“Now, you shove pictures of your mother in drawers, so you don’t have to see her or face the facts.” Each word he said got a little louder. She turned back to the window as he made his last point. “And Emmie, when’s the last time you mentioned being a teacher, hmm?”
Emmie felt the tears escaping her lidded eyes and quickly brushed them away. “I’ve been busy.”
“Yeah, hiding from things.”
Emmie re-opened the chest. “You wanna know why I hid it?” She flipped the photo over and handed it back to him. He looked at her confused. “Read the studio location.”
He nodded and bit his lip as he handed the photo back to her. “What do you know? I had my family pictures made there as a child.”
“Unlikely coincidence, I’m sure.” She rolled her eyes. “I didn’t want you to have to see that. But since you say I’m not facing anything, I figure I better let it all out,” she said, unsure if she was being sarcastic or truthful.
“So what, Emmie? You were in Chicago once when you were a baby. Do you not think it’s possible Dad wanted to see you when you were a child? Do you not think it is possible to love two people at once? Do you not think it is possible your mother wanted to be near my dad? Seriously Emmie, what does that change?”
“Well, for me it’s just another lie. My whole life was a lie.”
“You think mine wasn’t? I had a sister that I’d met hundreds of times and no one ever said a word,” he shouted.
“Finally, you see what I’m talking about.” She threw her hands up.
“Being mad about it… or hiding from it is not going to change the past. And you’re wrong about something. Your whole life wasn’t a lie. Your mama loved you. You have a best friend named Ava. The DeCarmillas love you like a daughter. You want to be a teacher. You have an odd friendship with an old moonshiner. I don’t know… you can sew things…”
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
“I’m just saying your life has not been a lie. Just that one part of it and sure some people made some shitty choices for us.” He ran his hands through his hair while trying to find the words. “But we make choices on what we do now… not then. And you’re not making great choices. You’re making really dumb ones.”
“Well, thank you for your opinion, Gabe. Anything else you’d like to share with me?” She jutted out her chin.
He sighed. “Just forget about it. Forget I said anything.” With that he walked out the room and slammed the door.
Emmie’s hands shook as she laid the photograph back on the chest. She wrapped her arms around herself and sat back in the rocking chair, attempting to find some comfort. Okay, so some of the things Gabe said might be true. But he was wrong about her motives for moonshining. It was a welcomed distraction, but she was doing it for Max… mostly doing it for Max, anyway.
Which reminded her, she had to meet Bo early in the morning. She thought of the horrible climb down the ridge she faced. Her only work dress was still in a state of disrepair from her last trip. As she glanced around the room she noticed the box of Ronnie’s clothes she had yet to drop off at the church. That gave her a good idea—if she was going to be climbing up and down hills and hollers tomorrow, she wasn’t going to be doing it in a dress.
She pulled out her mother’s sewing box and the smallest pair of work pants she could find and set to ripping and pinning the pants. It was a welcomed distraction.
Chapter Thirty-nine
Emmie pulled the pants up over her legs. They were a little tighter than she’d meant to make them but she supposed that was a good thing considering that would mean less fabric to hang on rocks and sticks as she made her way down to the cabin. She’d done a pretty good job knowing her mind had been elsewhere the entire time she’d been sewing them. There was one thing Gabe said that she couldn’t get out of her mind, a seed he’d planted that made her think his words were true. A few months ago her only motivating factor for working with Mr. Thomas and helping Walter with his moonshine, was to go to school to teach. It was the dream her mom had passed on to her that she’d thought of nearly every day. Now, as she sat there staring at herself in the mirror in a pair of old work pants, boots, and an oversized flannel shirt, she couldn’t find the girl she was months ago. Emmie hadn’t thought about college the whole time she’d been back from Louisville. She guessed Gabe must be right. She had come back home and blocked out nearly everything that used to be important. Her heart sank with guilt when she realized it must have included Ava and her family too.
