Bent Creek (15 page)

“I say right now we go home and let nature take over them bodies. We’ll come back in a few days. We can’t move that pile of mess.”

“Do you think anyone will find them a fore we get back here, Ben?” Rachael asked.

“We jest got tah keep our fingers crossed and hope that no one comes up this way. All that time we thought Nevers was delivein’ skins, he was runnin’ moonshine tah Clyde.  Man, ain’t that s
omethin’.”

Two days later they returned to the mountain and nothing was left of the two men except a pile of ragged clothes and a few bones. The scavengers had done their job well. Rachael began to take a good look around. Under the outcrop were boxes of empty jars and more copper pots.  “Look how he had this rigged up,” Jesse said. “The smoke from the still goes right under this ledge and disappears before it reaches the clearin’. No wonder I ain’t never seen nothin’ comin’ from up here. So all this time I been a lookout for Nevers.  I could have got kilt jest like him. Damn.”

“It’s gettin’ dark. We got tah hurry before them coyotes we heard yowlin’ pick up our trail and end right here at our feet. Looks like some of them have been here already,” Rachael said, pointing to the paw prints in the soft earth.  “Then we gotta take these remains and bury them.”

“Are you nuts?” Jesse said loudly. “Why we gotta bury them bones?”

“Look even bad people have a right tah be buried and besides if we don’t take these bones someone else might find them. Then they’ll call the sheriff and before you know it there will be lawmen crawlin’ over this place.  We can’t let that hap
pen. Now here,” she said, throwing a blanket at him. “Wrap them in this.”

After covering the entrance to the still, Rachael and Jesse grabbed handfuls of branches and swept them back and forth across the ground. They pulled the bloody leaves off the bushes and stuffed them in a gunnysack. All of the boxes of whiskey were loaded into the truck. After making sure all of the debris was cleared away, they headed for home.  “Now what we need is a real gully washer tah take care of the rest of the stuff we might have missed,” Rachael said.  Rachael got her wish. Just after they finished putting the remains of the two men in a shallow grave next to where Nevers was buried it rained for the next two days. They were all now involved in a scheme that could send them to jail. There was no turning back.  They had enough whiskey to make one more delivery to Clyde.

Ben decided it would be best if they just laid low for a while in case the two men Nevers killed had friends in the area. They would stay away from the still until they calmed down and could figure out what they wanted to do next.  “Hell, it ain’t that hard tah make moonshine. If Nevers been doin’ it all this time and makin’ money, I don’t see why we can’t.” He seemed animated when he talked about running the still.  It seemed that at last he had a purpose, even if it was an illegal one. “We’ll jest build us a still. We’ll set it up behind the house and brew some bootleg. It’ll be good stuff.” Their moods became one of almost giddiness. Lily was free of the abuse from Nevers, there was money in the house and the radio stayed on most of the day.

As usual, it was Jesse who was worried.  “I know that Clyde Orby doesn’t care who delivers his moonshine tah him as long as he thinks that Nevers is still makin’ it, but we don’t know how tah make the stuff. Daddy makes moonshine but it’s jest old squint not really fit for drinkin’.  The stuff Nevers wuz makin’ wuz a lot better than that. Clyde will know the differ
ence. Then soon as them revenuers come sniffin’ round and if’n they do, I’m gonna make a run for it.  I’m scart enough jest talkin’ about all this. If I’d a knew’d that Nevers wuz makin’ moonshine when I wuz sittin’ on that rock I’d a been gone by now. And now we done covered up three murders. Oh Lardy, the four of us is in a deep hole. I think yer jest about plumb crazy, Rachael, but I’ll stick around fer a while.” He gave a furtive glance at Lily.

It took three days for the still to be assembled in the rear of Nevers’ house. After gathering enough wood to get the fire started, Ben and Jesse added the sugar and mash.  The first batch tasted too sweet and the second was so strong it burned their tongues. Spitting out a mouthful of the third batch, Jesse threw the tin cup on the ground. “I knew’d it. Thar ain’t no way we’re gonna pass this stuff off on Clyde.  It tastes plumb arful.  I’m sure glad we got enuf tah make one more delivery tah Clyde.”

