Rise and Shine (Shine On Series, Book 2)

by Jewell, Allison J.

  “I’m gonna get you a bell… like a cow wears, so I know when you’re moving around.”

  Trick snorted.

  “He sure has been in there a long time.” Emmie nodded to the tiny box where the priest had taken Silas.

  “Yeah, he’s been busy.” Trick laughed.

  “Up to no good it looks like.” She smiled.

  “Do you love him?” Trick asked. She was surprised at his question.

  “Of course,” she answered. “Why?”

  “Just wanted to be sure.” Trick stared straight ahead. “I think you’re good for him.”

  Emmie nodded and said, “He’s good for me too… when he’s not pulling guns on my friends.”

  She was surprised when Trick didn’t laugh. “He’s got a lot on him. And you are putting yourself in a dangerous world with this. I’m not sure you really understand.”

  Emmie pondered that for a moment. He spoke again, “Did he call you Mo Chuisle?”

  She nodded.

  Trick smiled. “He’s just trying to take care of you the best he knows how. He’ll figure it out. Go easy on him. He’s going to let you make apple pie, ya know, and that goes against everything his gut is telling him.”

  Emmie looked down at her hands and thought about his words. “I know.”

  “Mo Chuisle are special words to our family.” Trick arched a brow as he spoke just the ways Silas often did.

  “I think you’d make a fine sister.” He pushed her with his elbow.

  What? Was Silas going to propose to her? Maybe that’s what he meant last night about the time being right.

  She spun to face Trick. Her crimson dress twisted in her legs and her hat fell down over her eyes. She pushed it back and looked at Trick with wide eyes.

  “Is Silas planning to ask me?”

  “He wouldn’t tell me if he was.” Trick grinned.

  “Oh,” Emmie said and frowned. She was surprised at how disappointed she felt. Good Lord. She was turning into Ava.

  **********

  When Emmie got home she changed out of her good dress and into her more comfortable blue sailor that Ava had given her. She checked her makeup again before heading downstairs to be with the boys. Gabe had come over after church with food. She was surprised how much she was looking forward to cooking for everyone. She’d put Gabe’s roast in the oven after filling the pan with root vegetables. Dinner wouldn’t be ready for a few hours. The guys had settled in the den, smoking and talking.

  Emmie pulled out a cloth sack and started to gather a few things for Max. She’d called after church to be sure it was okay to stop by. She put in a jar of his favorite applesauce. She heated a skillet and got out some sugar and a jar of molasses. Molasses candy would travel well. She wouldn’t be seeing him until the New Year, so she went ahead and made it for him like she did every Christmas. It didn’t take long to bring the ingredients to a boil. She poured it on some wax paper to cool. Finally she went to the den and scoured her bookshelf. Her mom had kept every book she’d ever owned. She pulled out the readers she’d used to help Max a few months ago. She also got out a book of nursery rhymes she’d had since she was a baby. Emmie wished she had more to send him. She took the items back to the kitchen and lined them neatly in the bag.

  “What are you doing?” Silas asked, coming into the kitchen.

  “Making a care bag for Max. I’m sure he’s scared.”

  “I decided not to stop you… even though I want to.”

  She thought about his comment. He wasn’t talking about the care package. He was talking about the apple pie. She tied up the bag before she spoke.

  “Thanks for trusting me.”

  “You’re going to have to let me keep you safe though. I know this business better than you. And you have to promise me, really promise me, this is it.”

  “I do promise. I should be able to get it all made in a couple days. Anything beyond that and I can just give them the recipe. They can take it from there.”

  “Why don’t you just give them the recipe now?” he asked.

  “That crazy old man only offered me seventy-five dollars, Silas?” She said crossing her arms over her chest. “Plus, knowledge is power. You know that. Even you have to admit we are going to make a lot more than seventy-five dollars off of this. But after we have the money for Max, I’ll have no use for it anymore. So, I can pass it off to Bo.”

