Emma clutched the bar towel, trying to hide her relief. She wondered when it had become so important to her that Dane be a part of things. “Okay then. We’ll meet at the house around seven tomorrow.”
“Hey, Emma,” Dane said as Emma turned away.
Emma turned back to Dane. “Yeah.”
“Thanks.”
Emma smiled. “Sure. There will be a few folks there that may know something about your mom. I hope you make it.”
Dane brightened. “I’ll be there.”
Emma felt warmth spread across her skin at the sight of hope in Dane’s eyes. Curtis wasn’t the only one feeling down. They could all use a break.
Chapter Six
Dane spent the day helping Curtis gather wood for the fire. The hay had been cut and stacked in rows along the tree line, leaving the field open. Stones circled an area marked by chunks of charred wood, making the perfect place to gather around a fire.
Curtis tossed the branches from the old pine tree onto the pile as Dane set her load aside. He plopped down onto one of the stones and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. “This is too much work.”
Dane laughed. “I thought you were excited about tonight.”
“I was. But I think this was just Emma’s way of getting me to carry this tree out of the yard.” He tossed another branch onto the pile. “Haven’t you noticed everything always turns into work?”
Dane laughed again. “It isn’t that bad. It’s good to help. She can’t do everything alone, you know.”
“I know. But I don’t like all this stuff.”
Dane kept her voice smooth as she tried to help Curtis understand. “I know, Curtis. But I can’t imagine Emma likes it very much either. She’s tired. She needs your help.”
Curtis kicked a rock with his shoe. “She’s really mad at me.”
“She’s really worried about you,” Dane countered.
“She’s always telling me what to do.”
Dane clapped her hand on Curtis’s shoulder. “She’s trying to protect you.”
Curtis scuffed his shoe across the ground again. “I don’t need protection from my friends. She never likes any of my friends.”
“Why do you think that is?”
Curtis shrugged.
“How did you and Trevor become friends?” Dane asked.
“Trevor wouldn’t let the other kids pick on me at school. He wasn’t afraid to fight anybody, and I was his little buddy. He didn’t have much, so I would bring extra food to school so he had lunch. We looked out for each other.”
“What kind of trouble did you get into? Emma said you almost got killed a couple of times.”
Curtis frowned. “We went to his old man’s place one night after a football game to pick up some of his stuff so we could go camping over the weekend. His dad was drunk and mad about somethin’ and started hitting Trevor’s mom. Trevor tried to make him stop. His dad got real mad and got his gun. We ran. He shot at us out the back door. The neighbors called the police, and Trevor’s dad told the police that we were stealing from him.”
“Didn’t his mom tell the police what happened?”
Curtis shook his head. “No. She was too scared of him.”
“How did you start selling marijuana?” Curtis was in a talkative mood, so she might as well get as much of the story as she could.
Curtis grinned. “When we got a little older, Trevor’s dad gave us a little if we would take some to his friends. After Trevor’s mom left and his dad got sent off, Trevor did it to make money. I just helped him out when I could. He didn’t have anybody, and I didn’t either. He’s always been my friend.”
Dane understood Curtis for the first time. “I get it. I can see why he’s so important to you. Friends take care of each other. But I don’t think they do things to get friends put in jail or get them hurt.”
Curtis frowned. “You sound like Emma.”
“I’m just trying to be a good friend too, Curtis. Sometimes friends have to tell us when we are screwing up.”
“Friends don’t tell on each other,” Curtis countered.
“I know you want to protect Trevor. But you have to ask yourself—why would your friend threaten your sister?”
Curtis bristled. “Trevor wouldn’t hurt Emma.”
“Then why would he say it? Why scare her like that?”
Curtis stared at his feet.
“What’s Trevor so upset about?”
Curtis shook his head.
“Look, I know you sell weed for him. What else is going on?”
“I don’t know. Emma won’t let me talk to him to work it out.” Curtis shrugged. “The cops took the weed and the money I had. He knows I can’t do anything about that.”
“Just remember—I’m your friend too. You can talk to me.”
Curtis nodded.
Dane wasn’t getting very far with Curtis. She wasn’t sure if he would ever tell what was really going on. “I think this should be enough wood for tonight. Let’s go back to the house and get cleaned up.”
Curtis stood. “Good, I’m hungry.”
* * *
Emma tossed another log on the fire, scattering sparks and embers into the air. It was good to see her family. She should have everyone get together more often. It made her feel less alone. She tossed the last of the food trash into a bag and loaded it into the bed of her truck. She plucked a beer from the cooler on her way back.
Her cousin Paul had started to strum his guitar and his wife Sue was humming along to the tune. It was time to get down to business. Sue started to sing. Her angelic voice started soft and slow as she told a story of a soldier going to war, leaving his family to scrape by and work the land alone. A chill ran down Emma’s arms as she listened to the haunting tune.
Emma sat next to Dane, swaying and humming along with the song. Dane looked mesmerized as she snapped photos of the group. She was glad Dane had joined them. She seemed to be enjoying herself.
“Are you having a good time?” Emma asked.
“Yes. This is wonderful,” Dane said, smiling up at Emma. “Thanks for sharing it with me.”
