Dorothy Garlock (12 page)

“Go ahead, then. I'm obliged for your help.”

“By the way, I'd appreciate it if Miss Jones's name was kept out of this, ”Thad said.

“I'll do what I can. Can't swear to it, though.”

“I'll be at the hotel if you want me.” Thad took off, walking down the dark road toward town. He spoke to the dog trotting along beside him.

“Tonight you earned your keep, Fertile. Tomorrow I just might go to the butcher shop and buy you a beefsteak.”

Chapter 8

J
ILL ENTERED THE BRIGHTLY LIT LOBBY
of the hotel, nodded to Elmer and went down the hallway to the bathroom. The two roomers on the ground floor also used the room. She was relieved to find the OCCUPIED sign on the door turned over so only the back was showing. Inside she groped for the pull chain to turn on the light.

Her mind was still trying to grasp the meaning of what she and Thad had seen out on that dark road. She gazed at herself in the small mirror above the washbasin for a long moment, holding on to the hope that there would be a logical explanation for what they had seen. She looked down at her hand, curled her fingers and shuddered.

Shaking her head in an attempt to banish the vision that danced before her eyes, Jill washed her hands, splashed water on her face and dried it on the roller towel. After smoothing her short blond hair with her palms, she left the bathroom.

Quietly she opened the door of her aunt's room, tiptoed inside and stood for a minute in the darkness. If her aunt was awake she would speak to her. After a bit of silence, Jill soundlessly backed out, closed the door and went to the lobby to wait for Thad.

Elmer and Rose were sitting behind the counter talking in low tones. Rose stood up.

“I looked in on Aunt Justine, Mrs. Evans. I'm going to sit over here and read the newspaper … before someone carries it off.” Jill picked up the Tulsa paper left by one of their guests and went to the far corner of the lobby to sit down facing the door.

An hour passed. No longer able to use the paper as an excuse for being there, Jill folded it and placed it on the chair beside her. With her hands clasped in her lap, she stared out the window, knowing that the Evanses were probably wondering about her odd behavior.

There wasn't much activity on the street. The restaurant across from the hotel was dark. It closed early on Sunday night. An occasional car or wagon went by. Several men passed on the walk, going home or to a rooming house.

Thad, where are you?

She heard the mournful whistle of the Rock Island train as it approached the station from the north and again as it left town. Twenty minutes later two salesmen carrying large sample cases came into the hotel seeking a room for the night. Shortly after they went upstairs to their rooms, Thad came in from the hallway leading to the kitchen. He beckoned to her. She followed him to the porch.

As soon as they were outside, Thad took her hand, led her to a bench and pulled her down beside him.

“I had to wash. I couldn't touch you or myself until I washed. Not that I touched
it.
When we had to, we used an old newspaper the sheriff had in the car.” Without conscious thought he had arched his arm over her head, put it around her and drawn her close. He was tired and shaken. He needed the comfort of being close to her. “It was a sight I hope never to see again.”

“Did you find the rest… of her? ”

“The sheriff and I dug up what was there …”His voice trailed. Thad pressed Jill's head to his chest and spoke with his lips in her hair. “He'd cut her up with a saw, ”he whispered. “All of her was there except her head and … he had cut off her breasts… sliced them off.”

“Oh, Thad — ”

“We leveled the dirt pile but didn't find them.”

“How awful.” Jill stroked his arm in an attempt to comfort him.

“I stayed there with her while the sheriff went to fetch the doctor and the undertaker.” Thad's arms tightened around Jill and unconsciously rocked her back and forth. “She was a young woman, honey. About your age.” Jill heard the horror in his voice and could feel the shudders that passed through him. “The sheriff didn't think she'd been there very long.”

“Poor thing. They won't know who she is.”

“Whoever did this is a lunatic. No sane person could have done such a thing. I'm worried about you being here in this place where there is so much craziness.” His voice became demandingly gruff.

“He may not have been from here.”

“This lunatic knew what he was doing. He was handy with a knife. He may have done it before and may do it again. He's a sick son-of-a-bitch, ”he ground out angrily.

“I'm glad you're here.”

“So am I. I'll not let you out of my sight until that bastard is caught! ”He spoke with a strong tremor in his voice. “Don't buck me on this, Jill.”

