From The Ashes

by Claire Sanders

  Jacob walked through the cabin and opened the back door for her.

  “No!” she shouted, holding her hand out, palm facing him.

  “No, what?”

  “Don’t come out here. In fact, go back to the front porch and stay there until I tell you it’s OK to come in.”

  “Why?”

  Judith’s voice took on a more desperate edge. “Because I want you to. Isn’t that a good enough reason?”

  “No need to bite my head off.”

  Judith’s fists perched on her hips as she leaned forward to drive her point home. “I can take care of myself, you know.”

  Jacob leaned towards her to make his own point. “Just because you can doesn’t mean you have to.”

  Judith paced a few yards, her sneakers squishing with every step. Finally, she swung around to face him. “I’d like to take my clothes off out here, you big doofus. But I can’t very well do that with you staring at me, can I?”

  Jacob crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned on the doorjamb. “Now that would be something to see.”

  She stomped up the back steps and shoved at his chest. “Front porch, mister. Now. Or you can walk back to town.”

  “OK, OK,” Jacob said, throwing up his hands in mock surrender. “First, let me get you a towel. Then I’ll wait for you on the porch.”

  He stepped back inside to hide his laugh. She sure was cute when she was mad.

  ****

  “Would you like to have lunch?” Jacob asked as the truck fishtailed onto the main highway.

  “With you?”

  “That’s the idea.”

  Judith fingered her damp hair. Although she’d pulled it into a ponytail, tiny ringlets escaped to curl at the nape of her neck. “I guess so.”

  “We’ll get something to eat, and then you can drive me to the mechanic’s. Is that a problem?”

  Judith decided to change the subject. “I haven’t heard anything from Rev. Washington. Do you know if he’s going to do any repair work on the old church?”

  “As a matter of fact, I’ll be out tomorrow to help Henry. We were going to start today but the rain delayed us.”

  “How much work do they intend to do?”

  “Since the arrangement’s temporary, we’ll only do what has to be done. Beverly and the other ladies are coming to start the cleaning.”

  “Have you talked her into cooking something else for you?”

  “No, but if she was to offer, I wouldn’t turn it down. By the way, my niece, Chloe, is dying to visit. Is it OK if I bring her tomorrow?”

  “Sure. But I think it’s my cat she wants to see.”

  Jacob swung into the parking lot of the Timber Land Diner. A huddle of muddy pickup trucks were parked in front and as soon as Judith and Jacob stepped through the door, several voices hailed him.

  While Jacob shook hands with the men at the counter, Judith squeezed into the one empty booth at the back of the crowded restaurant and looked over the laminated menu.

  “Hey there, Judith.” Jo Nell set napkin-wrapped silverware on the table. “Nice to see you again. Want another iced tea?”

  Before she could answer, Jacob appeared at the table. “I’ll be out in the parking lot for a few minutes, Judith. One of the local landowners has some pesticides in his truck he’d like me to look at.”

  “OK,” she answered.

  “You want the usual, Jacob?” Jo Nell called after him.

  “You know it,” he called as he stepped outside.

  “I’ll bring you a glass of tea,” Jo Nell said to Judith, and then left to check on another table.

  Since she was having iced tea whether she wanted it or not, Judith returned her attention to the menu. She was deciding between fried catfish or a club sandwich when a man slid onto the bench across from her. Her silent alarm rang, but she ignored it for the moment.

  He was dressed in a business suit and tie, the same uniform her father wore to work every day.

  “Hey there,” he said genially. “I saw you get out of Isaiah Beecham’s truck. You must be the granddaughter everybody’s talking about.”

  He grinned and Judith’s apprehension lessened. He was just being friendly, like everyone else she’d met in Piney Meadow. “That’s right. I’m Judith Robertson.”

  “That’s a pretty name,” he said while shaking her hand. “My name’s Dwight Thompson.”

  “Nice to meet you. Do you come here often?”

  “Almost every day. My brothers and I meet here for lunch. Those are my brothers over there,” Dwight said, pointing to two hefty men at a nearby table. They both wore white shirts and ties, but unlike Dwight, they weren’t smiling.

