him an hour to explain all the still’s components and their various functions. Lesson over, Corrine asked to be excused to seek a private spot to relieve herself.
Ernie said to Laurel, “Wouldn’t have taken half as long if she hadn’t asked so many dadgum questions.”
“They were good questions, Ernie, about things she needs to know.”
“She always rattle on that much?”
“You’ll get used to it.”
“I doubt it. What happened to her eye?”
“She took a beating from the late Wally Johnson.”
He looked in the direction Corrine had gone. “She’s the whore?”
“Don’t use that word again.” After her sharp rebuke, she set her hand on his arm in conciliation. “Listen, Ernie, when Mr. Hutton brought Irv home last night, I thought he was dead. I’m sure you were fit to be tied when he didn’t show up for work. It was a rough night on all of us. Fair to say, we’re feeling the strain?”
He nodded.
“I’m sorry to spring Corrine on you,” she continued, “but it was actually Irv’s idea, and at first even I was resistant to it.” She recapped for him the conversation she and Irv had had early that morning. “We’ve got to keep up production or we’ll soon be out of business. In fact, our supply is already low. I’ll walk back to the shack and bring the car around. Irv said you had some crates stashed away. I need to take them back with me.”
“They was stole.”
Her breath escaped her. “What?”
“I wasn’t gonna tell you, didn’t want you worrying.”
She backed up to an upended crate and sat down. “Well, I’m worried now. When were they stolen?”
“Night before last. I’d added a crate to the stash that day. Went back yesterday to add another one. They’s all gone.”
“How many?”
“Ten.”
One hundred and twenty jars of one hundred proof. She did the math. Her heart sank over the amount of the loss.
Ernie said, “I would’ve told Irv last night, only he got shot.” He raised his bony shoulders.
“Where was this stash hidden?”
“Over in that cedar break.”
She looked in the direction he’d pointed. “That nearby?”
“Thirty yards, maybe. I’d dug a hole big as a grave, thought I had it covered up good with brush.”
“Who could have gotten that close without your knowing?”
Another shrug. “I wasn’t doing a run that night. Did some tinkering on the new still. Shored up the firebox with more rock. Crawled into the tent pretty early. Never heard a thing.” He pushed his hands into the deep pockets of his overalls. “You trust those twins?”
“Yes.” Then she gave a shrug of her own. “I suppose.”
“Irv says they’re half drunk half the time. Randy as goats. Lightning rods for trouble.”
“Maybe, but we need them.”
“What about that Hutton fella?”
“What about him?”
“How was it he brought Irv home from Lefty’s?”
“It’s a long story.” She didn’t want to mention the deputy’s badge.
“Irv thinks—”
“I know what Irv thinks.” Her brittle tone stopped him from taking that subject any further. Be careful you don’t dare me.
“Well,” Ernie said, “somebody found out where we’re at. If it’d been lawmen, they’d’ve poured out the hooch and busted up the stills.”
“Unless it was corrupt lawmen.”
“Could be. But…”
“But what, Ernie?”
“You don’t need this on top of Irv.”
“Don’t spare me bad news. I hate surprises. Recent ones have been calamities.”
“Well then, what I think? Whoever stole the ’shine was giving us a warnin’. It was somebody’s way of saying we know who you are and where you’re at, and you got off light with us just taking off ten crates instead of ten fingers and toes.”
“The Johnsons?”
“So long as we’re small timers, they’ll leave us be. But if we start horning in on their profit…”
Again he didn’t finish, but she got the message. “Maybe I shouldn’t involve Corrine after all. What if they come back?”
“I’ve got two rifles, a side-by-side shotgun, a six-shooter, and a trap.”
“A trap?”
“Jaw spring. Big enough to trap a bear. If some sorry sumbitch sticks his hand in that hidey-hole again, he’ll come up with a stump.”
Corrine reappeared. Both observed her as she walked toward them. When she got nearer to them, she stopped and put her hands on her hips. “Why are y’all lookin’ at me like that?”
“Can you shoot a rifle?” Ernie asked.
“Damn good. Back home, I helped keep food on the table.”
“You ain’t back home, and you got only one good eye.”
“Then I might have to use you for target practice.”
Looking at Laurel, he mumbled, “I’ll give her the shotgun. Tell Irv to take it easy and not worry about things. That