“I'll not buck you. But it's unreasonable for you to think you have to keep me in sight. I'm smart enough not to take any chances. Oh, Thad — what about Radna? She goes off somewhere at night. She's always back when I get up in the morning.”

“We'll tell her. It will be all over town by morning. There's no way to hush up something like this.”

“While I was waiting for you, I was thinking that you were with me both times when horrible things have happened to me: that time in the woods and now this.”

Thad was silent for a minute, then he said, “Maybe I'm bad luck.”

“No! You know better than that! You saved me then. I'll always love you for what you did.” She pulled back, put her hand on his cheek and turned his head so that she could look into his dark face. “Hear me, Thad. I'll always be grateful that you were there.”

“I just happened to be there, honey. I don't deserve any credit for doing what any man would have done under the same circumstance.”

“You were just a boy. You tackled a man and could have been killed.”

Time seemed to stand still, as did his heart. He gazed down at her parted lips. Was this the time? Should he kiss her? She answered the questions for him. His heart plummeted.

“No girl ever had better brothers than you and Joe and Jack.” She spoke earnestly and stroked his cheek with her fingertips. “I hate it that you had to go with the sheriff. This has been horrible for you. Will you have nightmares? ”

“Probably.” He captured her hand in his. “We'd better go in and tell Elmer and his wife. We'll tell him to keep that shotgun under the counter loaded.” Then, after they had stood up, “I'm not staying up there in the attic with you two stories below. I'll bring down a cot and put it up in the kitchen. I'll be near you.”

“You don't need to do — ”

“You promised not to buck me.”

“I did? I don't remember that.”

By midmorning the town was abuzz with the news about the cut-up body of a woman having been found south of town.

Mayor Henshaw knocked on Hunter Westfall's door while Hunter was at breakfast. Obviously shaken after just viewing the body, the mayor called Hunter out onto the porch and gave him a brief rundown on what had happened.

“I wish to God I'd never looked at it. Doc said she'd been treated badly before she was killed.”

“In what way? ”

“Her … ah … privates were, ah … damaged. Doc found bite marks on her stomach and buttocks. The bastard sliced off her breasts clean as a whistle. They been searching since daylight for her head.”

“Jesus Christ! It would take a monster to do such a thing. Does the sheriff have any idea who she is? ”

“We don't know who she is or who did this dreadful thing. Doc said that she was a young woman, slender and medium height.”

“What's the sheriff doing about it? ”

“Asking about missing women. He asked me to tell you to talk to your men in charge of the crews. Find out if anyone failed to show up for work and ask if one of their womenfolk is missing. Doc says the murderer was good with a knife and that there has to be a bloody mess somewhere because he didn't do it out where they found her.”

“She could have been killed in another town and brought here.”

“The sheriff seems to think that whoever did this wanted her found. The grave was shallow. A good stiff wind would have leveled that sand dune and uncovered the remains.”

“Has the sheriff asked for outside help? ”

“He was trying to get through to the U.S. marshal's office in Oklahoma City.”

“Come in for a cup of coffee, Orvis.”

“Thanks, but I'll get on back to the store. I just wanted you to know what was going on before you went uptown. This will stir up folks aplenty.”

“I appreciate your coming by.”

The mayor walked briskly down the walk toward town and Hunter went into the kitchen where Dinah was cleaning a chicken. Her knowing eyes searched his face. Something had shocked her boy.

“What done happen now? Yo is lookin 'like yo seed a ghosty.”

“The body of a murdered woman was found out south of town.”

“Lawsey mercy! ”Dinah dunked her hands in the washbasin and dried them on a towel. She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and shook her head.

“These is bad times. I ain't knowin 'what dis world is comin 'to. Who is she? Does they know who did it? ”

“They don't know who she is. He cut off her head, ”Hunter said tightly. “If they find who did it, he'll be hanged before they get him to jail.”

“Ah …lawsey! ”Dinah's hands went into the air.

“I'm worried about Carsie. I wish she hadn't left so suddenly.”

“Yo think it could be Miz Carsie? ”

“I don't know what to think. Later this morning I'll call down to Tulsa and see if she's there. She may have gone home or taken the train to Kansas City.”

“Is yo — ”Dinah started to say something, but cut it off when she heard a knock on the back door. “It's Miz Hopper wid yore shirts.”

