In Constant Sorrow

Chapter Two: The Number You Have Dialed is Not In Service

Abilene chewed on her nails anxiously as she combed through the newspaper archives looking for any mention of Hoschton Blount. No mention of the murder, nothing. The old desktop computer whirred and complained about being used. It had taken two hours for it to start up.

The confrontation at Katie's had long been pushed back to her mind as Christmas loomed ever closer. They'd all gather at Granny's for a big family dinner, even Momma would come, if she remembered.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard and she clicked her tongue.

She pulled away from the table and started to get dressed, as something nagged at the back of her head. She went back to the computer and checked the county's sheriff department to see if Mama had been arrested. Caroline's mugshot was front and center, unavoidable. Obviously high as a kite with a smile on her face. She rolled her eyes and went back to getting dressed.

She dialed the sheriff's department on her phone and listened to the ring.

"Sheriff's department," came the fuzzy voice.

"I need to check on the status of an inmate."

"Name."

"Caroline Grant."

"Oh Abby, hey honey, your mama was released this mornin'."

"Did she bond out?"

"Oh some scary lookin man bailed her out, he was covered in tatto-"

Abilene hung up, the anger bubbled up in stomach.

"Fuck!"

It was out the door and into the truck with the slam of a door. The truck protested at such a violent start. She let it idle and warm up before tearing off into the afternoon. Her fingers stung from being chewed on but she kept doing it. She clenched her jaw.

Katie's parking lot was filled with out of county tags, big shiny suvs and new trucks, people in town for the holidays. She parked right in front so Charlie would see her. She pounded up the stairs and straight to the door, the brass G59 stared back at her from its place on the door. She banged on the door, "Open this fucking door, right the fuck now!"

The door opened and there he stood in his sweatpants slung low on his hips with sleep still in his eyes.

"You need to lower your voice," he stated lazily.

"I will do no such thing, where the fuck is my mo-"

"Come inside," he stepped aside to let her in. She stepped in and scanned the two beds for any sign of her mother, nothing. He shut the door and slid past her.

"Coffee?"

"I don't want anything from you."

"Well then sit down and lemme talk to you for a second, the door isn't locked you can leave whenever you want," he sipped from his cup.

She sat down without taking her eyes from him.

"A whole lot of stay away from Caroline, stay away from Abilene happening. But yall just can't seem to stay away from me. That sends me mixed signals."

"You bailed her out."

"I did, what are you going to do about it? Yell at me? Threaten me? You seemed to have ole boy real scared of you for whatever reason. But I just see an angry little girl in front of me."

Abilene had no response.

"I serve a purpose, it might be a fucked up one, but I'm in the business of making money. You might not like it but I'm here to stay. And your mama is gonna keep coming to me with that money she earns runnin those truck lots on her back and her knees. So what are you going to do baby?"