The Sinner in Mississippi

by D L Lane

  “I’m sorry, what was that?”

  Clearing the frog from my throat, I said, “James.”

  “So, would you say this knife, found at the scene of the crime, belongs to James Henry?”

  “Objection, your honor,” Mr. Dunham said. “Ms. Singleton wasn’t at the scene when evidence was collected.”

  “Your honor,” Mr. Harris said, “Ms. Singleton is a direct witness to what took place.”

  “Sustained, Mr. Harris. Find another line of questioning for the witness.”

  The man cocked his head, looking at me. “Would you read the name carved into that knife one more time, please?”

  “It says, James.”

  “And what is your brother’s name?”

  “James Henry.”

  “And did you or did you not witness James Henry end the lives of two men on the morning of October fourteenth of last year?”

  “Objection, your honor?” Mr. Dunham stood.

  “Overruled.” The judge looked at me, “You may answer, Ms. Singleton.”

  With tears welling in my eyes, I looked at my brother, who appeared to be at peace as he gave me another nod. “Yes, but—”

  “Yes or no, only, Ms. Singleton.”

  “Yes.”

  The courtroom broke out into a sound of buzzing bees, and Lil, Dudley’s kind-hearted mother, started crying and whaling, looking as if she’d aged a hundred years since I last saw her.

  Judge Willis slammed his gavel down. “I will have order in this court!”

  All the noise seemed to settle, but Lil had to be escorted out of the room, leaning heavily on the arm of the bailiff.

  “I have nothing further,” Mr. Harris said as calm as calm could be, placing the knife back into the bag, and then turning to go.

  Twisting in my seat, I asked, “Your honor?”

  “Yes, Ms. Singleton.”

  “I’m confused. I thought Mr. Harris was going to ask me questions as to the timeline of events, and I would like to tell everyone here what happened?”

  Deep down, I didn’t want to. What I wanted to do was run from the room and keep on going, but I had to explain, as best I could, what caused my brother to do what he did.

  The judge looked at James Henry’s lawyer. “Would you like to question the witness, Mr. Dunham?”

  “Yes, your honor.”

  “Ms. Singleton, please stay seated until you are excused. Mr. Dunham is going to cross-examine you.”

  Using every bit of strength I had not to scowl in confusion, I asked, “He’s going to ask me what happened?”

  “I cannot answer for Mr. Dunham, but I would presume so.”

  I guessed that was all the answer I was going to get.

  Chapter Thirty

  I fought them

  “Good morning, Ms. Singleton,” Mr. Dunham said, stepping up to the podium. “Thank you for being here today, though I’m sure it is under great difficulty.”

  “Good morning,” I replied with a nod.

  “You stated earlier you had not been aware of the two gentlemen, Dudley McCoy and Alistair Blevins were on your father’s property. Is that correct?”

  “Yes, sir. I didn’t see them at first.”

  “Would you tell us when you became aware of their presence?”

  “When I heard Dudley call my name. They, Dudley and Alistair, must have been in the barn because they came up from behind me before I made it to the front porch of the house.”

  “Would you take us through the steps?”

  “You mean, what happened next?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Taking a fortifying breath, I held perfectly still, ignoring the need to move. “The two of them had this look on their faces. You know, that hateful, mean kind of look that tells a person they need to run or suffer the consequences. So, I did. I ran. Then I heard Dudley scream, ‘Get her!’ I’d almost made it to the trees, when a big arm wrapped around my waist, hoisting me under it. I kicked and yelled at Alistair to put me down.”

  I looked into the gray eyes of Mr. Dunham. “He’s the one who caught me. Anyway, I was wiggling and spitting mad, but Alistair just held tight and told me he wasn’t going to put me down, he and Dudley had something to talk to me about.”

  I paused, glancing at my lap.

  “Ms. Singleton,” Mr. Dunham called, drawing my attention once more. “Are you able to continue?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He inclined his curly, blond-head.

  “Alistair carried me into the house, me all the while squirming, but I wasn’t able to break free. He only released me when he tossed me into one of our kitchen chairs. He stepped aside, but not long enough for me to make a run for it because Dudley took his place—snarling at me. ‘I’m telling you what, Mississippi Singleton, you dare move a finger, and I’m tying you down!’”

