Bounty (Walk the Right Road)

by Eckhart, Lorhainne

  “Thank you, Ray,” the deputy said before giving Diane a hard look that she was sure meant Watch your step.

  Sam followed first, then the deputy. The pregnant woman climbed the steps, first to the front door, and then shouted out to the kids, “You kids all stay out here and finish. I want to see all that dead grass raked up.”

  Zac nudged Diane by pressing his hand in her back. She looked up at him, and he smiled at her. “Let’s go.” He opened the door for her and gestured with his hand for her to go first.

  “Zac, I…” She wanted to say she was sorry for flexing her muscles and acting like a jerk.

  “It’s all right.” He said it so softly that it touched her heart in a way that made her want to weep, because any other guy would have pulled her aside and asked her what the hell that was about, read her the riot act, and told her to cool off.

  The deputy poked his head out to Zac. “You coming?” he asked. When he gazed down at Diane, his expression hardened again, and he stepped back to let her pass.

  Diane wiped her feet on the colorful mat.

  “Oh, leave your shoes, but thank you for wiping for your feet,” said Janet from the kitchen, where she was filling a kettle with water. “Can I make you some tea?”

  The pregnant woman, Rosy, sat at one of the dozen stools around the kitchen island. Ray stood behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders. Sam was looking around the kitchen, and Deputy Wally pulled out another stool at the other end to sit.

  “Ray, how many kids you got now?” Wally asked, smiling as he accepted the mug of coffee Janet set in front of him.

  “My five, four with Rosy and, as you can see, another on the way, and eight with Dorothy.” It was Janet who had spoken as she walked up to her husband, sliding her arm around his waist as he set his around her shoulder and pulled her into him, kissing her forehead.

  “You have how many wives?” Diane asked as she took a seat across from Wally.

  “Three wives,” Ray said. He didn’t try to make her feel small by talking to one of the guys, instead giving her all of his attention.

  “Is Dorothy still working at the courthouse?” Wally asked again, smiling at Ray as if they were good friends and they were here for nothing other than a friendly visit.

  “She loves her job,” Janet answered. “She’s clerking for Judge Simmons now, putting a lot of hours in.”

  Diane couldn’t take her eyes off Ray and the other wife, Janet, who was leaning into him as if talking about Dorothy, the other wife, made her extremely happy. Diane turned her gaze to Zac, trying to figure out what to say, because she couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d landed on Mars. This was insane, and she wanted to take each of these women aside and shake them. The other wife worked for a judge, clerking, so she had to have a law degree. What the hell?

  “Wow,” Wally said. “Isn’t he out of Sandpoint?”

  “No, Coeur d’Alene, district court,” Ray added. “We sure celebrated after she landed that. Had to all sit down as a family and have a heart to heart about the hours she’d be working, and everyone had to pitch in.”

  “Big commute, does she do that every day?” Wally asked before taking a sip of coffee. “Great coffee. Thanks, Janet.”

  “Thanks, Wally.” Janet smiled.

  “She’s dedicated to her job, loves to work, so she’s on the highway early every day, five days a week,” Ray said.

  “Sam, are you sure you don’t want anything?” Rosy asked as she leaned back, pressing her fingers into her back. “Janet, there’s soda in the fridge, isn’t there?”

  Janet pulled open the large, stainless steel fridge, and Diane was surprised by the top-notch, high-end appliances in this kitchen. Everything looked almost brand new. Easy. “I have ginger ale, cherry soda, apple juice,” Janet said, glancing over her shoulder at Sam and tossing him an easy smile.

  Okay, something was wrong here. Her mother and the other women she lived with would never look at another man and smile like that. What the hell was going on?

  “You know what? Just a glass of water would be great,” Sam said.

  “Water it is,” Janet said as she shut the door. “Zac, how about you? I’m sorry, I’m forgetting my manners. We don’t have very many visitors way out here.”

  “I wouldn’t mind a coffee, black, if there’s still some left?” Zac said, standing behind the deputy.

  “Always keep the coffee on. Ray here can’t seem to get enough, even though we’ve been nagging him to cut back.”

