The Last Road Home (15 page)

C
HAPTER
30

H
igh humidity made the scorching days of August suffocating. The tobacco stalks grew heavy and full, and the leaves ripened. I helped the Wilsons, and they helped me with the priming and barning. Mr. Wilson sounded a little too friendly whenever he was around Fancy, or maybe I noticed it more after what she told me. He was getting on my nerves worse and worse. I even looked at Roy differently, trying to imagine him so angry he would punch his own daughter. I didn't feel the same respect for him. There were days I didn't like my world very much. When you shucked the outside layer of people, a lot of the corn was rotten.

Lightning managed to stay out of sight. He sat up with me the first night minding the fire and curing the leaves. Since the incident in the kitchen, we had steered clear of each other as much as possible. “Lightning, I'm sorry if I got carried away. It seems since Grandma died, everybody wants to tell me this or that, like I'm stupid or something.”

“I understand, Junebug. If I thought Daddy was really trying to hurt Fancy, I'd go up there and face him.” He stuck out his hand. “No hard feelings.”

Fancy and Lightning helped me store the tobacco crop in the pack house so it could turn soft and color out. By the first of October, we'd had a frost and the brisk nights began to color the maples fire red and the oaks brownish yellow. I hauled loads to Durham and sold the tobacco. It turned out not to be a big season for price, but I made enough to pay off my bill at Salem's Store and to Lawyer Stern. With what was left, I bought supplies for next year, kept some money in the house for gas and food, and added the rest to the jars buried in the pack house cellar. I made sure to do that when Lightning was in the marijuana field, but I did show the stash to Fancy.

“What are you going to do with all that money, Junebug?” She sat with me on the dirt floor, like two kids playing with toys.

I screwed the ring top on the last jar. “This is for when I need it or get old and can't work. Don't ever tell anybody what's here, but if anything happens to me, you know where it is. Take the money and go visit some of them places you read about in your schoolbooks.”

Fancy leaned over and put two hands on my face. “Better not anything happen to you. Maybe one of these days we could visit those places together.”

We went to lay on our backs in the grass outside the pack house and talk while we watched the daylight fade and a quarter moon find its place in the night sky. “I used to go sit in the woods at night after Grandma died. Somehow, it seemed to make me feel closer to her.”

“Church didn't help? Or praying?”

“Not much. Something about the dark makes me feel better.”

* * *

Lightning came into the house late one afternoon a couple of weeks later. “Can you come with me in the morning? Them plants are ready for pulling and I want you to see how to tell when it's time.”

“I can do that.” I hadn't been to the field in a couple of months.

We went out early. It was obvious Lightning had done a right smart amount of work. The plants had reached head high and looked healthy.

Lightning pushed out his chest a little. “This crop looks better than that old farmer's in Georgia. Let me show you what I was talking about.” He took a magnifying glass and pointed out the brownish hairs on the buds. “That's when it's ready.”

I was impressed he had stuck it out to the end. His name hadn't always fit his ambition. “So what do we do now?”

“Saturday night, we'll move the wagon over here, pull 'em up, and take them to the barn.” Lightning did a dance in the soft dirt. “Boy, we're getting near to making some serious money.”

“How soon?”

“Soon as I can get a sample to take to that guy Twin. Then we'll know what's coming.”

“And you're sure you got all this under control?”

“All we got to do is keep our mouths shut and take care of business.”

It was beginning to feel real, making me have even more doubts this kind of money could be so easy. “You reckon you can trust this man?”

“No further than I could throw him. But he needs us as bad as we need him, especially if we got good stuff. That would let him charge more.”

I didn't figure I could throw Lightning very far either. “I'm trusting you.”

He chatted away as we walked back to the house. “Don't worry, son, I got this.” Two nights later, we pulled the plants and strung them up in the barn.

On Wednesday morning, Sheriff Bull Jones made another visit. He stepped out of his car and walked around the yard to stretch his legs. I wasn't surprised to see him since Mr. Wilson said they were still looking for Lightning, but at that moment all I could think about was that marijuana hanging in the tobacco barn, a two-minute walk from the house. If he headed that way, I had no idea what I would do. But he only stayed a few minutes.

Lightning showed me how to break down the buds, and then we rolled and smoked some. “Suck it in your chest good, hold it for a few seconds, then blow it out.” I hacked and coughed like a sick person before getting the hang of it. After that, I could understand why folks would buy it. The next time Fancy came, we took her to the barn and let her try. We sat around laughing like three idiots, then went to the house and ate everything in sight.

I had to make one run to Apex and another to Durham in order to get enough mason jars and not cause suspicion buying too many in one place. The next few days we spent a lot of time cutting off the buds. We filled up a hundred small jars and fifty half-gallon sizes.

“How much you going to charge for these, Lightning?” We were sitting at the kitchen table while Fancy cooked chicken stew.

