Union County (Three Creeks #4) by Ken Farmer

Author:Ken Farmer
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Timber Creek Press
Published: 2021-05-07T05:00:00+00:00

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

JAMISON HOME

“What’d that fella look like you saw hurry off while we were at the feed store, Foot?” Grandpa was backin’ into the barn to unload the feed an’ hay.

I looked up at him from my place between daddy an’ Hutch. “Younger’n daddy, had brown hair stickin’ out from underneath a beat-up gray hat an’ wore khaki pants like a lots of men do…Got in a dark green Ford pickup. Couldn’t tell what year it was…all purty much look the same since the war.”

Hutch elbowed me. “Was wearin’ a canvas coat, too.”

“Yeah, right…that too.”

“Have a mustache or beard?”

“No, sir. Needed a shave, though.”

“Why didn’t you tell me then?”

“Cause you were already headed out to pull your truck up to the dock when he jumped up an’ run off.”

Grandpa looked over at daddy. “You see anything, Joe?”

“Not so much, John. Saw those fellas sitting around the stove eatin’ peanuts, but didn’t pay ‘em much mind.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“See which way he went, Foot?”

“Yessir, back toward the Haynesville Road…Couldn’t tell which way from there.”

“Joe, why don’t you run over to Jolley’s Store an’ call that in to the sheriff while I unload this stuff.”

“Sure you don’t want me to help?”

“Naw, no hill for a stepper…Be done an’ in the house by the time ya’ll get back.”

“Okay, let’s go, boys.”

We went out, got in daddy’s 1950 Ford sedan an’ drove the short distance over to the store—it was on Haynesville Road. Daddy parked in front an’ we all got out an’ went inside. Most of the snow was gone from the gravel parkin’ lot.

Mister Jolley didn’t have a potbellied stove like at the feed store, but he did have a space heater that had the ceramic things in the front just a glowin’. It was nice an’ warm in there, almost hot, but the day had heated up some, too.

“Come in, Joe, what can I do for you?”

“Need to use the phone, Smead, if that’s all right,?”

“Sure go right ahead.” He reached in a jar on his counter an’ grabbed a couple of penny candies. “Here you go, boys, put these in your pockets. Know it’s too close to supper time. Mame an’ Vertis will come over to peel my head if you eat ‘em now.”

We both thanked him an’ grinned while we put the red jaw breakers in our pockets for later.

“Thanks, Mister Jolley.”

“Uh-huh…I’ll tell Mame you’ll be out for supper, Myron. See you in a bit.” Daddy hung the phone back on the receiver at the wall.

“See you’ve learned about sayin’ too much on that party line, Joe.”

Daddy smiled. “Yeah, we have party lines up at home, too, Smead. Need to be careful when givin’ messages to the sheriff…Not much difference, I would imagine.” He looked at me an’ Hutch. “You boys ready?”

We had walked over to the comic book rack while daddy finished with the sheriff. “Yessir.”

“See anything you like?”

I shook my head. “Uh-uh, already got the ones I read regular.”

“Thought as much.”

We turned an’ headed to the front door.

Daddy waved over his shoulder.

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