Moonshine Murder [Hawkman Bk 14] (9 page)

Jennifer patted Marcy's tummy and moved away from the crib, then turned toward Randy. “How are you doing?"

"Real good. I tried walking a few steps without the crutches, but it still hurts."

"I think the doctor wanted you to stay on them for a couple of weeks. You have another week to go."

He wrinkled his nose. “Yeah, I know. Just can't go very fast on them, and I can't ride my bike."

Jennifer grinned. “You'll have plenty of time to do all those things when you're healed.” She headed for the door. “Well, Beth, I better be on my way, so you can start your meal."

"I'm very happy to see you. Come again soon."

Jennifer had just started to clutch the door knob when it flew open. She jumped back as her hands flew to her chest. “Good grief, do you always enter the house in such a hurry?"

"Oh, sorry,” Earl said, as he bolted past her and ran into one of the other rooms in the cabin. He rushed back out in a matter of seconds carrying a shot gun in one hand, a box of ammunition in the other, and darted back through the open door.

Jennifer peered outside and wondered if it would be safe driving home. She turned and waved at Beth. “See you in a few days."

She jumped in her Ford, turned around and headed out toward the road. About halfway there, she spotted Earl standing in the middle of the dirt trail with his gun pointed at a SUV slowly coming toward her. She blasted the horn, and poked her head out the window. “What the heck do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to stop the guy. Dad told me you're the only one I can allow through."

"That happens to be my husband, and if you don't lower your gun immediately, you're going to get your head shot off, either by me or him."

Earl's wide-eyed gaze darted from one vehicle to the next. Jennifer had poked her gun through the opened window, and Hawkman showed his. Earl slowly placed his shotgun on the ground, and raised his hands.

Hawkman jumped out of the SUV, shoved the shotgun out of reach with his foot. “You don't point a gun at me."

Earl pointed at Jennifer. “She's the only one I'm allowed to let through to our property."

"This isn't your land. It belongs to your grandpa,” Hawkman said.

"He told us to do whatever we need to do to keep it safe from intruders."

"Do you plan to get arrested for murder?"

"No."

Suddenly, Jeb stepped out of the shadows, and stood on the sidelines with his thumbs hooked in the front pockets of his overalls. “What's going on with my boy?” he bellowed.

"If you don't want him arrested, you better take this gun away, and teach him the law. Otherwise, if he stops me again, I'm going to make a citizens’ arrest and take him to jail."

"Earl ain't done nothin’ wrong, just stopped you to see what you're doing on our property."

"There're other ways to stop a person without pointing a deadly weapon at him."

"I'll see what I can do to educate him. So what are you doing up here?"

"Checking on my wife. I wanted to make sure she remained safe."

"She's allowed to come see Beth. We won't stop her."

Hawkman regarded Jeb with skepticism. “Why the change of heart?"

"Beth convinced me she needed a friend."

"I see."

Jeb strolled forward, reached down and picked up the shotgun from the ground, and put a hand on his son's shoulder. “Come on, Earl, let's go home."

Jennifer sat in the Ford taking in the conversation, but had not put away her gun. She watched Jeb intently to make sure he didn't suddenly turn the weapon on her husband.

When Jeb and Earl passed Jennifer's vehicle, the corners of Jeb's mouth turned up in a cynical grin. “You can put your gun away, Mrs. Casey; no one is going to shoot your husband."

After Earl and his father disappeared into the trees, Hawkman and Jennifer drove home. Once settled in the living room, Jennifer glanced at her husband. “You don't look very happy."

"I'm not. I thought you said you'd leave a note. I had no idea where you'd gone. Since your Ford wasn't in the garage, you had to have gone farther than walking distance."

"Sorry, I figured on being home before you got here. I'll let you know next time, regardless."

"Thank you, I'd appreciate it. Now, I want to ask. What's this bit about you having permission to go see Beth? How'd such an agreement come about?"

"I haven't the vaguest idea. When I reached the front door without sight of Jeb or Earl, it surprised me. Beth asked me if I'd been stopped and I told her I hadn't. Randy piped up and said something about not wanting to be on his mother's bad side. She quickly squelched him from saying any more. I had the feeling she has something over Jeb and knows how to get her way."

"It seems most women have this talent,” he said, grinning.

