Chapter 13

The sound of shattering glass and a long string of curse words were followed by a scream so shrill it woke Gary up.

Thinking someone was breaking into his room, he grabbed his pistol as he leaped from the bed. It took a few seconds for him to realize the noise that woke him was a couple arguing in the room next door.

“Shut the hell up!” he shouted, and pounded on the wall. The shouting stopped.

He glanced at the clock. It was too late for breakfast and too early for lunch, so he decided to settle for a fast-food drive-through. Since he was up, this was as good a time as any to reconnoiter. He combed his fingers through his hair and grabbed his coat, slipped the gun into the inner pocket of his jacket, and took his little travel bag on the off chance he wasn’t coming back. He drove until he found a drive-in burger joint and ate like he was starving. Once he finished, his next move was to get a look at how the town was laid out. He needed to know streets—which way they ran, and the quickest way to get out of town.

Gary drove back down Main Street past a Quick Stop. They were all the same. Gas pumps, minimal groceries inside, free air. He grunted. Didn’t see free anything much these days.

He passed the Piggly Wiggly, then checked out the police station and the Curl Up and Dye again. In a town this size, a strange car and a stranger driving it would be noticed. Since he didn’t want to advertise that, he headed for the residential area. He had a general idea of where Ruby’s house was located from the GPS on his phone, but he wanted eyes on it to be sure. He found the street and then drove until he found the house, but he didn’t slow down.

Next, he drove back to Main Street and then took the alley behind the Curl Up and Dye to check on the possibility of taking her out there. There was a big Dumpster just outside the back door that piqued his interest. A possible location for a surprise attack.

Then he drove back past her house to the end of the block and took the alley behind it. Ruby had a yard surrounded by a chain-link fence, and then an odd, narrow alley fenced off beside her house that ran all the way from the street behind her to the street in front of her. He didn’t know what it was for, but it was too narrow for vehicles and would do him no good. She did have a small shed at the back corner of her yard. He couldn’t get in it, but he could hide behind it in the alley.

He drove out and was getting ready to go back to the motel when he saw a woman in a white SUV turn into the driveway of Ruby’s house. He tapped the brakes to see who got out, and when he saw the woman and all the bruises on her face, he almost didn’t recognize her.

“Damn, little brother, you put the hurt on her. Shame you didn’t finish her off yourself,” Gary muttered, and watched as she carried what looked like grocery sacks into the house.

But now that he knew what kind of car she drove, he took off to the motel. As soon as he got into his room, he used the motel phone to call the hair salon.

The call rang and rang, and just when he thought no one was going to answer, a woman picked up.

“Curl Up and Dye. This is Vera.”

“I’m passing through, saw your shop, and was curious what time you open in the morning.”

“We open according to how early we book appointments, but usually around eight a.m. Would you like to book an appointment?”

“If I do, I’ll call back,” he said, and hung up.

He sat a few moments, trying to decide if he wanted to wait until early tomorrow and take her out at the shop, or do it now. She was alone in that house. The longer he stayed in Blessings, the greater the risk. He wasn’t going to take the chance of going to her front door. That would put his car and face in plain sight for a lot of neighbors. All he needed was something to get her to come out the back door of her house.

He could knock on the back door, but there was a good chance she’d look out first and recognize him, and that wouldn’t fly. What could he do to get her to come out on her own without making any noise? And then it hit him.

He grabbed a washcloth from the shelf to use for a fuse, tossed the room key on the bed, and left.

* * *

Ruby came home with a roasted chicken from the deli to make chicken salad for her lunch with Peanut. As soon as she got the groceries put up, she put on a pair of disposable latex gloves to protect her hands and began taking the meat from the bones.

Doing normal things again felt good, and as she worked, she thought about Alice Conroy and her kids. She wondered if Alice was any better or getting sicker. She needed to find out.

As she finished deboning the chicken, she threw away the disposable gloves, washed up, and called the number on the flyer.

