Crow was stone-faced, and Del couldn’t resist a small dig.
“Get in, and get comfy.”
Crow’s eyes scanned the area like he might try to escape. The woods and the swamp beyond offered him no more reassurance than what sat on the ground before him. He finally did as he’d been asked; he stepped in, and he sat. He turned a little pale, and Del imagined he was catching a whiff of the special essence it held.
Del said, “Oh, come on. You told them it won’t so bad.”
Crow shot him dead with a look. Del reached for the lid, and Crow was forced to lie down. He remained uncharacteristically quiet until it was almost shut.
Then, he said, “You best keep eyes in the back of your head, the both of you. When I get outta here, first thing I’m gonna do is—”
Del slammed it shut and secured the padlock. From inside came a deathly silence, and he sensed Crow glaring in his direction. Neither man spared another glance at the wooden container as they walked back into Swallow Hill.
“Maybe that’ll learn him good,” said Peewee.
Del said, “Maybe. He might get hell-bent on retaliation.”
Peewee said, “Wished I’d known how he was. What I need is more men like you and Ballard, less like him ’cause he won’t nothing but trouble. I’m gonna put Woodall on notice too. To tell the truth, I don’t know if I want to stick around and manage this place much longer. I might want someone to run this joint and deal with all there is to deal with.”
Del thought Peewee was hinting, but he had his own plan about his future.
When Del didn’t respond, Peewee said, “How long you reckon I ought to keep him in there?”
Del said, “Good question. You got a key?”
Peewee stopped. “Ain’t nobody ever had it that I know of, but him.”
They looked at each other and at the same time said, “Uh-oh.”
Peewee waved a hand. “Ain’t a problem. I’ll get somebody to bust it open when I think he’s had enough. I reckon I best let his wife know he won’t be home for a couple days.”
Del gave Peewee a surprised look. “Whose wife?”
Peewee pointed over his shoulder to where they’d been. “His.”
Incredulous, Del said, “She’s his wife?”
“Who you think’s over at his place? His mama?”
“Well. Yeah.”
Peewee grunted. “That’s been the joke round here. She’s got land here in Georgia. Wants her a son, ’cording to him. He’d get a good chunk of acreage if that happened. His dream come true, so he said. I guess the idea turned sour on him, her pestering him about a baby. He come here so he wouldn’t have to perform his conjugal duties, if you get my meaning.”
Del thought again about what he’d seen.
“Yeah, I get it.”
“I didn’t know who she was at first. Thought it was his mama too. She’s been coming regular-like, stays a couple weeks and leaves. Two months goes by, and here she comes again, probably when she knows she ain’t got no baby in her belly. Either way, I ain’t got to worry about them no more. He’s fired. Listen, why don’t you stay on? You could run things good as me, probly better.”
Del said, “Actually, I don’t think I’m staying either. Soon as I can get my debt paid, I think it’s time I went home.”
Peewee looked surprised, then disappointed.
“Where’s home?”
“North Carolina.”
Peewee nodded. “Now there’s a purty area.”
The thought had come out of the blue when Peewee started talking about leaving Swallow Hill. What was holding him here? Nothing, except what he owed, really. He’d like to think Rae Lynn could be in his future, but she’d given him little, if any, hope. If she was interested, she’d have let him know by now. He might not have his full capabilities as a man, but he could still read women, and she’d indicated zero interest. The more he thought about it, the more anxious he was to be on his way.
He said, “I got a sister, and she’s got a husband. As time goes on, this Depression don’t seem to be getting any better. I’m gonna go and see if I can’t help them out in some way.”
Peewee said, “Times like this is when we need to be near family.”
When they were back in the camp, Del said, “I reckon we ought to go check on how the women are.”
Peewee nodded, and they made their way onto the Riddles’ porch.
He peered through the screen door and shouted, “Hello?”