Rise and Shine (Shine On Series, Book 2) (21 page)

“Well, it all looks good to me. So when do we start?” she asked eager to move this little visit along.

“Tomorrow good for you?” Bo asked. “From now on we won’t have the whole gang. I’ll meet you out here and bring ya out and take ya back home.”

Emmie breathed easy. She was relieved not to have everyone there the next time. “Tomorrow’s fine. This shouldn’t take more than a few days.”

“Sooner we get this done the better,” Mr. Johnson said. “Working with people that ain’t named Johnson gets me a little jittery.”

Emmie didn’t know what to say to that. Mr. Johnson then turned and said something to Steven. He was being sent for different supplies. She didn’t want to hear their conversation. She had the distinct feeling the less she heard the better. She moved to the other side of the cabin and warmed her hands at the fire in preparation for their cold walk back. She squatted to get as much direct contact with the flames as possible. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Bo spoke. He had bent down next to her.

“I think this is real brave of ya.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “You ain’t got to be scared as long as I’m here. I promise.”

It was on the tip of her tongue for her to tell him she wasn’t scared but she stopped. Lying was going to get her nowhere and if Bo was offering her protection in this place she knew nothing about, she’d take it. She just nodded and looked him right in the eyes. She hoped he could see the thank you in them.

“Let’s get you back before Walter hurts himself trying to find you.” Bo smiled, trying to lighten the mood. He reached for her arm and pulled her back up.

“Pap, I can take her back, if you want. No sense in all of us taking the long way home,” Bo offered.

Mr. Johnson was still for a moment while he thought it over. Emmie wondered why he was so cautious with her. “Yeah. Take Luke with you.”

Luke must have been the youngest boy because he jumped to attention when he heard his name. Just as Emmie was almost out the door Mr. Johnson spoke, “You must think a lot of Walter’s boy to get into this for no money.” His eyes squeezed tight together like he was analyzing her every motion.

“They are as close as family to me.”

He nodded in approval. She’d given him the perfect answer. If there was one thing Mr. Johnson understood, it was family.

Chapter Twenty-nine

B
o carried her across the creek this time. Again, he hadn’t asked. He’d just picked her up like a sack of potatoes and thrown her over his shoulder. She was surprised at his strength. He set her down easily on the other side.

“You know that is completely unnecessary, right?” She laughed and punched him in the arm.

“No. We’ve only got about fifteen minutes to get back up and outta this holler. At your creek crossing pace we would never make it.” Bo pushed her back.

“Well forgive me if not all of us can walk on water,” she said and pushed on ahead of him.

Growing up walking around her own woods, she had a pretty good sense of direction. When Bo and his brother passed ahead of her, it wasn’t because she was lost. It was because she could hardly breathe. The cold air stabbed her lungs with each breath she took. If she thought making it down the hill was rough, it was nothing compared to going up it. A couple times the boys had held her hand as she went over rocks and fallen trees. She felt her dress catch on a branch and rip as she tugged it loose.

“Good Lord, Bo. This is a ridiculous hike. Who would build their house in a place that takes this much trouble to get to?” She used her hands to help her up the final incline that led to the flattened ridge where Walt would be waiting for her.

Bo looked at her seriously and answered, “Somebody that didn’t wanna be found.”

She nodded and thought about his words. That was probably true. She also thought there was more of a story that she didn’t want or need to hear. That one room cabin hadn’t been built for comfort but for hiding. Something about that place gave her the chills. Maybe it was just being surrounded by all those people she didn’t know or trust. Luke walked ahead of them.

“Would you consider letting me do at least some of the work in my own kitchen? Then I can carry the rest down there and cook it in with the shine?” she asked, figuring it was worth it to ask one more time.

Bo looked at her with a frown. “Emmie, that’s too risky. Besides it wouldn’t be easy to move that stuff back and forth. It’s better to just leave it all there until we unload the jars of shine. Are you really that creeped out by the place… or was it my family?”

“I don’t want to hurt your feelings or anything but something just sets me on edge there. Who is that Steven guy? He looks so familiar.”

“He’s married to my sister. He just got a job in town. Took Will’s place when he left Mr. Thomas’s store. Word has it Will’s left town to be a cop in some big city, Louisville or Lexington I think.”

Wow. That was a lot of information to process. “I don’t think you want Steven working with Mr. Thomas. You know I heard he’s dabbled in being a revenuer in the past. I used to hear him talk to Will about things. It doesn’t really make sense to me that you’d want someone like him so close to your family.”

“Nah. It helps us out really. Steven’s always been kinda worthless around the farm. He was from the city, he ain’t used to farm work and he has no talent for making shine. Most of the time he just seems to be in the way. He orders and gets supplies from Mr. Thomas’s store right under his nose. That old man don’t even notice his man’s pulled out three bushels of apples right under his nose. He just writes up receipts like they were bought from different people all over time. Makes it better for Pap. He ain’t got to worry about going to five different stores just to get what he needs. That old Thomas is so oblivious. You should hear the stories Steven tells.”

Emmie arched an eyebrow. “I don’t think I’d underestimate him, Bo. Tell Steven to be careful. Trust me. He’s not a harmless old man.”

She could tell Bo was brushing her off. “I ain’t worried about that ole coot. Besides I’m pretty sure your Yank scared him enough to keep his nose outta the moonshiners’ business. From what I hear he nearly killed him… and not with no gun. With his hands, Emmie. Like a damn grizzly bear.”

