Come Rain or Shine (32 page)

When he released her he turned to Silas and frowned. “I’m glad to see she’s safe in Chicago.”

Silas rolled his eyes at the older man’s comment and opened his mouth to speak but Trick came up and whispered something in his ear. Silas nodded and Trick walked down the porch and around the house.

Emmie rubbed her mouth in an effort to keep it shut. She so badly wanted to unload on Walter that Silas thought Bo was involved in the fires, but she had promised to trust Silas. This was his news to share . . . and he was saying nothing. She turned and gave him a pointed look.

“That’s a nice ring you got there, Emmie,” Walter said, looking down at her hands. “Did Silas give that to ya?”

“Yes, he did.”

Walter looked at Silas and grunted, “Looks like he forgot which hand to put it on.”

Emmie’s mouth dropped open at his words. Silas just laughed.

“Walter, please . . .”

“I’m just saying he best be thinking about buying the cow,” Walter said.

“Do not compare me to a cow.” She looked at him in disbelief.

Walter actually smirked.

“I don’t know how you expect me to buy the cow when she won’t listen to a word I say,” Silas said.

“Too late to turn back now. She’s traveled all over hell’s half acre with you,” Walter said.

Silas laughed. Emmie frowned at him. She did not like this conversation one bit.

“You two do realize that I’m standing here, a grown woman, perfectly capable of making my own decisions,” she said.

“She is right. Speaking of her decisions, she talked Marco into bringing her back down here to meet her mother’s family. As you can see she is no longer in Chicago. Which is why I’m here at your doorstep. I don’t think Emmie is safe until I can find Parbour’s older brother and anyone else responsible for all of this and bring them to justice,” Silas said.

Parbour’s older brother was calling the shots now? Neither Silas or Walter acted like that was new knowledge. She wondered if Parbour’s brother had been on the way to the cabin that day. Had he been the one Revenuer Parbour was watching out the window for? Was his brother going to arrive with the police?

“Emmie’s always welcome here, unless she was planning to stay with some of that new family she’d been finding lately.”

Now it was Emmie’s turn to laugh. “Do you know them?”

When Walter shook his head Silas filled him in on a few details about her uncles, the butcher brothers. His eyes went wide with surprise, but he never said a word. While the situation with Marco was new and awkward, Emmie did feel like she would become closer to Gabe, especially now that he and Ava were married. She didn’t think she would be calling Marco “Pa” anytime soon, but she didn’t hate him either. That had to be a good start. But her uncles and Aunt Eve, she wasn’t sure what to think about that one yet. When Marco had told her they weren’t bad people
exactly
. . . he’d hit the nail on the head. They weren’t bad people they just made her feel uneasy. She’d like to meet them again sometime . . . when they weren’t dragging some crooked cop bound and gagged through their living room.

“Trick has a friend who works for the station in Louisville. He’s volunteered to let you all stay there. I’m hoping you’ll keep her for me so I can get business done. There’s no one here I’d trust to ask,” Silas said, looking at the old man.

“Silas, I’m not a child. You don’t need to ask Walter to babysit me,” she said, annoyed.

These men had made her feel like a cow and a child in the course of the last five minutes and no one had even mentioned the Johnsons yet. What was Silas playing at? He gave her a pointed look. She could tell he didn’t want her attitude right now but she didn’t care.

“You don’t think my house is safe enough, Silas?” Walter asked, chewing on his pipe.

Silas shrugged. “I just think your family might be safer with the police officer. I’ve checked out the address; he’s close to the hospital. Max could probably walk and you wouldn’t have to drive him. I know that gets expensive for you. So if it turns out to be in vain, at least you’ve saved a little money, right?”

“I suppose saving a few dollars won’t hurt,” Walter said, rubbing his whiskers. “You sure this little change of location don’t have nothing to do with the fact that Bo is coming to town tonight?”

Silas looked at Walter with wide eyes. “Tonight?”