“Just wait. We’re just getting started.”
The song changed, and Emma’s cousin James plucked his banjo and Mary picked up the vocals. This was one of Emma’s favorites from when she was a girl. She remembered her mother and grandmother singing along to Loretta Lynn together when the Grand Ole Opry came on TV.
Emma lifted her violin and tucked it under her chin. The slow pull of the bow added a mournful tone to the simple tune.
Emma let her heartache pour out through the violin. Music was the one thing that she felt explained her when words failed. She could put all her feelings into the notes and let the music carry them away. She looked across the fire at Curtis. His broad childlike smile warmed her heart. Her aunt Lily wrapped her arms around Curtis and planted a kiss on his cheek, making him blush. Emma laughed.
It was getting late. The stars blanketed the sky like a map of the heavens. A half-moon hung above, giving the field an ethereal glow. The wood popped and crackled, adding its own notes to the songs they played.
“Come on, Emma. It’s your turn,” James said. Her niece Emily joined in with her mandolin.
Emma rested her violin on her knee and kept time with each tap of her foot against the ground. She could feel Dane’s gaze on her. She steadied her breath as she tried to remember the words to the old song. Emmylou Harris had always been one of her favorites, but this time the song held more meaning to her.
Emma nodded to James, closed her eyes, and they began to sing.
* * *
Dane put down her camera and stared at Emma. She was sure she had never heard a voice more beautiful than Emma’s. The subtle lines around her eyes and mouth softened, and her body relaxed into the words of the song. She was transformed.
Dane snapped a few photos capturing Emma. She wanted to preserve the moment and the feeling forever.
As the song ended, the group tr
ansitioned into the next. They picked up the tempo with Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “The Ballad of Curtis Loew.” Emma looked at Dane and smiled. Dane’s heart skipped a beat.
“That was beautiful,” Dane said, awe edging her voice.
“Thanks,” Emma said, a smile curving the corners of her lips.
Dane held Emma’s gaze. “Does everyone in your family play or sing?”
Emma nodded. “It’s a family tradition.”
“What about Curtis?”
Emma smiled. “Oh yeah. Him too.”
“Really?” Dane said, surprised.
Emma’s eyes sparked. “Just wait.”
Dane was shocked when Curtis pulled out a harmonica and began to play. The kid was good, really good. She shook her head. “Wow.”
Emma nudged her shoulder against Dane’s. “What about you? Do you play?”
Dane shook her head. “No, but I wish I did. This is fun.” Dane looked around at the group. The night was winding down, and she could see that Emma’s aunt Lily was getting tired.
“All right, guys,” Emma said. “I think it’s time we took this back to the house.”
The group packed up their instruments, and Dane helped Curtis load the coolers into the back of the truck while Emma helped her aunt Lily to her feet and steadied her as she made her way to the truck.
Emma held the door for Lily. “You’re staying at the house tonight, right?” Emma asked.
Lily smiled. “If you don’t mind. I know it isn’t far, but I don’t see well at night and I may have had a little too much whiskey.”
“I had hoped you would. It’s been a long time since we had a good talk.”
Paul and Sue gave everyone big hugs. “Thanks for having us out. It’s been too long,” Paul said.
“We’ll do it again soon,” Emma promised.
Dane hoped Emma would stick to her word. She had a good family. She was guilty of letting work get in the way of her life. This had been good for all of them.
James and Mary were next in line.
“Aren’t you staying at the house?” Emma asked.
James shook his head. “Better not. It was sure fun, Emma, but we both have to work tomorrow, and I know if we go up to the house, you’ll have us up all night playing and talking.”
“All right then. I’ll let you off the hook this time.”
Dane was having a good time, but she was eager to get back to the house and talk to Lily. This was her best shot at finding out something about her mother.
* * *
Dane poured whiskey into two glasses and handed one to Lily. Emma settled for another beer.
“So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about,” Lily said, placing her hand on Emma’s knee.
“We were hoping maybe you knew Dane’s mother.”
Lily looked at Dane. “Well, I don’t know. What’s her name?”
“Pearl Jean Stewart,” Dane answered. “She grew up around here. Her parents were Isaak and Ida.”
Lily frowned. “Well, yes. But I knew her as Jenny. She grew up a few miles down the road from us. That poor family sure had a hard time.”
Dane sat forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Her heart thundered as her excitement grew. This was the first time she’d met anyone who actually knew her mother. “What do you mean?”
“Well, it was just awful when her little brother died in that fire. He was a little rascal even back then. The best they could figure was that he was playing with matches in the house. Jenny had a terrible time with it. Her family split up and stayed with friends and relatives until they could rebuild. I don’t think her parents ever got over his death. I don’t remember Isaak talking much after that.”
“What was Jenny like?” Dane asked.
Lily tilted her head to the side and studied Dane. “Has something happened to Jenny?”
“She died when I was fourteen. Breast cancer.”
“Oh, that poor girl.” She shook her head. “I always hoped she had a happy life after she left with David.”
“You knew my father too?”
