to see them, even though Freddy was local. John T. periodically attended the Center Springs school when he was a kid, but they’d moved away during his junior year and he seldom hung around either of the stores unless Marty was with him.
    Pepper’s heart jumped when Freddy glanced in her direction. She slumped down in her daddy’s car like a rabbit in a briar patch, hoping John T. didn’t recognize her.
    Cale saw the car from the domino hall and came up on it from the off side. He spoke softly so the men nearly thirty feet away couldn’t hear. “Hey, girl. I have the money to go.”
    Pepper kept her head down and didn’t pay any attention to Cale. Her thoughts were on the two young men sitting in the middle of the farmers staying dry under the overhang. She knew almost everyone in Center Springs and wished she was more like Top. He wouldn’t have recognized John T. that night, and he for sure wouldn’t have known who Top was. Top wouldn’t have been in the middle of all this.
    Cale tapped her shoulder with his finger. “Hey, Earth to Pepper.”
    She had to bring herself back. “Huh?”
    â€œI have the money. We can go.”
    â€œWhere’d you get it?”
    â€œStole it.”
    She pushed him. “No you didn’t.”
    â€œI did.” He grinned and puffed up his chest. “I take care of my woman.”
    â€œSo when are we going?”
    â€œUh, later, I guess.”
    Frustrated with the answer, she frowned and stared forward, refusing to further the conversation.
    Half-listening to the story Frederick Winters was telling there in front of Oak’s store, Freddy hadn’t been able to take his eyes off James’ car from the moment it pulled up, sure it was Pepper’s white face he saw on Friday night as they flashed by on their way to the bottoms. He was wishing Marty was there, so he could ask him what to do, but since that night, Marty kept making up excuses to stay home and take care of his mama.
    He figured Marty was scared, but that was all right with Freddy. It gave him more time to hang out with John T., who made Freddy feel tough, as long as he didn’t have to talk much so’s people would notice his lisp.
    But he felt the bottom of his stomach fall out because Pepper didn’t want to make eye contact, an insult in such a small community. Freddy glanced at John T. who was staring a hole through the car, not paying a bit attention to the lies swapping back and forth between the farmers.
    Pepper’s voice was soft. “In the morning.”
    â€œThat’s too soon.”
    â€œWe have to get out of here.” She pointed at John T. and Freddy, keeping her finger below the window.
    Freddy nearly panicked, convinced that she was telling the boy beside her what she’d seen that night. His face prickled with heat.
    Arms folded over his chest and ankles crossed, Colton Marsh tilted his head. “John T., me and the Wilson boys was trying to remember when y’all moved to Center Springs.”
    John T. pulled his attention from the car and focused on Carlton, wondering why the farmer had any interest in him. “I’s in the third grade. The folks starved out of Tahlequah and had some kinfolk here at the time.”
    â€œThat’s what I was telling them. They remembered your mama and daddy as hard-working people.”
    â€œThey were. Worked themselves to death picking cotton for other men. Their folks died in the Depression of the same