It rang a couple of times, and then she heard Charlie’s voice. “Hello. This is Charlie.”

“Hello, Charlie, this is Ruby Dye. I’m the lady with the black eyes, remember?”

Charlie chuckled. “Yes, ma’am, I remember.”

“I called to find out how your mother is feeling. Is she any better?”

“Oh, yes, ma’am. She is feeling some better. Not coughing nearly as much. She’s in the kitchen making us some lunch. Do you need to talk to her?”

“I won’t bother her, but I want you to take down my phone number so that if any of you need help, you can easily reach me. If I can’t help, I will find someone who can, okay?”

“That is so nice of you,” Charlie said. “Just a minute, Miss Ruby. I need to find a pen and paper.”

“I’ll wait,” Ruby said.

She heard him shuffling around, and then he was back. “I’m ready. Go ahead.”

She gave him the number, and the number to her salon as well. “Just in case,” she said.

“I sure appreciate it,” Charlie said.

“You’re welcome. And please let your mother know that there is an ongoing clothing drive in town to help replace the clothes you lost in the fire. We should have everything gathered up within a couple of days, and then we’ll bring them over, okay?”

She heard Charlie sigh. “When I get me and Pitty-Pat some clothes, we get to go enroll in school.”

“Well, today is Friday. We’re picking up the donations on Sunday, so we should have everything brought to your house by that afternoon if not before. You should have plenty of clothes to choose from come Monday morning. How’s that?”

“That is great news,” Charlie said. “If I can ever do anything for you, promise to let me know, okay?”

Ruby grinned. “That’s a deal, Charlie. Have a nice day.”

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you again.”

Ruby was still smiling when she disconnected and got back on task to finish the chicken salad. Then she glanced at the clock. Peanut would be here soon. She needed to hurry.

She had just finished the chicken salad and put it in the refrigerator to stay cool when she heard a knock. She shivered a little with anticipation.

He was here!

* * *

“I’m leaving for lunch,” Peanut said as he passed Betty’s desk. “I called May. She is overjoyed, so there’s that. Now we need to file papers to withdraw the countersuit.”

“I’m sure May is relieved. She’s put up with a lot from him. I’ll get the papers drawn up.”

“Then I’ll sign them when I get back.”

“Yes, sir,” Betty said. “Tell Ruby I said hello.”

“I’ll do that,” he said, and left the office with a big grin on his face.

The day was milder than it had been in a while. The sun was bright, a nice reminder of the summer to come.

He hurried out of the office building, taking off his tie as he jumped in his car and headed to Ruby’s, anxious to see her. He started to stop at the florist and take her some flowers, and then he changed his mind and kept going.

* * *

Gary Dye drove up the alley that ran behind Ruby’s house but parked a couple of houses down, using that owner’s privacy fence to conceal his vehicle. He grabbed his gear and jogged back to her house, taking care to use the shed to shield his presence, and began putting together his version of a little firebomb, unaware Ruby had a guest already pulling into her drive.

* * *

Peanut parked behind Ruby’s car. He was elated at the thought of seeing her when he reached the front door and knocked.

Ruby came to the door smiling. He slid his arms around her as he stepped inside, then brushed a kiss across her lips.

“I hope you don’t greet all your guests like this,” he said, as he nuzzled the spot below her right ear.

She laughed.

“So, something sure smells good,” he said.

“Lunch is almost ready. Follow me.”

Peanut took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, and headed to the kitchen.

“Chicken salad sandwiches,” she said as she took plates down from the cabinet.

“Sounds good,” he said, and went to the sink to wash his hands.

When Ruby turned around to get the sack of fresh croissants to make the sandwiches, she saw smoke drifting past the window, and seconds later, she heard sirens.

* * *

Gary Dye was satisfied with the little firebomb. It was a silent message to come out of the house, and he’d already seen Ruby moving back and forth through the window nearest the back door. She should see the smoke any time now.

