Devil’s Claw

Joa

“Forgive them,” Kristin echoed. “Why should I? My father’s the one who called me a slut! He said I was no better than a common…” She faltered to a stop again, unable to continue.

“It doesn’t matter what your father called you,” Joa

Kristin shook her head, tossing her wild tangle of blond hair around her tear-ravaged face. “Just like you suggested, we made an appointment to talk to Reverend Maculyea,” she said. “But the soonest she can see us together is tomorrow afternoon after work.”

“But you and Terry still want to get married?”

“Yes. Terry offered to come home with me to talk to my folks so I wouldn’t have to do it alone. He wanted to ask my father for my hand in marriage. Now I’m glad he didn’t. My father probably would have taken after him with a baseball bat.”

“Does Terry know where you are right now?” Joa

Kristin shook her head. “No,” she whispered.

Taking the telephone from its cradle, Joa

Joa

“Yes, I’m sure,” Joa

Leaving Kristin alone, Joa

“Kristin’s having a little disagreement with her parents,” Joa

“That sounds like a big disagreement to me,” Je

“It’s private, Je

Je

“It’s because it’s nobody’s business but Kristin’s,” Joa

“Coming up,” Butch said. “Je

Minutes later, Joa

“You talked to Terry?” Joa

Kristin nodded. “You were right. He had already called the house, talked to my father-or had been yelled at by my father-and he was worried sick. He wanted to come right over, but I told him not to. That I was fine and that I was going to stay here overnight. I told him I’d meet him for breakfast in the morning-before work.”

She took the cup of cocoa Joa

“No,” Joa

“And what did your parents do?”

“My father was already dead.”

“And your mother?”

“She was upset,” Joa

“And how long did it take her to get over it?”

“Never,” Joa

Kristin’s eyes widened. “Never? You mean she’s still mad about it?”

Joa

“But you seem to get along all right,” Kristin objected. “I mean, your mother calls and talks to you. I saw her at the shower on Sunday. She seemed to be having a good time.”

“We get along all right now,” Joa

“You make it sound like an ordinary part of growing up.”

“It is an ordinary part of growing up,” Joa

Once again Kristin’s blue eyes brimmed with tears. “When you first came to the department, Sheriff Brady, I didn’t like you very much,” she admitted after a moment. “I’m sorry I made things so tough for you.”

Joa

“The same way my parents may get over this?”

“Exactly the same way,” Joa

By the time Kristin finished drinking her cocoa, Joa

“How did you know that?” Kristin asked.

“Believe me,” Joa

Once Kristin had retreated to Je

“I couldn’t help overhearing what she said to you on the porch. How pregnant is she?”

“Just barely,” Joa

“If her parents threw her out, what kind of people are they?”

“Fallible people,” Joa

“Wait a minute,” Butch said. “Are we talking about Kristin Marsten’s parents, or are we talking about some other parents I could name?”

“All parents,” Joa

“No! You can’t mean it.”

Joa

Back in the house, Joa