  Judith tried to dismiss their scowls and suppress her anxiety. “What’s good to eat here?” she asked, gesturing to the menu.

  “Oh, just about everything,” Dwight answered. “Course, they don’t have anything like watermelon or chitlins.”

  Judith struggled to understand. “What’s a chitlin?”

  “You don’t know?” Dwight continued. “I figured you liked soul food.” A sly smile crept across his mouth.

  “What makes you think that?”

  “Because you’re friendly with Henry Washington and his crowd.”

  Judith frowned, not quite understanding what this odd conversation was all about. “Do you know him?”

  “I know him.” The man’s smile slipped, and then reasserted itself. “It sure was a shame what happened to his church. It would be just awful if the same thing happened to that old church on your grandfather’s property.”

  Now the alarm wasn’t because of fear. The distasteful truth of what Dwight had been talking about solidified in Judith’s gut. “Are you saying my grandfather’s church is in danger?”

  “If you help Henry Washington and his bunch, you might find yourself in a heap of trouble. I’d think twice before letting Henry use that old church.”

  Judith took a deep breath and pushed her back against the seat. There was a small chance Dwight was trying to give her a friendly warning, but she didn’t think so. “I’ve already told Rev. Washington he can use the church. I don’t go back on my word.”

  “I know you’re new in town, but you need to be careful who you align yourself with. If you start getting all friendly with the blacks, someone will have to remind you which side you’re on.”

  “And what side would that be?”

  Dwight studied Judith for several moments before he spoke. “Do I have to spell it out for you?” When she didn’t answer, he continued. “People like us have to stick together.”

  The words he didn’t say, “white people,” were loud and clear. In an instant, all of Judith’s fears and anxieties were gone. In their place, an unfamiliar anger took root. Her nails bit into her palms as irate words formed on her tongue of their own accord. “I’d rather stick with porcupines and skunks than with people like you.”

  Dwight’s eyebrows shot to his hairline. “No need to climb up on your high horse. I’m just giving you a friendly reminder. Like I said, it would be a shame if fire destroyed Isaiah’s church, too.”

  Judith gripped the edge of the table, her rage quickly reaching the point of no return. “You don’t scare me.”

  “I don’t?” Dwight laughed, and then quickly changed his tone. “I think you’re lying.”

  Judith slid from the booth, rested her palms on the table and leaned towards Dwight. “Listen to me, you moron. What I do with my grandfather’s church is my business. You can take your threats somewhere else.”

  “Is there a problem?” Jacob’s deep voice cut across the tension that arced between Judith and Dwight.

  “Threats?” Dwight echoed. “Who said anything about threats?” He pushed himself out of the booth and stood toe-to-toe with her. “I hope you’re being careful out there, Judith. If anything were to happen to you, there’d be nobody around to help.”

  “And just what does that mean?”

  Dwight smiled indulgently at Judit
h, the kind of smile people give to naïve children.

  Then he clapped Jacob on the shoulder. “No problem, Jacob. I was just introducing myself to Isaiah’s granddaughter. She’s quite a little firecracker, isn’t she?”

  “Listen, you baboon,” Judith continued. “If I ever see you or your brothers on my property, I’ll—”

  “You’ll what, Judith?” Dwight mocked. “Gonna beat us up? A little bit of nothing like you?” He laughed and turned his back to her. Then he raised his voice, calling the attention of the people in the diner. “Did you hear that everybody? This little lady wants to beat me up.”

  The faces of the diners turned towards Judith and the noise of the lunch crowd faded away.

  “You must have misunderstood me,” Dwight said, his voice ripe with conciliation. “Or do you always fly off the handle this easily?”

  His remark about her temper dug into her like talons. First he’d threatened her, and then made it look as if she’d blown her top for no good reason. “Misunderstood my—”

  “People are watching you, Judith. Mind what you say.” Jacob’s voice was calm, but commanding.

  Oblivious to the townspeople who had witnessed her outburst, Judith shifted her anger to Jacob. “Are you telling me to be quiet?”