“There’s only one person I know who knows more about white lightnin’ than anybody in this county. His name is Joe Seminole, but he ain’t been around these parts fer a long time,” Ben said.

Rachael beamed. “Good, how do we get hold of this Joe?”

“I ain’t never met him, but Pap used tah talk about him once in a while. He lived up on Black Mountain. I ain’t even sure he’s still kickin’. Beside
s, I don’t think anyone kin coax him down from thar. He’s been up thar about twenty years.”

“Well I reckon we better find a way tah sweet talk him off that mountain. We got some shine tah make.”

Chapter Nineteen

Lily spent a few days of remorse over Nevers and then let it go. She decided that it had never happened and she wanted to keep it that way. She told Rachael that she was a born-again virgin and from now on she would live her own life. Lily decided she didn’t want to cook or clean the house anymore and she was going to go to the picture show at least once a month. She played cards with Ben and picked wildflowers for the kitchen table. Her face seemed to soften and she now wore her hair loose, cascading down her back instead of pulled back in a knot. And Jesse took note of everything she did.

While Rachael cooked, Ben spent most of his time sitting at the kitchen table making some kind of drawings on paper bags. No one was sure what he was doing. Rachael and Jesse took the cow, two goats and about ten chickens to her parents. There was just too much livestock for them to take care of.

Thrilled with the prospect of fresh eggs and milk her mother hugged her for the first time in years. She handed her father the twenty dollars for the month.  Her father grumbled, saying the animals were going be a lot to take care of.

“Look, Daddy, you can’t have it both ways. You either tend tah the livestock so you have somethin’ tah eat or jest let them run. You can’t have it both ways.” She decided that nothing she did would ever make him happy.  It was all about the mine.

After Rachael and Jesse made the second delivery to Clyde’s the box under the floorboards was growing.  Still fret
ting about the deteriorating situation at her parent’s house, she knew if she gave her mother more money questions would begin to surface. She couldn’t take that chance. Her mother had questioned her at length as to why Nevers gave them all those animals. She told her mother that Nevers was tired of feeding all the livestock and was just going to let them run loose. He had enough meat with all of the trapping he did. The varmints lurking around the farm would probably kill most of the chickens anyway. Rachael said she bought them from him for five dollars, which she had to pay back to him in the coming weeks. She hated lying to her parents and when the time came she would make it all up to them.

On her visit to her parents, Emma Jane told Rachael that she was very lonesome and with the impending birth of her baby she was too cumbersome to do much around the house even though there was always work to do—laundry, tending to the small garden, searching for berries.  She was lonely and had no one to talk to. Her parents were still upset about her pregnancy and had little to say to her.  She couldn’t wait for Ben’s allotment checks to start so that Jesse and Rachael could come home. Rachael hugged her and said that it wouldn’t be too long before things would be much better for all of them.

Stopping by Mabry’s store, the old men sitting on the outside bench were surprised to see Rachael driving Nevers’ truck. Nodding to them, Jesse and Rachael went inside. Mr. Mabry looked behind Rachael as she came toward the counter. “Where’s Nevers? We ain’t seen hide nor hair of him fer over three weeks. He sick or somethin’?”

“Yeah he’s been reel sick. He’s got an infection. He got a bad foot steppin’ on a rusty nail. It swolled up and made him reel sick.” Rachael pulled up her sleeve revealing a purple bruise on her arm that she got when she fell against the truck door. “See this, he is still as mean as ever.  I got this from him yesterday because I didn’t move fast enough. You know Nev
ers.  He doesn’t like talkin’ tah people.  He said since he is payin’ Jesse and me he might as well make us do his errands. We need tah get a few things,” she said, changing the subject.

While Rachael put her purchases on the counter, Jesse wandered around the store. Calling to Rachael he pointed to a gold locket on a thin chain displayed in a glass case.  “I’m gonna git that fer Lily,” he whispered.

“No! That’s three dollars! We can’t be buyin’ anythin’ that expensive. That thing has been in that case a fore the mine closed. If’n you buy it, Mabry will start asking questions.  Here, get a few of them butterscotch candies.”

