“I was asleep when I heard someone pounding on my front door. When I came down here, there was no one here and the pounding started on the back door. So I went back there and the same thing, no one there. I came back toward the stairs and then I heard what sounded like four gunshots. I got down on the floor and then I heard four more shots and that time I heard glass breaking upstairs.”
The sheriff mumbled something under his breath and Gil wasn’t sure but he thought it sounded like, “Dumb city slicker can’t tell the difference between gunshots and firecrackers.”
The sheriff took off his hat and wiped his brow. “Okay, Boy, you say you heard breaking glass upstairs? Well, let’s go up there and see.”
Gil led the way up the stairs and down the hallway to his bedroom turning on lights as they went. When they entered his bedroom, he gasped. There were four holes with what looked like spider webs around them in the window over his bed.
“Well, I’ll be.” The sheriff shook his head and turned off the light. “I guess they were shots after all.”
The sheriff was standing to the side, peering out the window when two deputies stuck their heads in the doorway.
“There were shots fired through this window. You boys go search the area outside.”
The sheriff continued to look out the windows on each side of the room before finally going back to the doorway and turning the light on again.
“Well, my guess is whoever done this is long gone by now.”
He walked over to the window with the holes in it and standing next to it, looked up at the ceiling.
“Got four slugs in your ceiling. I’ll get one of the boys to dig them out but won’t nothing probably come out of it unless we just happen to find the gun that shot them.”
One of the deputies came back into the room and handed the sheriff a clear plastic bag with what looked like a rock wrapped in paper inside it.
“Found this in the kitchen. Went through a window in there.”
The sheriff nodded and the deputy left. He turned the bag over several times then looked over at Gil. “Somebody don’t like you too well Boy.”
Gil stepped up to the sheriff and tried to see what was written on the paper but couldn’t quite make it out. The sheriff held the bag up and said, “It says, ‘Go back where you come from city boy.’ Looks like you got yourself some enemies for sure.”
And the guy had the nerve to laugh. The only enemy he knew of just then was standing in front of him. He’d have to think about that later, much later.
Gil didn’t know what to think much less say. His knees felt week and he had to sit down. He sat on the bed and tried to make sense out of all that had happened. Harry took the opportunity to jump back into his lap and Gil began idly petting the dog while trying to think.
The sheriff, speaking on his portable radio, brought Gil out of his funk. When the sheriff finished, he turned to Gil and said, “The thing about something like this is that I’ll probably know exactly who did this before noon today but won’t be able to do a thing about it.”
When Gil gave him a puzzled look, he said, “You don’t have a clue about how the grapevine, or rumor mill or whatever you want to call it, works around here, do you?”
Not waiting for an answer, the sheriff continued, “One of those guys will say something to a friend and before you know it everybody in town will know not only who did this, but how and why.”
Gil still didn’t understand. “Then can’t you just confront them and arrest them?”
“Not that easy Boy. Folks around here look out for each other especially against outsiders like you. They’ll cover for each other so much that I won’t be able to arrest anyone.”
After one of the deputies climbed on a chair and dug the bullets out of the ceiling, they all left and it was suddenly so quiet that all Gil could hear, in his mind, was the sounds of the gunshots and the glass breaking. He began to wonder if he’d ever be able to sleep in that room again.
* * *
Jo hadn’t slept very well and was dragging around the house Wednesday morning when she entered the kitchen. She knew something was wrong immediately. The smell was about to knock her down and it seemed to get stronger the closer she went to the outside door.
She didn’t open the door but looked out onto the landing through the window in the door.
There was a burlap bag out there on the landing and whatever was in it was moving. It couldn’t be what she thought was in that bag. Who could catch a skunk and then carry it up here in a bag?
She grabbed the phone off the wall and called Floyd’s cell phone. He answered on the sixth ring. She didn’t care if she woke him up or not. This was an emergency.
“This better be good Little Bit, I just got to bed.”
Very calmly, at least she thought so, she said, “Floyd, someone left a live present on my landing and it smells like a skunk!”
“What?” She could tell that he was wide awake now. “It couldn’t be alive.”
“Well, there’s a burlap bag on my landing and it smells like a skunk and it is moving. What part of that did you not understand?”
“Okay, okay, I believe you. I’ll get over there as soon as I can get ahold of Ernie. He should have something to get it out of there for you.”
He hung up. She was relieved that Floyd was bringing in the county animal control officer. She wasn’t too sure that Floyd was prepared to deal with animals. She replaced the phone on the wall hook and turned around to see Carla looking out the window at the landing.
“Phew, that’s gross. It smells like a skunk.” She raised the window a crack and shouted, “It’s hissing and rattling Jo!”
Jo grabbed the phone and dialed Floyd again.
“I’m working as fast as I can Jo.”
“Wait, Floyd, Carla raised the window a little and now we can hear hissing and rattling.”
He cussed for a moment then said, “Okay, that makes more sense. Sounds like we’ve got a rattler in with a dead skunk. At least if he wasn’t dead, he is now.”
He hung up still cussing.
About fifteen minutes later, the phone rang and it was Floyd on his cell.