Lily smiled. “Sure, I met him a couple of times. Jenny used to talk about him. He was her knight in shining armor. They had a lot of fun together. He was never made for this town. His father was transferred here to run the plant. But David was a college man. He planned on making his mark in the city, and Jenny was more than willing to go with him. Her cousin Thomas didn’t like the idea of Jenny being with an outsider. He thought Jenny’s place was here.” She took a sip of her drink. “Thomas and David never got along. David hated Jenny’s family for how they treated her and for letting Thomas control her. Thomas said David thought he was better than him. The two were like fire and gasoline. They couldn’t be in the same place together without a blowup.”
Lily fell silent for a while as if thinking about what she wanted to say next.
“Jenny showed up at our house one night. I know something bad happened, but she wouldn’t tell us. She just said Thomas beat her up and went after David. Said he was going to kill him. Poor Jenny was terrified.”
“What happened?” Dane asked, her concern turning to fear. What had her mother gone through?
“Thomas didn’t find David. He had already left town. But what Thomas didn’t know was that Jenny and David had made plans. A few days later David came back for her. When Jenny left, no one ever heard from her again.”
Dane frowned. “Why? There must be more to this story. My mother barely mentioned her family to me. What could be so terrible that she would want to leave like that and cut them out of her life?”
Lily pursed her lips and sighed. She shook her head. “I don’t know, sweetie. I just know your momma was a kind, sweet woman. Her family was the rough sort. They had their own way of doing things. Your momma was smart and outgoing and had plans of her own that they didn’t understand. She had to make a choice between freedom and family. Personally, I think she did the right thing. That cousin of hers was always trouble. He never would have let her have a life here.”
Dane couldn’t wrap her head around this story. It answered some of her questions but opened the door for so many more.
“Is there anyone else I can talk to about my mother? Someone she was close to, or any family left?”
Lily frowned. “Thomas would be the only one left. He went off to prison for a few years for assaulting a woman, and robbery, I think. He started getting into all kinds of trouble not long after Jenny left. When he came back, he changed his name. Went by Tom Sikes. Of course, he’s back in prison now.”
Dane nodded. “Yeah, I did hear about that.”
“Is David all right?” Lily asked.
Dane looked up at her, surprised by the question. “Yeah. He’s fine.”
“Well, I’d ask him if I were you.”
Dane shook her head. “He won’t talk about it. He won’t talk about her.”
Lily frowned. “I don’t know what all happened back then, sweetie. But David loved Jenny. I can’t imagine there was anything he wouldn’t do for her.”
Dane frowned. That didn’t sound like her father at all. “Thank you, Lily. I appreciate you talking to me.”
Lily smiled. “You have her eyes.”
The statement made Dane smile. “Thanks.”
Lily turned to Emma. “Now, tell me what’s going on with our boy. I hear he’s gotten himself into more trouble.”
Emma sighed.
Dane gathered the glasses. “I think I’ll let you two visit. Thanks again, Lily. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Dane shut the door to her room and lay on the bed, her arms folded behind her head. She stared up at the ceiling, trying to read between the lines of the story she’d just heard about her parents. What changed with them? Lily talked about them like they were lovestruck soul mates. That wasn’t what she remembered at all. What had her mother gone through? What was so terrible that she would just disappear and leave her family behind?
Chapter Seven
Emma was worrie
d about Dane. It had been two days since their talk with Lily, and Dane hadn’t been down for meals and had not been to the bar. Emma put on the coffee and looked out the window. Dane’s Jeep was gone. She frowned. Curtis hadn’t been down either. Did he go with her?
She went to the bottom of the stairs and called out, “Curtis?” There was no answer. She went to his room and knocked on the door. When he didn’t answer, she opened the door and looked inside. Curtis wasn’t there. What were those two up to?
She had her coffee and set about the morning routine. A missing Curtis meant none of the chores had been done. She had to admit it was nice having the morning to herself for a change. She didn’t have to cook breakfast, so there was no mess to clean up. Once the animals were taken care of, there wasn’t much left she had to do right away. Everything would keep for another day.
She decided to take a walk along the property like she used to do with her father. It was what she did now when she needed to clear her head, and it made her feel a little closer to him. Sometimes she was amazed by how much she missed her parents. It was times like this that not knowing who killed her father haunted her. Most of the time she stayed too busy to think about anything more than the next thing that needed to be done. But there were other times when she would be at the bar and every hair on her body would stand on end, and her heart would ache. Those moments were the hardest. She would always search the faces of the people around her and wonder if her father’s killer was right there in the room.
She imagined this was something like what Dane must be feeling after learning about how her mother was treated. The more she learned, the more she needed to know. Emma was sad for Dane. She was searching for a place to belong, proof she could change. Emma wasn’t certain the answers Dane would find would lead to the revelations she had been searching for.
Emma walked along the creek and stopped to run her fingers through the cold water. She had always been drawn to water. She smiled, remembering her father teaching her how to swim. He had built her confidence in the shallow wading water and taught her how to hold her breath and dunk her head under. Then one day when they came to the creek to play, he picked her up and threw her in the deeper water. She had squealed as she flew. The instant she hit the surface, she knew what to do. From that moment on she had been his little minnow, spending every moment she could in the water.
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