Black Sky (A Mystery-Thriller)

by Victor Methos

“I know, Sheriff. I was at the trial. I heard all—”

  “A man died.”

  “I know, you just said that. I was bout to tell you that—”

  “A man died!”

  “I know,” she screamed. We stood silently lookin’ at each other.

  “Turn round,” I said.

  “Why?”

  “You’re under arrest.”

  “Arrest? For what?”

  “Obstructin’ justice and perjury.”

  I flipped her round.

  “Wait, Jesse. Wait!”

  She spun back.

  “Tell me the truth, right now. Or so help me you will rot in that jail cell.”

  She looked down ta the floor and played with the rug that was underneath her toes. “I couldn’t let it get out,” she said softly.

  “That you was a whore?” I said.

  “Half the town are whores. I don’t care bout that.”

  “Then what?”

  “That I was fornicatin’ with…a nigger.”

  “That’s what this is bout?”

  “When those two boys saw me I just panicked, Sheriff. I didn’t know what to do. How would I ever show my face again? What would my ma think? I’d have to move town. That’d be the only way and I don’t wanna leave.”

  “So you had him killed?”

  “I didn’t want none a that to happen. I just thought you would arrest him and then send him away. I didn’t know they could hang a man for that.”

  “They hung him cause he was black and a white woman’s word was worth more than his.”

  She looked up at me and grinned. “But we don’t need to get all formal.” Her hand reached out and touched mine. “I’m not a girl anymore, Jesse. I’m a woman.” She came close ta me, wrappin’ her arms round my waist. “A woman that can show you things you never dreamed of.”

  She reached up and unlaced the gown she was wearin’. It fell ta the floor and the only thing she had on was a garter. Her breasts were plump and she rubbed em with both hands fore puttin’ her arms round my neck.

  “Fuck me right here, Jesse. Right here in the hallway. No one will ever know.”

  Her lips were almost touchin’ mine. I felt weakness in me. It radiated up and down my body like pain and ached ta give in. But I swallowed hard, and took her arms off me. I spun her back round and tied her hands with my belt. I took up her gown and placed it on her nude body.

  “You’re making a mistake,” she said. “The mayor’s gonna be real upset with you.”

  “That so?”

  “Yes that’s so. I’m one of his favorites.”

  When she was dressed I took her by the arm and led her outta the house. “Well, we all have ta do without sometimes.”

  CHAPTER 27

  We had supper at my house, me Betty and Dr. Haywood. I had locked Suzie up in the cell and wanted her ta realize the gravity a her situation fore I headed back there ta talk ta her. So I ate quietly and watched Dr. Haywood. She was in a somber mood and barely ate anythin’ at all. She just pushed food round on her plate.

  “Who’s Ruth Ann?” she asked.

  “Mistress a the mayor,” I said. “Why?”

  “That’s what I was led to believe. I saw her at the saloon with some other men.”

  “I’m sure they have an understandin’ in their relationship.”

  We didn’t talk again for some time and then Dr. Haywood said, “I’m leaving tomorrow back to Boston, Sheriff. I really appreciate you and your wife’s hospitality.”

  “Tomorrow’s the Fourth a July. You should stay for the parade. Leave on a lighter note and all.”

  “I appreciate that, but I don’t think I can stay here any longer.” She glanced up at me and then back ta her plate. “I don’t know how you take it. Surrounded by such blind fools.”

  “I been surrounded by fools my whole life. Then again, maybe I’m one a em and we all just have moments a clarity now and again.”

  “That boy was innocent.”

  I looked ta her. “Yes, he was. And now he’s dead. The innocent die and suffer all the time. Even more than the guilty. That’s just the Lord’s plan.”

  “That’s no plan.”

  I finished up and wiped my lips with the napkin and kissed Betty. I was bout ta leave when Dr. Haywood asked if she could come with me and I agreed. We walked out inta the night and strolled through the town back ta the Sheriff’s Office.

  “Your wife is one of the most caring people I’ve ever met. I’ve never felt so welcomed.”