  Ray just shrugged and lifted his lips again in easy smile at Janet. “My wife makes great coffee.”

  “That she does,” Wally said, and he raised his cup as Janet handed a steaming mug to Zac and a water glass to Sam. The kettle whistled.

  “Rosy, do you want tea, as well?” Janet asked. “I think we still have lots of that herbal stuff you love.”

  “Rosehip would be great,” Rosy said as she rubbed her large belly in a circle with her right hand.

  “Diane, I have Earl Grey, black, green…”

  “Whatever you’re making is fine with me,” Diane said, cutting her off, and Zac gave her a look over the rim of his mug as he took a swallow of coffee. “Listen, the reason we’re here…”

  “Folks, we’re sorry to bother you.” Wally cut her off and then slid around to Zac. “But it seems these folks here came all the way up from Washington State. They had an awful murder, and they’re trying to locate the girl’s family.”

  Diane felt her cheeks tingle. She was humiliated by this jackass, and she was having a hard time keeping her tongue in her mouth, because she wanted to tell this guy to fuck off. But that wouldn’t be cool, so she took a deep breath.

  “That’s horrible! Who is the girl?” Ray asked.

  “We’re hoping maybe you folks could help us find out?” Sam stepped around beside Diane.

  “I don’t understand how we can help? You’ve lost us,” Rosy said. “Is she from around here? Wally, why…?”

  “Because they think she was a polygamist.” Wally sighed.

  Zac pulled out his phone. “I have her photo here, if you wouldn’t mind taking a look.”

  It was Janet who held out her hand for the phone, the tea forgotten. She stepped beside Zac, and Ray followed.

  “This one here, and here,” Zac said, pointing at his phone.

  Janet looked away, her face pale. Rosy slid off the stool and waddled to where Zac held the phone. Ray was still staring and frowning. Then he winced and let out a sound of disgust as he walked away.

  Rosy gasped and pressed her hand to her chest. “Oh, that poor girl…I don’t recognize her,” she said, “but the way she’s dressed, did you guys see this? My God, that’s awful.” Rosy glanced at Janet, who had her hand pressed to her mouth, leaning against the counter. Rosy said to Zac, “Let me see that picture again.”

  This time, Zac handed her the phone, and she held it up and frowned.

  “That’s FLDS, you know,” she said. “I don’t know the girl, don’t even recognize her, but I’m wondering…” She glanced at Ray, who was leaning against the counter, his arms crossed against his middle, frowning. “How about Dorothy? Ray, wouldn’t she have some idea?”

  He shrugged, shook his head. “Maybe, but she won’t be back until late. She’s working twelve-hour shifts this month.”

  “She’s been pulling in after eight every night, tired. She eats and goes to bed.”

  “We could drive down and see her,” Sam said.

  They glanced at each other. “I know you want to solve this, and we’d love to help, but Dorothy wouldn’t appreciate you bothering her at work,” Ray said. “Although she makes no secret of who she is, we still get judged, and I don’t want her to have anyone looking down on her.”

  “Why don’t you just leave these folks alone?” Wally slid off his stool. “Thanks for your hospitality, Ray.”

  “Would you mind if we come back tonight when Dorothy’s home, and we can speak to her? I’m sure if it was your da
ughter, you’d appreciate someone stepping in to help,” Diane said, leaning on the counter and glancing from Rosy to Janet, then over to Ray.

  Janet stepped around her husband. “For one, that would never be my daughter. Let’s get that straight: We don’t arrange marriages or dress in old-fashioned clothes. Our children are educated, and they have the right to choose how they want to live their lives. Our eldest daughter will be leaving in a year to go to university. She also states that being a polygamous wife isn’t the life for her, but that’s her choice. I chose this life. I love my husband, but I don’t want a one-man, one-woman relationship. I want the companionship from my sister wives, Dorothy and Rosy, here. They’re my backup, and we’re all a family.” She held Diane’s gaze for a few seconds, long enough that Diane got the challenge loud and clear.

  Diane simply inclined her head. “I’d still like to talk to Dorothy.”

  Janet exchanged a look with Ray and Rosy. “We have family prayer at eight thirty tonight. Why don’t you come by at nine?”