After totaling their bill, Mr. Mabry packed the coffee and other staples into a box. “These for you?” he said holding up the candy. Rachael smiled and nodded.  “Now you tell Nev
ers I said hey and I hope the old coot’s foot gets better.  Maybe I’ll come out and see him someday.”

“You do that, Mr. Mabry. Jest be sure tah honk a fore you come in the yard. He don’t cotton tah people comin’ on his p
roperty without him knowin’ thar comin’.” As she turned to leave she hesitated for a moment.  “I wuz jest wonderin’, Mr. Mabry have you ever heard anythin’ more about Old Joe Seminole? You know, if’n he’s still alive.”

“Lordy, Girl, why you askin’ bout him.  Ain’t heard anyone mention his name in a coon’s age,” he replied.

“Oh we wuz jest makin’ conversation with my parents and his name come up.” She feigned a laugh.  “I think my daddy wuz talkin’ about moonshine.”

“Far as I know, he’s still livin’ up on Pine Ridge.  Some hunters come round here last fall and they said they seed smoke a comin’ from an old cabin up thar.  That must be Old Joe. Ain’t no one else crazy nuf tah live up thar in the winter. Now you best run on, it’s gettin’ neigh on tah dark.”

Getting into the truck, Jesse asked, “Why’d you say that tah Mabry? He jest may come out and then what? And give me those candies.”

“You know he won’t come tah see Nevers.  He doesn’t like him one bit. If’n I told him not tah come, he’d be thar a fore we got home.”

Jesse sulked all the way home,
complaining that he wanted to spend some of the money. Nothing Rachael said would make him stop. It was only when they pulled into the yard and Jesse saw Lily sitting in the swing that his mood changed. She wore a white cotton dress and a blue ribbon in her hair.

“You sure do look purty,” Jesse said. “I ain’t seen you in that dress a fore.”

“This is the dress I wore when I got married. After that, Nevers wouldn’t let me wear it.  He said I shouldn’t show my legs. I got it out of the back of the closet today.”

“You really do look nice,” Rachael chimed in.

Jesse smiled at her and hurriedly helped Rachael carry in the supplies and then went outside to join Lily.  Sitting down next to her he reached into his pocket and pulled out the two butterscotch candies. “Look what I got fer you, Lily,” he said.

“Why isn’t that nice of you. I love butterscotch.” She unwrapped the shiny paper and popped one into her mouth. “Hmm, this is so good.” She put the other one in her pocket.

“Lily, I got tah tell you somethin’,” Jesse said nervously. “I reckon you know that I’m sweet on you.  I wuz wonderin’ if maybe you liked me, too?”

“I think yer real nice, Jesse, but…” before she could answer Jesse put his arm around her shoulder his hand resting on her breast. “What in the hell
do you think yer doing, Jesse Riley?” Lily said jumping off the swing.

“Well, you said you liked me,” he replied.

“I want tah be courted, Jesse.  I ain’t ever been courted. Jest cause I’m sort of soiled don’t mean I can’t be treated decent like. And grabbin’ my titties ain’t how you court. I’ve been grabbed at enough by Nevers. Are you just tellin’ me yer jest harney or do you really like me? Rachael told me there’s a difference.”

“Why do you always lissen tah Rachael
?” Jesse asked. “She don’t know everythang. She ain’t ever been courted.”

“Well, she knows a damn side more than I do.  She read books.”

“I’m supposin’ I’m both, Lily. I like you and I’m also wantin’ more than holdin’ yer hand. Can’t I jest kiss you one time? Then I’ll be real nice till you say it’s all right for me tah touch yer titties agin.”

Lily thought for a moment. Nevers didn’t believe in kissin’. Maybe just one kiss would be all right. “Okay, jest once and then I’ll ponder on it,” she replied. Closing her eyes she waited for Jesse to kiss her.  Putting his arms around her, his mouth pressed against hers, Jesse’s lips parted and his tongue pushed into her mouth.

“Damn it! That ain’t kissin’. You jest spit in my mouth. That’s not the way they did it in the picture show.  I don’t want no more kissin’ from you. The next time you or anybody else disrespects my body I’m gonna get a gun and shoot them. Do you understand me?” Lily shouted at him and tromped across the yard.