His dad put a finger to his lips indicating they should be quiet. “Did you have fun at Ronnie's?"
"Loads,” Lee replied.
Ted reached over and touched a burn on Lee's cheek. Before he could ask, Lee whispered, “Sparkler."
His dad eyed him suspiciously. “Since when do you play with sparklers?” Then he added, “How were the bottle rocket wars? Pretty wild, huh?"
Lee couldn't help but grin. He raised his arm to show his dad the burn.
His dad came back with, “I hope you gave more than you got."
Lee laughed, “Are you kidding? Ronnie and I kicked ass."
Lee's dad matched his grin. “Happy Fourth of July, son."
Lee reached out to pat his dad on the shoulder, noticing for the first time how his dad was really starting to go gray around his temples. “Yeah, Dad, happy Fourth to you, too."
Lee went into his room and pulled the covers down on his bed. The suck of the attic fan was tugging the curtains open, but Lee kept the blinds shut now at night, preferring to be hot than to take a chance on seeing whatever might be outside.
For some reason, despite how tired he'd been when he fell asleep, Lee woke early, the light of the sun finding just the right chink in the blinds to stab him in the eyes. After getting dressed and putting some more aloe on his burns, he padded silently down the hall, then stood dumbly before the front door, which was hanging wide open.
It took but a moment for him to decide that it would be best for everyone if Maggie didn't know about this. Too, technically, he had been the last one, and would be sure to get the blame. Lee closed it and even went so far as to lock the locks, then thought it'd be best to go around and check the others. The side door was hanging open, as was the laundry room door. He'd almost closed and locked the back door, when he changed his mind and went out into the backyard.
Bending down, as his dad's and Maggie's bedroom window was at the back corner of the house, he called out low, “Flapjack, here boy."
Flapjack, who'd been sleeping in his favorite perch up in the Mimosa tree came to life, and flew almost all the way over to Lee before touching down and waddling forward. The duck didn't know he should be quiet, and honked and flapped uproariously.
Lee couldn't help but grin at the almost puppyish display of affection and made a mental note to remember to ask the science teacher this fall if it was normal for a duck to sleep in a tree. Somehow, he didn't think so.
Kneeling down, Lee captured Flapjack's strong white neck, stroking him on the bit of colored feathers behind his head. And all the while the duck's stubby, feathery stump was waggling just like a puppy's.
"Hey, boy. How ‘bout I finish digging your swimming pool this week? You'd like that wouldn't you?"
Lee heard his dad's alarm clock go off through the open window, followed by a groan.
"I guess I'd better be going back inside,” Lee said. “Maggie'll be out in a minute.” Lee stood up and Flapjack followed Lee along to the back door, gobbling slugs off the slick paving stones as he went.
Once at the door Lee asked, “Good breakfast, huh boy?"
Flapjack answered by adoringly sticking his bill in Lee's crotch.
Lee went in, having to take care to keep Flapjack from following him inside, and was seated at the table, eating a bowl of cereal, when Maggie came out of the hall, pulling her housecoat around her. She looked at Lee for a moment, as though she didn't recognize him, started to say something, and then shuffled over to the salvation offered by the coffee pot.
After seeing the look she'd given him, Lee considered asking her if she knew the doors had been open last night, but decided it'd probably be best to keep quite about it. “At least until she's had her first cup of coffee,” he thought.
His dad emerged from the hall, buttoning his blue work shirt, his eyes bleary and red. He settled into the chair across from Lee. “Is that coffee I smell?"
Ted ran his hand through his hair, yawned and leaned over looking down at his reflection in the finish of the table. “I'm tellin’ ya', no one throws a party like Ed."
Maggie walked in carrying a steaming cup. “You want any eggs this morning?"
"If I saw an egg, I think I'd throw up.” Ted accepted the cup of coffee, clasping it in both hands.
There was a knock at the front door.
Maggie looked suspiciously at Lee. “Who can that be this early?"
Lee shrugged. “I don't know, but I'll get it."
Whoever it was, they pounded on the door again, and this time they didn't stop.
Lee flipped the latches and pulled the door open, expecting anything.