“Mmm hmm,” Walter mumbled, “he called just after you left. Said he was going to bring his sister and needed to know how to get here from the train station.”

“Emmie, go inside with Mae and Max,” Silas said with urgency.

She opened her mouth to ask why but he shouted, “
Now
.”

Emmie tore through the door as fast as her feet could carry her. Silas had gone from calm to panicked at Walter’s words. Even though Emmie couldn’t believe Bo would hurt Walter she did respect the fact that Silas looked scared. If he looked spooked about something that was enough reason for her to hurry.

Silas was hoping to not need to give the old man too many details. It would be for his own good. He trusted Walter to take care of Emmie, but he did not want him to confront Bo alone. If Bo was dangerous, he didn’t want the old man to go off and get himself shot on some fool’s errand. If Emmie lost Walter at Bo’s hand, he didn’t know if she could bear it. Walter stared at him with wide eyes as he shouted at Emmie to get in the house to find Max and Mae.

“What’s got your dander up, boy? Is this still because you think Bo’s involved somehow?”

“Walter, I don’t think it, I know it. I’ve had it confirmed that the Johnsons are in this. We questioned one of Parbour’s men. Mr. Johnson used his daughter to get information from Trick on when we were leaving town and when we’d be back. If that girl is involved, we know Bo is a part of this too. The fact he has called and asked for directions to your house only adds to the evidence against him.”

“Why would asking directions to my house be a big deal? What are you keeping from me?” Walter asked, narrowing his gaze.

“I’m afraid they’ve set your house as the next to burn. Until this moment I wasn’t sure if it was your house in Bowling Green or here. Now that Bo has asked for directions to your house, I’m sure it’s here.”

“No, he wouldn’t.” Walter said, biting his lip, causing the tiny patch of hair on his chin to stand up. “What could he have to gain from hurting me? I’ve known the Johnsons a long time.”

“This isn’t about the property or the people he’s hurting with these fires. This is about me and my family. They are sending us a message we can’t mess with them. I think the Johnson family means to take control of the bootlegging and the speaks in the south of the state and Parbour means to take over the north. What they don’t understand is I’m not as high as this goes. I’ve got people at home I answer to.” Silas swore like he’d said more than he meant to.

“I’ll go with ya but I still don’t think they’d take a chance at hurting my family just to get to you,” he said, hooking his thumbs under his overalls.

“Emmie’s house burned last night, right after she called Bo. They knew she wasn’t home but the message still comes across. They carved the word
moll
into the side of her barn. Do you know what that means?”

Walter swore and turned his back to Silas.

“I don’t think Parbour and Johnson are supposed to be here until tonight, but if Bo has already called for directions, it makes me uneasy,” he said.

The older man rubbed his beard and turned to grab the door. “I don’t guess I can argue with ya there, boy. I ain’t feeling too good about it myself. Let me just get my shotgun and we’ll follow you to your friend’s house.”

Chapter Forty-seven

M
ae was puttering around the kitchen when she caught sight of Emmie walking into the house. Deep wrinkles framed her eyes as she smiled and closed the space between them with her arms extended. “Emmie girl, it is so good to see ya. Seems like it’s been ages. Well, have mercy if you don’t look like some fancy city slicker in those beautiful clothes. Sit down and help yourself to some biscuits and butter, child.” Mae pulled her into a tight hug and pushed her gently into one of the kitchen chairs.

“Well, Mae, we don’t have much time for a social call right now. We need to get you packed up. We’re going to spend the night in the city.”

Emmie couldn’t give Mae much of an explanation as to why they were leaving in a hurry because she wasn’t sure what to say. It wasn’t until Walter came in that the older woman really started collecting her belongings. She tried to question Walter, but he whispered something in her ear and the old woman took off like white lightning. Emmie looked out the screen door to Silas who stood staring off in the distance, scanning the surrounding area. She wondered what he had told Walter to make him eager to leave this house so quickly.