“Just wanted to let you know that we’re down here and Ernie’s getting ready to lift that bag off your landing with one of his poles.”
“Okay.”
Jo rejoined Carla at the window in time to see the tip of a pole come into view above the landing. The pole had a rope running down it and a hook on the end that the rope opened and closed. The pole hooked the drawstrings of the bag and then lifted it up over the railing and out of their vision.
Jo tentatively opened the door and quickly pinched her nose between forefinger and thumb. She and Carla stepped out onto the landing and watched as Ernie swung the bag over the back of his truck and dropped it into a large open bucket then closed the lid on it.
Floyd came up the steps and walked past them into the kitchen. “Got any coffee?”
Carla said, “I’ve got to go get ready for school.” With that, she ran to her room. “Got to get out of here. It still stinks too much.”
Jo looked at Floyd who was looking at her and they both burst out laughing.
Finally, Jo was able to stop her laughter and wipe her eyes on a paper napkin off the table. She poured two cups of coffee and they sat down at the table.
“Any idea . . .”
“I think it was . . .”
They both started talking at the same time and Floyd motioned for Jo to continue.
She shook her head and said, “I think it was Earl and Clyde because I told Earl I wouldn’t join them in fighting against the Baptist church and that new preacher.”
Floyd shook his head sadly. “I have a feeling you’re probably right. Somebody harassed the preacher early this morning too.”
She leaned forward in expectation. “They didn’t hurt him did they?”
“No, they didn’t but they could have. Fired four shots into his bedroom window after they got him do
wnstairs by pounding on his doors.”
“You think it might have been Earl and Clyde?”
He grunted. “I’ve got two guesses and Earl is the first one, with Clyde probably helping him out. The other is Jake Hollis but I don’t really think Jake would do something as open as this. He seems to like to do his fighting with rumors and such and maybe through others.”
Carla came through on her way out the door for school.
“Jo, don’t forget that I have volleyball practice after school this afternoon.”
Jo looked up at her little sister and said, “I’ll try to remember. Five o’clock?”
“Yep.” She opened the door. “Phew, it’s still nasty out here.”
Floyd laughed and said, “I’ll pick you up Carla.”
She turned back and said, “Cool.” Then she slammed the door and raced down the stairs.
Jo turned to Floyd. “Thanks but I could have made arrangements to get her.”
He shook his head and said, “I’ll be out and about at that time anyway. Besides, you know how much of a kick she gets out of riding in my Tahoe.”
Jo’s day went quick with another hectic, busy lunch. She was still clearing some of the tables and her waitress was sweeping the floor when the doors burst open and Sue Ann flew in.
“Jo Jo, I was on my way over here and I had to stop for an ambulance that turned in at the Baptist church.”
She hopped up on a stool at the counter and swiveled around to face Jo. “I guess you heard someone shot at the preacher last night. Maybe they hit him this time.”
Jo was surprised at the way Sue Ann’s announcement hit her. There was suddenly a large lump in her throat. She looked at her friend who was smiling. Could Sue Ann actually want something bad to happen to the preacher? She certainly hoped not. She didn’t.
* * *
Gil was tired. The afternoon seemed to be dragging on forever. It was only two o’clock and he could barely keep his eyes open. He hadn’t been able to go back to sleep this morning so he’d probably only slept for no more than two hours altogether.
He was about to doze off when Bert came into his office.
“Hey Mr. Preacher, I got some work to do on the roof and Miz Lewis ain’t here to hold the ladder for me. Can you do it?”
Gil couldn’t help but smile at the enthusiasm that Bert seemed to throw into everything he did. It sure would be nice if he could have just a little of that kind of enthusiasm.
“Sure Bert, just a second while I file this folder.” Gil pulled out a desk file drawer and placed the folder in it.
“Okay, where are we going Bert?”
Bert grinned and said, “Right around the corner outside. Let’s go.”
While he was holding the ladder for Bert, Gil’s mind wandered to the business meeting tonight. He knew that for some small churches, the monthly business meeting could be the big event of the month. He certainly hoped this one tonight would be uneventful, at least in that way.
He was still deep in thought when he suddenly felt a sharp pain on top of his head that jarred his teeth then everything went black.
The next thing Gil was aware of, he was lying on his back in an extremely uncomfortable position with a bright light flashing in and out of first one eye then the other. He instinctively brought his arm up to cover his eyes.
“No, no, you don’t want to do that. I need to see into those big brown eyes of yours.”
A woman’s soft but authoritative voice. But who? What had happened? Where was he?”
He heard a soft giggle. “I’ll bet you’re wondering just exactly where you are. Well, you’re in the Emergency Room at Crowley County Medical Center.”
He tried to process this. That was when he became aware of a burning pain in his left shoulder.
“I’m Dr. Martin and I’m just trying to see if anything got rearranged by that knock on your head, okay?”
Then he remembered that he’d been holding the ladder for Bert when something must have fallen off the roof and hit him on the head. But what about the pain in his shoulder?
“Am I going to be okay?”
She laughed this time. “Well, that all depends on whether you can answer a few quick questions for me. First question, what is your name?”