Smoothing a few wrinkles on her pants, she knew she was in too deep to back out now. Emmie sighed and took a breath to build up her courage. Maybe this was part of her journey too. She was doing this to help Max, even if it was a welcomed distraction. She would call Ava back tonight. And when this was over she would go to that school and find out how to enroll. She would finish this, but she’d work to get back to the person she wanted to be too. It didn’t have to be either or, this was her journey.
It was early morning; the sun hadn’t risen yet. She made a cup of coffee, staying quiet to not wake anyone. Emmie noticed the newspapers were on the table again. Taking a deep swallow of the warm liquid, she spread the newspapers out before her and took a closer look at the tall man. His smirk in both photos showed that he enjoyed his job. She wondered what his motivation was: pride, money, or fame. She guessed it was one of those or maybe some combination. Something about the man nearest him caught her eye. Oh my word. How had she missed this the last time she’d seen the photo? She reached across the table for the photographs, scanning the men in uniform. There he was again.
Will Thomas, Mr. Thomas’s brother. Why was he in those photos? She’d heard he had moved away, maybe even that he was training to be a police officer. She tried to wrack her brain for the details but couldn’t remember exactly what she’d been told. These papers hit too close to home. Was that why Silas was so worried? Why would Will be connected with this tall guy in the pictures? She had no idea but she knew someone to ask. Bo might have some answers, he knew Will had left the store and been replaced by his brother-in-law. She needed to tell Silas and talk to Bo. This wasn’t right, it gave her a sick feeling in her stomach.
Emmie walked in the den with the papers in hand but it was empty. She went upstairs to see if Silas was asleep but he was gone. Everyone had left before she even woke. It wasn’t until she brought the papers back into the kitchen that she found the note next to the phone.
Emmie, I hope to be back before you wake unless I get delayed. If you see this, just want you to know everything is okay. I’m in Russeltown but won’t be long. Gabe is in the B.G. office today, if you need anything call him. Stay home. Love, S.M.
Well that was a pickle, wasn’t it? Those two words. Stay home. She couldn’t do that. She had work to do and needed to find out why Will was in those pictures before she saw Silas tonight. When she told him, he would understand… or be too busy to care. It was worth the risk. Who knows, maybe she’d beat him back home tonight. She picked up the phone to call Gabe but she decided not to. He’d try to talk her out of going to see Bo. She didn’t need that. So instead, she called the Johnsons and was thankful when Bo answered.
**********
“Well, well, well. I didn’t expect to see you show up today.” Bo said with his arms crossed around his chest. “Nobody’s gonna come outta these woods and shoot at me are they?”
“Bo, I’m really sorry about that,” Emmie said.
“Yeah, yeah.” He threw his arms up and walked toward the ridge. Then he turned around and gave her a devilish grin. He wasn’t as mad as he made out.
“I did fuss at him though… and if it makes you feel better, I don’t think he was aiming to hit ya.” She skipped to catch up.
Bo grunted in reply like it wasn’t good enough for him.
“I see your shotgun-free today. Trust me better?”
She looked startled for a moment. “I actually never thought of it.”
They
started down the holler. She jumped off a log. Pants were one hundred times better than dresses for exploring the woods. Men had it so easy. Bo grinned as she climbed over a rock rather than going around it.
“Nice pants,” he said with a laugh. “I ain’t never seen a woman in no pants.”
“Thanks. I just sewed up some of Ronnie’s old ones. Really makes much more sense to wear these out in the woods. It’ll be the way of the future,” she said, moving past him.
“Uh-huh…” he agreed.
They traveled a few yards in silence. As the sun rose higher the day grew warmer. It was still cold but nothing like the earlier frigid temperatures.
“Walter’s family make it outta town?” Bo asked.
“Yeah. They left early this morning. I told them bye last night.”
“This way,” he called as she turned the wrong direction at the creek. “Need me to carry you across again?”