  Several beats of silence passed as Jacob studied her without a reply.

  “That does it.” Judith strode through the pack of curious onlookers towards the front entrance.

  ****

  Jacob watched Judith stomp through the diner, then pulled the truck keys from his pocket. She wouldn’t get far without them.

  Dwight joined his brothers, and the diners went back to their meals.

  Jo Nell approached carrying two glasses of iced tea. “Is Judith coming back?” she asked.

  “I don’t think so,” Jacob answered.

  Jo Nell set the glasses on the table. “Got your hands full with that one.”

  “I think you’re right. I’ve never seen anybody get so mad so fast.”

  Jo Nell’s voice lowered to a whisper as she leaned towards him. “I saw Dwight Thompson sitting with her, but I couldn’t overhear what he was saying.”

  The faded bruise on Della Thompson’s cheek flashed into Jacob’s mind. The thought of Dwight hurting Judith shot a chill straight to his heart. “Do you think Dwight said something he shouldn’t have?”

  “I’m not sure,” Jo Nell answered, “but I don’t doubt it. Dwight can be quite the bully.” She looked through the diner’s plate glass windows to where Judith sat behind the steering wheel of her grandfather’s truck. “Why is she just sitting out there?”

  Jacob held up the keys.

  “Oh. How long are you going to make her wait?”

  “Until she calms down. Wouldn’t be safe for her, or anybody else, if she took off while she was still angry.”

  At that moment, Judith got out of the truck, slammed the door and began walking away from the diner.

  “Uh-oh.” Jo Nell said. “Looks like she’s hoofing it.”

  Jacob shook his head in disbelief. “Maybe the walk will help her calm down.”

  “Maybe,” Jo Nell agreed. “But it’s a long walk to Isaiah’s cabin. Want me to box up your food?”

  “Guess so.”

  Jacob met Jo Nell at the counter and paid for his food, and then drove to where Judith was walking along the shoulder of the highway. He stopped a few yards in front of her, got out of the truck and stepped back to where she’d stopped.

  “Get in the truck, Judith.”

  “Are you still telling me what to do?”

  “What happened back there?” Jacob asked with a nod towards the diner. “Did Dwight hurt you?”

  “Now you’re interested in my side of the story? You sure weren’t very interested in what I had to say a few minutes ago.”

  “You were in a diner full of people, every one of them listening to you badmouthing Dwight. In a small town like this, it’s not smart to let people know your business.”

  Judith shot one stiff arm towards the diner. “That jerk threatened me. Told me I’d better not help Rev. Washington or my grandfather’s church might go up in flames.”

  A current of unease slithered through Jacob’s gut. “I don’t doubt Dwight was out of line, but I’m more concerned about your safety.” He placed the truck’s keys in her palm. “Promise you’ll be careful. I’ll get somebody in the diner to give me a ride to the mechanic’s.”

  He walked away, not sure if her silence meant she was shooting imaginary darts in his back, or if she was just too angry for words.

  His life was getting more complicated by the minute and complications were one thing he tried to avoid. He heard the truck drive away, but didn’t turn around.

  Judith was as angry as two bulls in the same pasture. Maybe some time alone would help her cool down.

  But what if Dwight acted on his threats? Dwight was trying to con him into raising the offer for the land and Jacob suspected Dwight of hitting his wife. But Dwight’s involvement with the church burnings seemed farfetched. The Thompsons attended Jacob’s church. They prayed and tithed and sang along with everyone else.

  Was it possible Dwight was actually a criminal? An arsonist who targeted African-American churches? Should Jacob inform the FBI agents about Judith’s argument with him?

  Mark Grey was sure to tell him that raised voices weren’t proof. It was possible Della’s bruise hadn’t come from her husband’s fist, and there was no evidence Dwight was involved in the burnings. But if Dwight hurt Judith…

  Jacob came to an abrupt halt as that thought crossed his mind. A vision of Judith sleeping in her grandfather’s cabin, blissfully unaware of a serpent-like fire creeping towards her, made his stomach clutch.

