Betty hadn't gotten far. The lake was on the right, but the road she took would have led her back into Darktown. The '48 Dodge was parked in front of the church. The front end was bent to hell. Other than that, the car was in remarkable shape to have been in a head-on collision.
“Thanks for the ride,” Scratch opened the door.
“Hold up,” Zeke said. “Look under the backseat.”
Scratch reached under and put a hand on hard cardboard. He pulled out a hatbox.
“Dozen was going to give it to you,” Zeke said. “But you ran out before he could.”
“Where he get it?”
“Me and Moses found it next to your car,” Zeke replied.
“My car is in good shape to have hit another car,” Scratch said.
“Who told you that?”
“Dozen.”
“He don't know. He wasn't there,” Zeke said. “Me and Moses was sitting in this Cadillac drinking some rum. We went to collect from a few businessmen. We were sittin' right here. Your car came up. I said, 'Hey, Moses. Look, it's old Scratch burnin' up the roads.' Moses said, 'He got to be runnin' from a woman's old man or from a woman!' We laughed hard at that. I'm sure the rum had its effect on our sense of humor. Your car sailed by us and swiped a tree. Your girl got out and started running. This red Fury came hot-trottin' and WHAM! Caught your girl, sent her sky-high.
“That's when this '53 Crestline came up and chased that Fury.”
That was Shaw's car, Scratch thought. Dobro and me must've been in it, taking Shaw to his fate.
“I could've swore I saw you in that car. I just shook my head and wondered why the hell you weren't driving that '48 Dodge you love so much? Then again, ain't none of it my business.”
Scratch didn't say anything. He wanted to say thank you and you've been a big help. Scratch didn't like Zeke at all. Never did. He tried to date Immy when they were all younger. All he was interested in was having sex with Immy. He was abusive in the way he talked to her and Scratch always suspected the bruises on Immy's arms were because of Zeke.
“I know who owns that Crestline,” Zeke said.
“Oh yeah?” Scratch said. “Who?”
“Deputy Sheriff from Coleman County.” Zeke sneered. “Naw, I told myself. Scratch Williams don't deal with those boys from Coleman County. Just Odarko. That's why I thought it was strange I thought I saw you in that car. Hmph! It was dark and I was drunk as hell. I was just seeing things.”
“How do you know it was Shaw's car?”
“Your uncle had some dealings with him before,” Zeke said, picking at a nostril with a long thumbnail. When it hit on something, he flinched and withdrew the thumbnail. “And… I've seen him go in Immy's house a bunch of times. Looks like she likes guys with your pale complexion.” Zeke laughed. “Shit, I saw him picking up Immy yesterday.”
Scratch felt anger pulsating through his veins. Zeke could see it in his eyes. Zeke was a little afraid. He wasn't the confident Jesus-talking street punk he appeared to be a few minutes before.
“Hey, Scratch.” Zeke fumbled his words nervously. “I have to get. Dozen has some things for me to do… Uh… do me a favor?”
“What?” Scratch growled.
“Don't open that hatbox until I'm way down the road.”
“I haven't even thought about opening it…” Scratch looked down at the hatbox sitting between his legs. He considered tossing it in the ditch and telling Spiff any lie that popped into his head. Nothing mattered anyway. When he got through with Immy, they were going to hang him for her murder. “Yeah, Zeke,” Scratch said, opening the car door. “I'll wait until I see your exhaust pipe before I open this box.”
Zeke smiled and waved to Scratch. Scratch slammed the door, and the Cadillac roared off.
Scratch stood in the street, holding one of two hatboxes that had caused death, humiliation, and a whole lot of misery.
27
He stared at the box for a long time.
It sat on the dashboard of his '48 Dodge. An ominous, eerie feeling came over Scratch. Thoughts of the events of the past week entered his mind. Some things just didn't add up. People involved in this case – cases, actually – and their motives didn't make sense. Old man Spiff sends Scratch to make sure his daughter's boyfriend gets out of town. The boyfriend is murdered after a fight with Scratch and no one is in a hurry to solve the murder. Someone hits Scratch from behind and takes his glass eye. Teenagers are riding around in a red Fury killing pillars of Odarko and Darktown..? Why? The owner of a newspaper commits suicide and old man Spiff wants that investigated as a murder. Why? He himself is blackmailed by Shaw, and thinks Betty is in on it, but turns out…
Scratch sighed. Closed his eyes. “Really Immy was his partner,” Scratch opened his eyes and smacked the steering wheel. “Why, Immy? Why?”
And how does this hatbox fit in with it all?
“Wait,” Scratch said aloud. “That's not the same hatbox.”
Same black vinyl box, minus the gold initials SS. Zeke had warned him not to open the box around him. Why?
“I know,” Scratch said to himself. “I'm asking a lot of questions, and so far I have come up with few answers.”
He sat the hatbox on the seat next to him and took the lid off. At first, Scratch was dumbfounded. When he realized what was in the hatbox, tears formed in his eyes. Bones. Skeletal remains of a baby wrapped in a discolored cloth. He quickly placed the lid back on the hat bot and shoved it across the seat far away from him.
Scratch broke down again, weeping hard, shaking his head violently.
28
Immy opened the front door of her house and discovered Pita-Paul standing in her kitchen. He stepped aside and she saw Gilmore sitting at her kitchen table, his leg in
