***
The road was a myriad of puddles and broken tree branches, but the clouds had cleared and a bright yellow moon grinned down from the black sky. Charli pulled her coat tighter around her. My shirt and her slightly moist coat hardly provided enough protection from the frigid night air.
“Why is it that it’s always colder once the clouds leave?” Rose asked.
“I always figure the clouds act a little like a blanket.” Charli turned to the backseat to look at her as she spoke.
“Hmm, never thought of that way.” Rose yawned. “What a night. My goodness, Jackson, that brother of yours throws a lethal punch. Those navy boys went down one, two, three, like trees being felled in a forest. I think he might even give Hector a run if he stepped into the ring.”
“He would.” That’s when it occurred to me that the whole thing might have been a set-up. Griggs had mentioned something to me about Gideon fighting in the ring. He also knew that Gideon was a regular at Breakers. He might very well have set something up so Gideon would be forced to display his fighting skills, and from Rose’s description, display was exactly what he’d done. It was a stretch, but Griggs had numerous connections, and devious plans were his specialty.
“What’s on your mind, Jackson?” Charli asked. “It looks like you’ve got little gears spinning in your head.”
I smiled. “I do occasionally have thoughts. And some do not actually include these legs.” I reached down and smoothed my hand over her bare thigh. “Although, those are rare these days.”
She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. “Then you keep those thoughts churning.”
I pulled the car off the road into the empty lot that had been serving as the carnival parking. The moon was just full enough to shed a decent amount of light on the carnival grounds. Most of the tents sagged under the weight of rainwater. Several of the game booths had been ripped apart by the wind. While the first rainstorm had dried up fast, it didn’t seem the puddles were going to evaporate as quickly after this second deluge.
Both women groaned simultaneously at the sorry sight.
“Oh my gosh, it’s going to be like that time when we were in upstate New York,” Rose said. “Mud, everything was covered in mud, the people, the tents, the animals. And it never seemed to stop. Buck sure picked a doozy of a place to park this parade.”
“There isn’t another place this side of the Appalachians that you’re going to meet men like the Jarrett brothers,” I reminded her with a wink.
“True. In fact, when you put it that way, what’s a little mud? Thank you for the ride, Jackson. And tell that big brother of yours to come see me tomorrow. We didn’t get to finish our date.”
“I probably won’t have to remind him.”
Rose opened the door. “I’ll let you two have your good-bye kiss.” She climbed out and then leaned back into the car. “And, Charli, when you get back to the tent—” She tugged at the collar on the shirt Charli was wearing. “I’ll want details. I’ll have to walk fast or these heels will be sucked right off my feet.” With long, fast strides, Rose sashayed toward the carnival.
I took hold of the sides of Charli’s coat and pulled her closer. “Now, about that good-bye kiss.” We kissed long enough to steam up the front windshield and give me an aching erection.
She pulled away first. “Jackson, I really need to get to bed. They’ll be ringing the up and at ‘em bell as soon as the sun rises. At least I won’t have to ride tomorrow night.”
I sat back with a disappointed grunt. “All right, it’s against my better judgment, but I will let you leave. Oh, and, Charli, watch yourself when Griggs is around. I think he might have worked out some deal with Buck that includes you.”
Her brown eyes flickered with confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“I just think Griggs has more than a monetary interest in this place and his partnership with Buck.”
Confusion turned to anger. “Are you trying to tell me that Buck has traded me off like a— like a damn whore?” It was then I realized that the anger I saw was not for Buck. It was for me. “Buck is my stepfather.” Her voice wavered. “He’d never do anything like that. He might not be much family, but he’s all I’ve got.”
I reached for her hand, but she yanked it away. Her eyes were glassy and her bottom lip trembled as she turned her face away and reached for the door.
“Charli, I’m sorry.”
“You’re wrong.”
As she went to step out, I reached for her again. I’d fucked up, but I’d done it out of concern.
She spun back to face me. “You don’t know him. You don’t know Buck. He’d never do that.” She slammed the door so hard, the passenger window slid down. She raced away with the white tails of my shirt hanging below the hem of her coat.
Chapter 16
Charli
The clang of the bell nearly sent me off the edge of the cot. When Rose had seen my face as I entered the tent the night before, she hadn’t prodded me for details. I’d climbed under my blanket and tossed around a good half hour before finally falling asleep.
Cold moisture had filled the inside of the tent. I sat up groggily and scrubbed my face to wake up. My head hurt and every part of me felt filled with lead. It had been a wonderful evening, but it had ended on such a bleak note, I was sure I’d be dragging around in a state of melancholy all day.
