Maple Ridge was still as a grave. No children playing, no gardeners snipping hedges, no workmen hammering.

But Clete’s father’s Cadillac was there, parked in front of a three-story mansion just north of Mama and Pop’s new place. The sight of it froze up every gear inside me and near stopped my heart.

Vernon had found Ruby and Joseph.

I got out of the Model T, cursing myself for leaving my Springfield in the truck the night before, and slipped along the northern wall of our new house. Church bells tolled ten times in the distance. I peeked around the corner. Saw that the door to the servants’ quarters was open. Caught the wretched stink of a Maduro Robusto mingling with the smoke from Greenwood.

Then a gunshot shattered the air into a million jagged pieces, each one sharpened on the high, thin scream that followed. I catapulted across the yard, lurching to a stop in front of the door.

Vernon Fish stood not five feet inside, Maybelle at the end of one arm, Ruby’s neck hooked in the crook of the other. Joseph slumped against the wall at the far end of the room, blood seeping from a hole in his left shoulder. And Vernon must not have heard me, for he rubbed his cheek slow across Ruby’s, saying: “That’s just for starters, boy. I don’t aim to let Maybelle have her way with you till I’ve had mine with your sister.”

Joseph said nothing, only heaved forward onto his belly and commenced to dragging himself across the floor towards Vernon. Vernon pressed the gun to Ruby’s temple. Joseph stopped.

I raised my hand, hoping Joseph would notice the motion and see me standing there. And though his eyes never shifted and his expression never changed, I knew from the way he held his blink half a second too long that he’d seen me.

Vernon lowered Maybelle and ran the back of his hand down Ruby’s blouse. My heart sped up. I bent my knees, dropping down until my fingers wrapped around a brick sitting atop the pile next to the door. I took a careful step forward, making ready to pounce. That’s when my foot hit the twig.

Vernon swung around quick as a cat, Ruby hanging from his arm like a broken rag doll. His eyes burned behind the curl of smoke from his cigar. And at the sight of me, he laughed out loud.

“Well, shit twice and fall back in,” he spit. “Old Half-breed decided to show up after all!”

I drew myself tall as I could and stepped inside.

Vernon pushed Maybelle’s barrel against Ruby’s head. Said, “Now, you just put down that brick and don’t go getting any wild ideas, boy, or I’ll shoot all three of you dead.”

I set the brick on the ground and forced myself to smile, saying, “There’s no need for that, Mr. Fish. I’ve come to apologize.”

Which I reckon wasn’t what he’d expected to hear.

“What do you mean?” he growled.

“I mean I’ve been to Greenwood and seen what’s transpired. I talked to Pop, too, and he explained how he finally saw the light and joined the Klan, and why I need to be a man and do the same. I understand now, Mr. Fish. White folks have let things get out of control and need to set them right again. I may only be half white, but I aim to be part of that, sir. I truly do.”

“How?” he asked warily.

I took a step forward. Vernon’s arm tightened, lifting Ruby’s toes off the ground. “I’ll show you,” I said, raising both my empty hands. “If you’ll just allow me to get something from that boy’s pocket.”

Vernon shifted sideways, watching close as he let me pass. I went to Joseph and pulled out his wallet. His eyes were downcast.

“Here,” I said, showing Vernon the Victrola receipt. “This is what I came for.”

I stood up slow, putting the paper and the wallet on the floor in front of him. Then I stepped back, and he dropped Ruby and told her to pick them up. “Do it!” he shouted when she didn’t respond. And she did.

“Hold it so I can read it,” Vernon barked. Ruby grasped the receipt on either side and raised it high. And then I saw it: a quick little blink my way that told me she was with me.

Vernon scanned the paper. Said, “What are all these figures about?”

“Pop sold this boy a Victrola in a moment of weakness,” I told him. “A while later, he came back while Pop was out, claiming he’d forgot his receipt. I believed him, and made one up for him myself. At the time I thought I was doing right, only last night I realized what a fool I’ve been. Why, all this boy has to do is show that paper around. Then Pop’s name could get drug through the mud, and our business right along with it. I couldn’t let it stand, Mr. Fish. That’s why I brought the boy and his sister here—so I could get the receipt back and make sure neither one of them ever got a chance to ruin my pop.”

Vernon’s cheek twitched. “And just how did you plan on doing that?” he asked.

I told him I’d aimed to sweet-talk Joseph into giving me the receipt, and once that was done, I’d meant to get my shotgun from the Model T parked out on the street and finish things for good. “There’s plenty of places to hide bodies around a construction site,” I said. “Places no one would ever look.”

Vernon’s mouth pulled up in a nasty leer. And he folded the receipt into his wallet and put it in his back pocket, then turned and slapped Ruby so hard that she half stumbled, half flew across the room and onto the floor. Her hand went to her mouth.

“Come here, boy,” he said, which I did. And he yanked me closer and laughed as Ruby spit out the tooth he’d knocked free.

“You first,” he whispered into my ear.

I stammered that I didn’t know what he meant.

“Hell if you don’t,” he said.

I told him maybe I did, but I wasn’t sure how to go about it. He rolled his eyes and pulled at the buttons on his trousers with one hand while the other kept Maybelle trained on Ruby. A feral look came into his eyes as his gaze locked onto her like a wolf’s does its prey. He went closer and toed her with his boot.

I looked quick over my shoulder. Saw blood streaked across the boards from where Joseph had quietly dragged himself. Then I felt a tug at my pant leg, and when I looked down, it was him, holding the brick to his chest.

Vernon knelt over Ruby.

Joseph reached for my hand.

Vernon pushed Ruby’s knees apart, cursing her for fighting him.

I pulled Joseph up. For just an instant, we looked at the brick together. Then we looked at each other, and we knew.

It happened all at once: the brick caving in Vernon’s skull, him collapsing onto Ruby. Then Ruby was kicking and screaming underneath Vernon’s twitching body, and Joseph was sinking to his knees. I heaved Vernon’s bulk aside and lifted Ruby into my arms and cradled her close, whispering she should look away. Vernon’s body jerked and twitched, and blood slicked out across the wood. Forever, it seemed. Only, in the end, it wasn’t.