  “I married above my station, that’s for certain.”

  “She doesn’t strike me as particularly happy here.”

  “Why you say that?”

  “There’s a sadness to her. It clings to her as she goes about her day. I don’t even know if she acknowledges it. But I don’t think she’s very happy in this town.”

  We reached the Sheriff’s Office and I unlocked the door and went inside. Suzie was layin’ on the cot and I pulled up a chair and sat in front a the bars.

  “The mayor’s gonna get me outta here,” she said.

  “Suppose he might. When he finds out. Don’t know when I’m gonna tell him though.”

  “You’re cruel, Sheriff. Cruel to a woman in need.”

  “Crueler than killin’ an innocent man?”

  “I rely on that income, Sheriff. That’s how me and my mama eat. If folks were to find out I slept with a nigger they’d never come to me again. We’d starve. I did what I did outta preservation.”

  “Preservation? You nothin’ but a killer, Suzie. Plain as day.”

  I looked ta the Doc. She appeared like she might pass out and I remembered I hadn’t told her yet what Suzie had confessed to.

  “You had somethin’ ta tell me when Missy was killed. What was it?”

  “You think I’d help you now?”

  “You can go home tonight or you can go home in a month. It’s up ta you.”

  She looked at me and sat up on the bed. “I got your word? I tell you what I know and you let me go?”

  “Depends what you tell me.”

  “No, I gotta have your word. Otherwise I’ll just wait for Tom to find out.”

  I leaned back in the chair. I wouldn’t be able ta hold her more than a couple days. Her mother would find out and Suzie would tell her ta inform the mayor. The mayor took care a his women and he’d never stand for somethin’ like this. Especially since she would deny ever confessin’ ta anything.

  “You got my word.”

  “Sheriff,” Dr. Haywood said. “This woman should be—”

  I held up my hand and Dr. Haywood quit talkin’. “Tell me what you know.”

  “Missy was whorin’ with me.”

  “Missy Henderson?”

  “Yessir. She was with me. Some nights we’d do a man together if they asked for it and they had the money. I seen her first hand.”

  “She a good church-goin’ girl. Wanted ta get married.”

  “What people see and what’s on the inside ain’t the same, Sheriff.”

  “Her mother woulda—”

  “Her mother was the one that got her into it. She said they needed the income. You think a girl chooses this but we don’t. It’s either this or be on the street without a pot to piss in.”

  I exhaled. “Go on.”

  “Well she told me she’d been seein’ this man regular. Almost every night. And she said he was gettin’ more and more rough with her. She said he liked to be tied up and whipped and one night he asked her to choke him and she did and he fainted right there in the bed. She said he would ask her to step on his male parts with her boots and all sorts a things. She was gettin’ scared a him.”

  “What man?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “She never said a name?”

  “No. She said he was well known in the town and if it got out it would ruin him. So she never told me a name.”

  “She say anythin’ else bout him? Anythin’ that can help me find him?”
<
br />   “She said he weren’t married. Cause I asked her if his wife maybe did those things and she said he weren’t married.”

  I looked at her a while and then stood up. I unlocked the cell. “Get on home.”

  Suzie ran out as quick as a bat.

  “You’re just going to let her go?” Dr. Haywood asked.

  “The mayor would get her out as soon as he heard. And half the men in this town probably visit her. They’re not gonna convict her a nothin’. And even if they did, perjury don’t mean all that much out here.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t believe this. She’s going to get away with it.”

  “Well,” I said, lookin’ out the winda, “folks generally get what’s comin’ ta em.” I looked back ta her. “We should go. Parade starts early.”

  I walked her back ta my house and bid her goodnight and told her ta tell Betty I’d be right back. Then I went ta Gunner’s. I saw the mayor at a table playin’ poker with three other men and I went ta the bar and ordered a shot a whiskey. It went down hard and then I walked over and asked the mayor if I could have a word. He excused himself, stood up, and followed me ta a corner a the saloon.

