Persia Walker - Darkness and the Devil Behind Me by Persia Walker

Author:Persia Walker
Language: eng
Format: epub

27.

Ruth showed up in the newsroom early the next morning. She threw a copy of the paper down on my desk, furious.

"Why didn't you name him?"

"I couldn't, Ruth. It wouldn't have been fair."

"Fair? How can you talk about being fair to the man who took Esther?"

"I couldn't name him with what I had. Understand? It would've blown up in our faces."

And still might, I wanted to add.

She stared at me, and I saw understanding sink in. She dropped down in the chair next to my desk, like a balloon drained of air.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I ... I just want it settled.

For once and for all, I want it over and done with. That's all.

It's been so long."

"I know, but there was no way I could name this man.

No way that was defensible."

She sighed, closed her eyes and nodded.

"How's Job?" I asked.

"He asks about you. Wants to know if you've found her yet." "I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to make it worse."

"Well, just find her then," she blurted out. "Make this man tell us what he did to her. That's all you have to do."

Immediately, she apologized. "Oh, God. I hear myself and know I sound like a nut case. It's just that ... this really is driving us crazy."

"How's your mother?"

"Better. I showed her what you wrote. Read it to her. It made her real happy."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"I hope this'll make a difference," she said. "But suppose he runs away?"

I shook my head. "This guy's not the running kind."

"Well, that's something, then, isn't it?" She got up to go, then paused. "Oh, and I wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"Recommending Mabel Dean. My reverend likes her and I like her, too. I think she's going to be a lot of help."

"Glad to hear it. Mabel deserves a break."

"We'll take good care of her."

Ruth started away and turned back. "It would've made a difference, wouldn't it, if you'd found something, something real, that showed what was going on between Esther and this guy?" "Of course, but ..." I shrugged. "I didn't find anything."

Ruth nodded to herself, crestfallen, and walked away. She was barely out the door when Selena sidled up and tapped me on the shoulder.

I turned. "Yes?"

"Sam wants to see you." Selena's slanted eyes were as green as brown eyes can be. "I think you over reached yourself this time." She pointed to Sam's office. With a nasty jolt, I saw that the big cheese himself, Mr. Byron Canfield, was in there.

"You'd better hop to it," she said.

"Selena, you know what? You can kiss my muffins."

Her mouth dropped open. I stifled an urge to put my fist through it and walked away.

The two men stood as I entered. I gave them both a courteous smile, and then addressed the visitor. "Good morning, Mr. Canfield."

The Movement's most senior official granted me a nod.

He was a tal man of aristocratic bearing. He wore a long dark gray coat, carried his hat and gloves in one hand, his walking stick in the other.

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