  “‘You’d have to catch me first,’ I smarted off at him. But he threatened to gag me. Though, that didn’t stop me from telling him, ‘I thought we had something to discuss. How are we going to talk if I’m gagged?’”

  I glanced out at Thayer. His mask had slipped, a frown marring his usually smooth brow. “‘See there,’ Alistair said, ‘I told you she had a sassy mouth.’”

  “Dudley grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked hard as he bent and got in my face. ‘Now listen here. You’re gonna shut up while I’m talking. Not a word, or I’ll pop you in that pretty mouth. Do you understand?’”

  I bit at the inside of my cheek.

  “When I didn’t answer, he pulled my hair until I yelled, ‘Yes!’ He got enjoyment out of my pain because he smiled as if he was having a great day, saying, ‘Good. See, this is how it works. When I’m done asking a question, you will answer me without any sass.’ Then, he let loose of me to tug up another chair and placed it in front of mine, only facing the wrong way. I thought about jumping up and trying for the door, but Alistair was right behind me, so I figured I’d bide my time and watched as Dudley tossed a leg over the chair, straddling it. When he was settled, he glared at me with menace in those light brown eyes and asked, ‘Tell me how it is your daddy ended up in jail just days after you were gone?’”

  I took a deep breath, trying to tell the story like it was just something I’d read, and not lived, but the lines between where I was and where I’d been were becoming blurred.

  “I knew from my younger brother, Danny Joe, Daddy was in jail,” I said, “and I also knew from what he told me earlier that day, he and his friends, which included Dudley and Alistair, thought I had something to do with it.” I realized I’d been shaking my foot, so I stopped. “Danny Joe accused me of ratting on Daddy.”

  Locking my gaze with the attorney, I said, “I didn’t have anything to do with what happened to my daddy. He earned his time behind bars all on his own, but I didn’t tell any of that to Dudley and Alistair, I instead continued with my antagonism. ‘I don’t know, Dudley, why don’t you tell me?’ My sarcastic question gained me an open-palmed smack across my face, making my head jerk to the side. ‘That’s what you get for being smart with me, Sippi,’ Dudley said. Alistair lifted my chin and said his slap was going to leave a mark.”

  Glancing back at Thayer, I said, “I knew if there was ever a time to keep my mouth shut, it was then, but all my anger rose, and I couldn’t stop it. ‘You two are really big men, hitting a lady.’ Dudley snorted at that. ‘So you’re a lady now, huh?’ he asked, followed by a punch to my face, busting my lip.”

  Shifting my gaze to my brother, I added, “I tasted blood” before looking back at the lawyer, continuing with, “Dudley asked me if I had learned my lesson yet, and I asked him, ‘What lesson would that be?’ Payment for that was a fist-punch to my right eye. An explosion of pain happened and had me screaming as my head swam. Dudley sneered at me. ‘Go on and keep testin’ me. Won’t bother me nun, I’ve got plenty more to give you, Sippi.’”

  Glancing down once more, I admitted, “He wasn’t lying. Dudley got up, tossed his chair aside, and yanke
d me up from mine by my arms. My head and face were throbbing, but I threw a punch of my own, missing because I couldn’t see out of my right eye, and my balance was off.”

  I licked my dry lips.

  “That’s when they lunged for me,” I said, “I fought them, but they were both bigger and stronger than me. Alistair hit me in the chest, then wrapped his forearm around my neck as Dudley punched me in the stomach. I couldn’t breathe.”

  I studied my balled fists for so long; it finally registered I heard, “Ms. Singleton?”

  “Sorry.” I looked back at the lawyer. “I thought those two were going to kill me, but Alistair let me go, and I fell to the floor in a heap. That’s when the kicking started. I curled up into a ball as it all became a haze of pain from there. At one point, one of them must have knocked me out, because the next thing I fully remember was waking up as Alistair secured my hands to the post of my bed with his belt while Dudley was—”

  I cleared my scratchy throat as heat rose on my cheeks. “He was tearing my undergarments off.”

