Bitterroot Crossing (8 page)

    “Nick, bro!” He rubbed his hands together quickly and stuck them in his pockets, a familiar gesture which meant he had something exciting to tell me. “I jumped the curb today on my skateboard.”

    “No way, dude.”

    No one could smile like this kid. It was awesome. “Yes way, dude.
    I patted him on the shoulder. “Man, I wish I’d been there to see it.”

    He nodded enthusiastically. “Dad’s in his office.”

    “He is? How does he look?”

    Baxter’s smile vanished and he showed me his impersonation of his dad in a bad mood, complete with jutting lower lip, furrowed brow, and scowl.

    “Uh oh, he’s really grouchy, huh?”

    “Yep.”

    We did our special handshake and he added a salute at the end. “Good luck, bro.”

    The string of bells on the office door made Berta look up from her desk. “Hey, Nick, it’s a hot one today, don’t you think?”

    “It’s not too bad out there.” I decided to put the notion of me working shirtless out of her head right away.

    She leaned back in her chair. “Really?” She tugged her shirt down, in what I assume was a useless attempt to excite me. “I’m just dripping sweat inside this office. It’s running all the way down my back.” Apparently she thought that statement would do the trick, unfortunately it was having the completely opposite effect.

    She stared at my arm and licked her bottom lip. “I sure do love that tattoo around your arm. You never did tell me why you picked barbed wire.”

    I shrugged. “I guess I didn’t tell you because I don’t know myself why I picked it.”

    She laughed. “You’re so funny, Nick.” Berta leaned forward over her desk. Instinctively, I took a step back. “So is it true?” she asked.

    “Is what true?”

    She glanced around the room as if she thought the walls might be listening. “Is it true he’s back?” She’d dropped her voice to a whisper.

    I glanced around the room like her, leaned forward, and whispered back. “Who’s
he
?”

    She straightened. “Why, Zedekiah, silly.”

    “Oh him. Yeah, I guess he’s been floating around.”

    “Crush,” Mr. Mitchell barked from his office, “get in here.”

    “You better hurry in there. He’s in a terrible mood, by the way.”

    “Really, what gave it away?” I headed to Mitchell’s office and was actually relieved not to have to talk to Berta anymore. Of course, Mr. Mitchell did not look like he’d be much more fun. His face was red and if it had been physically possible, I’m sure flames would have been shooting from his nostrils. The whole thing reminded me a lot of the earlier scene in Hammersmith’s office. Only in the principal’s office, I had sweet, little Jessie by my side. Man, that girl was really growing on me. Rarely a moment went by when I wasn’t thinking about her.

    “Nick, what on earth happened at the high school today?”

    I shrugged. “Learning?”

    He stood abruptly. “Don’t get cocky with me, son. You know what I’m talking about.”

    “Yeah, sorry. Apparently Zedekiah Crush has returned, but I didn’t summon him if that’s what you’re asking. He came back all on his own.”

    “I heard he’s come back for the great-great-granddaughter of that woman he shot.”

    “Stuff gets around this town fast. I don’t know for sure why he’s back. Now, shouldn’t I be out there loading the truck?”

    He waved his hand toward the door. “Damn right you should. You’re on the clock and I’m not paying you for standing around. Get.”

    I was happy to get out to the yard. My lovesick ancestor rises from the swamp and everyone is looking to blame me for it. What a stupid-ass town.

    I yanked on my gloves. Bill, one of the workers, motioned for me to jump up on the flat bed of the semi. I hopped up and he started handing me two-by-fours. Two hours into it, sweat was dripping into my eyes, my back ached, and my hands were tired. It was the best I’d felt all day. Bill had handed up the entire order just as his shift ended. He hurried off and I was alone in the yard. All I needed to do was finish stacking it so it could be tied down.

    “Nothing like an honest day’s work to build a man’s character.” The voice drifted up from behind and though Berta sort of looked like a man, she definitely didn’t sound like one. Besides it wasn’t my character she’d be commenting on.

    I twisted around. Zedekiah was perched on a pile of uncut lumber a few feet away. “And just what would you know about an honest day’s work?” I asked. “The way I hear it, you never had a dime that wasn’t stolen or won at the poker table.”

    “Not true. I did plenty of work. Even pounded stakes for the railroad. Just discovered one day that taking the money was easier.”

    I glanced toward the office hoping no one saw him sitting in the yard. The office looked quiet. “Easier, except you had to kill people to get it.”

    Zedekiah shook his head. “Not true. All rumors started by that jackass, Bridger. He was hoping to drive up the bounty on my head and make Rebecca hate me.”

    “Really? Of course, he’s not here to tell his side of the story, now is he?”

    Zedekiah vanished like a puff of smoke and reappeared directly in front of me. “You must be my descendant; you’re as cocky as a rooster in heat.” He glared at me from beneath the brim of his hat. “You stay away from that girl.”

    I met his glare with one of my own. “No way. You had your chance. This girl belongs to my century and if she’ll have me, I have no intention of staying away from her.”

    A third of the wood I piled up came cascading down like an avalanche of timber. I hopped out of the way before it washed me over the side of the flatbed.

    “Have you kissed her?”