  “I guess I have to appreciate that you are a thinker.” He wrapped his arms around her.

  She reached for the coat rack and pulled her coat over her shoulders. “I’ll be back in time to get supper out of the stove. The cornbread is cooling in the skillet.”

  “Can I drive you?”

  “You already shot at one of my friends today. Forgive me if I am a little leery letting you near Walt. He’s kinda involved in this too, ya know.” She smacked him on the arm.

  “I’m not gonna shoot at Walter,” Silas laughed, grabbing his coat and hat.

  “Oh, okay. But if he asks any questions, you’ve been sleeping on the floor. Or he might be the one shooting you,” she said on her way out the door.

  Chapter Thirty-seven

  Silas kept his word. He was good to Walter and even better to Max and Mae. Max loved his care package—he pulled out the candy and started to eat it immediately while going through his reader. He showed off to Emmie and Mae all of the new words he could read. Walter and Silas stayed in the den.

  “You gonna be shooting at me today too?” Walter asked without a trace of fear in his voice.

  Silas looked at him surprised. “News travels fast.”

  “Small town.”

  “I’m not planning on it, unless you’re planning to give me a reason.”

  “Hmm… figured you’d be mad she was into the thick of things again on account of my family.”

  “I am. But I think we’ve probably both done things that would make the other mad in the last few days,” Silas said with an ornery grin.

  “Is that a fact?” Walter asked, taking a puff from his pipe.

  “It is.”

  Walter turned his head to see Emmie helping Max sound out a particularly difficult word. They cheered when he finally got it. He did not want to see Silas hurt her.

  “Well, if you’re talking about the fact you’ve been sleeping at her house, you better make it honest real fast.” He squinted his eyes.

  Silas laughed and grinned. When Walter didn’t look amused he finally said, “It isn’t like your thinking.”

  “It doesn’t matter if it is or it ain’t. You can’t just stay at a young woman’s house, Silas. You’re ruining her,” Walter frowned.

  Silas let the older man’s words sink in for a moment before he spoke. “So if I make it honest, you’ll give your blessing then?”

  “Would it matter?”

  “To her it does.” Silas looked into the kitchen.

  Walter took another puff of his pipe. “I still think she could do better than you.”

  Silas took a draw from his smoke. “We agree on that at least.”

  “But, she’s picked ya. God knows why, but she has.” Walter looked at Silas.

  Silas snorted a laugh as he exhaled. Emmie peeked in the room, relieved to see them laughing.

  “I do think you’ll take care of her though,” Walter conceded. “So, I’m okay with it if she’s happy. But just be careful. And make it fast.”

  “Thanks Walter.”

  A moment of silence passed between them while they thought of the conversation that had just passed.

  “But, you should know if she gets hurt in this little bootlegging endeavor you’ve helped her coordinate our little truce is off. Understand me?”

  “I wouldn’t expect anything else,” Walter said matter of factly, paused for a moment, and then added, “Silas, I’m not sure you did the right thing letting Mr. Thomas walk on this earth…”

  “Not for you to say is it?” He wasn’t sure he’d done the right thing either but he’d made a promise to
Emmie not to break Mr. Thomas beyond repair. A promise he’d kept. He also didn’t need the old man questioning his decisions.

  “No, I don’t guess so. Except when Mae was in there yesterday he asked about Emmie. Something ain’t right about that. He shouldn’t be mentioning her name after the way you left him. I thought he was more of a coward than that.”

  Silas rubbed his jaw while he thought that over. “Did you tell Emmie this?”

  “Nope… no sense in it when I can tell you. And you have the means to take care of something that should have already been done.”

  “Thanks for letting me know.” Silas headed into the kitchen.

  “Emmie, I need to get back and that roast of yours should be about done. Max, I didn’t know you were leaving town until yesterday, so I didn’t get to add anything to your care bag Miss Emmie made.” Silas bent down to be eye level with the boy.

  “It’s fine, Mr. McDowell.”

