"Tell me Miss. McQuaid. Where were you in 1916?"
One woman who is deemed the sweetheart of the town gets thrown for a twist when a lynching causes a series of events. Cora McQuaid is a flower of a woman with a past that has been hidden well for sev...
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A humid day was upon Cora that Saturday morning, she agreed to meet her Ma and Pa for dinner. Having decided to close the store for plenty of travel time back to the farm, she grew up. Groaning at the summer heat as the sun peaked in, a sound of a lone turtle dove calling into the early morning.
She rolled to her side to look outside the window that was boarded by curtains she made out of an old dress. A sharp clicking noise could be heard coming toward the door to her bedroom from the living room. Soon a brown mass was blocking her view. There stood Otto with his leash in his mouth, and his eyes wide with excitement. It had been over a full day since Jack had given her Otto, even though he was not in the right mind to do so, and Cora already liked his presence.
The day before, once Cora woke up early in the morning, Otto had followed her diligently around and was well behaved. When Elisha showed up with her newspapers, the little boy was ecstatic of seeing Otto. Her morning had been less lonesome as she baked and got the shop ready. However, his leash remained on him the whole day just in case there was a need to hold onto him. Many of the customers appreciated his presence; then, you had the Granville bluenoses. Otto became the new face of gossip as the shiner on Cora's face was nearly gone.
Aiden had stopped by the shop and received Jack's favorites. For the rest of the day, it was peacefully calm.
Fastening a small dogwood brooch to her white blouse and double-checking her brown skirt, Cora heads to leave. Otto is obediently following behind her and patiently waits for the leash to be fastened. Grabbing the packed basket and Ottos leash, Cora heads down the stairs. Exiting through the store's door where a sign saying the store was closed due to family matters. The town was already bustling with life, the trolley taking families with the day off around town, couples taking walks in the arcade. Passing by the arcade and the several speakeasies, the crowded downtown slowly turns into a suburb. Her t sandals clicking on wooden planks turn into solid clicks on brick, then to the crunching of gravel to finally the soft thuds of the dirt roads. The basket was weighed down by a fresh strawberry pie, several pastries, two sandwiches, a mason jar of water, and an apple.
The summer sun beat relentlessly on the traveling pair as they reached the halfway point in the trip. The humidity had reached an all-time high once they had reached Staddens Landing next to the Licking River that it was time to stop for lunch and a quick break under an old maple tree.
As a child, Cora could remember tapping the trees in early spring on the farm. The clear tree sap was a wonder to her as a child, how something from a tree is boiled down to brown syrup. And, the stories her father would tell her while boiling the sap would entertain her during the long hours it took.
Leaning against the tree, Cora tosses the spare sandwich towards Otto. With a swift motion, he grabs the majority of the sandwich into his powerful jaws. Sitting next to Cora's side, he beings to eat with her. After eating an apple and the dog finishing his lunch she continues back on the road to cross Staddens Bridge, there's an approaching putting sound and a cloud of dust heading towards the bridge. The vehicle slows to a stop next to Cora, allowing the dust cloud to die down.
A group of men wearing all white suits sits in a model T. Sitting on the passenger seat is the Mayor, Clark Webb, the rest were common lackeys that followed him around. All the men in the vehicle were dressed in white trousers, button-ups, and jacket. A black silk bowtie stood out against their outfits.
"Why isn't that the Miss. McQuaid." the Mayor claims, he was a balding man in his late forties, and a round belly sat on his lap. "Where are you headed today on such a hot day?"
Holding a firmer grasp on Otto's leash, she approaches the mayor's window. "I'm heading back home to the farm to visit the family. What are you four doing out so far from downtown?"
Clark Webb gives her a crooked tooth smile, "would you love a ride with us? We're headed up to a rub at one of my buddies place in the hills."
" I would love a ride, Mr. Webb, but I don't wanna seem like a flour-flusher. And aren't you gentlemen a little too old for a rub?" one of the lackeys opens the back door allowing for space for her and her dog. One of the men takes the heavy basket from her hands, all the while the mayor laughed a dying pig may as well have been hiding there.
"Oh, you genuinely are a Blue Serge. Now tell us where your farm is?" he intertwines his sausage-like fingers together on his round belly as the vehicle starts to travel across the bridge. Otto's large head rests on Cora's thigh as he's squeezed to sit between your legs. The lackey that sat next to her, holding onto her basket and gave a long glance at the dog.
"Hey, isn't that one of Jack's Terriers?" it is evident that all of Jack's hunting terriers wore thick leather collars that were darned with Celtic designs and a metal plate with their name written. Otto was no exception as his neck was wearing one of the popular collars.
"Yes, it is I'm looking after Otto while Mr. Grundy is unwell." subconsciously, she begins to pet the dog's head as they bump down the road.
"Jack isn't doing well did something happen to him?" the mayor asks, looking at her through the sidecar mirror.
"Oh, just a nasty bug has hit him, so I was asked to look after him, " she lies all the while, easily giving directions towards the farm.
"Hope he recovers well he's one of the best sources for jag juice." the mayor states as the reach the end of the trip, familiar homes start to pass them. Trying to hide her shock from the mayor's statement, she agrees with him. It was no hidden secret that Newark was very much against the prohibition.
There had been several rumors that the men working at the jail allowed the mob in the prison earlier in the week to kill the poor agent who was doing his job. Some even stated that the mayor had given the command, he had shown up minutes before making a speech to try and calm the mob. Those who had witnessed it clam it was a mediocre attempt.
They continue with small talk until they finally reach the path that ran up to the farmhouse that was hidden by old blue spruces.
Grabbing her basket and dog leash she gracefully exits the cab of the car to stand next to the mayors window. "Thank you for being so kind to me. I hope for you all to have a merry time at your rub. But, please be careful traveling."
Nodding his bulbous head towards her, he motions for the driver to move forward, "May we be graced with your company another time." a cloud of dust once again consumes the vehicle.
Staring at the farmhouse that had chipped paint, Cora heads towards her childhood home with Otto in tow.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter; another will soon come out as I am on winter break. Please leave a comment and don't forget to vote. ~Eleanor Rutter