  He couldn’t let her be harmed. Best if he stayed closer to Judith for the time being.

  8

  Judith packed the last of the fairy paintings and taped the box. She’d ship the pictures and wait for her editor’s call. She was ahead of deadline, always a nice place to be, and now had time to spend on her mother’s portraits. If only she could get those photos from Emma Fraser. After yesterday’s outburst, she’d never made it to Jacob’s parents’ house.

  She still couldn’t believe how furious she’d gotten. Whenever she’d felt threatened before, she’d retreated into her self-protective shell. But yesterday was different. Dwight hadn’t just threatened her, he’d threatened her friends and her grandfather’s church. She hadn’t been angry for herself as much as for those she cared about.

  Her usual timidity had evaporated in the heat of that fury. She’d felt like a lioness protecting her cubs, empowered by anger and willing to attack. For the first time in a long time, she wasn’t cowering in the corner, afraid of someone’s cross words. Now she was striding onto the battle field, her shield and sword at the ready.

  But she’d been wrong to let her anger splash on Jacob. Jacob hadn’t heard Dwight’s racial slurs or his barely veiled threats. Jacob had only seen her in that out-of-control state where rage had pushed her. Not that Dwight hadn’t had it coming. But turning her anger on Jacob had been wrong. Just plain wrong.

  Her kitten jumped on the kitchen counter and sniffed the butter Judith was spreading on a biscuit. “OK. You’re hungry. But first get off the counter.”

  She lifted the kitten and cuddled it against her chest with one hand while she poured dry cat food into a bowl with the other.

  Pumpkin rewarded her with a low purr that reverberated against Judith’s chest.

  “OK, sweet cat. It’s coming, it’s coming.” Before Judith could place the bowl on the floor, the kitten dug its claws into Judith’s shirt and let out a loud screech.

  “Ouch!” Judith yelled. “What in the world?”

  The kitten darted out of the kitchen just as someone knocked on the cabin’s front door.

  Rubbing the sore spot where the kitten’s claws had drawn blood, Judith opened the door to see Chloe standing alone on the porch. “Well, go
od morning.”

  Chloe’s face brightened. “I came to see your cat. Is it inside or outside?”

  “It’s inside, but it’s probably hiding by now. Where’s your uncle?”

  “Right here,” Jacob’s deep voice answered as he stepped onto the porch. “How are you, Judith? Feeling better?”

  Chloe pushed her way into the cabin. “Here, Pumpkin. Here, kitty kitty.”

  Judith stepped outside to join Jacob on the porch. “I owe you an apology,” she began.

  “Oh yeah?” he asked with a quick smile and a sparkle in his eyes.

  “Yeah. I’m sorry for yelling at you yesterday.”

  Jacob gave a small shrug. “It’s all right.”

  “I’ve never lost my temper like that before. I usually just shove everything into a dark corner and brood about it. But yesterday…the things Dwight said…I let him push me right over the edge.”

  Jacob paused a few moments, as if considering her explanation. “Tell you what, Judith. If that’s as bad as your anger gets, I think I’ll survive.” He stepped to the edge of the porch and scanned the nearby forest. “If you’re in danger, maybe you should reconsider letting Henry’s congregation use the church.”

  “I can’t believe you said that!” As if the irate words had flown from Judith’s lips of their own volition, she clamped a hand over her mouth. She took a deep breath and let it out. Then took two more. “Sorry,” she said with an apologetic smile. “The thing is, Dwight has only stiffened my resolve. There’s no way I’d let that bully change my mind.”

  Jacob nodded slowly. “OK. As long as you remember to be careful. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

  “I found Pumpkin!” Chloe screeched as she sped through the door. “But she’s under the bed and I can’t reach her. Can you come?”

  “Judith will have to help you with that,” Jacob said. “I’ve got to get started on the church. Henry’s expecting me.” He gave Judith one last smile and stepped off the porch.

  “Come on, Judith.” Chloe pulled her hand to urge her along. “I want to play with Pumpkin. Then, will you teach me how to draw a dragon?”