She wished she’d not been so quick to part with that three dollars on behalf of Cornelia, because now, she might need it. Her physical discomfort brought her back to the present. Strangely, her hunger and thirst were disappearing. Through the hole, she caught a bit of a cloud slipping by. The patch of blue returned. As she laid there, one image flickered over and over in her mind, and she held on to it because it stood out above all the rest. As the lid was raised, she saw herself stand, and with defiance, she looked Crow in the eye.
Chapter 17
Del
Cornelia administered turpentine to Birdie’s bite by pouring it over the puncture marks. Birdie’s breathing had become more labored, his chest sinking inward as he took in air and creating a strained, whistling noise as he expelled it. He didn’t seem to know where he was or who they were.
Del turned to Preacher. “He married?”
“Naw suh. He stay by hisself. I can bring him with me. My missus’ll look after him.”
Cornelia handed the bottle of turpentine to Preacher and a bag of Epsom salts. “Soak his foot in this for at least fifteen minutes, then put more turpentine on it.”
He said, “Ma’am, please put all this under my name in that book you keep.”
Cornelia raised a hand and waved away his words.
“It ain’t necessary.”
“Sure do ’preciate it, ma’am.”
Del said, “Let me know how he’s doing.”
“Yessuh.”
As the wagon pulled away, Del realized he didn’t know anything about the injured man except he couldn’t be more than twenty or so. He didn’t know what his real name was or where he was from. Matter a fact, he didn’t know a thing about any of his work hands. He’d been put into this situation so quick and unexpected, he’d not had time to find out. He made a mental note he’d get to know each one of them.
He turned to Cornelia and said, “Thank you.”
Cornelia waved a dismissive hand as she stared after the wagon.
She said, “He won’t make it the night. I didn’t want to say it where he’d hear me.”
Del tugged on his beard.
He said, “It’s a damn shame.”
She said, “Ain’t it, though?”
Shaking her head, she went back into the commissary. Del picked up Ruby’s reins and started for Peewee’s office to tell him about Birdie. After everything that had gone on, he’d forgot about Cobb’s truck. There it sat, still parked neatly under the lean-to, adding to the mystery. He was still studying it when Peewee came out and locked his door.
He came over to Del and said, “Good day?”
“It was ’til Birdie got hisself bit by a coral snake. Cornelia tried tending to him, but she said he won’t make it the night.”
Peewee put his hands on his hips and stared at the ground.
He said, “We done lost two hands as it is.” He looked around. “Won’t Crow here a second ago?”
Del said, “He was. He’s got a visitor.”
Peewee wrinkled his nose. “Woman?”
“Yeah.”
“Damn. Whenever she shows up, he gets even meaner, if you can believe it. It’s getting to be some tough times. Lost a couple hands, one’s sick, the other ’cause of that damn fool Crow. Now Ballard’s gone and Birdie’s been snake bit.”
Del hated to have to share more troubles, but it was only right to let Peewee in on Cobb.
He said, “I reckon now’s as good a time as any to tell you, but we got one more gone.”
Peewee’s shoulders drooped. “Who else?”
“Cobb. I’m thinking he’s done run off. Course, Crow went on and on about him not making his numbers. He might of got scared after Ballard died, thinking there’d be some changes with boss men. Who knows? Either way, he didn’t meet the work wagon this morning. I sent Georgie to his place once I got my men going to see if he was sick. Then I checked myself at dinner time. He won’t there, but he didn’t take none of his things. I don’t reckon he came with much, ’cept that truck of his and there it sits. Seems odd he didn’t take it.”
“Maybe not. He said it had radiator problems. Plus, if he took off in the middle of the night, he wouldn’t want to make a bunch a noise starting it up.”
Del said, “True. Still, I can’t hardly believe he’d leave it behind.”
“Well, if he owes Swallow Hill, I’m gonna have to have him hauled back here by the sheriff. I’ll have to put the word out so deputies can keep a lookout on the main roads.”