Chapter 40

Ada June didn't want to go after Mr. Riley. She wanted to go see about Bo. People would take care of Joseph, but nobody would be doing anything for Bo. That was up to her. They might even think he wasn't worth helping if they decided he was why Joseph got shot.

Bo didn't make it happen. Connor did. Waving that gun around. Saying he was going to shoot Bo. Poor Bo. He just wanted to get away from him, but he was hurt too bad. Because Connor kicked him.

If Marv hadn't held her, she could have grabbed Bo and wouldn't none of it happened. Connor wouldn't have shot her. Probably wouldn't have shot anything. He was just trying to act big, like as how he always did.

She reckoned Joseph was too little to know that. Poor Joseph taking on Connor for Bo. He could be dying.

Joseph was how come she was running across the hill to find Mr. Riley. Miss Nicey Jane said he'd know what to do for Joseph if there was any way to do for him.

Miss Nicey Jane hadn't told her where to go. She must've figured Ada June knew, and she did know about where Mr. Riley kept his still. 'Course he could've moved it since then if any revenue men had been poking around. Ada June hadn't heard tell of any around Sourwood for a spell. Some folks said Mr. Riley must have paid them off or shot them all.

Ada June didn't think he shot them. She didn't want to think that right now, since she was headed straight up the hill to where it was better not to go. For Joseph. Her heart went to beating hard. Could have been the climb, but wasn't.

Mr. Riley didn't like her. He always turned and went the other way if he saw her coming. She had no idea what he might do when he saw her here.

The path wound around, going up steep on one side and falling almost straight down on the other. She tried to whistle. A person best make some noise if they were somewhere they weren't expected to be.

She couldn't make so much as a tweet. Her mouth was too dry. She started talking. "Joseph. I'm doin' this for Joseph." She spoke the words over and over.

Her heart pounded harder when the birds quit singing. Even they were scared of Mr. Riley. She expected the man to appear in front of her, gun in hand, but instead when she edged around some boulders, Connor was there ahead of her.

Something snapped, and she ran at him with no more sense than Joseph had back at the schoolyard. At the last second, he turned and shoved her back. She lost her footing and slid off the path. She grabbed a root to stop her slide down the cliff.

"Good gosh, Ada June." Connor glared down at her. "What you tryin' to do? Get us both kilt?"

She slid down another foot as the root she gripped gave a little. But she wasn't about to ask Connor Rayburn for help even if she was in desperate need of it. Then she thought of Bo and Miss Mira. She didn't want to be a heap of broken bones at the bottom of this hill. She got a toehold on a rock to climb back up on the path. The rock broke loose and crashed down the cliff. Like she would if the root didn't hold.

"Grab her, boy." A man's voice.

"I can't, Grandpa. She's too far down."

Ada June tightened her fingers around the root and dug her feet into the cliffside to find something solid. Dirt and more rocks slid away from her shoes. If only she was barefoot, she might find a better grip with her toes.

When the man came into sight on the path above Connor, she was back on Pap Leathers' hill running with her ma down the trail. Snow made the going slippery. Her ma's eyes looked wild as she thrust Ada June in behind some bushes to hide. Then she ran on. The man came after them, but he didn't see Ada June.

"Sarai." He yelled again and again, but her ma didn't answer. He came back past Ada June's hiding spot again, his head down. She shook so much the bushes rattled, but he must not have heard them. After he was gone, she clutched her knees against her chest and waited for her ma, but she didn't come. Finally Ada June crept out of her hiding spot and went on down the trail.

She saw where the man stomped around in the snow and then turned back. Her ma's tracks went on. Up the hill now. A good piece farther along, her ma went off the path. Not footprints but a stumbling swath in the snow. Ada June slid down after her. Her ma was chocked against a tree and wouldn't wake up. Ada June cuddled against her in the snow, but her ma just got colder and colder. At daylight the trapper found Ada June and carried her away.

Now she was staring up at the man she saw that night.

"Get on your belly," Mr. Riley told Connor. "I'll hold your legs."