  “You gotta call off the parade,” I said.

  “Why on earth would I do that, Sheriff?”

  “Suzie told me that boy never tried ta rape her. She was lyin’ cause he was black. That means whoever killed Missy and Rebecca is still here. You got people already here from other towns that got no idea what kinda danger they in.”

  “We’ve been through this. There is no way that parade is getting cancelled. Our businesses rely on that parade. Cancel one year and the next nobody shows up. I’m not doing that because you can’t accept the fact that you couldn’t catch the man that did this and my bounty hunters did.”

  “This ain’t bout pride, Tom. People gonna die tomorrow.”

  “You actually believe that? Even if you’re right, and this man is still here, there’s going to be thousands of people here. Why would he strike then? He’d wait until the town calmed down again and was quiet.”

  “I don’t think so. Dr. Haywood thinks he’d get a kick outta doin’ it right under our noses in front a everybody.”

  He looked back ta the poker table. “This is my hand.”

  “Tom,” I said, grabbin’ his elbow.

  “Let go of me.” I did. “This parade is happening, Sheriff. You want to deputize a few men you trust to patrol, you have my blessing to do so. But this parade is happening.”

  “Where were you when Rebecca was killed?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “That night. Where were you, Tom?”

  Rage filled him and he stepped inta my face. “I’m gonna pretend you ain’t suggesting what I think you’re suggesting. Because if I thought that, I might have to shot you dead right here. Now get the fuck out of here before you really upset me.”

  I watched him go back ta the table and start playin’ again. I walked back ta the bar, took another shot, and then went home.

  CHAPTER 28

  I woke up real early and went and found Andy. He was sleepin’ and looked groggy and I had ta wait in the front room while he dressed. I got some salted jerky he had up near the door and sliced off a small piece with my knife.

  “What are we doin’ today, Sheriff?” he shouted.

  “Patrols. I got Ned and Doc Stevens ta do em with us.”

  “Doc Stevens is an old man. Let’s get someone younger.”

  “I don’t trust no one younger.”

  When Andy came down we went out inta the street and people was already crowded round. The streets were packed and decoration that had gone up the night fore were all over town. The general store had displays up a goods they was sellin’ and the mercantile had racks a used clothin’ up for sale. At the far end a town the parade was goin’ ta be startin’ soon and I wanted ta get everyone in place fore that happened.

  We walked down ta the Sheriff’s Office, pushin’ our way through the crowds, and met up with Ned and the Doc. I got two badges outta my drawer and pinned one ta each chest.

  “Couldn’t get Bill and John?” I said ta the Doc.

  He shook his head. “They just want to get drunk today and have fun. Which honestly is what I should be doing.”

  “It’s your town too.”

  “I know, I was just making a comment is all.”

  “Main thing that happens,” I said, “is drunken fights. That’s what we gotta be on the lookout for. Someone here with a few buddies could turn inta a riot. Andy’s gonna give you each several leather ties. You come cross a fight, tie one a em and place him down on the street. Don’t take your eye off the other gentlemen though. Andy did that last year and the man ran down and belted the other one when he was defenseless and broke his jaw.” I was bout ta release em and then thought a one more thing. “You see any young women by themselves, just keep an eye on em. Or better yet tell em to get with a crowd.”

  I was turnin’ away when Ned spoke.

  “That it?”

  “What’chya mean?” I said.

  “I thought we had ta take an oath.”

  “An oath?”

  “Yeah, you know, an oath. To swear to serve and protect.”

  I looked at him a moment. “Ned, you are hereby sworn ta serve and protect the people a this town for the Fourth a July.”

  “Wait a second, Sheriff. My hand wasn’t on no Bible. How can it be an oath if my hand wasn’t on no Bible?”

  The Doc said, “It doesn’t need to be on a Bible. It’s supposed to be raised and you have to have the other hand over your heart. That’s how we took the oath in medical school.”

  Ned said, “Hells bells, Doc, you went to medical school fifty years ago. They probably had you cuttin’ people open to let the demons out.”

