Part 21 (1/2)

Remember when Ned Gillen won first place in the state track races? That kid could outrun trouble-and he needed to, what with the company he kept.Holler Carlson A few days went on like this, with more and more memories coming in. Then, the day of the deadline, Mr. DeVore delivered a new stack of envelopes. Lettie, Ruthanne, and I all started in opening a few when Lettie gave a gasp. She turned a little pale and, without a word, handed the paper to Ruthanne.

”Well, I'll be dipped in sugar.” Ruthanne handed me the note written in straight up-and-down letters that looked like they were plodding across the page. ”We found our match!”

To whom it may concern,I have read your recent columns regarding past goings-on in this town. I should think you would be more responsible with the information you print in the publication you choose to call a newspaper. I have no such recollection of ever having mistakenly engraved a name on any tombstone, let alone a name as ridiculous as Proky. Furthermore, whoever would name their offspring after the Emanc.i.p.ation Proclamation should blame themselves for any misprint.Mr. Underhill ”So Mr. Underhill is the Rattler?” I asked in disbelief. ”He's creepy enough, but he just doesn't seem the Rattler type.”

”Yeah, he seems more like a lizard or a toad,” Lettie agreed.

”But it's here in black and white,” said Ruthanne. ”It's the same handwriting that was on the note at the tree house telling us to leave well enough alone.”

We all stared at the notepaper. There was his handwriting, with the last letter trailing off...like a dying breath.

Miss Sadie's Divining Parlor

AUGUST 23, 1936.

I was so excited to be the bearer of such important news that I ran all the way back to Shady's place. I planned to tell him the whole story of how we'd been searching for the Rattler all summer and we'd found him. So I was disappointed to find him gone. I can't say I was surprised, though, now that I knew what kept him busy at odd hours. was so excited to be the bearer of such important news that I ran all the way back to Shady's place. I planned to tell him the whole story of how we'd been searching for the Rattler all summer and we'd found him. So I was disappointed to find him gone. I can't say I was surprised, though, now that I knew what kept him busy at odd hours.

Still, I was itching to tell somebody. So I skedaddled over to Miss Sadie's and tromped up her stairs and into her house.

”Miss Sadie, guess what?” I called. ”Miss Sadie?” I said again, looking first in the parlor and then in the kitchen. I saw her through the window, sitting on the back porch. ”Miss Sadie,” I said, bounding outside, ”you'll never guess what happened. We found out who the Rattler is. At least, we think he's the Rattler. It's Mr. Underhill. He left a note at the tree house and we had a contest-”

Miss Sadie hadn't even looked at me. She just sat rocking. Her hair lay loose on her shoulders, unbrushed. Her face looked dull and ashen. I thought maybe her leg was bothering her, as it seemed to be redder and oozier than ever.

I stepped closer. ”Can I get you some cool water and your ointment? Would you like that, Miss Sadie?” I said quietly.

”The ointment does not help. There is too much sickness inside and it festers.”

I went ahead and got a gla.s.s of water and the balm, even though I knew she was right. When the gash on my leg got bad and I was delirious with fever, the doctor had to lance it open to let out all the infection.

I gently dabbed on the salve, telling her about Mr. Underhill. She nodded but stared off disinterestedly. ”Things are not always what they seem.”

”What do you mean? You don't think it's him?”

”The line between truth and myth is sometimes difficult to see.” As her voice got heavier, and her rocking more rhythmic, I could feel her heading into a story. ”As much as we wanted it to be true, it was nothing but a myth.”

What was she talking about? What had been a myth? My insides got tight. I wasn't sure I wanted to know.

But she went on. ”Who would dare think the outcast and abandoned can find a home? Who would dream that one can love without being crushed under the weight of it? A miracle cure to heal the sick? Pah. What makes us think any of this could be true? And yet all of us, we partic.i.p.ate in this myth, we create it, perpetuate it.”

Miss Sadie's voice grew deep under the weight of the story.

”But what is worse-we believe it. And in the end, we are crushed by it....”

Homecoming

OCTOBER 27, 1918 27, 1918.