Rose glanced over at Emma’s empty cot. “Can’t believe Emma got up before us. I never even saw her come in last night. Must have been late.” Rose covered her ears as the bell sounded again. “Why don’t they stop that racket. We already know we have to get up. Sometimes I think your stepfather has a sadistic streak in him.”
“He’s just trying to make sure everyone comes out to help,” I said sharply.
Rose caught my tone and lifted up onto her elbow. She stared at me with a smooth raised brow. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Talk about what?”
“Come on, Charli. When I left you in Jackson’s car, your face was pink with the blush of true love, and when you got to the tent, you looked as if someone had punched you in the heart.”
“I don’t want to talk about it, Rose.” Jackson’s shirt was draped over my trunk. I smoothed my hand over it. My eyes ached thinking about the end of the night. It had been too ugly to even consider. It would be the ultimate betrayal from the man who had loved my mother and helped raise me. I knew when money was involved Buck could be as ruthless as— as ruthless as a gangster like Griggs. But to even toy with the notion that he would trade me over to a monster for profit made me sick to my stomach. And having Jackson be the one to put the idea in my head made it that much worse. It felt like the ultimate betrayal on both their parts.
“All right. Not my business to pry.” She sat up and smoothed back her hair. “I’m happy not to dance today, but I sure don’t look forward to cleaning up, especially in mud. Which reminds me, sure hope Emma didn’t use up all the hot water in the bathing tent. She tends to not care how many other people need it.”
“I’m not going to bother to bathe until after clean-up this morning. Besides, if I don’t get a cup of coffee soon, I’m going to climb back into that cot and stay there the rest of the day.” I pulled on my work clothes and boots and headed out.
The early risers were already hard at work picking up any debris and garbage left behind by the carnival goers and the storm. Hector and Francine, like Rose and me, were just trying to shake off the grogginess of the night before. Francine looked as petite as a wood sprite next to the hulking strongman as they crouched over the cooking pit sipping their coffees. I didn’t even need to ask. Francine’s arm shot out with a full tin cup, and I grabbed it greedily.
“You’re an angel, Francine. I owe you.” I took a deep whiff of the coffee. Its rich aroma was almost enough to revive m
e. Everyone in the camp preferred their cups of Joe to be black as pitch, and this morning’s was no exception. I lifted the steaming liquid to my lips and sipped it. “I don’t know what all the fuss is about liquor. Now, if those fools on Capitol Hill decided to ban coffee drinking, then that would be a reason for a full on rebellion.” I glanced around. “Has Emma already had her coffee? She must have been up early.”
Hector hadn’t taken the time to wax his moustache, and it looked particularly droopy this morning. “Emma hasn’t been around. Are you sure she’s up?”
“There aren’t too many places she could hide in our tent. I assume she’s out and about already.”
“Maybe she’s in talking to Buck.” Francine stood, still cradling her coffee like it was liquid gold. “I’ll take you up on your offer of owing me. Rusty needs some sunlight. You know how he hates cold, damp weather. I’ve got to go around and check the traps for his breakfast.”
“So, he’s cold, grumpy and hungry?” I looked at Hector with a silent plea.
He shook his big head. “Don’t look at me. That snake makes my skin crawl. Sometimes when I’m kissing Francine, he gives me the evil eye like he’s planning to squeeze and swallow me.”
Francine and I had a good laugh over that impossible scenario.
“I don’t think there’s a snake on earth that would consider you possible prey, Hector,” I said. The coffee had cleared my head, and the fresh air and laughter had lifted my sour mood. I was upset with Jackson, but, in retrospect, it seemed I’d overreacted. I’d been hurt and even a little embarrassed by his accusations against Buck. But even if he was utterly wrong, Jackson was just worried about me. Knowing that made me feel a little better.
“Well, I guess I can only nurse this cup of Joe for so long before I get hit over the head with a sweeping broom,” Hector grunted. He stood with painstaking slowness, like a ninety-year-old man coming off the rocker he’d been sitting on for hours. “That fight ring is taking its toll on me. I’m not as young as I used to be.”
I chuckled into my tin cup. “I think all of us can say the same thing. Otherwise, we’d be getting younger instead of older. Why don’t you let some of the volunteers and amateurs fight each other?”
