Read Online Hell With the Lid Blown Off by Donis Casey - Free Book Online Page A

here!”
    Martha was approaching with Josie’s daughter-in-law, who was holding in her arms the apple of Josie’s eye, her infant grandchild. Alafair took advantage of the distraction to put her hand on Mildrey’s arm. “I see a couple of empty chairs over there under the hickory tree. Let’s us go have a seat.” Mildrey looked glad for the easy escape.
    â€œJosie don’t mean anything,” Alafair assured her as they walked. “She’d give you her last nickel without you asking.”
    Mildrey nodded. “I know it. Miz Cecil has been mighty good to me since D.J. crossed over.”
    â€œHow are y’all doing out there without D.J.?” Alafair asked, as soon as they got settled in their chairs. The patriarch of the Beldon clan had passed into the arms of the Lord earlier that year, leaving Mildrey to the tender mercies of their six unmarried sons.
    Mildrey shrugged. “Nothing’s changed much.” She didn’t seem overly upset about her recent widowhood. “I was afeared at first that all them boys would run amok. I mean even worse than they did beforehand. D.J. pretty much made them toe the line, at least when they was around him. He left the farm lock, stock, and barrel to Jubal, as long as I can live there for the rest of my natural life, so at least he done me that good. I about half-expected Jubal to kick his brothers to the road, but he didn’t. They ain’t much in the way of farmhands, but they don’t cost nothing and they’re better than nobody, I reckon. That’s what D.J. always said, anyway.”
    â€œDo they pay mind to Jubal like they did their daddy?”
    â€œWell, they do. Somehow he manages to keep a lid on their shenanigans, though I don’t expect they like it much. Especially the second one, Hosea. Them two always butted heads since they was little. I don’t know why Hosea hasn’t took himself off a long time ago. I guess working for Jubal is easier than having to find a real job of work. Not that any of them confide in me, don’t you know.”
    Alafair looked down at her plate to hide her expression as Mildrey described her problematic sons. She hated to think how it would feel to be the mother of a bunch of bullies.
    Mildrey seemed to read her mind. “Well, D.J. was always mighty rough with the boys. As soon as they started coming along, D.J. decided that it was his duty to make men out of them. He made them fight one another to settle their differences. He wouldn’t let them stop whaling at each other until he seen blood or one of them was too beat up to go on. There was never any giving up or making peace. So I reckon I can’t blame them much for being like they are. Now, Jubal, he don’t enjoy violence like the others. Even so, when he got big enough, he hauled off and whopped his daddy and that was that. I think D.J. was proud of him for standing up for himself. After that it was like Jubal was D.J.’s deputy, and the other boys were the outlaws.”
    Well, that explains a lot , Alafair thought. As far as the Beldon boys were concerned, Jubal had taken his father’s place as the new sheriff in town.
    â€œSo where are your boys now?” Alafair asked. “I didn’t see any of them at church.”
    â€œThey ain’t very churchy. Jubal brought me and Lovelle in. Said he’d be back this afternoon to carry us home. I left the rest of them abed this morning.”
    Wallace MacKenzie
    The conversation was interrupted by a sudden commotion among the congregation gathered under the trees. It sounded like laughter and good-natured whooping. Alafair stood up to get a better look. “What in the world?”
    Ruth and Beckie MacKenzie had left the hall and were threading their way through the crowd, followed close by a dark, good-looking fellow whom Alafair didn’t know. Ruth had noticed her mother standing under the hickory tree and was steering her