Keep Me Safe

Chapter Twenty-Two

The longer she told the story, the deeper the frowns got on the faces of those around her. By the time she finished, all the older men looked thoroughly pissed off and were passing angry looks between each other.

"Damn, Agnes," James said, his voice low and threatening. "When you said someone was trying kill her, I just assumed she had turned down some bloke's proposal and made him mad. I never thought it was anywhere near this serious. Why didn't you tell any of us earlier? Williams is useless, but he's at least got the keys to the jail cell."

Papa ignored the sheriff's grumbled complaint and said, "We've been trying to keep it quiet. When she first came, we thought there was no way these guys would track her down. And then they started harassing all of us, and things just went downhill from there. We didn't think we'd end up here."

"I can't believe the sons of bitches would be crazy enough to blockade the only way out of town and start shooting like crazy." Smith sighed and shook his head. "How the hell did they even know we'd be there? I doubt they've been on that road every night, just waiting for y'all to show up."

Williams let out a long, defeated sigh. "It makes sense now. I was talking to Opal this morning at the diner and she complained that last night someone broke into her shop but didn't steal anything. Her store's one of the only ones in town with a phone. They must have seen y'all leaving and called up their buddies in Green Rock. The road out of here runs through there, and it's only a five minute drive form the town to where they blocked y'all."

"Damn, those bastards are smart," Agnes grumbled.

"Language," Papa snapped at her before looking at the sheriff. "You're right. But what do we do? They've been two steps ahead of us this whole time. The reason we took Lottie last night was because Mama and Franny caught someone sneaking around in the backyard. They knew that'd be the straw that broke the camel's back. They were planning on us making a run for it, and we did exactly what they wanted."

Smith shook his head and looked at Papa. "I just don't think that they're that smart."

"They're smarter than you think," Lottie whispered. She had been so silent that they had almost forgotten she was there, so they all jumped when she spoke.

"Why do you say that?" Agnes asked. Without a care for who saw, she rested her chin on Lottie's shoulder and leaned her head against hers.

"These bastards are smarter than you give them credit for. Cecil's cruel and evil, but he's not drunk. You should hear the rumors about him back in Georgia. Supposedly some girl turned his proposal down, so as revenge he had her family killed."

Smith balked. "And your sister willingly married into this family?"

Lottie turned her eyes to him, but there was a blankness in them that proved that she wasn't really looking at him. "It's easy to overlook rumors when there's a lot of money in the bank."

"Besides," Agnes added, "the Blackwells have connections with law enforcement. You know how bootleggers are: nothing short of a bullet to the head will stop them."

"We might just have to do that. Or else we're going the be the one six feet under."

"It's not y'all they want." Lottie blinked and focused on the people in front of her. Her voice wavered as she whispered, "They want me. They'll stop once they have me." As soon as she finished talking, the empty stare overtook her again.

Agnes, fearing she would absentmindedly drop James' plate, gently pried the empty plate out of her hands and set it on the ground.

Williams grunted and crossed his beefy arms, stretching his beige shirt so tightly it looked in danger of bursting. "I ain't ever had to deal with bootleggers, but I know how organized crime works. They may start out just wanting you, but by now- especially after last night- they're going to be out for all our blood. Even if they kill you, the rest of us aren't safe."