  “All right, that’s nuff,” I said. “Ned raise your right hand. Ned…what the hell is your last name Ned?”

  “Warnick. You knew that.”

  “I did know that. Ned Warnick, bein’ duly sworn by the Sheriff a this magnificent town I christen thee deputy and savior. With all the rights and responsibilities therewith. Now please go out and stop drunk people from killin’ themselves. Pretty please.”

  Ned looked from the Doc ta me and then cleared his throat and got some ties from Andy fore headin’ out. The Doc did the same and I watched em go and disappear inta the crowds.

  “Looks like more folks than last year,” Andy said.

  “Yes it does.”

  “Lotta shit out on the streets though.”

  “Well, just try not ta add ta it.”

  I stepped outside and heard the crowd cheer and start clappin’ as the first items a the parade came down. The first thing was a wagon pulled by three fine stallions. Both the wagon and the horses was made up pretty with flowers and paints and an effigy a the governor a New Mexico was a top it, bobbin’ round in the wind.

  I looked out over the faces. There were so many a em they blended one with another. I made my way through em and headed ta my house. I walked past Gunner’s and saw that several tables had been put out front cause there weren’t nuff room inside. The mayor was right bout one thing: this town needed this parade.

  On all the balconies people crammed together and were drinkin’ beer and whiskey. Many had pistols strapped ta their hips. It always made me uncomfortable. I had asked the mayor ta allow me ta take em when I saw em but he said so many people were in love with their guns that they would be mighty upset if we took em and may not return next year. We reached a compromise that if folks was too drunk, I could temporarily take em while they sobered up.

  Some rowdy boys was up on one balcony near the mercantile. Four a em, and they didn’t look like they was up ta any good. One a em bowed ta me and the others laughed. I stopped underneath the balcony. Was hard ta hear so I had ta yell.

  “How you boys doin’?” I said.

  “Good.”

  “Do me a favor would ya boys? If yous gonna be poundin’ whi
skey all day let’s maybe leave the guns in the room there.”

  “Ain’t no law gainst carryin’ guns round town.”

  “Now you are right bout that. There ain’t no law whatsoever gainst it. I’m just askin’ for a favor.”

  They looked at each other.

  “Sheriff, don’t rightly think we’ll be doin’ that favor.”

  I nodded. “Then I’m fraid I’m goin’ have ta take em.”

  “Why don’t you come up here and try?”

  My heart dropped as I saw one of em slip his hand down ta the grip of his weapon. I thought bout gettin’ my Colt out but didn’t want ta escalate the situation.

  “Now boys, this ain’t nothin’ ta get itchy bout. I’m just askin’ you put the guns in your room while yous drinkin’, that’s all. I don’t think that’s an unreasonable request.”

  Folks was clearin’ away from me like I was diseased. Families was down here. I couldn’t risk these drunk idiots firin’ down on me and hittin’ a child.

  The one I was talkin’ ta pulled out his pistol. “Think it’s time to leave law man. And maybe send up your wife fore you crawl into your hole.”

  I took the grip a my pistol and went ta pull it out when I felt a hand over mine. It was Andy. He turned ta the boys.

  “Do as the Sheriff says.”

  “Fuck you queer,” the one I was speakin’ with said. “Maybe you come up here with his wife too.” They started laughin’.

  “You have till the count a three. One—”

  Andy didn’t even get the word out when he started firin’. He shot the one I was speakin’ ta first, right through the throat. It was so quick and so surprisin’, the boys didn’t know how ta react. He’d shot nother one through the heart fore the other two even got their pistols out.

  The third one was shot through the eye as he stood ta fire and the fourth dropped his pistol and held his hands up. Andy went ta fire and I pushed his hand down.

  “That’s nuff.”

  Folks had screamed and scattered and I saw the mayor comin’ through the crowd, his face bright red, tellin’ folks it was nothin’ ta worry bout.

  “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” he yelled ta me.

  “Defendin’ ourselves.”