It was Phoebe.
"Lee!” She was standing on the porch with her fist ready to strike the wood. “Evie's disappeared!"
CHAPTER SIX: PROMISES
Lee opened the door letting Phoebe slip past.
Her hair was down about her shoulders, and where she had hastily tucked her shirt into her shorts, an edge of the blue elastic waistband of her panties bunched out.
She wouldn't come in any further than just inside the doorway.
"I woke up just a little while ago.” Her eyes were red, and she was wringing her hands. “There was a lot of noise last night, I guess ‘cause of the Fourth of July. It seems like I didn't hardly get any sleep. I woke up this morning, early, to warm the twin's bottles, and when I went out to the kitchen I noticed our front door was open. Uncle Reece was sleeping on the couch, so I didn't think much about it. Once the bottles were warm, I went into Aunt Darlene's room, and she and Aunt Vivian were still sleeping, so I changed and fed the twins, then I went back to bed."
Lee looked from Phoebe back at Maggie who was standing by the table. With her arms crossed, her Kool gripped between her fingers and that tight line drawn across her lips there was no difficulty recognizing her impending lack of patience.
"When I went back to my room,” Phoebe continued, “That was when I first noticed Evie wasn't in bed. We share a bed. There's not much room in the house and with Uncle Reece and Aunt Vivian—"
Maggie interrupted, rotating the hand with her cigarette tiredly. “Would you please get to the point of your story?"
"Sorry.” Phoebe cast her eyes down to her bare feet. “I ... I ... Oh, sweet Jesus, I can't hardly think—"
"Could you ever?” Maggie snapped.
Phoebe covered her eyes and cried. Not sniffles, but big, aching sobs of real pain and confusion.
Lee's heart fell.
Maggie put a hand on her hip. “So now she's crying."
Ted got to his feet. “Magnolia, shut up. Lee, help her to the sofa."
Lee was in shock. He'd never heard his dad tell Maggie to shut up before, ever. But in his opinion, it was long overdue.
Lee steered Phoebe over and sat her down. He almost sat next to her, but caught himself, just as his shorts touched the sofa. Awkwardly, he twisted over, taking a seat in the chair. Somehow, he had known it wouldn't have made Maggie more sympathetic by sitting right next to her.
Maggie glared but didn't come right back at Ted. “Who was it that said that girl could come into my house? And y'all know,” this she directed at Ted, “I think legally this is still my house."
"She said something's the matter with Evie, Honey.” Ted's sickly sweet tone, attempting to soft soap his order to shut up was emasculating. Lee heard it and felt shame for his dad.
"Well then somebody get her to tell us what's the problem,” Maggie snapped. “Bawling like a baby doesn't do anyone any good."
Lee couldn't help but agree. It also didn't help Phoebe's case, that if ever there was a girl whose crying sounded exactly like a big boohoo, it was Phoebe. He looked around for a Kleenex, knowing she was going to need it shortly.
Amazingly, Phoebe composed herself, dropping her hands to her knees with sudden resolve. “You're right, Mrs. Coombs. I'm not doing Evie any good like this. I've looked all around, even in back of the house, but she's nowhere. Is it possible that y'all have seen her?"
> "It's seven a.m.” Maggie pointed her Kool at the clock. “Where were we supposed to see her? In our beds?"
Lee got up and walked over to the table. Unable to find any Kleenex, he grabbed Phoebe a paper napkin. “I was in the backyard messing around with Flapjack,” he offered. “And I know she's not back there."
"I'm sure she's somewhere playing.” Maggie's tone softened. “I'm sure she's around if you'll go look."
Phoebe took the napkin and wasn't shy about rocking the house when she blew her nose. That necessity taken care of, she scrunched it up into her fist, and looked up with these red, runny eyes. “Thanks, Lee."
Phoebe stood up. “I'm sorry to bother y'all. But I have looked; I really have. Aunt Darlene sent me over. She said if y'all hadn't seen her I was supposed to ask if I could borrow y'all's phone to call the police."
"The police?” Maggie echoed.
Phoebe dabbed at her eyes using just the corners of the napkin. “Yes, ma'am. I don't think we'd be so worried if it wasn't for those two little colored girls. You know about them don't you?"