Connor did as he said and slid over the edge of the cliff. When he reached for her, she was scared to turn loose of the root to grab his hands. What if he couldn't or wouldn't hold her? She looked over her shoulder. The cliff went straight down.

"Take his hands, girl. One at a time." When she still hesitated, Mr. Riley guessed what she was thinking. "If he lets go, I'll send him on down the hill after you." He sounded like he was doing no more than commenting on the weather.

"Grandpa," Connor sputtered.

"Naught to worry, boy, less'n you don't hold on to the girl."

Ada June took a breath and grabbed one of Connor's hands and then the other one. He gripped them so tight it hurt, as Mr. Riley pulled him back up on the path and then took hold of Ada June's arms to yank her up. She scrambled away from the edge of the path and tried not to stare at Mr. Riley. Connor sat on the ground, breathing hard.

"What you two doin' up here?" When neither of them answered, he went on. "I ain't askin' twice."

When Connor kept staring at the ground, she figured one of them best talk before Mr. Riley pushed them back over the hill.

"Miss Nicey Jane sent me. Joseph got shot." Ada June didn't know if that was enough words, but she felt almost as out of breath saying all that as when she was about to slide down the cliff.

Mr. Riley must have thought it enough. He looked from her to Connor. "That explains her. What about you, boy?"

"I shot him." Connor looked like he had as hard a time saying his words as she had saying hers.

"You shot him." Mr. Riley's frown looked dark as thunder.

"I didn't do it a purpose." Connor shrank back from him.

"But he's still shot. Bad?"

"I don't know. Preacher's wife was tendin' him. He was talkin' some afore I run off."

"Come up here to hide out, did you?" Mr. Riley blew out a disgusted sounding breath. He turned from Connor back to Ada June. "You know where he was hit, girl?"

"His chest, I think. Not sure. I was seein' about my dog."

"It shot too?"

"Kicked." A tear slipped out of one of her eyes and down her cheek.

"Boy oughta come before a dog." Mr. Riley stared at her.

She wanted to tell him that was why she was there instead of with Bo, but she just nodded.

"Reckon we best go see." He started down the trail.

Ada June stood up and brushed off her dress. She had dirt in her shoes, but she wasn't about to lag behind Mr. Riley to dump them. Instead, she scrambled after him.

Connor didn't follow them.

Mr. Riley must have been listening to see. He hollered without looking back. "Get on down here. A man has to face up to what he's done."

"You never did with Ma." She didn't know where the words came from, but they were out in the air before she could stop them.

Mr. Riley whipped his head around to stare at her. Then he made a sound that could have been a laugh. Ada June wasn't sure. Trembles shook her insides and made her legs weak as she backed away from him and bumped into Connor.

"I figured you'd be apt to remember someday." He gave her a long, considering look. "But we ain't takin' time to talk on that. We have the now and present with little Joey to dwell on. Time could be wastin' for him."

Then he turned and walked faster. Connor gave her a funny look as he pushed past her to catch up with him. Ada June watched a minute before she ignored the trembles in her legs to run after them.

At the cabin, about as many were milling about the yard and on the porch as had been there when they serenaded Preacher Gordon and Miss Mira. But nobody had a look of fun on their faces now. Silence fell over them as they split like the Lord dividing the Red Sea to give Mr. Riley a clear path to the steps.

Connor's pa came from somewhere to jerk Connor aside, but Mr. Riley stopped him. "Let the boy come on in to see what he's done."

When Bo started barking, she wanted to push past Mr. Riley, but she didn't. Not as many people were inside. Miss Effie and Miss Nicey Jane along with Joseph's ma and pa were hovering over Ada June's bed. Mathena and a couple of other women were at the fireplace. Miss Mira or Preacher Gordon weren't anywhere to be seen.

Miss Nicey Jane looked around at Mr. Riley. "Good. You're here."

"I'm here," he said.

Connor tried to stay behind Mr. Riley, but she saw him. "Glad you knowed to go for him, Connor."

"He didn't. The girl come for me." Mr. Riley moved to the bed. "Looks like you got yourself in a pickle, Joey."

"It hurts, Uncle Riley."

He sounded weak, but he sounded plenty alive. That lightened Ada June's heart enough that she could go see to Bo. And find Miss Mira. Surely they hadn't sent her for water.