“I'll get them.”

Hunter opened the screen door and looked into a pair of large violet eyes beneath a head of dark curly hair. The girl, tall and slim as a reed, had wire hangers looped over her hand and hanging from them were his freshly ironed shirts. She held them out to him.

“I didn't bring back one of them. I'm trying to get a spot out.” She spoke in a soft southern voice.

Hunter took the shirts, but for once he was completely speechless. His eyes fastened on the most beautiful face he'd ever seen.

“Lawd, chile, yo done a fine job.” Dinah edged Hunter aside, took the hangers from his hand and hung the shirts on the knob of the door.

“Thank you. I'll bring the other shirt in the morning.” The girl turned to go.

“Wait, ”Hunter said quickly. “Come in. No need for you to leave without your pay.”

“Thank you, but my little girl is in the wagon. Dinah can pay me tomorrow.”

Hunter had been so busy looking at the girl he hadn't seen the wooden wagon on the walk. He glanced at it now and saw a dark-haired child sitting in it on a blanket. Both the mother and the daughter were beautiful. How had it happened that he'd not seen her before?

“I'll watch her while you get your pay.” Hunter went to the wagon and squatted down. “Hello, there.” He held out his finger. The child grasped it and tried to put it in her mouth. He laughed and tickled her under the chin.

Tight black curls framed the baby's face. She had bright blue eyes, rosy cheeks and a soft little mouth. Her little dress was a faded blue check and her shoes had holes in the toes, but she smelled fresh, sweet and clean.

“You're just as pretty as a picture.” Hunter wiped some drool off the child's chin with his handkerchief.

“She's teething.” The soft voice came from above him and Hunter became aware again of the child's mother standing beside him. He stood and looked down into violet eyes, deep violet beautiful eyes, surrounded by long, spiky black lashes.

“How old is she? ”

“A year and a half.”

“She's a beauty, ”he said and meant it.

“Thank you. I think so.” The woman took the wagon handle and turned the cart around. “Hold on, Mary, ”she cautioned.

“Is that her name? Mary? ”Hunter stood on the walk, reluctant for them to leave but unable to think of a reason for them to stay.

“Mary Pat. Mary for my mother and Pat for my father.”

“It suits her.”

Laura smiled. She pulled the wagon around the side of the house and disappeared. Hunter stood there for a moment longer with a strange feeling stirring inside him, then went back up onto the porch. Dinah was frowning at him when he came into the kitchen.

“What's her name? ”

“Laura Hopper. Now, Mistah Hunter, dat girl ain't one of dem play toys like Miss Carsie. Dat girl's had her a heap a trouble and what her needs is a marryin 'man to help her wid dat young'un.”

“How long has she been doing my shirts? ”

“Month, maybe. Her mama brings 'um sometimes. Dey work at Miz Byers's hotel.”

“Who's the baby's daddy? ”

“Ain't got one. Her man got hisself kilt out on one of dem oil wells.”

She wasn't married. Hunter felt a spurt of elation.

“Did he work for me? ”

“I ain't knowin'.”

“Where does she live? ”

“Down dat road what goes by dey lumberyard. What yo wantin 'to know dat for? Yo ain't a marryin 'man, Mistah Hunter. Yo done tol 'me dat and tol 'me dat. So doan yo go be honeyin 'up to no gal like she is. Yo know yo can get in dat gal's drawers if'n yo sets yo mind, ”she scoffed. “Her ain't got no business rompin ''round up dere in yo bed when she got dat young'un to see to.”

“You worry too much about whose drawers I get into, Dinah.” He smiled fondly at his dear friend, pinched her cheek and left the room.

“Mind me, now, ”Dinah called. “Dat girl ain't one of dem fast women yo play wid. Lawsey me, ”she muttered to herself, “dat man be the beatin'est I ever did see when he sets his mind. Someday he goin 'to meet a woman dat's goin 'to turn 'im inside out an 'upside down. I hope I's here to see it.”

Lloyd Madison walked down the street toward the sheriff's office and met the mayor as he was turning to go into his store.

“Morning, Lloyd. You've heard the news? ”

“About the … woman? I heard it at the restaurant. 'Bout ruined my breakfast.”

“Terrible thing. Terrible.”