“Nah. I’ll be able to do it better without all those layers of skirt in the way.”
He was surprised that she was right. She wasn’t as fast as he was but she wasn’t slow either. She grinned at him, looking for approval he gave her a mocking clap.
“Sure is nice of you to do this for them. Pap is paying Walter a pretty penny.”
They turned at the white tree she remembered from the last time and headed into the clearing for the cabin. She was relieved to see there was no smoke coming from the chimney today. She didn’t want his brother-in-law there; he gave her the creeps.
“Nothing nice about it, Bo. If people need help, you help them.” She shrugged her shoulders in reply to his earlier question.
Bo opened the cabin’s front door. He made quick work of lighting a fire, a few lanterns, and candles while Emmie went to the old cook stove and lit a fire. She hadn’t cooked on a stove like that since she was about thirteen but hadn’t forgotten the general mechanics of it. The place didn’t feel nearly so small when it was just her and Bo inside. He walked down to the cellar and brought up some apples.
“The other spices you need should be on the table. I’m gonna fetch you some water from the well.”
She nodded and set to work peeling the huge basket of apples in front of her. When Bo returned she told him which pots to put water in and checked the temperature. It seemed to be working pretty well. Bo pulled a knife out of his pocket, picked up an apple, and started cutting it.
“Hey now. Those are my apples, not yours. I need them.” She scolded him.
“That one was mine,” he said. “I paid for it.”
“What do you mean you paid for it?” she asked.
“Well you ain’t the only one with a soft spot for that kid.” He took a huge bite of the apple.
Emmie stared at him in surprise. “Did you have to pay for the moonshine too?” she asked.
“Yeah but just what it cost Pap to make,” he said.
“Why did you do it?” she asked.
“Well, it was part of the deal for Pap to agree to this. He was real worried about what your Yankee would think. I told him he didn’t have to get in too deep. If you got squirrely and had to back out because the great and powerful Silas was mad you were helping a friend… well, I’d be the only one out money. Cuts out a lot of the risk for him. It was the only way he’d do it. And like I said, I got a soft spot for the kid,” Bo explained like it was no big deal.
“Wow, Bo. I’m not sure what to say.” Emmie looked at the goods spread out on the table.
“Thank you… You’re amazing, Bo… You’re the best, Bo… You’re a big handsome man with a kind heart, Bo… Any of version of those will do.” He laughed.
Emmie laughed and said, “Thank you, Bo.” And threw an apple at him.
He picked it up and tossed it into the basket. At least it wasn’t a bullet coming at him this time.
Chapter Forty
Emmie had cooked down three batches of apples before she approached the subject of Mr. Thomas. Bo hadn’t brought up Russeltown, so neither did she. She was sure he would know soon enough but didn’t think she was the person to spread the news.
“So I saw some newspapers today from the last couple of weeks. Seems a couple of big stills were busted up between here and Louisville.”
“Still’s are busted everyday, Emmie. Revenuers are greedy for the rewards. Seems like everyone I know is bootlegging or thinking of becoming a revenuer. I tell ya, it’s gonna be like the Civil War again. Brothers against brothers.” He sat down to help her peel the last batch of apples.
“Well, these pictures were odd. Same tall man smiling in the front of both of those stills, like he was some kind of leader.” She poured a batch of the moonshine into jars.
“Don’t see nothing odd about that. There’s leaders on both sides, Em.”
Emmie took in a breath and looked for courage to bring up the next part. She didn’t know exactly why she was so nervous to tell him. “I guess the real shocking part of those photos was Mr. Thomas’s brother was in uniform, in both of them.”
Bo stopped peeling. He sat frozen in place and looked up at Emmie. “What did you say?”
“Will Thomas. He was in both of those pictures. Right next to the tall man.” She repeated screwing the lid on the last of the jars.
“You sure about that Emmie? That’s a pretty big accusation around these parts.”