He thought she was kidding but she said, “Please, answer so I can be sure you’re okay.”
“Gil Turner.”
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-nine.”
“Where do you live?”
Gil had no idea what the address could be so he just said, “In the parsonage at the Baptist church.”
“That’s good enough for me.”
With that, she quit shinning the light in his eyes and Gil was able to get his first glimpse of her. He was very much surprised. She was a statuesque blond in her late thirties with bright blue eyes. He then let his eyes travel down the rest of her.
The doctor laughed loudly this time. “By that, I’d say you’re not only okay, but back to normal already.”
He blushed hot and tried to stammer an apology.
She laughed again. “No need to apologize. The compliment was received and noted.”
Gil moved his left arm and the pain in his shoulder was almost unbearable. “What happened to my shoulder?”
“Oh that. Well as near as I could determine from the young man who came in with you, a two by four fell off the roof, hit your head a glancing blow then hit your shoulder dislocating it.”
He reached up with his right hand to the left side of his head and felt a bandage there.
“I had to shave a little of your hair to get to it so I could suture it up, but it’ll grow back.” At his questioning look, she said, “Nine stitches.”
He looked down at his left arm and discovered that it was in a sling.
“You’ll need to keep your arm in that sling for a few days. When you come back in, we’ll see if you can get along without it.” She smiled and patted him on the right shoulder. “You’ll be fine in no time. I’ll leave you alone for a while. I need to keep you under observation for another hour so I can be sure nothing was busted loose after all.”
With that, she left and he was alone. He tried to think about the business meeting tonight. But with the fact that he didn’t sleep much the night before combined with whatever they gave him for the pain, it didn’t take long for him to doze off.
He was awakened by a strange noise. Once he was fully awake, he realized he knew that sound. It was the sound that Bert always made when he cleared his throat so he could get someone’s attention.
Gil opened his eyes but he didn’t see Bert. Instead, he looked into a pair of brown eyes that were the closest to green that he’d ever seen. He let his gaze wander over the rest of her face. Her skin was so smooth and creamy that it was almost like fine porcelain china. Her shoulder length brown hair was like the hair he’d seen just last night in a shampoo commercial on TV. It was so light and shiny that it almost glowed in the harsh florescent lighting.
“Hi, I’m Daisy Thomas. I’m the director of the home where Bert lives.”
“Oh.” Well, that was rather intelligent.
Bert’s face came into view. “I’m awful sorry Mr. Preacher. That two by four just jumped right out of my hands.”
“We have insurance that will cover this.”
Gil didn’t realize she was speaking again and turned his eyes back on her and got lost in those eyes all over again.
“That’s okay, since it happened at church, I’m sure it should all be taken care of.”
He tried to think of something to say to her so she wouldn’t leave. “I saw you in church Sunday with all of your people.” To himself, he added that he hadn’t been able to look into those eyes then though.
She smiled and said, “We call them residents. They all work somewhere away from the home during the day. They’re all good people just like Bert here.”
Bert hung his head and blushed. They both laughed.
Gil di
dn’t know what to say next. He liked the sound of her voice but how could he get her talking again?
Dr. Martin came in again and greeted Daisy and Bert before turning to Gil. Are you still okay? Any double vision?”
Gil shook his head and was immediately sorry. It felt as if it were about to explode.
The doctor laughed and said, “I think you just learned not to do that again, at least not for a while yet. How’s the head feel otherwise?”
He tried to smile back at her. “If I don’t move, it’s just a dull pain.”
“That’s good. How about the shoulder?”
“I can’t really tell. It burns all the time and if I try to move it, the pain is rather sharp.”
“That’s to be expected from all the strain on the muscles from a dislocation like that.” She smiled down at him and said, “I think you can go home now, if you have someone to check in on you in a few hours, that is.”
“I can do that Mr. Preacher.” Bert almost shouted eagerly.
Daisy laughed and said to the doctor, “We’ll both help him.”
With that, the doctor discharged Gil and Daisy drove him home. Bert, of course, talked the whole way in the car so Gil didn’t get a chance to talk anymore with Daisy.
When she turned the car into the church parking lot, Gil said, “You can just let me out here so I can go into my office.”
Daisy giggled and said, “Oh no you don’t. Stella said you need to rest with very little activity for at least twenty-four hours.”
Who was Stella? At his puzzled look, Daisy said, “Dr. Stella Martin. She’s a member of the church too. Don’t you remember her from Sunday?”
Now that she mentioned it, Gil thought the doctor had looked familiar.
Daisy drove up the drive to the parsonage and jumped out of the car. With Bert on one side and her on the other, they escorted Gil into the house.
“Is it okay if I just sit in my recliner? I don’t really want to go to bed in the middle of the afternoon.”
After they helped Gil get settled in his recliner with a bottle of water nearby, Daisy and Bert left after promising they’d check on him a little later.
It was five o’clock and Gil thought it would be okay if he dozed for a little while before the business meeting. He wasn’t sure he would be able to eat much this evening anyway.
No Easy Solution (Crowley County Series Book 1) Page 8
