Read Online The Devil's Beating His Wife by Siobhán Béabhar - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Siobhán Béabhar
Tags: Romance, Historical, Literature & Fiction, Paranormal, Military, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Women, Ghosts, Women's Fiction, New Adult & College, multicultural, Multicultural & Interracial
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ground. Then he swung around and marched back to the truck. As he reached the truck bed, his gaze swung in my direction, and he stunned me with a look of pure malice and hatred.
Lame leg and all, I swung down from the truck bed. Grabbing Charlie by the lapels of his denim jacket, I slammed him against the side of the truck. "This is all your damn fault," I seethed into his ear.
Nixon grabbed my shoulder and hurled me backwards. I stumbled but landed against the firm trunk of a tree. Charlie made a move towards me, but Richard stepped between us.
"It ain't nobody's fault that them coons got away," mumbled Richard. He glanced down the dirt road and then shook his head. "They must have turned off."
"You don't say?" mocked Charlie.
Richard's hand shot out and struck Charlie's shoulder. "Don't be an ass."
Pushing away from the tree, I walked to the truck and settled onto the bed. We were all familiar with these woods, and that's why they were all dumb-founded. But they all seemed to have forgotten the old lumber road, just a half a mile back. I sat quietly, hoping they'd get frustrated with themselves and decide to leave.
My eyes locked on Charlie's tense shoulders. He grabbed the handle of the passenger door and hopped back into his seat. He slammed his fist so hard against the dashboard that Carver flinched.
Me and my brother had known all of these fellas since we were small boys. Two of them were even our distant kin. Yet, here in this darkly wooded road, I felt like a stranger in a foreign land. I placed a lot of the blame on Charlie's shoulders. A cruel and intolerant person by nature, his quick temper seemed to trigger something in Carver. I blamed Charlie for this stupid folly. I blamed him for that night.
Nixon jumped into the truck and settled beside me. Swinging his arm over my shoulder, he pulled me towards his chest. "I say we head on over to Madge's place and get that beer Baxter promised us."
Richard sent one more glance down the road. He didn't seem like he wanted to give up on the chase. Using the back of his hand, he wiped a trail of sweat from his brow. "Maybe we should backtrack down the road."
Charlie rolled down the window and leaned out. "Forget about it, Richard. There'll be plenty of opportunities, and you know it. Get in the truck. We're going back to town."
"On to Madge's?" asked Nixon, reaching down to help Richard onto the truck. Richard took his place across from Nixon and stretched out his long legs. Nixon leaned towards me, a huge grin on his face. "We'll get a few beers, maybe order up some grub, and have ourselves a might fine time. You still buyin', Baxter?"
"Forget about Madge's place. I'm taking you boys back to my place," Carver yelled over the roar of his truck.
I glanced at each of the fellas. The mood was off and had been off since the moment they spotted me on the road. I didn't want to waste even a moment more with them, but I was too afraid of what they might get into if I wasn't around.
Carver glanced at me in the rearview mirror. More than glass and iron separated us. For the first time in a very long time, I didn't like my brother. Shifting gears, he made a quick turnaround and set back down the road that we had driven. That surprised me, considering how disappointed they'd been in their stupid little chase. I would have thought Carver would take one more opportunity to search those boys out.
The truck rocked back and forth when Carver pulled onto the paved road. We were silent as we made our way back into town. Only Richard spared a glance towards the woods as if expecting the coloreds to spring out.
Rubbing my hands over my face, I sunk down into the truck bed. My good leg was beginning to burn from the burden I'd placed on it. A few beers would be a good thing. It'd dull the pain in my leg and the pounding in my head. Maybe if I was lucky, it would dull the disappointment in my heart.
"What was it like?" Nixon asked, nudging my leg.
I turned my head and gawked at
Lame leg and all, I swung down from the truck bed. Grabbing Charlie by the lapels of his denim jacket, I slammed him against the side of the truck. "This is all your damn fault," I seethed into his ear.
Nixon grabbed my shoulder and hurled me backwards. I stumbled but landed against the firm trunk of a tree. Charlie made a move towards me, but Richard stepped between us.
"It ain't nobody's fault that them coons got away," mumbled Richard. He glanced down the dirt road and then shook his head. "They must have turned off."
"You don't say?" mocked Charlie.
Richard's hand shot out and struck Charlie's shoulder. "Don't be an ass."
Pushing away from the tree, I walked to the truck and settled onto the bed. We were all familiar with these woods, and that's why they were all dumb-founded. But they all seemed to have forgotten the old lumber road, just a half a mile back. I sat quietly, hoping they'd get frustrated with themselves and decide to leave.
My eyes locked on Charlie's tense shoulders. He grabbed the handle of the passenger door and hopped back into his seat. He slammed his fist so hard against the dashboard that Carver flinched.
Me and my brother had known all of these fellas since we were small boys. Two of them were even our distant kin. Yet, here in this darkly wooded road, I felt like a stranger in a foreign land. I placed a lot of the blame on Charlie's shoulders. A cruel and intolerant person by nature, his quick temper seemed to trigger something in Carver. I blamed Charlie for this stupid folly. I blamed him for that night.
Nixon jumped into the truck and settled beside me. Swinging his arm over my shoulder, he pulled me towards his chest. "I say we head on over to Madge's place and get that beer Baxter promised us."
Richard sent one more glance down the road. He didn't seem like he wanted to give up on the chase. Using the back of his hand, he wiped a trail of sweat from his brow. "Maybe we should backtrack down the road."
Charlie rolled down the window and leaned out. "Forget about it, Richard. There'll be plenty of opportunities, and you know it. Get in the truck. We're going back to town."
"On to Madge's?" asked Nixon, reaching down to help Richard onto the truck. Richard took his place across from Nixon and stretched out his long legs. Nixon leaned towards me, a huge grin on his face. "We'll get a few beers, maybe order up some grub, and have ourselves a might fine time. You still buyin', Baxter?"
"Forget about Madge's place. I'm taking you boys back to my place," Carver yelled over the roar of his truck.
I glanced at each of the fellas. The mood was off and had been off since the moment they spotted me on the road. I didn't want to waste even a moment more with them, but I was too afraid of what they might get into if I wasn't around.
Carver glanced at me in the rearview mirror. More than glass and iron separated us. For the first time in a very long time, I didn't like my brother. Shifting gears, he made a quick turnaround and set back down the road that we had driven. That surprised me, considering how disappointed they'd been in their stupid little chase. I would have thought Carver would take one more opportunity to search those boys out.
The truck rocked back and forth when Carver pulled onto the paved road. We were silent as we made our way back into town. Only Richard spared a glance towards the woods as if expecting the coloreds to spring out.
Rubbing my hands over my face, I sunk down into the truck bed. My good leg was beginning to burn from the burden I'd placed on it. A few beers would be a good thing. It'd dull the pain in my leg and the pounding in my head. Maybe if I was lucky, it would dull the disappointment in my heart.
"What was it like?" Nixon asked, nudging my leg.
I turned my head and gawked at
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