Cornelia whispered to him. “Had to burn them clothes a hers. I’ve been wiping her down with cool cloths. Been able to get a tiny bit of water in her. She swallered a time or two, then got choked, but I’m doing it often as I can, though she can’t take in but a small amount. I been putting a bit a sugar in it. She’s got a fever, but for now, it’s all I know to do.”
Del said, “You know more’n me. Thank you.”
Cornelia folded her arms and shook her head in amazement. “If she makes it, it’ll be a wonder, as much as I hate to say it.”
Del said, “If there’s anything she needs, I’ll pay for it.”
“Ain’t no need of that.”
Otis appeared like magic in the doorway, his hair stuck up on one side.
“Dammitall, Cornelia! How stupid can you be?” To Del, he said, “Hell yeah, if something costs, you’re gonna pay. It ain’t like we running some free-for-all here.”
Del said, “I ain’t got no problem with that.”
“Damn right, you ain’t.”
Del held back. There was no need to get into a competition of last words with Otis. What a pair him and Crow were. Del couldn’t imagine what made people like them so hateful.
Del said, “I’ll come back by around dinnertime and check on her.”
Cornelia said, “You’re welcome to eat with us if you want.” Del wouldn’t have minded a good home-cooked meal, but not while sitting at the same table with Otis, who was as congenial as a snarling bear. “We barely got enough for ourselves.”
Cornelia said, “Oh, Otis . . . we have plenty. We always have leftovers.”
Otis opened his mouth, and Del was quick to politely decline and start making his way out.
“I ’preciate it, but I won’t have the time nohow.”
Otis said, “Oh, sure, sure. He’s a big boss man now. Real important and all. Ain’t got time to eat with us common folk.”
Otis reminded him of the bad smells he’d tried to get rid of, unsuccessfully, back at number forty-two. No matter how hard he tried, they remained, steadfast and annoying. He couldn’t imagine how an attractive woman like Cornelia got tangled up with the likes of him. It wasn’t that he was ugly, only his ways. Maybe he’d charmed her, until she’d married him, and then changed. It happened. He gave Cornelia an understanding look, while Otis demanded his breakfast. Del backed out of the room, and took his leave. He wanted to catch Peewee anyway, if he could, and his timing couldn’t have been better. Peewee was in the process of unlocking the office door and turned around in surprise at the sight of Del.
“Thought you’d be in the woods about now.”
Del said, “Do you know what Crow did? He tell you?”
He said, “What now?”
Del unloaded. “Let’s just say I found out where Cobb went. To add to the problem, Cobb’s a woman. That bastard put her in the sweatbox for three days, and we all know why. He thinks he’s running this place. You got to do something about him.”
“Wait, whoa, wait. Cobb’s . . . he ain’t a he?”
“No.”
“I knew something won’t right about that situation. How’d you find out?”
Del said, “It don’t matter. Back to Crow, he can’t keep getting away doing this to them workers, leaving’em to die, or come close to it. You need to tell him he’s done here.”
Peewee said, “Is she alive?”
“Barely. Since I been here, he’s put three people in that sweatbox, including me. If it hadn’t been for Ballard, he’d have left me there till I was done for.”
“I didn’t know about that. He gets carried away, granted. But he’s a knowledgeable woods rider, despite his shortcomings.”
“Shortcomings.”
“Look. I can’t be losing no more men. We’re already short. I got one crew down by three. Birdie, Ballard, and now Cobb. You takin’ Ballard’s job makes Crow short, ’cause he lost a man a while back. Woodall’s lost a couple too.”
“If Crow’s got anything to do with what goes on around here, you can expect to lose more.”
Peewee narrowed his eyes against the glare of the sun and mumbled about what was ahead.
“I expect the rest of this summer’s gonna be hell. I got to send word we need’n to hire more men. Got to be somebody wanting work in these tough times.”
“You ain’t gonna get any if they know what goes on.”