"Where's Miss Mira?" She pushed out the words.

Miss Effie glanced over at her. "She needed to lie down awhile. Things has her stirred up in ways not good for her condition."

"The baby?" Miss Mira wouldn't be able to stand losing the baby.

Miss Effie didn't answer what Ada June wanted to know. "Preacher is in there prayin' down mercy for Joseph and her too, I'm thinking."

"It'd be a mercy if you would hush up that dog." Miss Nicey Jane frowned at her. "And heavenly days, you have ruint your dress."

"Don't be botherin' her, Nicey Jane." Mr. Riley looked over his shoulder at Ada June. His gaze speared through her. "Boy first. Then dog."

She backed away from him, then turned to run for the bedroom. When she went through the door, Bo tried to jump up on her. He whimpered and fell back. She squatted down to rub him.

"Are you all right, Ada June?" Miss Mira pushed up off her pillow. Preacher Gordon was kneeling beside her. Ada June wanted to whimper like Bo, but she swallowed it down and nodded. They looked so worried. She wasn't sure if that was for her, for Joseph, for Bo, or for the baby. She didn't know much about babies coming except Miss Mira needed a bigger baby bump before a baby could be born.

"Are you?" She peered over at Miss Mira.

Preacher Gordon answered for her. "Miss Nicey Jane says resting can help."

"And prayer." Miss Mira lay back.

"Mr. Riley is here," Ada June said.

Preacher Gordon got up off his knees where he must have been praying. He leaned over and kissed Miss Mira's forehead. "I better go see if he needs anything."

"I'll be fine now that Ada June is here."

Preacher Gordon stopped and gave Ada June a hug before he went out of the room. She crept over to the bed. Bo scooted along with her with more whimpering but surely not loud enough to worry Miss Nicey Jane.

Miss Mira took her hand. "I'm so sorry Bo is hurt."

"And Joseph."

"And Joseph."

"And you."

"And me." Miss Mira smiled. "The Lord will watch over us."

"Will he save the baby? He didn't let us keep Selinda."

"I don't know, but I'm praying he will." She pulled Ada June's hand up to kiss her knuckles. "Put Bo up here in the bed and lie down with us."

"Bo in the bed?"

"He needs something soft."

She did as Miss Mira said and Bo lay right down. She didn't crawl in after him. "My dress is too dirty."

Miss Mira pulled Ada June closer to the lamplight. "What happened? Your face and arms are all scratched up."

"I fell up on Mr. Riley's hill."

"Are you hurt?" Miss Mira sounded worried.

"Not enough to matter. Connor pulled me back up on the trail." She hoped Miss Mira wouldn't ask any more questions.

"Oh. You know I fell too."

"I saw you. You hurt?"

"Banged up my knee. I'm limping like Bo, though not as bad. Poor dog."

"I'm thinkin' Mr. Riley might tend to him. After he sees to Joseph."

Just then, Joseph yelled in the next room. Ada June cringed and Bo jerked up his head.

"I don't care about the dress." Miss Mira scooted over. "Climb in here beside me."

Ada June slipped off her shoes and brushed the loose dirt off her feet before she got in the bed. Miss Mira put her arms around her. "Thank you, Ada June."

She thought on telling Miss Mira about remembering Mr. Riley chasing after her ma, but then she didn't want to. None of that had the first thing to do with her and Miss Mira, excepting the part of making her an orphan so these years later Miss Mira could take her in.

She matched her breathing to Miss Mira's for a few minutes as they lay quiet as water spiders on a still creek. Then she said, "Can I call you Mama?"

Miss Mira looked surprised but pleased. "Please do, daughter mine."

"Thank you." Ada June hesitated a second. "Mama."

Her new mama reached to smooth Ada June's hair away from her face. She picked out a twig and smiled. "But I have to say you smell more like dirt than starlight this time."

Ada June didn't know how long it was before Preacher Gordon came back in the room with a glass of water and some of those crackers he'd brought over from Jackson. If he was surprised to see her and Bo in the bed, he didn't say so. But Ada June slipped out from under the covers to stand up anyhow.

