The Forsaken

“So who saw the lynching?”

“He named a lot of folks and I wrote them all down,” Lillie said. “But there was only one name that jumped out at me.”

“Yep.”

“Fu

“Or not know a person,” Qui

Lillie and Qui

“I’ve heard a lot of stories about Jason Colson,” Lillie said, “but not a single one about him being mean or having a temper.”

“I don’t think this was a usual situation,” Qui

“I asked why they targeted this man,” Lillie said. “I kept on wondering was it just because he was there? You know, the first black man they could find? But Stillwell said no. He said someone down in Sugar Ditch had named him. Said the son of a bitch was crazy as hell and had sold off the gold cross that had belonged to Lori. Stillwell said that over and over. ‘He had the cross.’”

“That’s pretty damning.”

“Turns out, this man had found her stuff, her purse, and some other personal items in the trash,” Lillie said. “Man was a drifter. He lived out of trash cans and dumpsters.”

Qui

“So what was he doing at the Rebel?” Qui

“I’m getting to that,” Lillie said. “Hold on.”

Qui

“Joh

“You got to hand it to Stagg,” Qui

“Yes, sir.”

“And the stripper was an incentive?”

“Nope,” Lillie said. “She was just giving him a ride home.”

“God bless her.”

“But when I found Stillwell, mind you, he was crashed out on the rug in his living room,” Lillie said. “I had to put the toe of my boot up under his chin a few times before he came to. He was a mess. He looked up at me and acted like I had caught him doing something. And so what do you do? I acted like I sure had caught him. He got to his knees—that’s when he threw up the first time. Good Lord, if vomiting was an Olympic sport . . .”

“What’d he say?”

Another semi blew past the Sonic, not noticing the light bars on top of Qui

“What’d he say?”

Lillie tilted her head, placed her hands on her thighs, and shook her head. “This wasn’t the first or only money he’d been taking from Stagg.”

Qui

Qui

“Stagg paid him two thousand dollars to talk to Diane Tull,” Lillie said. “Stagg told him to get her good and stoked and to go to the police about Lori. That piece of shit knew it wouldn’t take two steps before we’d get on to the lynching. That’s a man full of a lot of worry. He must have something real bad going with these Born Loser folks.”

“Did you ask Stillwell about it?”

“Yeah,” Lillie said. “And he was about to answer when his head dropped in the toilet. I had to drag him to the sofa, and even took off his boots. He could use a new pair of socks, every toe sticking out of a hole.”

•   •   •

Most mornings, before driving back to the farm, Qui

The house where Qui

Qui

“Looks like they haven’t finished the paint,” Qui

“I was coming to town anyway,” Jean said. “Figured I’d just bring back some pots, pans, and few cups and plates.”

“There’s no rush to leave the farm,” Qui

“I appreciate that,” Jean said. “But that old house hasn’t but one bathroom. I prefer having my own, thank you very much.”

Qui

“What do you think?” Qui

“Looks good,” she said. “I still wouldn’t mind closing off that porch, maybe adding in screen.”

“There’s always time for additions,” Qui

“The windows don’t match.”

Qui

“Are you doing all right?” she asked.

“I’ve been on duty all night, Momma,” Qui

“I got a key yesterday,” she said, eyeing him. “There’s not much to steal.”

“Boom and I can help you when you’re ready,” Qui

Jean smiled. “You don’t need me,” she said. “You got Ophelia to do all that.”

“You ever eaten her food?”

“Bad?” Jean said.

“Yes, ma’am,” Qui

Jean felt along the walls where the Sheetrock had been taped and mudded. Her heels clacked loudly in the open living room as she glanced around at all the space she’d have to fill again. She’d never mentioned it, but Qui