He palmed his gun, ready to jump out from behind the shed the moment she came through the door. One shot, and he’d be in his car and gone before anyone saw the smoke.

* * *

Myra Franklin had gone home with what felt like the beginnings of a migraine, leaving her husband in charge at the flower shop. She took her meds, then went upstairs to her bedroom to lie down. She was getting ready to pull the shades when she glanced out and saw a man in the alley behind her house. He didn’t look like anyone she knew. He wasn’t wearing a company uniform, and he was down on his knees behind the shed in Ruby Dye’s backyard. She couldn’t tell what he was doing, but it looked suspicious.

With Ruby’s recent kidnapping fresh in her mind, Myra thought better safe than sorry and was about to call the police and have them check it out when she saw the man stand up and throw something into Ruby’s backyard. It took a second for her to realize what he’d thrown was on fire.

Myra gasped, ran over to the table to get her cell and dialed 911, and then ran back to the window.

Avery immediately answered the call.

“Nine-one-one. What is your emergency?”

“Someone threw a bomb into Ruby Dye’s backyard and set it on fire! He’s in the alley between our houses. Hurry. The fire is spreading! I don’t know what he—” And then she gasped. “Oh my God. He has a gun! I can see it in his hand. Hurry. Hurry.”

“Yes, ma’am, dispatching police and fire now. Stay on the line with me until the police arrive.”

Myra moaned. She didn’t want to watch for fear of what was going to happen next, but she was afraid to look away. She could hear Avery dispatching personnel to the scene and began to pray they would get there in time.

* * *

Lon Pittman was on patrol when the call came in. An armed arsonist in the alley behind Ruby Dye’s house?

What the hell?

He made a U-turn in the street, hit the lights and siren, and took off through town in a black-and-white blur.

Deputy Ralph was also on duty when he heard the dispatch. He hit his lights and siren, made a U-turn in front of the Blue Ivy Bar, and floored it.

The smoke from the burning grass in Ruby’s yard was barely rising about the rooftops when the fire truck shot out of the station with its siren sounding a warning.

People all over town were either running outside or to their windows to look. That many sirens at once signaled danger.

* * *

Ruby ran to the kitchen window.

“My backyard is on fire!” she cried, and ran out.

Peanut heard the sirens at the same time he heard Ruby shout. He was two steps behind her as she ran out the door and was gaining on her when he saw a man suddenly appear in the alley on the other side of her fence. And then Peanut saw the pistol in the man’s hand and leaped.

Ruby saw the man and, for a moment, thought she was having a bad dream. Gary Dye? Why was he here?

And then she was hit from behind in a flying tackle as Peanut grabbed her. At that point, if felt as if everything began happening in slow motion.

She heard a pop as she hit the ground. The impact knocked the breath out of her, and as she was struggling to breathe, she realized Peanut was on top of her and motionless.

Fear rolled through her in waves.

“Peanut! Peanut! Are you okay?”

Nothing.

“Peanut, what’s…”

Something wet rolled down the side of her cheek. She touched her face, saw the blood on her fingers, and realized the pop she’d heard had to have been a gunshot. She screamed, and screamed again, then couldn’t stop.

* * *

Gary Dye was in shock. He could already hear sirens and the smoke was just a wispy gray, barely visible in the air.

“How the hell?” he muttered, and swung his gun toward Ruby, only to see a man running right behind her. This wasn’t going as planned, but he shot anyway because he knew they’d both seen him. He fired a heartbeat after the man took her down in a flying tackle. When the bullet meant for Ruby hit the man instead, Gary silently cursed in frustration.

Damn Jarrod and damn Ruby.

If he could start over, he would have ignored his brother’s subtle message and let both of them rot. But it was too late to take all of it back, and now he couldn’t see anything because of the smoke blowing in his face. Anxious to be gone, he ran away from the smoke to the other end of the yard.

