The Chair Falls At Night

by Chris Vaughn

  Buddy came to the front door and again the sound a lock's tumbler's moved and clicked. Buddy placed his hand on the door and opened it wide to the clean cool breeze that is rare in a South Georgia afternoon. He took his hand and opened the screened door as if he were saying ‘bye’ to someone he knew.

  "Th... Th... Thank you....." Buddy stammered.

  The words choked inside Buddy's throat as tears came down his face. He stood still and listened as the footsteps continued down the porch and onto the steps. Buddy tried again to say something but was only able to clear his throat. He stared at the front yard of the house, and didn't move a muscle but enjoyed the gentle tears that trickled down his face.

  Chapter 22

  "No, Sheriff, I killed him, he attacked Jackie, Rudy, Clementine, and you, and was trying to hurt my little girl. That's the way it's gonna be said. Okay? Now you sit still and let me bandage this up. You got hit hard, Bill." Buddy's voice switched from the business side to the personal side of Sheriff Bill Waters. "I'd feel better if you let me take you to the doctor."

  "I ain't goin' to the Doc for this. He'd want to take me to a hospital. I've been hit harder, it just caught me off guard."

  "I'd feel better though, Bill," Buddy said as he stood back and looked at the sheriff and his attempts at first aid. Mary was busy as she cleaned up the glass and wood on the floor.

  "Buddy, I don't know what happened here other than a wild man hit me with a bat and then there were footsteps that I can't explain, but I know this much... There isn't a mark on Frank Little in there, not a mark made with hands. Not sure why a tie is lying beside him on the floor, but that could have fell out when Joy climb out, or so you say. You sure she's okay?" said the Sheriff.

  "She seems to be, an' time will tell. I don't think he hurt her, but he hit Jackie pretty hard and her face is gonna be swollen for a few days."

  "Buddy, I don't want you to have to go through an inquest or grand jury or something, let me say I killed Frank."

  Buddy laughed as he had leaned over to help pick up pieces of broken chair, "That's rich, Sheriff. I can't say I've done it, but you can with a knot on the back of your head. Mary's my witness and she will back me up. I went into the room and fought Frank Little to save my family... Rudy's family... and you." His tone had gone from jovial back to serious. "Bill, I ain't never gonna talk about what I saw here today, not from these lips. I'm thankful my family is safe and Rudy's is too; they are good people. I want this to end, and for this to get put behind us as soon as possible. Heck, everyone around knew Frank was a good ole' boy unless he was drunk."

  "Bud, I'm gonna write it up just like you said, but one day I want to know what happened. I saw the glass on the floor move and heard steps, but maybe I didn't. Let's do this first, let's have the coroner look at the body and determine the cause of death first. See what he says." Their eyes locked with each other as they both nodded.

  Mary had just thrown her last dustpan of glass in her trash can and looked at them both. "Let me put us some coffee on."

  "We can't go nowhere till the coroner comes and removes the body anyway," the sheriff said.

  “When do you think Clementine will get back with Rudy and the girls?" Mary asked. She insisted on the girls going with Clementine to the doctor just to make sure they weren't there to see the dead body of Frank Little being taken out of the house.

  "Mama, they won't be long. Rudy is beat up and won't work for a few days, but he ain't broke nothing I don't think, 'cept maybe a rib. Same for Jackie. Any scars they got will be the ones we can't see." Buddy said as he walked out of the kitchen and into the living room to find a chair to sit on.

  "He died from what, John?" the sheriff asked John Stancil the coroner. John Stancil owned the only funeral home in Chester County and served in the unique position of coroner as well. He was an older man who had seen a county of cadavers although most were from accidental deaths and even more from just old age.

  "I'ma tell you, unless you ask for a full autopsy, I'm ruling this a heart attack or something. There is definitely a hit to his head from something, but I don't think that would have killed him. There's no strangulation marks. No puncture wounds. No abrasions to his face and neck that I can see. His heart exploded, or a heart attack or something, but I'm writing this up as natural causes unless you order me to do different." The coroner yelled over his shoulder and into the hall towards the bedroom, "Yall boys get with it and get that body in the hearse now." His helpers had already given themselves to the task at hand but his tone said they weren't as quick as he wanted.

  Bill Waters sat still as he looked at his coffee cup and glanced over at Buddy who was studying his own coffee, and Mary stood at the stove. "You sure about that, John? I want to make sure about this, with no questions asked."

  "God, Bill what's wrong. You want a full autopsy?" the coroner asked.

  "No. Just want to make sure. He put up a fight, but let's leave it like you said. You need a witness for those papers," the sheriff asked and pulled out his fountain pen.

  "Well, yeah, but I hadn't planned on all that just now," the coroner pulled his forms out and began to write and fill out the information.

  "I want it done now, let's get it all taken care of," Sheriff Waters said with pen in hand ready to sign before the papers were completely filled out.

  "John, you want some coffee?" Mary asked.

  "Yes, mam. That will be nice," the coroner answered back as he never looked up.

  "Well, I'm gonna go out and find some chairs for this kitchen." Buddy paused and then continued, "better yet, Mama, let's go into town and eat, us, the Fryars and the sherriff. You want to go too, John? I'm buying, we've got a lot to be thankful for."

  "Bud, the Fryars can't eat at the Diner, least not inside," the dheriff answered back quick.

  "By God they will tonight or I'll tell a story about a bat...." Buddy said as he rubbed the back of his own head. Sheriff Waters got the message and laughed at Buddy.

  "What bat?" The coroner asked.

  "Just an inside joke, John." Sheriff Waters replied.

  "Come on, Mama, turn that stove off. Let's go to the Diner, John, bring that paper work with you. Bill's driving to the doctor's first to check on Rudy, and then to the Diner. Just like old times Bill."