“I figure seventy-five dollars each for the little jars and three hundred for the big ones. We might could get more, but I don't want to push too hard.”

After quick multiplying on a piece of paper, I looked at Lightning. “You know that's twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars?”

He couldn't quit grinning. “I told you, Junebug.”

I'd never heard of anybody having that much money. “This one man is going to come up with that much cash?”

“That's why I picked him; takes somebody big-time to afford it.”

The time was here when the wheat and the chaff were going to get separated. With that kind of money, there was no telling what we might do. I kept envisioning a stack of green hundred-dollar bills on the kitchen table. Fancy was watching me from the stove. When we caught each other's eye, both of us broke out laughing.

That Friday afternoon, Lightning was ready to go meet with the guy, Twin. “Time for us to get paid,” he said.

We dropped Lightning at the same place. When we got home, Fancy and me lay on the bed talking. “Junebug, you think this is going to work?”

“I'll wait until I see the money. But it seems Lightning might have finally got something right.”

We lay with our noses touching. “I can't help thinking about all that money. What are we going to do if we get it?”

I grinned. “I might buy me a new truck. Heck, I might buy you and me a new truck.”

She started giggling, stuck her arms in the air, and wiggled her butt. “I want some fancy dresses, be Miss Somebody, be such a fine lady I might not even talk to a hick like you.” Fancy got somber for a minute, that logic mind of hers working. “If we go to buying stuff, folks are going to wonder where all the money came from. I guess we better hide it and just spend a little along, keep the rest.”

Here we were about to have all this money, yet Fancy and me couldn't even walk down the street together. I brushed a strand of hair from her face. “It's going to get harder not letting anybody find out about you and me.”

“I know. Don't worry so much. Momma is keeping Daddy from the shine jug so he don't get crazy.” She laid her forehead against mine. “I'll be seventeen next summer and done with school. Then I can live on my own.”

“Where you going to live?”

“Why don't I come stay with you? We can tell folks I'm your live-in housekeeper.” She squeezed closer. “Or we could move somewhere we don't have to worry about what other people think.”

I pushed my hand under her dress and felt her wetness. “We could just buy a tent and live out in the woods.”

Her legs parted. “And what would we do all day?” Fancy covered my mouth with hers, reaching for my zipper.

“We'd think of something.” She lifted so I could pull down her underwear. Her insides were on fire. We buried our worries and concerns and made love until sweat ran between our bellies.

C
HAPTER
31

L
ightning waited on the corner. “How'd everything go?” I asked him.

He rubbed his hands against his pants several times. “Good, just got one little thing we need to do first.”

A sour feeling hit me. “What?”

“Twin said he needed to know who he's dealing with.” Lightning stared out the window. “He wants to meet you.”

“Why?”

“Like I said, he's suspicious about folks, especially white folks.”

“How does he know I'm white? Dammit, Lightning, why can't you keep your mouth shut?”

“Just came out when we were talking. You'll be fine. It's business, Junebug, nobody's going to start any ruckus. Turn left at the next street.”

We drove deeper into the heart of Hayti. Houses along the streets were run-down, white-painted wood that had faded to a dusty chalk. Most had a shaded front stoop, and folks sat outside taking in the night air, watching traffic pass. I felt like every eye was on me.

Lightning pointed to a house that sat above the street. “Pull up right there.”

No light was visible from outside. “Don't look like anybody's home.”

“They're here, the windows got heavy curtains.” Lightning got out of the truck.

Fancy started to follow. Lightning turned and put his hand on her shoulder. “You might ought to stay here.”

“I'm going.” The tone of her voice didn't leave it up for question.

“Suit yourself.” We climbed the cement steps that ran from the street up to a long wooden porch. Lightning knocked.

The curtain moved slightly before the lock rattled. A colored man built like a hickory stump opened the screen door and motioned us in. “Put your hands on the wall.” He wasn't asking. He patted me down from shoulders to feet. “Go on in,” he growled.

The run-down condition of the outside didn't match the inside. Thick red carpet covered the floor. There was nice furniture, music coming from a long console against the wall, and a couple of crazy-looking lamps with blobs floating up and down. Lightning motioned me to stand beside him. “This is Twin.”

A fat, bald-headed man sat on a white leather couch, smoking a cigar, except it didn't smell like cigar. He didn't bother to get up. “So you're Lightning's partner?”

“Reckon so.”

He pulled himself up off the couch. “Hell, y'all ain't nothing but a couple of punk-ass kids.” Twin towered over me by at least four inches, weighed about three hundred pounds, and had the biggest hands I'd ever seen. His face was pocked bad and a lot of yellow showed in his eyes. He bent down and put his broad nose real close to mine, like he was sniffing my scent.