Because he was taking aim, Gary never saw the cop who came running through the gate from the street. He never saw the gun in the cop’s hand, and heard the shot only a second before a bullet went through his heart. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Lon Pittman saw him go down and could tell by the way he dropped that he was gone. He saw his deputy’s cruiser coming down the alley toward the shooter as he ran toward Ruby. He knew she was alive because she was screaming, but he wasn’t so sure about his friend.

He dropped down beside them and grabbed Ruby’s arm.

“Ruby! Ruby! We’re here! Help is here!” he said.

“Oh my God! Oh help him, please help him,” she sobbed.

Lon checked Peanut for a pulse. It was there.

He grabbed his radio.

“This is Chief Pittman! I need ambulances to 312 Porter Avenue, ASAP. I have multiple gunshot victims.”

Deputy Ralph came to a sliding halt in the alley beside the body and got out with his weapon drawn, then dropped to check for a pulse.

“He’s dead,” the deputy yelled, and then called dispatch to get more officers on the scene to work traffic.

The fire truck arrived, but when the firemen realized the blaze was small and there were injured people too close to use water and hoses, they grabbed fire extinguishers instead.

Ruby was covered in Peanut’s blood and sobbing when Lon began applying pressure to the wound on Peanut’s head, trying to stem the flow of blood.

“Ruby, are you wounded?”

“It should have been me!” she cried, and then began clawing at the grass, trying to pull herself out from under Peanut’s body.

“Ruby! Answer me! Are you wounded?”

“No, no, no,” she moaned.

Lon motioned to the firemen. “Hey, I need a couple of you guys to help me get Ruby free,” Lon said.

Two of them rolled Peanut over just enough for another fireman to pull Ruby out. She got to her knees, then rocked back on her heels and reached for Peanut.

“Is he dead? Please God, don’t let him be dead.”

“He has a pulse. An ambulance is on the way. Are you hurting anywhere?” Lon asked. “Your ribs, your chest? You both fell hard.”

“No! He saved me and took the shot meant for me. Oh my God, oh my God, this can’t be happening,” she moaned. She wanted to hold Peanut, but he was too hurt and she was too scared he would die in her arms.

The EMTs came running past neighbors who were rapidly gathering at the gate. They took over for the chief, assessed Peanut’s injury, and got him ready to transport.

Lon pulled Ruby to her feet and out of the way. “Can you tell me what happened? Did you know the shooter?”

“His name is Gary Dye. He’s Jarrod’s older brother,” she said, swaying on her feet.

Lon caught her, then put an arm around her shoulders to steady her. “I’m sorry, Ruby.”

“Is he dead?” she asked, staring across the blackened patch in her yard to the body on the other side of the fence.

“Yes.”

She shuddered, then realized the EMTs had Peanut on a gurney and were already moving him out of the yard toward the ambulance. “I want to go with him!”

“You can’t,” Lon said. “I’ll take you to the ER.”

She pulled away from him, running behind the gurney, past her neighbors who were calling her name, telling her they loved her, telling her they were praying for Peanut, telling her they would take care of things here.

She didn’t see them. She didn’t hear them. She didn’t care about anything but Peanut.

* * *

The ride in the police car was a nightmare.

Lon drove with the lights flashing and the siren screaming, echoing the scream inside Ruby’s head.

Word was spreading through Blessings faster than the fire Gary Dye had set. Half the people heard that Ruby and Peanut were dead. The other half heard one of them was dead and didn’t know which one. But everyone knew that Chief Pittman took out the shooter.

Mercy Pittman was in a panic until she knew that her husband was safe.

Betty Purejoy locked up Peanut’s office and went straight to the hospital.

Lovey drove to the ER to be with Ruby, praying the story she’d heard about Peanut’s death wasn’t true.

Vera and Vesta closed the Curl Up and Dye and headed to the ER, with Mabel Jean in her car right behind them.

The town was in an uproar as people headed to the hospital in shock. A prayer vigil began in the hospital parking lot, and the more people who arrived, the larger it grew.