Moonshine Hollow

Chapter Thirty-Five

                  
Floyd and Sheriff Avery left after breakfast promising their help whenever the Garrett's rebuilt their barn. The sheriff even offered to ask around town for anyone selling hay for Forrest to buy for Tessa.

Peter walked them to the door and shook both men's hands. "We appreciate that," he said."We will be into town probably later today or early tomorrow to buy some more grain."

The sheriff nodded. He glanced back at Rose, he seemed concerned, but too polite to ask what had happened. "Well, y'all take care."

As soon as the sheriff and Floyd drove away Arthur stepped up to the counter. "That was him?" he asked Rose.

Rose kept her eyes on her hands as she meticulously wiped at the counter. She nodded subtly, barley enough of a head bob for Arthur to see it was a confirmation.

Peter came and sat down at the counter. Making an effort to make himself appear less threatening.

"What is it he wants?" Arthur demanded, his anger was up and made his voice sharp. Peter placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder. And Arthur seemed for the first time to notice Rose's change since her brother had left.

Rose lifted her eyes only enough to meet Forrest's gaze. Forrest didn't give her any indication of what he was thinking or what he thought she should do.

Rose turned back to Peter and Arthur but was still unable to meet their gazes. "I'll show you." She disappeared upstairs and hauled her carpet bag back down. With a grunt she heaved it on to the counter top and motioned to it.

Peter gave her an uncertain look but Arthur was already opening the bag. Rose finally let herself look them in the face again. When they saw what was in the bag she knew she wouldn't see the pity that was there earlier.

Arthur let out a yelp, and Peter immediately looked inside.

"Holy shit," Arthur gasped. "That's all money."

Rose nodded.

"It's all money," he repeated, and he started pacing back and forth in front of the counter pulling at his hair. "That silly old carpet bag you been hauling around everywhere is full of money!" he exclaimed.

Peter turned back to Rose and in a much calmer tone voiced his question. "How much?"

Rose swallowed. "It's a little less than three hundred thousand dollars."

Even Peter looked surprised by that.

Rose let out a breath, wondering how much she had to tell them. Did she have to tell them about her? She didn't want to see the disgust and the pity. She looked to Forrest and let out a loud sigh. "My brother was...abusive," was all she said. "He sold girls and owed a cut to a man from Chicago. I-" she stopped, she couldn't say the words. Not here, not in the light of the day. It would make it too real. Closing her eyes and gathering her strength she pushed her sleeves up to reveal the scars circling her wrists like angry silvery bracelets.

Peters eyes narrowed, but Arthur's face fell into something she had never seen. A deep calm wiped all emotion from his face and he looked so much like Forrest when he was angry that Rose wanted to take a step away from him. But she knew it would hurt him if she did that. He wasn't angry at her.

"I escaped," she said in a stony voice. "And I took the money and ran. I took the first train out of town and..."

"You ended up here," Peter finished for her, he reached out and squeezed her hand reassuringly and very gently pulled her sleeves back down to cover her wrists.

Rose nodded and looked back to Forrest. "So what do we do? Do I give him the money?"

"That's your hard stolen money!" Arthur exclaimed. "And we won't give that bastard anything."