"Yes, of course we know,” Maggie came back grimly.
Phoebe looked from Lee to Ted to Maggie, “So can I use your phone? As a mother yourself, I'm sure you can imagine how you'd feel if you woke up and Patty was gone?"
Maggie expression was as if Phoebe had hit her with a rock. Without another word Maggie crushed out her Kool and resolutely strode down the hall, her house slippers slapping on the hardwood floor.
"The phone's over here.” Ted moved over to the wall phone and picked the receiver off the hook. “Do you know the number?"
For some reason, Lee thought, “I bet Old Lady Ringle does."
Phoebe gingerly took the receiver from Lee's dad. “I'll just dial the Operator."
Maggie came back into the room her hand clasped to her chest. “Girl, don't scare me like that."
Ted took one long step far away from Phoebe. “Patty's alright isn't she, Honey?"
"Of course,” Maggie snapped. “Do you think I'd let anything happen to my daughter?"
Lee knew his step mom so well; he could almost read the continuation of Maggie's thoughts as she was undoubtedly thinking, “and we're not low life white trash like these people.” He could see it in her eyes when she skirted past Phoebe, going back into the kitchen.
A half-hour later, Lee and Maggie walked outside along with Ted when he left to go to work. A Sheriff's car and a City of Lenoir Police unit were back out in front of the Riley's house.
After the call, Phoebe had gone back home to wait with her Aunt Darlene. Lee had remembered about returning her shorts but had judiciously decided right then wouldn't be the best time to give them back, so he planned to go over right after the police left.
When he and Maggie came back inside, Patty was sitting at the table, slurping her cereal. Even at only six-years-old, she couldn't help noticing something was going on, asking, “Why's everyone looking at me?"
"You are not going out of this house, do you hear me?” Maggie snapped.
Patty dropped her spoon in the bowl of milk. “What'd I do?"
Maggie swooped over and expertly swiped up the spilt milk and bits of cereal surrounding the bowl using Patty's unused napkin. She wiped Patty's chin, then dropped the napkin in the milk and carried it off to the kitchen, leaving Patty staring at Lee.
"Why's Mamma so mad, Lee?"
Lee fell into the couch, propping his feet up on the arm, something he wouldn't have ever thought of doing if this stuff wasn't going to the church charity before the new furniture arrived.
"Don't mind her, Squirt,” he said, looking up at the ceiling. “She's right. If you want to go outside and play, we can go out back and play with Flapjack, but until they catch the guy who was mean to those little black girls, we don't want him being mean to you, too."
Patty had gotten down out of the chair and padded over to Lee, flopping down on her knees and putting her head down on her brother's stomach. “But I'm not colored."
He leaned his chin up to his chest to look down at her. “How do you know?"
"If I am,” she stuck out her tongue, “so are you."
Lee stealthily snuck his hand in back of his head and pulled out the pillow at the arm of the couch. With enough speed to surprise, but not enough to hurt he whapped his sister in the head.
For a moment it looked like Patty was going to cry or scream out for Maggie. Instead, she jumped up and came down with her elbows on Lee's stomach, then slid down, hitting the floor running and hollered out, “Mom! Lee's pickin’ on me!"
The pillow Lee flung at the Patty missed her entirely and caught Maggie in the chest the moment she stepped out of the kitchen.
After that, Lee spent the rest of the day outside, digging on Flapjack's pond, only coming in for lunch and water breaks.
Police cars came and went throughout the rest of the day, followed by a steady stream of news trucks, some of which had parked in front of Lee's house. Just after noon two Sheriff's department detectives knocked at the door and spent an hour with Maggie, while Patty stayed out back with Lee and Flapjack.
Lee tried to go over to see Phoebe in the evening, but Maggie told him to, “Let those people be.” He was desperate, since Phoebe had said she might be leaving soon, but there was no getting around Maggie right now.
Late Wednesday morning the big truck from Patterson's arrived. Lee had been watching out the window, hoping to catch sight of Phoebe if she came outside. The big truck passed their house, but stopped, then backed into the driveway. Two enormous black men got out of each door of the cab, and Maggie had the door open before they could even knock.