She raised a hand. “Oh, I almost forgot. Driving to the cabin, I saw an old pickup came out of the area where we turn off the asphalt. I found out later from Randy, it was grandpa. Not knowing what the older man looked like, I didn't recognize the person driving."

Hawkman wrinkled his forehead. “Interesting. Wonder why he made a trip to his property. It must have worried him when I made the visit."

"That's not all. Kids have a way about blabbing stuff parents wish they didn't. Randy said his grandpa didn't like them as he never came inside and because his mother was an American Indian. Beth immediately corrected him by saying, he loved the children, but didn't like her."

Hawkman nodded. “Yeah, that's how he came across when I spoke to him. Nothing compassionate about that man, even to his own father."

Suddenly, a pounding and yelling ‘please answer’ at the front entry made both of them jerk to their feet. Jennifer quickly ran and opened the door.

Earl, white faced, stood on the stoop wringing his hands. “Mom sent me. We need your help. Randy fell and is bleeding really bad."

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Jennifer turned to Hawkman. “Throw his bike in the Cruiser while I grab the first aid kit."

He dashed outside, and tossed the bike into the rear end of the SUV. “Jump in, Earl.” He backed out and Jennifer hopped into the passenger side, toting a large case.

"I thought I'd better bring the big kit. We'll probably have to take him to the hospital.” She glanced at Earl in the back seat. “How'd he fall?"

"I'm not sure, but I think he sneaked outside without his crutches and tried to ride his bike."

"Oh, no,” Jennifer said, biting her lower lip. “I knew he was getting restless when I talked to him this afternoon."

Earl, not fastening a seat belt around his chest, bounced wildly, as Hawkman drove quickly over the rough path leading to the Hutchinson's place. He abruptly stopped at the front door sending up a dust cloud. First Aid kit in hand, Jennifer bounded out of the vehicle, and ran into the cabin without knocking. Jeb stood over Beth as she applied pressure to a bleeding wound on Randy's upper thigh. The boy lay bravely with clenched teeth and tears rolling down his cheeks.

Jennifer pushed her way in front of Jeb and knelt beside Beth. She gently lifted Beth's bloody hand. “You've done a wonderful job of slowing down the flow. Hold on until I grab the tourniquet, then we'll get him to the hospital."

She flipped open the lid of the case, found the polyester strap with the plastic buckle and immediately placed it about three inches above Randy's wound. Tightening it slightly, she motioned for Hawkman to come and carry the boy to the SUV. Beth quickly washed her hands, then lifted Marcy from the crib, wrapped her in a blanket and followed them outside.

"I want to come,” she said, standing beside the 4X4.

"Of course,” Jennifer said, and opened the door to the front passenger seat. “I'll need to loosen the tourniquet in about twenty minutes, so you sit up here."

Beth scooted in just as Jeb appeared and handed her the crutches. “He might need these."

"Maybe,” Beth said.

"Give them to me,” Jennifer said. “She has no place to put them."

Taking them from Beth, he placed the crutches in Jennifer's hands, and she laid them on the floorboard.

He closed the door and stepped back.

Hawkman turned the Land Cruiser around and headed back toward the road. He tried to avoid the bumps, but found it difficult. “Sorry, Randy, I'm trying not to hit all these snags, but there are many."

"It's okay, Mr. Casey."

Hawkman spoke over his shoulder to Jennifer, “What about the Yreka hospital? Could they handle this, or is it too serious?"

"Yes, I think it will just be a matter of closing the old wound. It looks like he just tore it open. Hard to tell how much blood he's lost, but not nearly what he did when it first happened. I doubt he'll need a transfusion."

Jennifer had placed an old towel they kept in the vehicle under Randy's leg. When she loosened the tourniquet, she looked at Randy. “You're doing great, no blood has stained the cloth."

"I really feel bad about being dumb. I felt so good, I figured I could ride my bike."

"I hope you've learned a lesson. Doctors don't give their patients instructions for fun. They're trying to protect you from hurting yourself again. I'd imagine now it will take twice the time for you to heal."

Randy's lips trembled, and he wiped his eyes with the backs of his hands. “I've caused a bunch of problems for you and my folks."

Jennifer patted his good leg. “Don't worry about it. You take it easy and we'll get you fixed up real soon."