Sat.u.r.day, the day before the homecoming festivities, was cool and overcast, but no one seemed to mind as everyone busied themselves with preparations for the big event.

Along with the changing color of leaves came a vibrant spirit among the people of Manifest. Men set up booths, hung strings of electric lights, and put the final coat of paint on the new gazebo. It was to be a grand affair, complete with a barbershop quartet, pony rides, caramel apples, a pie-baking contest, a bocce tournament, and an evening promenade under the stars. The women were busy baking, rolling, simmering their specialties. Whether they made Greek baklava, French galettes, Italian bread, or German bierochs, all wanted to impress the others.

Word had spread that Mrs. Cybulskis had gone into labor, and everyone saw it as a good sign that their First Annual Homecoming Celebration would also be welcoming a new life. They even dared to believe that their sons at war would soon return.

Jinx walked past the tented booths, through the open field near Shady's place, and watched Paulie Santoni explain the rules of bocce to a group of young men. Paulie held a large hedge apple in his hand.

”Now, the first thing you should know is, the Italians, we invented the game of bocce.”

”Is this not just an overgrown game of marbles?” called out a young Frenchman.

Paulie grimaced. ”No. Bocce takes true skill and years of practice. Let me explain.” He displayed the hedge apple. ”Think of this as a bocce ball. You roll the ball and try to get it closest to the jack ball in the circle.” He cradled the hedge apple gently in his hands. ”The ball, she requires finesse and caressing, you know, like a lady. This is why the Italians are so good at bocce. Watch. You don't want to knock her out. Merely brush her cheek.” He curled the hedge apple behind him and let it fly a little harder than planned, knocking the smaller jack out of the circle.

The other young men-Frenchmen, Germans, Swedes, Greeks-all laughed. One boisterous Scot yelled, ”Aye, that's amore amore.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Jinx saw Sheriff Dean watching him. As if that wasn't uncomfortable enough, he couldn't shake the feeling that someone else was also watching him. Someone in the shadows.

Just then, Jinx met up with Shady, glancing past him at the sheriff. Shady handed Jinx a pretzel, keeping a sausage for himself. ”Compliments of Mrs. Akkerson.” He followed Jinx's gaze. ”Looks like you have a watchdog.”

Jinx took a bite and muttered with his mouth full, ”Yeah, he watches every move I make, hoping I'll do something he can arrest me for.”

”Word's spread all over Manifest and beyond that you're a con man par excellence,” Shady observed. ”But the sheriff looks like he's got more on his mind than cons.”

Jinx was quiet for a moment. ”Shady, you've been real good to me. I think you should know I've got a few skeletons in my closet.”

Shady took a knife from his pocket, cut a chunk of sausage, and squinted across the field at Sheriff Dean. ”Well”-he popped the bite into his mouth-”what do you say we throw the sheriff a bone?”

Jinx smiled. ”What do you have in mind?”

”Just meet me over in the clearing, by that big sycamore tree where we were selling the elixir. Act like you're up to something and make sure the sheriff follows you.”

A few minutes later, Jinx pulled his hat down over his eyes and gave a furtive look this way and that, then set off through the trees. He walked slowly and stopped every once in a while to make sure he heard the sheriff's footsteps behind him.

As Jinx came upon the gra.s.sy opening, he saw Shady lowering himself into the grave that had never been filled after the quarantine.

”Shady,” Jinx whispered in a not-quiet voice.

”Over here,” Shady whispered back equally loudly.

”Here.” Shady handed Jinx a gallon jug with a cork stopper. ”We'd best get rid of these before the sheriff finds out there's still some left.”

”Too late for that,” the sheriff said, peering down at Shady.

Shady scratched the back of his neck like he'd been caught red-handed. ”There's just these two jugs left, Sheriff. How's about one for you and one for us?”

Sheriff Dean shook his head. ”Now, Shady. I thought you were swearing off the stuff.” He took up one jug and reached for the other. ”I think I'd better keep the kit and the caboodle.” Sheriff Dean uncorked one jug and gave it a sniff. ”So, this is two parts alcohol and one part elixir? Smells a little funny, but after a couple stiff drinks, who'll know the difference?”