to Otha.” Ella hung her head. “I wanted to see what was down here.”
“Curiosity’s one thing. Turnin’ them loose is another! That makes you worse than a sneak. You’re a traitor.”
“I’m sorry, Pa.” Ella held her palms in front of her face. “I was wrong to do it.”
Isaiah grabbed her arm and slammed her against the wall. “Git over there and shut up.” He looked at Abby and Jay. “Git back in the hole. Now! I ain’t ready to finish you off just yet. But you give me one reason, and I’ll shoot you dead right here, right now.”
Abby backed up and climbed down the ladder. Jay jumped.
“As for you,” Isaiah shouted at Ella, “that’s the last straw. You ain’t been worth a plug nickel from the git-go.”
Abby heard the sound of a hand slapping flesh, and Ella whimpered. Lord, help her!
“I’m sorry, Pa. I promise I won’t do it no more.”
“I ain’t givin’ you the chance.”
Abby heard scuffling, and a few seconds later, Isaiah stood looking down at them, holding Ella by her hair. She was crying.
“Please, Pa. Don’t throw me down there,” Ella begged. “I’m sorry. I … I know I did wrong.”
“Sorry ain’t good enough. I can’t trust you no more. Go on now. Git!” Isaiah gave her a hard shove, and Ella fell into the hole.
Abby gasped as Jay scrambled and caught Ella with his arms, the force of her fall knocking them to the ground.
“I’m done with all o’ you.” Isaiah pulled up the ladder, slammed the trapdoor shut, and slid the bolt lock.
Jay let Ella get up and then stood, rubbing his arm.
“You wanted your sister back,” Isaiah said mockingly. “She’s all yours—for the rest o’ your life. But you best talk fast. It’s gonna be a short reunion.”
Abby kept her eyes on Jay, unable to find her voice as Isaiah walked back up the wooden steps and out the creaky door.
Ella stood facing the wall, sobbing quietly into her hands.
Abby thought her heart would break. She put her hand on Ella’s shoulder, glad that the child seemed receptive to her touch. “It’s going to be okay, sweetie.”
“No, it ain’t.” Ella shook her head. “Pa’s really mad. You don’t know how he gits.”
“Otha will come looking for you,” Abby said. “She’s your stepmother, right?”
Ella nodded. “Why did Pa say I was your sister? I ain’t never seen you before.”
“Not since you were old enough to remember. But I used to give you piggyback rides, and tell you stories, and rock you to sleep.”
Ella turned around, her eyes wide. “So he’s your pa too?”
“No, my father’s dead.”
Ella cocked her head. “Well, if we don’t have the same ma or the same pa, why are you my sister?”
Abby looked over at Jay and then at Ella. “Isaiah hasn’t told you the truth.”
“He lies to Otha sometimes. She pretends to believe him so he won’t git mad. But I know she don’t.”
“Sit with us and let me explain some things.” Abby sat on the ground next to Jay, not surprised when Ella remained standing.
“You don’t have to be afraid of us, sweetie. My name is Abby Cummings. This is Jay Rogers. We came to find you.”
Ella dropped to the ground and sat facing them. “Why? I ain’t lost.”
“This is the only home you remember,” Abby replied, feeling as if someone else were talking, “but you lived somewhere else until you were two. Your real name is Riley Jo Cummings. Your parents are Kate and Micah Cummings. You have two big brothers, Hawk and Jesse. And I’m your sister, Abby. You disappeared when you were two years old, and so did our daddy, Micah. Your family’s been looking for you ever since, and Mama has been very sad and misses you terribly. We all have.”
“I don’t know nothin’ about none o’ you.” Ella’s voice shook. “That ain’t what Pa told me.”
“You said yourself that he lies,” Jay added.
Ella rocked, her arms folded tightly across her chest. “I got twin brothers, Ronny and Donny. Them and Pa and Otha’s my only kin. Well, ’cept for Uncle Walter and Granny Faye.”
“I’m sure you love them,” Abby said. “I’m not trying to take that away from you, sweetie. But it’s important to know where you came from. You want the truth, don’t you?”
Ella kept rocking and avoided eye contact. “Why does Pa want y’all dead?”
“Because”—Abby cupped her sister’s chin in her hand—“we know the truth, and he’s scared of getting into trouble. Isaiah broke the law when he brought you here