To keep out of the men's way, Maggie ordered the kids out of the house. Lee found himself back in the backyard digging while Patty kept Flapjack from helping.
"How deep's it gonna be?” Patty asked, sitting down in the close-cropped grass under the shade of the Mimosa tree.
Lee was hacking out chunks of earth with the flat wedge of a pickaxe, swinging it high over his head and using its weight as it fell to help it stick down deep into the red earth.
"Deep enough for a duck,” he replied.
Patty pulled out a stalk of long dried grass and twirled it around in her fingers. “Why don't you just use the shovel? That pick thing looks heavy."
Lee leaned into the handle, using it to bend the blade back, so the new chunk of earth broke out. “First I break up the earth, then I dig it out. That's the way Dad showed me.” He stopped for a minute, leaving the pickaxe where it was and stepped over to where his glass of water was. He downed it all, letting only a little dribble down his chin and onto his chest.
"Lee, can't you dig it out deeper, so I can swim in it? I'm not that much bigger than Flapjack,” she whined. “You know, Mama never takes us to the pool anymore."
Lee missed their summer trips to the pool, too. And of course, they no longer had the little pool he'd taken his pool baths in when he was Patty's age. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Lee came back with, “We'll see what I can dig, Squirt."
Stepping back into the hole, which was now almost a foot deep, Lee offered, “If you'll go get me another glass of water, I'll think about it."
Patty didn't make any motion like she was going to get up so he readjusted his cap and gripped the pickaxe, ready for another swing. Lee swung it high; bringing it down, it sounded a heavy clack, striking off a rock buried below and jarring Lee's arms to the elbows.
Patty demonstrated definite interest. “What was that?"
"A rock,” Lee said, disgustedly, “What'd you think?"
Flapjack must have thought it meant a fat grub. He skirted Patty and waddled into the dirt, rooting around eagerly.
Lee leaned on the handle. “Come on, Patty. Can't you keep him away?"
She sat forward. “What can I do?"
"Use a stick.” Lee pointed to the stick at Patty's feet.
She threw her feet under herself, snatching up the stick.
F
lapjack stopped his rooting.
"Bad duck!” she hollered, swinging it so it swished in the air.
That was all Flapjack needed to beat a hasty retreat to the safety of the bushes which ran along the back of the house.
Lee hefted the pickaxe again, letting it fall just below where he'd struck the rock. There was more rock here, too.
The back door opened and Maggie leaned out covering her eyes from the glare. “Kids come in and see!"
Lee hadn't heard her sound this happy in he couldn't remember how long.
Patty dropped her stick and ran for the door as Lee stepped out of the hole. But as he came up, Maggie ordered, “Lee, you take your filthy shoes off before you come in."
Lee flopped down in the grass, his feet in the hole and started to untie his tennis shoes. Dirt was caked and dried to the laces, so he had to pick at the knot to get the first one untied. Sitting there, suddenly he was sure he could have sworn he'd heard something. Lee scanned the yard, but no one was there.
He tugged off the shoe and shook out the dirt, then pulled the sock back up which had slipped down. Again, like a distant note carried on the breeze, something teased his ears. He couldn't place the direction; it sounded distant and soft, like an echo. Swiveling his head to look around, he just couldn't seem to locate any definable source.
There it was again, longer this time, sounding like a voice or a moan from long off. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. In the house, with those images in the pine knot paneling, when he turned his head, he was always being tricked into thinking he had caught something out of the corner of his eye. This was a similar sensation; only now, it was teasing his ears instead of his eyes.
Lee was left awash with that same eerie feeling he'd had when he'd seen the lights and heard the music back in Broaddus Marsh. He strained, trying to locate the source, but it was gone. All there was was a slight breeze, which had suddenly slipped up though the yard, rustling the leaves, and giving a fleeting respite from the heat.
Dismissing it, Lee pulled off his other shoe, this time not worrying about the laces. Forgetting to bring his water glass in with him, he ran to the door in his socks and went inside.
Evil Heights, Book IV: In the Pit Page 10
