The Legend of Joe Edge by Brenda Hodge & Brenda Hodge

Author:Brenda Hodge & Brenda Hodge [Hodge, J. Rivers & Hodge, Brenda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781491765340
Publisher: iUniverse
Published: 2015-06-10T04:00:00+00:00

Ho Ming and Kong waited. Ruse needed to remain calm and not do anything unusual. He picked up a barbershop book.

Ho Ming, standing by the barber chair, his comb and scissors at the ready, said, “New book, Major. You like?”

He hadn’t seen this book before. The title proclaimed: The Women of Lily LeBlanc’s House of Pleasure, Royal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. Ruse opened it and pretended to peruse the pictures of naked women in provocative poses. The last picture hit his face like steam spewing from a busted boiler. He gasped.

Kong looked up. “You okay, Mister Major?”

Ruse motioned for his slate and chalk. “Where get book?” he wrote and handed it to Kong. Kong asked the question of Ho Ming.

“Customer trade for haircut. I think Major like pictures. You no like?”

Ruse wrote, “I like. Thank you. How much?” Kong translated.

“Ho Ming make gift. You take. No charge to good customer. Much pork, lotsa laundry.”

* * *

After reading the newspaper article at Ho Ming’s Barbershop, Ruse decided to follow his normal routine as he planned the trip to New Orleans. He was stunned to learn twelve bodies had been found. To keep from acting irrationally, he let his anger simmer.

Could I have eaten twelve women in three months? Gertie Mae must have been stealing my special meat while I was at work. Another good reason to get rid of her, she couldn’t be trusted near food.

I don’t want to rush to New Orleans and kill the woman who mutilated me. Without a doubt, that was her picture in the barbershop book. Hell, I held that double-nipped tit in my hand, almost cut it off. I want it even more now—a change purse I can be proud of.

A stranger might ask, “Hey, mister, where’d you get that exotic change purse?”

I’ll scratch on the slate, “Cut it off a she-devil.”

So she could appreciate just how badly she had damaged him, the woman had to be captured and taken to a remote location where he would remove her skin, strip by strip, over a period of days. Every day of his life was a humiliation. He was unable to talk, had to wear a mask to hide his terrifying face, and pay another person to chew his food.

All was working as planned until he returned from work on Thursday night. Kong brought home another newspaper. Two more bodies had been found. According to The Chicago Trumpet, the police had an accurate description of the assailant. The sensation of a rough rope noose tightened around Ruse’s neck.

He couldn’t wait any longer. The train to St. Louis departed at noon. Ruse was determined to be on it. Instead of reporting for work, he planned to go to the office in the morning, collect four days’ pay, and meet Kong at the train station. They’d escape to St. Louis and then take a riverboat to New Orleans.

Ruse had several pieces of Opal Woodhew’s gold jewelry. He’d already sold the candlesticks, silverware, oriental carpets, and other items from Mrs.

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