Chapter 28 - Collin

"Are you OK?"

I don't look at Amon when he asks this. Just stare out the window as we make our way back into Disciple.

Lowyn is married. Not proper married. Lasher—who, I guess, was not only my mama's brother-in-law because he was hooked up with her sister at one time, but is also Lowyn's brother-in-law because she was hooked up with his brother at one time?—anyway, he said it was a festival wedding. The Blackberry Festival, to be precise. Never heard of it. Regardless, festival weddings—while legitimate in the eyes of the people in attendance—are not legal as far as city and state requirements go.

Which doesn't really make me feel any better, because up here people don't care much about city and state requirements. What folks up here do care about are local customs and traditions. So if those Blackberry people think Lowyn and this Ike Monroe guy are married, then they damn well are.

"Collin?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

I turn my head so I can see him. "Well, I just found out the girl I love—the only girl I've ever loved—has been hillbilly-promised to a mountain man who lives in the woods doing God knows what and might be better armed than a Mexican cartel. So… yeah. I could be a little pale or somethin'."

Amon is chuckling before I even finish. "Collin Creed. You and those words of yours."

I just turn away and look back out the window. Grimm was so apologetic. I really do think he sincerely felt bad about having to be the one to tell me.

He said, "I don't know what you think of me, Collin. But you were my best friend all growing up. When you left, I'm sure you never thought about me again, not with all the things that were going on with you. But I thought about you a lot. Lowyn and I became friends. Dated a little here and there, but nothin' serious. I was just a shoulder to cry on, really. And I didn't care much that she got herself caught up in the Blackberry stuff. She snapped out of it pretty quick and Jim Bob stepped in to get her back, but the ceremony had been done. As far as anyone around up there was concerned, she was really and truly married."

I pressed him, and Lasher, for more information about this Blackberry Hill place. I have thousands of questions. But they shut up real quick. And then Lasher said the conversation was over and I needed to go see Jim Bob to get any more information.

So that's where we're going.

"Do you wanna stop by Lowyn's first, Collin?"

"I dunno. What do you think?"

"I think you should. Just ask her what's goin' on. She's not gonna lie to you."

This makes me think back to our date out there at that place on the Watauga River where she ate spaghetti and meatballs and I asked her where her husband was.

I was asking because it was too good to be true that she was still single. But she had a little reaction that I didn't notice at the time, or maybe just interpreted the wrong way. She was just about to take a sip of her wine when I asked her that, but she stopped, and if she had taken that drink, she might've choked. The answer she gave was something else too. It was her opinion on the merits of marriage. Or… no. Her opinion on the merits of a husband. ‘I don't want a husband,' that's what she said.

When we get back into town Amon doesn't stop at Jim Bob's government building. He goes around the block to McBooms and parks right in front.

I look over at him and he shrugs. "Just… go ask her. Then we can sort this out with Jim Bob."

"What good is asking her, Amon? We already know the truth. What good is making her say it to my face? It's not gonna change anything."

"Well, what else are ya gonna do? Just walk away?" When I don't say anything, one of his eyebrows shoots straight up. "You're not walking away from Lowyn McBride, Collin. Don't be fuckin' stupid. It was one weekend when she was twenty years old. It was one year after her mama died. Two years after you walked out on her. Don't judge her for this."

"That's not what I had in mind, trust me."

"Then what is the problem?"

"The problem is… she wasn't gonna tell me."

Amon sighs and looks out his window. "I get that. But it's only been a week. She needs more than a week."

He's not wrong. So I get out of the truck and go inside to McBooms.

Rosie Harlow is fucking with some cassette tapes over by the jukebox and greets me with her trademark good-natured smile. "Hey, Collin. What's up?"

"Is Lowyn around?"

"Not right now. She was called over to Jim Bob's."

"How long ago was that?"

Rosie glances up at a clock and makes a face of surprise. "Well, look at that. It was a while ago, I guess. I was so busy I didn't notice. But I'd say about two hours, maybe?"

"A two-hour meeting with Jim Bob?"

"Maybe she went to home to eat lunch?" Rosie shrugs. "She did tell me that if you came by, I should tell you to wait for her. But"—her face screws up a little—"she's been gone way too long for that. You should call her."

"Thanks. I'll do that."

I pull my phone out and leave. Then press her contact and stop next to Amon's truck and wait for it to ring.

It goes straight to voicemail.

"Figures." I get in the truck. "Take a ride over to my house. I wanna see if she's home."

Amon chuckles. "Your house, her house. Same thing, I guess, huh?"

I don't say anything to that.

A minute later we're there, but there is no truck in the driveway. And it was there earlier, right next to my Jeep, when I came down out of the hills and Amon picked me up.

"Now where?" Amon asks.

"The only place left to go, I guess. Jim Bob's."