"Mr. Riley got out the bullet. Says Joseph should be fine, though sore for a while with a cracked rib."

"Thank the Lord," Miss Mira, her mama, whispered.

"Can we thank the Lord for you too?" he asked.

"The pains have eased some," she said.

"Miss Nicey Jane said it might take a while of bed rest." He looked at Ada June. "Mr. Riley wants you to bring Bo out to him. You need me to carry him?"

"No. I can."

It was funny going from the dim back room to where daylight still came in the windows. Miss Effie and Joseph's ma were over by Ada June's bed. Joseph appeared to be sleeping. The other women were gone. Even Miss Nicey Jane.

"Come out back." Mr. Riley picked up one of the table chairs to carry with him. "Don't need nobody worrying the dog 'cept me."

Ada June's heart beat a little faster as she followed Mr. Riley outside where the sun had about slid behind the far hill.

Mr. Riley put the chair down. "Sit. I ain't gonna hurt you." He stared at Bo. "I need to muzzle him?"

"He won't bite less'n I tell him to."

"Then best not tell him to." His eyes narrowed as he peered at Ada June a few seconds before he turned up a big chunk of wood and sat on it in front of her.

He made a deep humming noise while he ran his hands over Bo's back and legs. "Nothing broke that I can tell, but his hip's out of joint."

"Can you fix it?"

"I'm thinkin' I can if'n he stays easy." He frowned at Ada June. "Stroke his ears, croon to him, whatever makes him feel good."

She leaned her head down close to Bo's ears and whispered nonsense words as she rubbed his chest.

"I weren't gonna hurt your ma. I was some fond of her," Mr. Riley said.

"You were chasing her."

"You got it wrong. She was runnin' from me, but I weren't chasin' her. I had in mind to keep her from starvin' the both of you, but she were a hard one to help when she weren't in her right mind."

"She wasn't a witch."

He smiled a little. "I never thought she was, though she had a way of entrancin' a foolish man. I just aimed to get her off that hill. For you if'n not for her. But she run afore I could say the first word to her."

Ada June stared down at Bo. "When she fell, you didn't help her."

"I woulda if I'd a known. I hollered for her. She wouldn't answer."

"She couldn't."

"That could be, but I didn't have no way of knowing that. I figured if I let her be, she'd go on back up to that shack of hers. Come morning, I aimed to come again. Make Nicey Jane come with me, and if she wouldn't, get Effie. She would have done it." He looked off toward the trees on the other side of the holler. "But then Otto come packing you down the hill saying Sarai was gone. Didn't see no need stirrin' up more trouble for everybody then."

"What about me?"

"I thought they'd do for you. They did. You were just too ornery to take to 'em."

"They didn't take to me."

"Ain't no wonder, with how you acted like some wild thing. But Effie, she took you in. Let you have this dog here." He put his hands flat on his thighs and shook himself. "Can't believe I'm tellin' all this to a half-growed girl." His eyes narrowed on Ada June again. "But I done said all I'm gonna say about it, understand?"

Ada June nodded without looking at him.

"Now put ever'thing out of your head 'cepting this here dog of yours. Keep on that talkin' you was doin' a bit ago." He put his hands on Bo's hindquarters. "When I think he's easy 'nough, I'll put them bones back in place. But don't you watch. Better for you not to know so's he won't know. Dogs have a way of being in our heads and knowin' what we is gonna think afore we think it."

She leaned down close to Bo's ears again and talked in a singsong voice. Mr. Riley started his low humming. After a little while, he gave Bo a twist. Bo yelped and twisted to snap at the air behind him.

Mr. Riley sat back. "Keep him inside for a spell. Use a rope when he has to go out. Don't let him do no running. Got that?"

"Yes sir."

"It could happen agin."

"Could you fix it again?"

"Most likely, but better if it don't need more fixing." He stood up and started off.

"Mr. Riley?"

When he turned to frown at her, Ada June somehow knew he was already hearing the question she couldn't push out the words to ask.

"Best you don't ask."

She stared at him, not knowing if he was right or not. But then she said, "I was just gonna say thankee."