  Chapter 23

  Several days had passed since the long day of Frank Little's rampage and life had started to return to normal for the Hands. Joy's daddy had repaired the back door, bought some used chairs, and fixed the closet door in his own bedroom. Rudy Fryar hadn't needed much medical attention but did need a few days of rest before he could walk without help and get around. Buddy had done the work of two men for those days to make sure both farms were worked and ready, and each night he came home tired. The girls had been inseparable anytime they could be together just like their plans, but Mary and Clementine hadn't let them spend the night with each other yet; only because Clementine didn't want Jackie to spend the night inside the house again. After a long day, and a good meal, Buddy sat on the front porch and enjoyed his final cigarette of the day with Joy snuggled next to him on the swing.

  "Daddy?"

  "Yeah, girl?"

  "You think the chair will fall over again?"

  No one in the Hand or Fryar house had spoken of what took place that day, of the doors that unlocked and the steps that were heard. Buddy and Mary hadn't mentioned it to each other either except for one conversation Buddy had made a point to have with Joy. He had told her to never talk about it to anyone but he and mama.

  "Joy, I don't want us talking about that."

  "I know, Daddy, but do you think it will fall over tonight."

  "I don't know, baby, but I don't think so. Why?"

  "I don't think so either. But you know what?"

  "What, baby?" Buddy looked down at his daughter and rubbed her still wet hair from her bath that night.

  "I liked it, but I don't think he will make it fall over anymore." Joy enjoyed the fact that her daddy pu
lled her close to himself and kissed her head.

  "Mama, come out here and sit with us," Buddy yelled at the front door only to be greeted by Mary as she was already walking through the door.

  "Quit your yelling, Buddy."

  Mary sat down on the swing, and now Buddy and Mary sat on either side of Joy, as they all enjoyed the moment.

  "Mama, I want to sleep in my bed tonight."

  "We will see...." Mary said distantly.

  "No, Mama, I don't want to see. I want to sleep in my own bed. There isn't enough room in yall's bed." Buddy and Mary looked at each other and said multiple words to each other with their faces and looks of uncertainty.

  "Sides that, girl, I bet you're tired of your Mama's snoring?" Buddy chuckled.

  "Hush now." Mary shot back at him.

  "I don't care if your Mama don't." Buddy said to Mary's quick look that communicated she disapproved of his statement.

  "Well, I guess...."

  "Mama, I'll be all right, and then you know what?"

  "Oh Lord, dear, what now?"

  "Can Jackie spend the night tomorrow?" Joy asked, but her voice had begun to sound tired as started to yawn. The slow rock of the swing sent Joy to sleep as Buddy and Mary sat quietly.

  "Well, let me take her up to her bed, Mama."

  "Oh, Buddy she's too big, wake her up," Mary said.

  "Not tonight. Tonight for a while longer she's my small baby I've always had, and almost lost." Joy's daddy struggled to pick up the young girl, but easily shifted his weight to make sure he could carry her. "Come walk up there with me, Mary."

  Mary walked behind Buddy as he slowly took each step. He walked into the room, and Mary pulled the covers back and Buddy laid Joy on the bed. He took a long moment to kiss her on the forehead and walk to the window as Mary adjusted her covers.

  "You sure she will be okay... up here?" Mary asked while she look at Joy.

  "I'm sure she will, she evidently always was." With that Buddy stepped over and tapped the chair that was under the table in the room. "Thankfully we all will." Buddy tapped the chair again, and walked over to Mary as the two of them headed downstairs to a quiet house in the country, that would be full of tobacco farming in the morning, two best friends that loved each other, and the thankful knowledge that some things can't be explained.

  Thanks for taking the time to read ‘The Chair Falls at Night’. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed the memories it brought back to me. If you’d like to find out about my next book, please take a moment now to sign up for Chris’ email update by visiting his website at http://www.chrisvaughn.net.

  Also, if you find a typo, error, or such, take a moment and email me at chris@chrisvaughn.net and we will correct it. Also, you will be sent a free copy of the next book in the series.

  You can find out more about Chris, and his upcoming books by visiting…

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  Also, if you liked the book please take a moment and leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, etc. Your reviews and comments are so appreciated.

  ~Chris Vaughn

  Special Thanks!

  I want to thank the following people for their encouragement, reading it partially finished, and giving their input. They may be called Beta Readers, but to me they are precious! Thanks!

  Bunny Abraham

  Susan Clement

  Heather Height

  Kay Mccullough

  Sherry Moore

  Julie Upton

  If you’d like to sign up to be a Beta Reader and get Chris’ books early sign up at his website at http://chrisvaughn.net or email him directly at mailto:chrisvaughn-author@chrisvaughn.net

  About The Author

  Chris Vaughn grew up listening to his parents, especially his Mother, and others tell the fun, wild stories of childhood, life, and ghosts that held your imagination. The great story tellers are some what an artist, though theirs was a verbal tradition. Chris still loves reading, and hearing a good story but prefers to tell them, and now write them.

  Chris wants to keep that gift going forward in writing. The stories he heard as a child made it so you couldn’t sleep, which was either from laughter, excitement, or fear! He hopes his stories do the same for you.

  He grew up in the South, where the pace of life was slower than he could tolerate. He currently lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife and three children.

  Remember too…

  Calicem capulus dignius Liber

  sed utrumque simul, melius,

  (A book is worth more than a cup of coffee, but both are better together)

  PSALMISS I:III

  “et omne quod fecerit prosperabitur”

  Also, I don’t know Latin, but love using it in phrases.

  Books By Chris…

  Sextus’ Sacrifice: Arena Series I

  Stranger In The House

  The Chair Falls At Night