Read Online Gather The Children (Chronicles of the Maca Book 2) by Mari Collier - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Mari Collier
Ads: Link
heard it's a real big place, plenty of businesses, and lots of people pouring in. Did y'all ever go into the mines?”
“Naw. Red knew some of the owners, but he wasn't about much during the day.”
“Is that the fellow that knows y'all didn't kill his uncle?”
“Yeah.”
“What's he do for a living?”
Lorenz hesitated before answering and then decided it wasn't worth lying about. “He owns two cathouses.”
Young James covered his ears at this sinfulness and then had to scramble to regain his balance as the wagon bounced over a rock. Martin turned to look at Lorenz, his blue eyes wide with interest.
Honest? Did y'all go in there?”
Lorenz decided to lie. Rity's arrival and retrieval of his one time visit to the whores was too shameful for the recounting. “Naw, ah didn't. Ah didn't have no money.”
“Are they fancy places?”
“Just the one is all gussied up for the mine owners. The other's for the miners and it's just a long shack.”
“I thought y'all weren't inside.”
“Ah wasn't,” Lorenz protested. “Ah just walked by the outside.”
“I thought the O'Neals were big planters down in south Texas,” Martin prodded.
“The old man is, but Red didn't much fancy fighting in a war that the South was going to lose.”
Martin was dubious. “Are y'all sure he just didn't want to be shot at?” He had a low opinion of men that sold women.
“Hell, no! He's a damn good fighter and one of the best shots around. He just don't care shit for fighting in wars.”
“Uh, uh, Lorenz, y'all keep talking like that and I'm going to tell,” sang Young James.
Lorenz turned around to glare at him. “Just who the hell yu'll gonna tell?”
James edged backwards and pulled himself up over the sideboards. “Hey, Uncle Mac!” he called.
“Little shit,” muttered Lorenz watching the big man draw closer. “Ah'll get yu'll.”
“Lorenz, shut up and sit quiet,” advised Martin. Young James ain't going to tattle.”
“What makes yu'll so sure?”
“If he tattles, Papa will whip him. He's just egging y'all on.”
MacDonald trotted alongside of the wagon. “And what do ye want, Young James?”
“Can I have that ride now, Uncle Mac? You promised.”
“Aye, that ye may. Martin, ho up.”
Martin pulled the team to a stop. Lorenz clenched his fists. If the big man came toward him at least he'd have one swing.
MacDonald's long arms swung out, lifted James up and over the wagon, and then settled James in front of him. “Ye can guide Zark for a while, Young James.” James threw a triumphant grin at the two left on the wagon.
Martin lifted the reins and smacked them down. “Hi-yo-up!” He smiled at Lorenz. “See, I told y'all. Young James knows better than to tattle.”
Lorenz let out his breath. “Ah swear ah'll kill that big son-of-a-bitch iffen he lays another hand on me.” His voice was flat and vicious.
“Y'all crazy? Besides, y'all ain't got no right to talk like that about Uncle.”
“Ah'll kill him just like ah did Zale.” The words ground out.
“Lorenz, he's a damn good man, and married to your mama. What would she do without him?”
“She'd probably be better off without that big bastard.” Lorenz was certain of it.
Martin shook his head. “Y'all can't talk about Uncle like that.” His voice was becoming set.
“What are y'all going to do, tell?”
“No, but by God, I can make y'all take back those words.” Contempt laced through his voice. “Guess I made a mistake about y'all.” He retreated into silence, his eyes fixed on the horses and the road.
Lorenz was glad to sit there and think. Martin must be like all the others: full of nothing but horseshit. He knew how men treated women. There hadn't been any privacy in Zale's camp. What little he'd seen of men being polite to women was in town among a group of people to avoid talk. Rity was just bigger and smarter than other women. She didn't need a man. Maybe she could get Mama away from the big bastard. Nobody ever
“Naw. Red knew some of the owners, but he wasn't about much during the day.”
“Is that the fellow that knows y'all didn't kill his uncle?”
“Yeah.”
“What's he do for a living?”
Lorenz hesitated before answering and then decided it wasn't worth lying about. “He owns two cathouses.”
Young James covered his ears at this sinfulness and then had to scramble to regain his balance as the wagon bounced over a rock. Martin turned to look at Lorenz, his blue eyes wide with interest.
Honest? Did y'all go in there?”
Lorenz decided to lie. Rity's arrival and retrieval of his one time visit to the whores was too shameful for the recounting. “Naw, ah didn't. Ah didn't have no money.”
“Are they fancy places?”
“Just the one is all gussied up for the mine owners. The other's for the miners and it's just a long shack.”
“I thought y'all weren't inside.”
“Ah wasn't,” Lorenz protested. “Ah just walked by the outside.”
“I thought the O'Neals were big planters down in south Texas,” Martin prodded.
“The old man is, but Red didn't much fancy fighting in a war that the South was going to lose.”
Martin was dubious. “Are y'all sure he just didn't want to be shot at?” He had a low opinion of men that sold women.
“Hell, no! He's a damn good fighter and one of the best shots around. He just don't care shit for fighting in wars.”
“Uh, uh, Lorenz, y'all keep talking like that and I'm going to tell,” sang Young James.
Lorenz turned around to glare at him. “Just who the hell yu'll gonna tell?”
James edged backwards and pulled himself up over the sideboards. “Hey, Uncle Mac!” he called.
“Little shit,” muttered Lorenz watching the big man draw closer. “Ah'll get yu'll.”
“Lorenz, shut up and sit quiet,” advised Martin. Young James ain't going to tattle.”
“What makes yu'll so sure?”
“If he tattles, Papa will whip him. He's just egging y'all on.”
MacDonald trotted alongside of the wagon. “And what do ye want, Young James?”
“Can I have that ride now, Uncle Mac? You promised.”
“Aye, that ye may. Martin, ho up.”
Martin pulled the team to a stop. Lorenz clenched his fists. If the big man came toward him at least he'd have one swing.
MacDonald's long arms swung out, lifted James up and over the wagon, and then settled James in front of him. “Ye can guide Zark for a while, Young James.” James threw a triumphant grin at the two left on the wagon.
Martin lifted the reins and smacked them down. “Hi-yo-up!” He smiled at Lorenz. “See, I told y'all. Young James knows better than to tattle.”
Lorenz let out his breath. “Ah swear ah'll kill that big son-of-a-bitch iffen he lays another hand on me.” His voice was flat and vicious.
“Y'all crazy? Besides, y'all ain't got no right to talk like that about Uncle.”
“Ah'll kill him just like ah did Zale.” The words ground out.
“Lorenz, he's a damn good man, and married to your mama. What would she do without him?”
“She'd probably be better off without that big bastard.” Lorenz was certain of it.
Martin shook his head. “Y'all can't talk about Uncle like that.” His voice was becoming set.
“What are y'all going to do, tell?”
“No, but by God, I can make y'all take back those words.” Contempt laced through his voice. “Guess I made a mistake about y'all.” He retreated into silence, his eyes fixed on the horses and the road.
Lorenz was glad to sit there and think. Martin must be like all the others: full of nothing but horseshit. He knew how men treated women. There hadn't been any privacy in Zale's camp. What little he'd seen of men being polite to women was in town among a group of people to avoid talk. Rity was just bigger and smarter than other women. She didn't need a man. Maybe she could get Mama away from the big bastard. Nobody ever
Similar Books