He moved from me to Fancy. “Now, this is something I can use.” He lifted her chin, pushed her around so he could see her behind, then used his first finger to lift one of her breasts.

Fancy jerked away. Her fists balled up. I moved between them. “She ain't for sale.”

Twin was startled. He leaned down to me again. “Let me tell you something, you white-bread motherfucker, I'll take whatever I want.” His breath stunk like my pigpen.

“Like I said, she ain't for sale.” I swelled up the best I could, staring back. He had a fearsome sneer. His man started laughing.

Twin straightened, then suddenly reached down and grabbed me by my privates, jerking up. “I like a man what's got some balls, boy, but don't talk like that to me again. I'll put your ass in a place nobody will ever find all your parts.”

The sudden severe pain made me suck air. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Fancy start to move. I put my elbow against her chest. “She's got no part in this.” My tone had a higher pitch than usual due to the grip Twin had on my nuts.

He turned loose. I cut an eye at Lightning, but he just stared straight ahead. He was either scared shitless or more worried about the money than about his sister.

“Oh, I get it now,” Twin said. “You done got a taste of this chocolate stuff and you like it. You think this nigger cunt is your girlfriend? Boy, you got a lot to learn about women. But, like I said, I respect a man that's got backbone.”

He stepped back and settled on the couch. “Y'all sit down and let's talk business. I have to admit this shit Lightning brought is pretty good. How much you got?”

Lightning talked while Fancy and I sat close together, staying quiet. “A hundred jars like I brought you, and fifty half-gallon ones.”

“When can you deliver?”

“Anytime you want.”

Twin puffed on his cigar while he glanced at the ceiling. “Okay, let's set up for this coming Wednesday; y'all can get it here?”

Lightning started to agree before I stopped him. “No offense, Mr. Twin, but we ain't bringing it here. We'll meet you somewhere private so we can make the trade.”

He pushed to his feet again, his expression pissed off and serious. Then he began to laugh. “What we got here is a junior John Dillinger.” He looked at the other man standing behind us. “What's the matter, boy, you scared of coming to black folks country?”

Maybe I should just agree, and never show up. “I just don't trust you to have our well-being in mind.” I watched the blobs float up and down.

That really got him going. He slapped me on the shoulder. “I'm starting to like you, boy. What'd you say your name was?”

“Folks call me Junebug.”

He leaned down in my face again. “That's about the dumbest name I ever heard, right behind Lightning.” He wasn't smiling when he straightened up. “All right, where you want to meet?”

I was surprised he agreed so quickly. I waited to see if Lightning had any ideas. He just stood there like he had a post up his ass.

I felt like the idiot in the room, putting myself in a place I was scared we wouldn't get out alive, but didn't see anything to do except keep talking. “There's a bridge just past the county line on Highway 751 where it crosses over Northeast Creek. Right before the bridge is a pull-off place people use to go down to the water and fish. We'll meet you there at ten o'clock Wednesday night.”

Twin stared at me, rubbing his jaw with a massive right hand. He glanced at his man. “You know the place?”

The man nodded.

“Okay, I'll be there. Make sure you bring all the stuff.”

“No disrespect, but it comes to some over twenty-two thousand dollars, as I figure it.”

“Don't you worry about the money, boy, I can count. But worry about this: If anybody jumps out of the bushes, know I'll kill you first.” He scratched the side of his jaw. “I'm already wondering how two dumb-asses like you could come to have that much reefer.” He wasn't loud and he didn't push his face in front of mine, but he wasn't playing. “Try setting me up and I'll bury you and everybody in your family.”

I could tell he meant every word. “Mister, all we're trying to do is make some money and not have any trouble.” Fancy and I got to our feet.

“You best hope that's all you're trying to do. Now haul your ass out of here.” He looked Fancy up and down again. “Unless you want to stay, little girl.”

She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door.

“Well, ain't that cute, white bread's got him a farm nigger. You be careful, that stuff can mess up your head.” They were still laughing as we pulled the door shut behind us.

As soon as I got the truck turned around, I lit into Lightning. “Who the hell have you got us messing with? They could have killed us in there!”

Lightning sounded irritated and impatient with my ignorance. “Junebug, who the hell did you think you would deal with? Ain't no choirboys selling dope.”

Fancy tried to ease the situation. “Junebug, I'm okay. It didn't mean anything. It's like Lightning says, he was just trying to scare us.”

“He damn sure did me. What if they decide to rob us when we do the trade? I don't want somebody to find my body floating in Northeast Creek.”

Lightning made a feeble attempt at putting my worries to rest. “You're getting all worked up for nothing. He said he was starting to like you.”

“He can kiss my ass is what he can do. I can't believe you're actually stupid enough to trust that bastard. Telling me I'll be the first one dead, shit, he better be worried about his self.” We rode the rest of the way in silence.