  “I’ve been to Louisville you know. And they have a lot of nice stores. Candy, books, coloring pencils, more things than you can imagine. I bet you’ll get some time to explore there, don’t you think?” Silas asked.

  Max nodded with a smile.

  Silas reached into his vest and pulled out five dollars. “I’d like you to go buy yourself something to have fun with while you’re down there. That is if Paw Walter will let you take my money.”

  Emmie elbowed Silas in the ribs. It just made him laugh. Max looked at Paw. Walter nodded. The five of them said their goodbyes, exchanged hugs, and Silas and Emmie headed home.

  **********

  “Silas if you don’t sweep this one up real fast, I’m gonna take her just to cook me dinner,” Trick joked.

  “Sorry, I’m already swept up.” She ruffled Trick’s hair as she walked by.

  Silas had opened his mouth to say something to his brother but ended up just smiling at her reply. He stood and helped her move the dishes to the sink. The phone rang and Emmie made a move for it.

  “Hello.”

  “Hi, miss. Is Mr. McDowell available?” An unfamiliar male voice greeted her.

  “Umm, yes. Which one are you looking for?” she asked and looked over her shoulder at the boys with a confused expression.

  “Silas, ma’am.”

  “Just a second, sir.” She turned to Silas.

  He frowned and grabbed the phone. “Yeah? What’s happened?” he asked.

  Emmie tried to busy herself clearing the dishes but it was hard not to listen when he was three feet away. Silas let out a string of swears and smacked the door. Spotty gave him a warning bark and then went to hide under the table. Gabe walked over to Silas while Trick hung back by Emmie.

  “What do you need?” He waited.

  “Okay. Find out anything you can and call back. I’ll call and check to see who’s close,” Silas said.

  As soon as he hung up the phone he picked it right back up and made another call. “Jem, let me talk to Pop. Yeah I’m fine.” There was a quick pause. “He’s good too. Jem put Pop on the phone. What? I don’t know. Jemma, put Pop on the damn line.” Silas looked at the others.

  “Pop. Who is in Louisville or Lexington?” he asked.

  “Okay. I need them down here. I’ll probably call our friends from Bardston too.”

  “Yeah. Emmie’s.” He listened. “I will.”

  He hung up the phone and turned to Gabe. He said something so quiet Emmie couldn’t hear. Gabe picked up the phone.

  “What is it Silas?” she asked, closing the space between them.

  “Nothing to concern yourself with.” He walked past her to Trick.

  “The butcher and his brother are on their way here, just in case we need anything. It’s Russeltown.”

  “Still?” Trick asked.

  Silas shook his head no. Tricks eyebrows raised in surprise. “The pig?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well that sends a different message doesn’t it? If they aren’t weeding out the stills…” Trick started.

  “They are weeding out us,” Silas finished. “Bowling Green and Smith’s Grove are shutting down for a few days.”

  “Are you talking about revenuers? What do you mean, weeding out stills or you guys?” Emmie asked, trying to make all the pieces fit together.

  Silas ignored her and walked over to Gabe. “Are they coming tonight or in the morning?”

  “Tonight, but it’ll be early morning before they arrive.”

  “Vince is in Louisville and will take a train down tomorrow,” Silas told Gabe.

  Emmie reached up and grabbed Silas’s arm. “Was it your speak or pig in Russeltown? Is that why you’re panicking?”

  He stilled at her words. “I am not panicking. I am preparing.”

  “For what Silas, what are you preparing for?”

  Trick followed his brother. Gabe pulled Emmie into her parents’ old room and closed the door. She sat in the rocking chair her mother had used to comfort her, when she was sick or scared. She looked up at Gabe. “Why have you put me in here?”

  “I haven’t put you anywhere. I just think he needs a minute to think. You need a minute to calm down.”

  Emmie had not grown up like Ava, who could tune this out with a magazine and a glass of wine. Emmie heard the men fire into action and wanted to be with them. Gabe laughed at the difference in the two.

