A Spear of Summer Grass - By Deanna Raybourn Page 0,117
he was fading. I made to go, then turned back again. “What is your name, Gideon? I want to know your real name, not the one the white school gave you. I want the one your people gave you. The name God calls you.”
He smiled. “I am Ole, Delilah.”
“Ole,” I said slowly. “Good. Because if I ever get to heaven, I want to know how to find you.”
“This is a thing that I know—you are my friend, Delilah.”
I turned then and walked to the door. But it was too late. The police had arrived.
* * *
The inspector emerged from his car with a selection of policemen and he smiled at me, lifting a piece of paper over his head. “I have a warrant for the arrest of the Masai known as Gideon. Where is he?”
“I don’t know,” I called out, “but you’re just in time to see where the foreman Gates assaulted my cow herder. The blood has been scrubbed, but you can still make out traces. Would you like to investigate that?” I asked, stepping forward. Tusker and Jude closed ranks behind me as Ryder casually shut the barn door behind him. There were few places to hide inside, and we would buy him only a few minutes at best, but I could not stand by and let them take him, not on evidence that could have just as easily implicated me. Dora and Halliwell appeared on the veranda and Halliwell put his arm about her shoulders.
The inspector came nearer to me, and his men formed a wall behind him. He smiled again. “I have something more significant than the assault of a native boy on the docket today, Miss Drummond. Now, this will all go a great deal easier if you simply tell us where he’s gone and let us get on with it.”
“Get on with what?” Jude demanded. “Hanging an innocent man? Tell me, Inspector, what sort of trials do black men get in this country? I think we both know the answer to that.”
His smile slipped a little. Bless her, I thought. Ryder had edged around to my left and I realised that between this action and Jude’s theatrics, the police might just be diverted long enough for Gideon to effect an escape through the far side. He could hide in the lugga if we could just keep them occupied.
Jude started yelling then, stepping right up until she was toe-to-toe with the inspector. It was a step too far. As soon as she got within arm’s length, the inspector shifted his attention to the barn itself. He signalled a pair of his men to take Jude and as soon as they moved forward, Ryder cocked his rifle.
“Try putting a hand on her,” he told them. “I’m begging you.”
They stood at a stalemate for a moment, the air charged as Jude refused to give ground and Ryder held the position at her back. The policemen drew their weapons, and all it would take was the slightest twitch and all hell would break loose.
“I did it.” The words were out of my mouth before I even knew I was going to say them. Every single person on that farm turned to look at me, and I stepped forward again, squaring my shoulders. “I killed Kit Parrymore.”
There was a moment of blessed, sacred silence before absolute pandemonium broke out.
Tusker started laughing, a deep belly laugh that was edged with hysteria. Dora collapsed straight into Halliwell’s arms, and Jude swung around to look at me, colliding with Ryder. He was staring at me, his eyes locked on mine, and he understood.
I turned back to the inspector whose mouth had gone slack again. I held out my hands.
“Did you bring handcuffs? Only mind you don’t put them on too tightly. I bruise easily.”
He shook his head. “Not so fast, Miss Drummond. I want a statement.”
“Fine. Here’s your statement—I went a little crazy and I shot Kit with his own revolver while he slept. I think I did. I mean, it’s all so fuzzy in my head. I can’t quite remember.”
The inspector’s eyes narrowed, and he gave me a smile as thin as paper. “I don’t believe you.”
I closed my eyes for a moment, letting the blackness wash over me. I heard the howling of the rougarou, and I felt the warmth of Gideon’s hand in mind. I took one last deep breath and then I plunged.
“It wouldn’t be the first time I went crazy,” I said. I lifted my wrist and