Read Online Rush Home Road by Lori Lansens - Free Book Online Page A

have a good deal of money by spring and with what his father gave him secretly before he passed, Chester’d have enough for payment on a little acreage near the old Rusholme crick to start a small farm of his own.He’d ask Wallace Shadd for his daughter’s hand and soon as they were old enough, they’d be joined in the church as husband and wife.
    Chester’s boat floated up and struck the dock. He took a quiet moment to ensure there were no police to give him trouble and no temperance types to give him grief, before he hauled up the case of liquor. He shifted the load to his shoulder and started walking through the dark night. Thinking on Addy Shadd and a trip back to Rusholme, he began to sing. He was wishing he knew a better song than the one that came to his mind, though, as it was something lewd he learned at the blind pig in LaSalle.
    Remy had yet to arrive. Chester deposited the crate in a small shanty near the water and sat back on his heels to wait. He listened to the river lap the bank and mused on the sharp white stars in the big black sky before the clouds moved in and hid the moon.
    It was a Ford truck and not an automobile whose round beams flashed in his eyes a short time later. Chester stood and knew right off the driver was not Teddy Bishop or his friend Remillard. He stuck his hands in his pockets and felt the folds of the ten-dollar bills. If it came to that, he’d pass them over, but maybe the truck never saw him at all and he could just creep downriver into the tall bulrushes and wait till whoever it was left.
    He heard the truck stop and two doors open and close, but he didn’t turn to look as he put some distance between himself and the shanty. After a moment, he heard his nameand knew by the tone that whoever called it was uncertain. “Chester Monk? That you, Chester?”
    Chester turned, the voice sounding familiar, but he didn’t know it was Leam Shadd until his old friend stepped into the truck’s headlamps and revealed himself. A chill went through Chester at the strangeness of seeing Addy’s brother, all the way from Rusholme, standing there in front of him now. His heart skipped at the idea Addy herself might be in the darkness of the truck, but he quickly reckoned that wouldn’t be the case. It was more likely that L’il Leam had come to work for Teddy Bishop too.
    It was no less than a thrill to see him there. “L’il Leam Shadd!” Chester let go a howl like he’d seen men do after a snort of jack. He liked the feel of it in his chest and howled again to show off a little as he strode toward the vehicle. “Like an apple on a pear tree! I can’t hardly believe my eyes to see you out of Rusholme!”
    L’il Leam stood in the bright headlamps, astonished by Chester Monk’s manner. Was it possible the big fool didn’t know what he’d come for? He shifted his weight from one leg to the other, suddenly unsure. “I didn’t expect you’d be pleased to see me, Chester Monk.”
    â€œPleased to see you? Why, you felt like a brother to me since I known you. What’s that look on your face for? Leam?” Chester nearly lost his legs. “Addy?”
    L’il Leam flinched, remembering the blood on the mattress, and thought his friend must be a fiend to appear so innocent. He walked forward, distracting the bigger boyfrom seeing Big Zach Heron climb out of the truck. “How do you dare ask about my sister after what you done, Chester? How can you look me in the eye?”
    For the first time, Chester allowed for the possibility that Addy might have thought he abandoned her. It suddenly occurred to him that he should have sent those letters he’d written after all, and not been so ashamed of his childish scribble and sorry poetics. Or that he should have found a way, any way, to return to Rusholme to see her over these weeks past. He’d have kicked himself if he could, for being