City of Stones by Christopher Valen

Author:Christopher Valen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: suspense, antisemitism, historical, murder mysery
Publisher: Christopher Valen

Chapter 23

When Kate Dawson walks into the Young Brothers’ Barbershop, the Negro customers in the three barber chairs––and the Young brothers standing behind each chair––stare at Kate as if in a freeze-frame.

Kate smiles. “I’m not here for a haircut,” she says, holding out the note Brutus gave her.

The barber standing behind the nearest chair tentatively reaches out his hand and takes the note. After reading it, he passes the note to his brother standing behind the second barber chair. He reads it and then passes it to the third brother, who takes a moment to read it and then approaches Kate.

“A woman named Gloria Two Bears lives in the duplex near Franklin and 23rd Avenue,” he says in a quiet voice. “She might know where Sam Witherspoon is.” He holds out the note.

Kate takes it back. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Miss . . .”

“Dawson. Kate Dawson. Well . . .” she says, hesitating a moment. Then she smiles, waves, and heads out the door.

Twenty minutes later Kate cruises to a stop along the curb in front of a two-story duplex. She kills the engine and remains seated behind the Packard’s steering wheel in a metaphorical darkness, trying to suppress the feeling of desperation that has overtaken her ever since she left Nick Cole at McCarthy’s in search of someone who could help her. In the past, she’s always found a path around obstacles in her life, though, admittedly, they’ve been few and far between––at least up to this point in time. She’s rarely experienced doubt. Now, she wonders if searching for Sam Witherspoon is a mistake. If word should filter back to Wilson Barlow that she’s pursuing the cornfield shooting, she might as well kiss her law career with the DA’s office good-bye. A little voice whispers, You can always work for your father, but that would be an admission of failure. She blows out an anxious breath, exits the car, and marches up the sidewalk.

She steps onto the front porch and spots Two Bears’ name on a small mailbox attached to the wall next to the screen door on her right. The inner door behind the screen is open, and Kate can see a set of steps leading to the second floor. She pulls on the door handle, discovers it’s latched, and pushes a doorbell, which triggers loud barking. A moment later, the dog, a big black and tan German shepherd, bounds down the stairs, locks its dark eyes on Kate, and continues barking.

Kate steps back, unsure if the dog can get through the flimsy screen door, and wonders if it does, what it will do to her.

“Quiet, Mato,” a woman calls as she comes down the stairs. The voice is soft, but there’s strength behind it. The dog quits barking and stares at Kate as if she’s a juicy bone.

A full-figured woman approaches the door in a pair of dungarees and a red flannel shirt. Her feet are bare. Her face is round, the nose slightly flat. She has the almond-shaped dark eyes and heavy eyelids common to American Indians.

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