  Just saying those words had fear drowning me, so it took me a second to say, “He was the first one to rape me, and I just detached, losing track of time and surroundings. I think it was Alistair who started strangling me while he took his turn. That’s what he called it, ‘My Turn’ as he slipped his pants down and climbed onto me, whispering nasty things in my ear, but it could have been Dudley, I’m not real sure. I remember every bone I possessed ached, my fingers were numb, my head throbbed, and my right eye was swollen shut. I was aware I had no idea how long I’d been there, or how many times I’d been violated, all I did know for sure—the weight of Dudley’s big body crushed me when he rolled back on mine. Somewhere in the distance, I recognized the rhythmic banging of the headboard hitting the wall accompanied by guttural male grunts, but I wasn’t there. Not mentally, until a horrible gurgling sound from Dudley pulled me into reality.”

  I’d lost myself in the recollection.

  “Dark-red blood spewed all over, and his limp body was jerked from me—tossed to the floor. I can still hear the heavy thump he made when he landed.”

  Glancing at the faces in the courtroom, no one appeared to be feeling anything but disgust, sadness, and twinges of anger if I were reading their expressions correctly, but I took another breath and went on. “Turning as best I could, I tried to see what was happening, but with only one blurry eye, it was all a jumble of shifting movement, the sounds of a tussle, then something silver glinted. It was the shine that had me focusing.”

  I paused, my heart thumping in my chest.

  “Are you able to continue, Ms. Singleton?”

  Eyes shifting to Mr. Dunham, I nodded. “It was James Henry, I saw.”

  I glanced at my brother, who didn’t look disturbed in the least; he just bobbed his head at me once more.

  “He had a blade poised at Alistair Blevins throat,” I said, “both of them standing by the half-open window. Why the window was open, I didn’t know, but”—I shook my head—“I guess that doesn’t matter. I could tell my brother was saying something to Alistair; however, I couldn’t hear him. Whatever it was, though, made Alistair cry out, ‘No, no, no.’ I remember looking away for a moment then back at my brother.”

  “Alistair cried. ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry!’ And I found my voice, croaking out, ‘Too late for those.’”

  I stopped, not wanting to continue, and hoping I wouldn’t have to, but the attorney asked, “What happened next?”

  I locked my blue gaze with my brother’s. “James Henry cut a gash into that nude boy’s neck.”

  Silence pierced the courtroom until I said, “Everything seemed like a nightmare, and I thought I needed to wake up, but my brother came to me, untied my hands, tossed a sheet over my naked body, then scooped me up off the bed. The pain I felt told me it was real, and when he put me in his arms, I’m sure I cried in agony. Every part of me seemed broken. I remember him saying I was hurt real bad and needed a doctor. I think I told him to take me to Mr. King because I knew he would help me, but the world was tilting and turning gray, so I don’t recall anything after that until I woke up in Mr. King’s home.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  In God’s hands now

  May 4, 1937

  Beams of sun slanted across the hardwood floor, creating a path of light and shadow as I walked into the sunroom for breakfast, my attention shifting to Thayer when he stood.

  “Good morning.” A smile stretched across the chiseled features of his face.

  “Morning,” I said, returning the smile, actually surprised I remembered how to form one.

  “You look lovely today.”

  Glancing down at the new, larger dress I wore to accommodate my ever-growing size, I shrugged. “This is one of the plainer dresses.”

  “Mississippi,” he said, his smooth voice drawing me like a moth to a flame, “you’d make a flour sack look good.”

  I blushed, heading for my seat, which he had pulled out for me.

  “Oh!”

  Turning at the distressed sound, Ms. Bonny had dropped a stack of folded napkins, the look on her face one of horror.

  “It’s okay,” I said, going to assist with the scatter of cloth. “Here, I’ll hel—”

  A sharp pain stabbed me in the lower back, causing me to stumble forward, latching onto Geraldine for support.

  “Mississippi!” Thayer yelled, panic in his voice as he came to me, an emotion I shared when the next hard blow arrived.