“Bo, I’m sure of it. And I was just wondering because you know Mr. Thomas and Silas, they don’t get along. What if he comes after him? I wondered if you might know something about it being as your brother-in-law works for him now.” She tried to sound matter of fact.
“I don’t really know much other than Steven has been working there since Will left. But, I do think that is something I need to talk to Pap about.” He stood and put on his jacket. “You okay to stay here by yourself?”
No, goodness no, she wasn’t okay with that. Bo might not have known what was going on with Will but he had confirmed her suspicions. The way he was chomping at the bit to go tell his Pap, this was a big deal. It was too close for comfort.
“We’ve made good progress today. We got nearly half those jars finished. I need to head back to the house and take care of some things.” She started to clean up the mess.
Bo laughed and walked over to help her. “Emmie I never took you for a scaredy cat. It’s just an old cabin in the woods.”
“I’m not a scaredy cat.” She washed the largest cooking pot.
“Well you sure did blow up when I mentioned you being here by yourself. But it’s not a problem. I’ll help ya clean up.” He grabbed a skillet and plunged it in the water.
“No, I just need to get back home and try and beat Silas back to the house. I need to talk to him too.”
“You haven’t talked to Silas about this yet.” He looked at her with surprised. “You came to me first.”
“Well, it’s not exactly like that. He was gone when I got up this morning.” She warded off his hope that she’d come running to him.
He dried the last dish in silence and then looked up at her. “You mean to tell me that you came out here and met me without him knowing?”
She shrugged but said nothing.
He laughed but it came out deep and hollow sounding. “And you’re dressed like that… and he has no idea.”
“Like what? He’s not gonna care I wore Ronnie’s pants.”
“Uh-huh…” he said again. “You’re just determined to get me shot at again.”
Emmie frowned. What was wrong with her pants? Granted it wasn’t really socially acceptable in her small town but then again she wasn’t wearing them to town, she was wearing them as she climbed up and down a ridge to make moonshine. There was nothing conventional or socially acceptable about her outing. The pants should be the last of anyone’s thoughts. She shook her head and cleared the worry from her mind. Bo was just trying to distract her… or tease her.
She stacked the jars of moonshine on the kitchen table. “You take these down to the cellar and I’ll finish
putting these cookers up.”
He made quick work of making trips down to the cellar while she cleaned then tossed the apple peels and cores outside. It took a few more minutes to put out all the fires and candles but soon enough they were making their way back from the holler. Bo had moved at a breakneck pace. Even with the pants she couldn’t keep up with him. When she got to the top of the ridge she thought she may have to sit down just to find oxygen again. Bo disappeared from sight as he crossed over the top.
“Where is she?” She heard a familiar voice yell above her.
“Hold your horses, she’s almost up,” Bo replied. He peeked over the hillcrest and gave her an exaggerated so sorry expression.
Silas started making his way down the backside of the hill. He slid and caught himself on a tree. She put her hand up, “Just stop right there, Silas. You’ll break your neck climbing down here dressed in those fancy boots.”
His expression darkened and he looked like he wanted to argue, but he wasn’t an idiot. He stopped and watched as she made her way to him. Emmie wanted to laugh at the irony of the situation. He acted like he was going to save her yet she had to help him over the sharp incline to the clearing. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the time to laugh. Silas’s face was stone serious. He didn’t say a word as he pulled her toward the car.
“Hey,” Bo said, still standing at the top of the ridge. “You need to listen to her. Don’t be so mad. She’s just trying to help.”
Silas clenched and unclenched his jaw several times before he spoke. “Today, I’ll aim boy.”
It took Emmie a moment’s thought for his words to register. He was referencing his earlier warning shot. “Silas.” She grabbed his arm to bring his attention back to her.
She’d never seen him look at her with such a horrible expression. If she didn’t know him so well she might be afraid. “It’s me you’re mad at, not him.” She kept her voice level and calm.
Rise and Shine (Shine On Series, Book 2) Page 20