“Miss Emmie,” a soft voice called behind her. Her face lit up at the sight of him. He still limped but he ran up to her without stumbling. Max’s special shoes and the brace seemed to be helping. His arms wrapped around her in a tight hug. Emmie’s heart warmed as she noticed he used both hands to squeeze her. That was a little change but a notable one. She was amazed how much progress he had made. His muscles might be weaker than his peers’, but in so many ways he was the strongest little boy she’d ever met.

“Hey there, Max. You’re lookin’ good kid. You all are gonna come stay with a friend of mine in the city tonight. Let’s go get you packed, okay?” she asked, ruffling his hair.

“Sounds like fun; I’ll bring some of my books. Miss Emmie?” he asked.

“Yes?”

“Why’d you get your hair all cut off like a boy?” He scrunched his nose at the question.

Emmie touched her bob and smiled down at the boy. “It was a crazy Chicago adventure. You get ready fast for me and I’ll tell you the story on the ride to town.”

Max went upstairs as fast as his legs could take him. Emmie followed him to his room. She couldn’t find a bag so she laid a small blanket out on the floor adding a few articles of clothing and his books to the center. Surely those men wouldn’t burn down this house tonight. Silas would stop them.

“Do you have anything else that’s really special to you in here?” she asked just in case.

“My ship Silas gave me.” Emmie followed his eyes to see the boat resting on top of the small chest.

Emmie told him to carry the boat, and she folded the corners of the blanket into the middle, making a pouch of his belongings before heading downstairs. She could see Trick had joined Silas out on the porch. Emmie nearly jumped out of her skin when the telephone started to ring. She stood near the old box phone as its piercing ring filled the air.

“Walter? Mae?” Emmie shouted in question. She turned to Max and asked him to go get his grandparents.

Silas yelled through the screen door, “Answer it, Emmie.”

She picked up the receiver and put her mouth to the box. “Hello.”

“Oh God, Emmie, you’re there. I’m sorry.” His voice was barely more than a harsh whisper.

“Bo?” Emmie whispered into the phone. “What’s happened?”

“Get out. Take Max, Walter, and Mae and get out now. How long has it been?” he asked.

“How long has what been?” she questioned.

“Emmie, I don’t know how long I’ve been lying here. Is it morning?” His voice was so groggy.

“Umm . . .” Emmie looked outside. The sun was high in the sky. “It’s probably just after noon.”

“Get out. Get them out,” he said louder.

“Okay, okay,” she said. “Bo, we’re getting out but I have to get off the phone to do that.”

Silas came storming through the screen door with his hand stretched out. “Is that Bo Johnson?”

Emmie nodded but pressed the phone tighter to her ear. She needed to hear what he had to say. Bo must have heard the male voice because he started shouting into the phone.

“Tell Silas or Trick or whoever is there with you—tell ’em she didn’t know better. Please don’t let ’em hurt her. He used her. He used us,” Bo pleaded. “I’m coming, but it’ll be too late by the time I can get there. Please make him understand.”

“Make him understand what, Bo?” she asked, trying to comprehend.

“
Get out of that house,”
he repeated.

Silas pulled the phone out of her hands but it was too late. He looked at Emmie with an arched brow. “Next time a Johnson calls, I do the talking. Got me? You say hold on a minute, my handsome soon-to-be-husband would like a word with you.”

Emmie laughed at his attempt at a joke and referenced Walter’s words earlier, “You put this on the wrong hand for that sentence, honey.”

Silas grinned for a second but then his face went serious again. “What did he say? I heard him say, tell Silas something.”

Emmie’s brows knitted together and she adjusted Max’s blanket of goods in her hands as she spoke, “He mainly kept saying
get out.
Silas they must be coming. Bo must know they are coming. But if he is still in Bowling Green, they are hours away, right?”

“Maybe, I’m not sure though. I don’t like any of this. I don’t like our responsibility-to-shooter ratio in this house.” He turned his face and yelled down a long narrow hall, “Walter, let’s go. Now.”