“Of course we do. Don’t be so gullible. When will you wake up?” Jessie said, rising from his seat. “I say we hit them where it hurts. Their livelihood. Their crops. Everything.”
“We won’t get even a mile near it,” Zeke added.
“Yes, we will. I’ve been eyeing it since I got out. I was looking for Luke. Payback. Since this shitstorm has kicked off, they haven’t been protecting it.”
Zeke chuckled. “If you want to steal crops, buddy, it’s the wrong season.”
“I don’t want to do that. I want to make it so they can’t grow any. Destroy their farms, destroy their store.”
Dylan put his head in his hands. “Here we go again.”
“Here we go again with what?”
“Jessie. The reason Miriam is in that bed is because of what you did and now you want to go and make things worse?”
“You want to blame me?”
Dylan stepped forward. “Oh I’m sorry, let me correct that… what you and Alby did.”
Jessie scoffed. “I go inside for three years and come out and all of you have lost your balls. Had I not intervened they would have killed Alby. We would then be burying another family member.”
“Might as well have, he’s now inside the pen,” Dylan said.
“What?”
“He was arrested. They took him in last night. Didn’t she tell you?”
He balked. “No.”
Dylan looked over at the others. “Mother handed him over.”
Jessie took a few steps forward. “She did what?” His jaw dropped. “No.”
“It’s true, Jess,” Lincoln added. “She did it to protect us. To protect you.”
“To protect me? What the hell do you think he’s going to say when they drag him into an interview room? That he worked alone?”
“Yes. That’s what he’ll say,” their mother said, appearing at the door. She’d returned. “And yes, he has been arrested.”
His brothers looked at her, their heads slightly bowed.
“Why would you do that?” Jessie asked.
She prowled into the room like no one could touch her, like she was the lioness of a pride. She picked up the wet cloth and dabbed Miriam’s head, ignoring Jessie but answering the question. “Lincoln just told you. And I told you earlier. I will not let anyone hurt this family.”
“Really? And so Miriam was excluded from that, was she?”
She spoke through gritted teeth. “Mind your mouth.”
Jessie laughed. He walked over to the window and looked out. “You are so predictable, Mother. Well it’s true, right? You sent her alone down to Hazel’s, knowing full well she’d have to ride by the Stricklands’. Then we have someone accusing you of having killed Ryland. If I wasn’t mistaken, I would think you want to see this family crumble.”
As quick as a flash she shot across the room, hand raised, ready to slap him.
He didn’t flinch. Not one bit.
“Go on. Do it. It never stopped you before. What’s holding you back? Huh? Admit it, you are scared that we might walk out on you. It burns you, doesn’t it? That not everyone is under your spell anymore.” She shook a crooked finger in his face. She clenched a fist and then released it, running a hand over his face. He slapped it out of the way, refusing to play her mind games. “Hate. Love. You move so quickly back and forth between the two, you give me whiplash,” Jessie said.
“Listen to me. Alby willingly let himself go.”
Jessie snorted. “Yeah. Right. And why would he do that?”
“Because he knows we won’t let him stay there.” She turned and walked back to the side of the bed.
“Okay, so let me guess, you want us to break him out. Is that right?”
“No. There’s no need. That correctional facility won’t stay a jail for long.”
“And why is that?”
“Jessie, Jessie. This is why I call the shots.”
When hate and love didn’t work, she reverted to being condescending. Anything to maximize herself and minimize others. It was ego. Jealousy. A feeble attempt at maintaining control.
“Cut the shit and tell us,” he said.
She took out a pack of smokes, and lit one, and crossed her legs, her eyes roaming the room. “I keep telling you. This event isn’t going to be over in a week, or a month, or even a year. This situation we are facing will get worse. People will die from suicide. Unable to deal with the future. Cops will quit. There will be fewer people to man the jail. Food will become scarce and the people will begin to lose their faith in this county’s leadership. And when they do, the real hell will begin.”
“And what do you suppose we do in the meantime?”
“Nothing. Go about your day. Hunt. Fish. Help your brothers and sisters around the property. Ensure this place is protected.”
“You think the Stricklands are coming?”
“No. I made sure of that. That’s why Alby went in. We needed something substantial. A get out of jail free card.” She smiled. “But others might come.”
Jessie stared.
“You think you’re really smart, don’t you?”
“I don’t see you coming up with anything, Jessie.”
“I was thinking of hitting them where it hurts. The farms.”
“Absurd,” she shot back, laughing. That was always the way she did it. If she couldn’t get her way she belittled them. Made them feel less than. Stupid even. “That will break the agreement I made with them. I can’t have you do that.”
Jessie crossed the room and pointed at Miriam. “Look at her. Look at her! Look what they did. You think that’s okay? That it will make her strong. Is that it? Is that how you’ve justified it in your twisted little mind?”
“No one touching my kids is okay. Just because I agreed with the Stricklands to leave them be so we can live in peace, that doesn’t mean I don’t plan to make their life a living hell.” She got up. “But destroying their farm is not the way. Destroying their supplies is.”
“Their supplies?”
She tutted, making him feel stupid. She waved a hand and told them all to follow her