  Diane nodded. “Nine it is.”

  “I’ll let Dorothy know,” Rosy said.

  Sam set his glass on the counter. “Thank you. We appreciate your cooperation.”

  Zac followed Sam’s gesture. “It was a pleasure to meet you.” He set his mug on the counter. “Thank you for the coffee. We’ll be back at nine, and if you need to get a hold of me or think of something else, here is my cell phone number.” He pulled a business card from his pocket and extended it. Rosy reached for it and set it under a magnet on the fridge.

  Diane slid off her stool. She couldn’t say thanks for the tea, as no one had bothered to pour her any. But then, Rosy hadn’t gotten a cup either. She tried not to feel slighted in any way, but it was impossible, mainly because of all the unreconciled, confusing feelings meshing with the childhood horrors she was still trying to understand.

  “Oh, and Diane, don’t confuse us by any means with the FLDS. They’re a strange bunch, fanatic, and we’re not associated with them. What they’ve done, well, it’s just wrong. We chose this for us because for each of us, it was right,” Ray said matter-of-factly. By the way his cheek twitched, Diane knew he was angry, and she had to wonder which one of his buttons she had managed to push.

  She didn’t say one word as she strode out the door, Zac right behind her, and listened to the shouts and the laughter of the kids making an unholy mess, tossing grass and weeds and having a great time, running and playing as all children should.

  Chapter 19

  “Here, sit down. Thanks for coming back.” Dorothy was an overweight redhead who didn’t fit the image Diane had of a polygamous wife. She was wearing black velour sweatpants and a matching jacket. She wore big gold hoops in her ears and a heavy coat of makeup, with a trendy short hairstyle that looked as if she had spent time fussing with it. “Sorry I wasn’t here earlier, but I’m working some crazy hours right now.”

  “I appreciate you taking time to meet with us,” Diane said as she followed Dorothy into the house. Sam and Zac followed.

  Dorothy opened a door leading to another room, and kids’ voices, laughing and giggling, could be heard. “Let’s go into the living room. Janet and Ray are getting all the kids settled into bed for the night. I think Rosy will be right up. Just let me call her.” She strode to a railing that led downstairs and yelled, “Rosy, they’re here!”

  “I’ll be right up,” a woman’s voice called out.

  Diane took in the plain living room, with a gray sectional and several easy chairs, a big-screen TV mounted to the wall, and plants on the end tables.

  “Have a seat,” Dorothy said, taking one of the easy chairs and smiling at them just as Ray strode into the room, wearing jeans and a plaid shirt, sock footed.

  “You seen Janet?” he asked Dorothy as he strode in and sank down on the soft cushion of the sectional. Diane sat at the opposite end, Zac sat beside her, and Sam took one of the remaining easy chairs.

  “No, I thought she was helping you put the kids to bed.”

  Ray shook his head. “No, I told her I’d take care of it.”

  “She might be in her office, then. I know she had a paper due.” Dorothy yawned. “Sorry, it’s been a long day.”

  “What is Janet studying?” Diane found herself asking.

  “Linguistics. She’s working on her bachelor’s degree,” Dorothy said just as Rosy poked her head in.

  “Hi, Diane, Zac, Sam. I don’t think you need me, do you?”

  “No, I don’t think so,” Zac said.

  “Daria has a sore throat, and she’s stuffed up,” Rosy explained. “Dorothy, do you want me to give her some of the kids’ cold medication? I think we still have some of the flavored stuff.”

  “Could you? I’ll be down in a minute to see her,” Dorothy said. “My eight-year-old daughter is sick. Colds are going around,” she said to Sam.

  He only nodded, maybe because he was wondering the same thing as Diane, who still couldn’t get her head around the fact that two obviously educated women with career choices…well, these women had to know what they were doing, but she still couldn’t wrap her head around why they were here with this man.

  “We’ll make this quick so you folks can get back to your kids. Did anyone tell you why we came by earlier?” Zac asked Dorothy.

  “Yes, Janet filled me in. That’s horrible, but I’m a little confused about why you zeroed in on us?”

