The Roads to Damascus by Lynda McDaniel

Author:Lynda McDaniel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lynda McDaniel Books
Published: 2018-09-14T16:00:00+00:00

20

Deputy Jenkins showed me a newspaper story where his mama, Era Head Jenkins, told her sad story about Billy Ray and Mary Grace taking nearabouts $4,000 from her. I knew those were aliases for Clayne and Mama Mae because their M.O. was all over it.

“She’s old, and it nearly killed her,” he said, taking his hat off out of respect, like you see people do on TV at funerals.

The article was just in a small local paper, but the reporter wrote a good story, trying to help Mrs. Jenkins out. But nothing came of it. That was why Deputy Jenkins looked me up when he heard I was hunting them three. I knew how news traveled fast in small towns, and this time, it worked in my favor.

“Why won’t the cops or law people do anything?” I asked. We’d moved to the steps in front of Mrs. M’s. (She looked out just then, and when she saw a cop talking to me, I swear I could hear her tongue clucking, even through the closed window.)

“Not enough folks coming forward. Law enforcement has a limited budget, and a case has to have teeth—enough to warrant the time and money. I’d bet these three are feeling cocksure; they’d never expect anyone to come after them, certainly not a young man like you.” I’m not sure what he meant by that, but I let it go. “But word is spreading about you. Jewel Johnston told my mother. They know each other up in Staunton, where my mother lives, and that’s how I heard about you. So you’d better be careful, especially with that car of yours.”

That again. After Mike fixed the Merc, the rattle was back, but at least it was reliable again (though Deputy Jenkins’ caution kinda scared me all over again). We sat there and talked a while, and he chuckled when he shared what his mama said about Clayne and Clarice. “I’ll tell you,” he said in a high, wavery voice, imitating her, “those two kids all lovey-dovey and all over one another. I just wanted to smack ‘em.’”

I knew the feeling. Of course, they didn’t play that act with me. I mean, even back in the hollers they wouldn’t behave that a-way in public, not as brother and sister. But I sure wanted to smack ‘em, too. At least Clayne. “Why didn’t she just tell them to get outa her house and get a room?”

He laughed again. “Well, truth of it is, I think those two probably just hugged each other when she agreed to sign up for his reverse mortgage swindle. My mother is a real prude, so even the least little affection is tantamount to doing it.”

That made me laugh for the first time in days—at the way people referred to sex as it. And there was never any question what they was talking about. I musta laughed a little too hard because Deputy Jenkins looked at me funny. I told him it was my nerves, but

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