She released the strap a couple more times before they pulled into the emergency parking lot.

Hawkman carried the lad inside and a couple of hours later, they were on their way back to Copco Lake. Jennifer took Marcy and let Beth stay beside her son, to soothe him. They pulled up to the cabin at midnight, and a ghostlike light flickered through the windows. Hawkman carried the boy inside and placed him on the cot. Several kerosene lamps dotted the room, making strange shadows on the walls.

Earl came out of one of the back rooms, his long hair scraggly, and clad only in a pair of ragged jeans. “Is Randy okay?"

"Yes, he's fine. They stitched him up, and he has to stay off the leg for a week.” Beth scolded and pointed a finger at her oldest son. “So no taunting him, you hear?"

Earl bowed his head in shame. “Yessum"

Jennifer put Marcy in the crib, then moved to Randy's side. “If I'm in town the next few days would you like some more of those puzzle books?"

Randy's eyes lit up. “That would be great, but you don't have to."

"This time I'll get some really hard ones,” she winked. “Maybe they'll keep you busy for a week."

He smiled. “Okay."

They said their goodbyes and left the cabin. Driving home, Jennifer turned to Hawkman. “You'd have thought Jeb would have been there to check on Randy's condition."

"Didn't you see the faint light glowing from the window in the building back of the house?"

She wrinkled her brow. “No. What would he be doing out there at this hour?"

"I wish I knew, but I have a feeling he's up to no good."

"So, you're suspicious it's something illegal?"

"Yep, just wish I knew what. I want to investigate those outbuildings. There are several on that property."

"Are you still interested in trying out the plan we discussed earlier?"

"Yes, but we'll wait a few days until Randy is better. By the way, since you went in with Beth to the emergency room, did the doctor buy the fact the boy fell off his bike?"

"Of course. Why do you ask?"

"I noticed a bruise on Randy's arm when he took off his jacket. It didn't appear like one a person would get from tumbling to the ground."

"I didn't notice. What'd it look like?"

"It circled his arm, like he'd been grabbed."

Jennifer twisted her head around and stared at her husband. “Do you think Randy's being abused?"

"If he saw something he shouldn't have, it's possible."

Jennifer hugged herself. “I don't like the thought.” She reached over and placed a hand on Hawkman's arm. “Could Jeb have shoved Randy down, causing the opening of the wound?"

"It's only a theory. Both boys had the same story, which is logical and believable."

She exhaled loudly. “I don't like this idea you're planting in my head. Unfortunately, you could be right."

Hawkman turned into their driveway. “I'm just trying to figure out what's going on with this family. They're a strange bunch."

He stopped, letting Jennifer out of the SUV, before pulling into the garage. He took the large kit from her as they walked silently into the house.

"I know I should go to bed, but I'm not the least bit sleepy,” Jennifer said, running her fingers through her curly short locks.

Hawkman put an arm around her shoulders and gave a squeeze. “Don't worry about Randy. I could be all wet. Jeb is just so unfriendly, it's hard not to think the worst of him."

She patted his hand. “I know, I don't like the man either. How Beth ever got involved with him is beyond me."

"He may have been a fine guy before he landed in jail. Now he can't find work to support his family and he's bitter."

"Why would he risk going back to prison?"

"He feels desperate, and many ex-cons can't handle the difficult situations they've put themselves into, so they turn back to crime."

Jennifer put her hands on her waist. “He could well be leading Earl down the same path, as the boy seems to worship his dad."

"That bothers me a lot,” Hawkman said.

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Thursday morning, Hawkman left for work, feeling a bit groggy since he and Jennifer hadn't fallen into bed until close to three. He'd taken care of Miss Marple's food and water, in hopes the feline wouldn't bother Jennifer so she could sleep in.

Before going up the stairs to the office, he smelled the delicious aroma of Clyde's bakery whirling around his head. He detoured the minute his stomach grumbled, and went inside the shop. The proprietor smiled.

"I see you couldn't resist the charm of my pastries."

Hawkman grinned and pushed the brim of his hat up with his finger as he examined the goodies lined up in trays. “They've woven their magical spell on me again. Even though I blame my extra pounds on getting older, Jennifer doesn't buy it and tells me I have no willpower."