  Yeah, the woman was smart, all right, and she had a better poker face than the best lawyers out there. “You’re all smart people, and I’m tired, so let’s cut the crap. You need to treat me and my family with more respect than you have so far. The only reason you’re here is because you found out we’re polygs and think we must be involved or know the girl somehow. Does a dead girl wearing some old-fashioned dress somehow point to every polygamist community around? Did know there are over fifty thousand polygamists in the US in different splinter groups, and not all of them are members of the FLDS, which is what you’re presuming this girl is from?” Dorothy carefully held up her finger to make a point. “You’re just shooting darts at a board, wondering where they’ll stick, thinking all polygs are trafficking children and giving them to old men in arranged ceremonies.”

  “Well, no…” Diane started to say, but her throat jammed up, because her mother and the other women would never talk to another man or anyone the way Dorothy was talking to them.

  Zac rested his arms on his knees. “No, that’s not what we’re saying. We’re just trying to find out who the girl is. Honestly, we need to start with the polygamist communities in hopes someone recognizes her.”

  The woman was confident and bold, and she held out her hand, her long fingernails painted a vibrant red. “Let me see the photo.”

  Zac slipped his cell phone from his pocket and tapped the screen, pulling up the photo of the girl. There was bruising around her neck, and it was obvious she was dead. He stood up and strode to Dorothy, holding the phone out so she could see. She took in the image and then shut her eyes, shaking her head.

  “That is just so wrong. Take a step back. Ray, did you see this?”

  Her husband wiped his hand over his eyes and then nodded. “I did. My wife is right, though—coming to us because we’re polygs, it’s as if you’re profiling us. It’s the same as saying all Germans were Nazis dedicated to annihilating the Jewish population.”

  Whoa, that comparison was better than a slap in the face. Diane started to deny it and then shut her mouth, realizing that was how she viewed the polygamist community. “You’re right,” she said. “But then, I’ve only seen the other side. Frankly, seeing you and the family you’ve raised here, I still don’t get it.”

  “Well, at least you’re being honest,” Janet said as she walked in.

  Ray was watching Diane with something she thought was compassion, but that couldn’t be it. It was a trick, it had to be. Look at him with all these women, living this life, a different wife for every night. She couldn’t b
egin to understand a man like him. Why would he feel compassion or anything kind toward her?

  “We’re getting off topic. We’re trying to find where this girl came from, where she belonged.” Zac swept his finger over his screen, “Here is a close-up of her face.”

  Dorothy took his phone and gave a look of irritation, positioning her finger over the screen to swipe. “How many more photos do you have?” She raised her eyebrows and shifted through the images.

  “Probably some you don’t want to see,” Zac said as he stood behind her chair, his arms crossed, watching her.

  “Probably not, but I’ve seen worse. Did any of you ever ask yourself why she was dressed like that? Could be a dozen reasons, none of them having anything to do with her being from a polygamist family. Jumping to that conclusion…” Her face paled, and she seemed to freeze as she stared at something on Zac’s phone.

  “What is it, Dorothy?” Ray slid forward and stepped over beside his wife. She held up the phone for him to see what she was looking at. Zac didn’t seemed bothered at all, as if he had wanted her to see that image.

  “Keep sweet?” It was Ray who muttered the words.

  Sam glanced at Diane, and she understood why. Zac had really crossed a line; that was the one piece of evidence they weren’t releasing to anyone.

  “I think you want to be looking across the border, a small community, a town named Bounty.” Dorothy handed the phone back to Zac. “It’s where I’d start. I’d also ask myself, if I were you, how she ended up way out your way. Now, if that’s all, I have an early morning and need to get ready for bed.” She took in Diane and Sam with light green eyes, but the expression she wore was all business. She was a strong-minded woman, and Diane wondered, if she hadn’t already judged this woman for who she was, whether they couldn’t be friends. She really liked Dorothy, who was similar to her in some ways but so different in others.

  “There’re two sects up there. One has broken away from the FLDS, but the other is still very much a closed community, secretive. I’d start there,” Dorothy offered and then stood up. They all took the hint. This strong woman was so much in charge. All the women in this family were a force.