  “What’s wrong?” Ms. Bonny asked.

  “I don’t know.” I met her anxious gaze with mine, then glanced up at Thayer, trying to pull from his strength.

  “Aah...” The next pain hit, and then I felt something weave its way down my leg.

  “You’re bleeding,” he said, his voice strained.

  “The baby,” I uttered, fear clawing at my chest.

  ***

  Sometime later, anxious splotches of scarlet dotted Thayer’s high cheekbones as I lay in the hospital bed. “What can I do?”

  “I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do,” Doctor Rhymes replied in his husky voice. “Nothing more any of us can do. Whether the baby stays put until a full-term delivery isn’t within my power. It’s in God’s hands now.”

  “But I came early, and I did okay,” I said, nerves making my hands shake.

  “Well, if it’s all the same to you, Ms. Singleton, I’d like a little more time since you have over ten weeks to go.” He patted my blanket-covered knee. “Get some rest.”

  “Can’t I do that at Thayer’s home?”

  Blue eyes shifted to me. “It’s your home, too, Mississippi.”

  “Let’s give it a day or two,” the doctor said, tweaking his chin with his thumb and forefinger, “then we’ll see. For now, stay put. If you need anything, call for one of the nurses. Do not get to your feet, young lady.”

  I nodded.

  Once the doctor left, Thayer sat on the edge of my bed, took my hand, bowed his head, and whispered, “God, it’s me again. I know I only seem to talk to you when something serious is happening, and I’m sorry. But please, keep Mississippi and her baby safe. Don’t allow anything to happen to either of them. In your son’s name, I pray. Amen.”

  When he opened his eyes and looked at me, my tears had escaped. “You prayed.”

  He nodded, wiping the wetness from my face.

  “Why?”

  “I can’t lose you,” he said, “or the baby either.”

  A feather-light tickle brushed across my skin, and it didn’t come from Thayer. It didn’t come from any source I could see, but the anger I’d been experiencing over carrying a life inside of me seeped away as if it never existed. ‘The thing’ no longer an abomination I didn’t want, became a baby who needed to be saved.

  Crying, I gripped Thayer’s hand tighter and silently asked from my heart. Father God, I’m sorry for being so angry at You and this life inside my tummy. For all the years I’ve left you by the ways
ide. I get it now. You never left me; I left you. Forgive me for being pigheaded. I ask for your mercy, Lord, for the baby who is blameless in all this and for me. Bless him or her with life and allow me to be a good mama. I promise I’ll try hard to do what you would have me do. Please, forgive me.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  I cried tears of joy

  July 13, 1937

  Haggard and exhausted, but truly happy in an unexplainable way, I glanced at the too handsome man coming toward the hospital bed, smiling brighter than the sun.

  “What are you going to name him?” Thayer placed the bundled little one in my arms.

  Looking into the beautiful face with the perfect button nose and chubby cheeks, it was difficult to believe I’d given birth to a healthy eight-pound six-ounce baby boy on the day I turned eighteen.

  “Emmanuel,” I whispered, stroking a fingertip over his tufts of dark-brown hair.

  “That means God with us.”

  Overflowing with a sense of right, I glanced up as Thayer gazed down at me. “It does,” I agreed.

  “I like it.” He bent and placed a kiss on my forehead before doing the same with my son.

  For the stranger looking in, I imagined we appeared to be one happy family, and in a way, we were. Thayer had been with me every step of the journey, lifting me up on the days I’d felt down, giving me hope when mine wavered. Coming into the labor room, the minute after the nurse helped me return to decent. Right to my side, holding my hand, he asked Doctor Rhymes if I was going to be okay, bless him. I don’t think he took a breath until he heard I was just fine.

  “And the baby? Is the baby all right?”

  “Well, Thayer, my friend, by the sounds of those loud squawks, I’d say he’s none too happy at the moment, but he’s doing just fine.”

  “Why are you crying?” Thayer’s question pulled me into the present to realize he was wiping the tears away from my cheeks with his thumbs.

  I loved both of the men in my life so much it was a strange, joyful hurt.

  “Just happy, I guess.”

  ***