Emmie snorted at Bo’s expression and the way he’d brought his hands in front of his face, outstretched like claws. “That is not true, Bo Johnson. You just don’t like him. Which is odd because your family sure seems to depend on his connections to sell your shine. I’d think you’d be best friends.”

Bo shifted the shotgun he’d carried up the hill. “Yeah, well, to throw out your own words back at ya, I wouldn’t underestimate him.”

Emmie frowned but didn’t have the chance to ask any other questions. She could now see Walt and he was tearing up the space between them. He met Luke first and took his shotgun from the boy. Bo passed Emmie’s to her.

“Emmie,” he hollered a few yards away. “You alright?”

“Yeah,” she said. As she drew nearer to him she could tell he was freezing. He must have waited outside the whole time.

“Why’s her dress all beat up?” Walter asked Bo, gripping his shotgun.

“She’s a clumsy hiker,” he laughed.

“Walter, they weren’t kidding about the path. Actually there was no path. It was ridiculous.” She forced a smile. She didn’t want her uneasiness to rub off on Walt. He would call the whole thing off.

He gave one of his infamous noncommittal grunts.

“I’ll call you tomorrow morning and we can get started then, okay?” Bo asked before turning to head back to his truck.

She swallowed hard and nodded.

“You okay, really? You look a little frazzled,” Walter asked, rubbing his whiskers.

She swallowed and shook her head. “Yeah. It’s gonna be fine. Just nervous I guess.”

“Hmm,” he said, reversing the car and pulling down the dirt path leading to the main road. “You know them guns don’t do you a bit a good if you keep letting the boys carry them around. They was for your protection…”

“I honestly couldn’t carry it down that ravine. It was crazy steep. They moved up and down it like mountain goats. I looked like a fool.”

“Well, then I guess when you talk to Silas you better have him find you some kinda gun that you can keep in your pocket or something. I don’t want you down there unprotected.” He looked straight ahead.

“You really think I need one that bad?” she asked curiously.

He didn’t answer her. She didn’t like that. That meant he didn’t know. She decided to switch topics, focusing on the goal of this little endeavor. “So, you mentioned you’d bought train tickets. When do you leave?”

“We’re heading out on Monday, day after tomorrow. Not exactly sure when I’ll be back.”

“So, you’ve decided to go with Mae and Max?” she asked surprised.

“Mae’s having a hard time. She’s scared of the big city. Don’t know how she thinks I’ll be able to help her with that. I ain’t ever been north of LaRue County.”

“That’s good Walt. You should go.”

“Well, you have to promise that you are gonna tell Silas about this. I ain’t leaving you here sneaking off to the Johnson’s cabin,” he said gruffly.

“I’m gonna tell him tonight,” she said with a sigh.

As they pulled onto her road she could see two cars in her drive. She suspected all the boys were there… Silas, Trick, and Gabe. She looked down at her torn, dirty dress. This was not going to go well. There was no reason to kid herself but it had to be done, and in front of an audience no less. She eyed Walt. She may have to do this in front of him.

“Walter, can you just let me off here at the end of the drive?” she asked.

“Nope. It’s too cold.”

“Please. I need a minute to think by myself before I walk in that house looking like this.”

“Want to come to my house and get cleaned up first?” he asked.

“No. I want to get this done. I just need a minute.”

Walter pulled over to the side of the road. “You be careful, okay? Call me.”

She promised, grabbed her shotgun, and headed down the road that would lead her home.

Chapter Thirty

F
or the first time that day Emmie didn’t feel the cold, which was saying something, since the sun was setting and the wind had picked up. She could hear it whipping through the trees. The walk to the house was much too short. Her thigh stung as she stretched it moving up the stairs. She must have cut it on one of the falls up the ridge.

When Emmie reached the door, she stood outside for a long time working up the courage to open it. She could hear the boys’ voices on the other side. Silas. Gabe. Trick. Everyone was there. They were engaged in some heavy conversation. She couldn’t make out their words, just the tone.

Emmie felt Spotty’s fur brush against her before she heard him arrive at her side. He bounced from foot to foot wagging his tail. When she petted him, his fur was so cold. He’d likely spent part of the day looking for her. She’d have to be sure and put him up tomorrow. She didn’t want him to follow her. She wasn’t sure dogs were welcome companions there or what was worse, what they would do to one that just showed up.

She took one last deep breath, gave a failed attempt to brush the dirt from her skirt and patted down her hair. Her trembling hand turned the knob and opened the door. It was no wonder she could hear them all so well, they were huddled around her kitchen table looking through newspapers, photos, and loose sheets of notes.

“Hello.” She moved past them toward the stove. Someone had made coffee and she needed it.

Gabe and Silas were intently staring down at the newspaper. If they heard her greeting neither acknowledged it. She let out a little sigh of relief as she poured the cup. Maybe they’d be too preoccupied to care what she’d been up to today. Clearly they were working out their own issues.

Trick leaned back in his chair and grabbed her arm where the sleeve was ripped from elbow to wrist. He looked at her with wide eyes. At first she thought he might give her some smartass comment but after taking in her haggard expression his face fell. He stood abruptly and took in the rest of her disheveled dress.

“You okay?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah. I just fell.”