    I regained my footing and stared down at the pile of wood I would now have to reload by myself back onto the truck. Then I glared back at my rotten ancestor. “Not yet, but a kiss is definitely in my future plans. So throw as many of your ghostly tantrums as you like. You’re not going to stop me.”

    “The Crush men are no good for the Colton women. We just bring heartbreak and tragedy.”

    “Don’t lump me in with you, dude. I don’t even own a gun. Plus I’m not in the habit of picking gunfights with the law.”

    Another third of the wood fell down. I jumped out of the way. “I thought family was supposed to help each other.” I climbed down to start carrying it back up before Mitchell saw it and fired me. It was going to be tough loading it back on by myself. Now I was pissed. “Get the fuck out of my way, pops. You’re not going to scare me.”

    He vanished but a burst of his wicked laughter cracked the air. “We’ll see about that,
offspring
.”

Chapter 12

    At home, Mom had always assigned difficult, lengthy homework projects. My high school teachers’ assignments were easy and silly. I finished my homework in minutes. The rather

awful day at school had tired me out, and I’d drifted off into a nice nap until the front door slammed shut. I sat up with a start. Jasper had apparently snuggled up next to me. He sat up as well.

    Nana’s feet seemed to be stomping toward the kitchen. I patted the dog on the head. “That is definitely not the sound of happy feet, Jasper.” We both scooted off my quilt and headed down the hall.

    When I arrived at the kitchen, Nana was pounding the daylights out of her pie dough. Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t look up or acknowledge me. I walked over to the table, plucked off a ball of dough, and pushed it in my mouth. It was buttery and sweet as always. “Nana, what did that pie dough ever do to you?”

    “Huh?” She glanced up surprised to see me standing there. She smiled and slowed down the wild strokes of her rolling pin. “It’s just I’m so angry.”

    “I thought I heard the front door shut. Did we have a visitor?” Citizens from the town rarely came up the mountain unless they were hunting or looking for firewood.

    “It was that sniveling, puffy-faced mayor from town. Ascott or Axescott or whatever his name is. Corrupt, fumbling idiot.” She began to roll the dough out like a woman possessed again. I placed my hand on her arm. “Are you making pie crust or shoe leather?” She stopped and relaxed her shoulders.

    “I’ve never seen you so upset, Nana. What did he say?”

    “He says Zedekiah has been seen in town, at the school.” She looked at me. “You didn’t tell me he showed up at your school. Or is it a falsehood?”

    I took my hand from her arm. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, Nana. I didn’t want you to worry.”

    She took hold of my face with her flour and dough covered hands. Her green eyes, now clouded with age looked into mine. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

    I shook my head. She dropped her hands and lifted up the end of her apron to wipe the flour from my cheeks.

    “He saved me from tripping in the cafeteria.” I took hold of her hand to stop her ministrations. “Just like you figured, Nana, Zedekiah won’t hurt me. If anything he seems determined to protect me. It’s the citizens of Bitterroot who may be in danger.”

    Nana waved her hand and several crumbs of pie dough fell to the floor. “Hang them all. As long as he doesn’t harm you, they can deal with that demon themselves.” She walked to the cupboard and pulled out the berry picking basket. “Summer’s been gone for a few weeks, but I’ll bet there’s still enough late growing blackberries for a decent pie. And take the dog with you. He’s been under my feet all day.”

    The sun was still brilliant and warm. I wore my slip-on shoes with every intention of taking them off and going barefoot once I’d reached my destination. I’d realized something after these two days at school in my clunky, lace-up boots; I walked much better when I wasn’t thinking about how I was walking. And I walked much better without cumbersome shoes on my feet.

    Jasper had busied himself with a cornered lizard so I went to work searching the long row of blackberry bushes for untouched fruit. I happened upon a small gold mine, or black mine as it were, of plump berries hidden deep enough in the bush that birds and animals had not yet discovered them. I plucked the berries off and dropped them into the basket on my arm, stopping occasionally to pop one into my mouth. They weren’t as sweet as the midsummer berries, but they still exploded with juice in my mouth.

    The dog growled behind me and I turned to scold him for scaring the wits out of a helpless lizard. Instead, I came face to face with Zedekiah. “You certainly appear in the strangest places,” I said. Jasper growled again then wagged his tail and ran off to chase some more helpless critters.

    “You’re a sight to behold with that soft green dress, naked feet, and berry stained mouth.” Zedekiah’s brazen gaze surveyed me from head to foot. His blue eyes may have been dead for over a century but standing here in front of me he seemed anything but a ghost.

    “You’re causing Nana and I a lot of trouble. The town isn’t happy about your return.”

    Ignoring what I said, he lifted a berry and held it up to inspect it. Then he handed it to me. “Do me a favor, love, eat this berry and tell me how it tastes. Exactly. Don’t leave out anything. It’s been so long since I’ve tasted anything.”

    There was a sadness now in his expression that made me comply. I pushed the berry between my lips, bit down on it, and swallowed. His gaze did not leave my mouth, and I felt a blush rise in my cheeks.

    I closed my eyes to remember what I’d tasted. “First there is that anticipation of the burst of juice as you bite down on it. It starts sour and flows into a rich, fruity sweetness as it slides down your throat. Like a misty, warm summer afternoon settling in your mouth.”