  “I just want to help.”

  “You are helping by giving him a second to think.”

  “I should let his world just move around me while I sit in peaceful oblivion? He needs me. That’s part of being with someone, Gabe, it’s a part of family,” she spit the words.

  “You are right… action is family. But so is giving someone peace.”

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  Emmie and Gabe sat in the room in silence for a while. Gabe paced the floors and Emmie rocked anxiously. Her mind kept clicking through the details she knew.

  1. Revenuers had busted up two stills that Silas seemed upset over.

  2. They were very large operations, judging the amount of barrels in the photos.

  3. A tall thin man from the photos was involved in both.

  4. Russeltown had a bust on a pig tonight.

  5. Trick had said if they weren’t targeting stills, they were targeting them.

  She stood and stretched her legs. It didn’t make sense. She understood the boys would be upset if one of their speaks had been raided. The implications could be dangerous, but why shut down Bowling Green? What made him assume the revenuers knew about their locations here? And more importantly, how was busting up the stills connected to busting up the speaks? Clearly, Silas thought it was connected. She stood and walked to the window. It was too dark to see outside but it didn’t matter, she wasn’t looking for anything. She just needed a place to stare while she thought.

  “Did you ever call Ava?” Gabe asked.

  “No. I haven’t had the chance yet.”

  “Well, try to make some time for her ‘eh? I know you’re busy with your new shining endeavor but she could use a friend,” he snapped.

  “Okay, groucho Gabe.” Emmie frowned.

  When she turned around he had her baby picture in his hand. She walked over and took it from him.

  “So, this is you and your ma?” he asked.

  “Yeah.” She opened a drawer in the chest and put it inside.

  “Must mean a lot to you, if you keep it shoved in drawers,” he said with a snarky tone.

  She shrugged at his words. “You got a problem with me tonight, Gabe?”

  “No, I just think you need to get yourself back in order.”

  “What?”

  “Well, I just think you’re having some issues,” Gabe said, staring down at her.

  “By all means, enlighten me, Gabe. I think it’s funny you’re gonna act like you know me so well when we didn’t even like each other until a few months ago.”

  “That’s true but I’ve been listening to Ava talk about you for years.”

  Emmie
put her hands up in a motion to pantomime that he could continue.

  “Okay, well… I’m sure it’s hard on you to find out what your mom did with my dad. It’s hard on me too,” he said and then paused before continuing. “But you come back here and change everything about yourself.”

  “What on earth are you talking about, Gabe? I haven’t changed. How much can a person change in a couple of weeks?” she spit at him.

  “For one, you won’t call your best friend, the person who has been like a sister your whole life. I think you’re avoiding her because you’re mad about her family keeping this from you.” He pointed at her.

  Emmie opened her mouth to respond but couldn’t find the words. She felt a gaping hole in her chest. She wasn’t doing that, was she? She had just been busy. Of course, she wouldn’t blame Ava for that. Emmie crossed her arms defensively over her chest.

  “I told you, I’ve been busy.” She tried to keep the pain out of her voice.

  “Yeah, that’s right. You’ve been busy making plans to get back into moonshining… with the roughest group of hillbillies in this town. Really… bootlegging, Emmie?” he shouted with his arms spread wide.

  “It isn’t for me. I’m not taking the money. I just want to help Max.”

  “Yeah, that’s what you say. But that doesn’t mean it’s not for you too.” He walked closer to her.

  “How’s that?”

  “It’s keeping your head buried in the sand, like some damn ostrich. You can focus on all the drama and not on the things actually bothering you in there.” He jabbed his index finger into her chest as he said the last words.

  Her throat tightened and eyes began to burn. No, he wasn’t right. This was about Max, not her. He was making something out of nothing.

  “Don’t pretend to know me.”

  “Yeah, well you know the two things I knew about you? They were the same things everyone in this town knew about you: You loved your mom because she was the only family you had. And, you wanted to be a teacher.