“I’d be fine sitting on the outside of the ropes for a change, but I don’t think Buck would like that.” He motioned with his square, wide chin toward the main tent. “Speaking of Buck—”
I looked back over my shoulder. Buck looked even worse off than I had been before I drank the dark elixir of life from the dented tin cup. But Buck couldn’t use the excuse of not having had his coffee yet. He was already holding a cup in his meaty fist. There was a piece of paper clutched in the other. The closer he got, the worse he looked. This wasn’t all from having had too much whiskey. There was a frosty pale shade to his usually ruddy complexion, and his beard was twitching even more than usual.
“Buck? Are you feeling all right?” I asked.
I was standing not five feet from him, but he hadn’t heard me. He looked around with a strange, faraway gaze as if he’d forgotten he owned a carnival.
“Buck?”
His attention shot back to me. His eyes rounded as if he hadn’t even noticed me standing there. “Charli, morning. Have you seen Emma?”
“Not this morning. I thought she might have been in your tent.”
There was something hesitant about his response. “She wasn’t with me.” He shoved the paper he’d been holding into his pocket. It wasn’t just me. Francine and Hector watched him with the same amount of curiosity and worry as I did.
“Everything all right, Buck?” Hector asked.
“Hmm, yes, I’m fine.” He cleared his throat and put on his best morning scowl. “Shouldn’t you all be pitching in? We’ve got to get this place cleaned up,” he barked. “The carnival is closed today, but I’ll be expecting you in the ring, Hector.”
“Right, Mr. Starfield.” People, especially people like Hector who had worked for Buck for a long time, never called him Starfield. Hector was making a point that he was unhappy about being ordered around. I couldn’t blame him. Fighting day after day, even if you were always the victor, would take its toll on anyone, even a man built of iron like Hector.
***
I’d spent the morning helping Dodie sweep the area around the sphere clean. I decided that once my work was done, I’d take the motorcycle out to Jackson’s house. I owed him an apology or, at the very least, an explanation about why I’d been so defensive. It really did come down to the reality that Buck was the only family I had left in this world. As much as he often irritated me, and even though he had some really unbecoming qualities, my mother had loved him. And he had loved her. If nothing else, we always had that important bond between us. Even though the flaming hoops had been his idea, he had been just as devastated by her loss as me. I just refused to believe that Buck would do anything that would put me in danger. I needed to let Jackson know that was why I’d reacted so strongly to his insinuation.
The weather here was extremely fickle. Yesterday, deep gray storm clouds had hovered over the grounds like a threatening wet shroud, and today, the sun beamed down full of spirit and warmth. I headed to Francine’s tent to take Rusty out for a walk. I’d always found the snake to be an extremely good listener, as long as his belly was full. If not, then he spent his entire walk watching the birds chirping on the wires above.
As if my thoughts of hungry snakes had conjured him, Griggs stepped out from the main tent. He said something to the two big men behind him. They stayed put as he approached me.
“Charli, I’ve been looking for you.” He took the liberty of stepping within just a few inches of me. I moved back. He followed me with forward steps. Sarsaparilla, that was the fragrance coming off his hair. I’d finally figured it out.
“I was just talking to your stepfather. He tells me, with the exception of the fight ring, the carnival will be closed. So, you’ll be free tonight. You and I can hit the town.”
I held up my finger. “If you’ll excuse me just one second.”
His thin lips twisted in an angry knot, and I half-expected him to follow me into Francine’s tent. Daylight cast his small, mean silhouette against the canvas. Rusty stared up at me with a bored look as I reached in and picked him up. Griggs always walked around with his bodyguards. I decided to do the same. “Come on, buddy. I need you.”
“Charli, I don’t like to wait,” Griggs barked from outside.
“Coming.” Rusty made himself comfortable around my shoulders. His broad, flat head lifted instinctually as I stepped into the warm sunlight.
“What the fuck?” Griggs fell back several feet, and I was certain I heard the two thick-necked thugs he’d left behind gasp.
“Now, you were saying?” I went on with our conversation as if nothing untoward was happening. Griggs, on the other hand, seemed to have lost some of his swagger. Rusty was better than a gun. There was no way the man was going to come within ten feet of me now.
“What the hell do you have there?” He snarled a laugh and looked back at his men. “These circus freaks, huh?” He didn’t take his beady eyes off the snake as he spoke. “I thought we’d head across the bridge tonight. Put on something real pretty, and I’ll treat you to a night out.”
“Sir, are you asking Rusty out because I really don’t think you’re his type.”
He lunged at me with a vicious expression before seeming to remember the giant serpent around my shoulders. He backed off. “Listen, little tease, you get yourself gussied up real pretty and be ready at nine.”
“Not a chance.”
His harsh glare flicked from me to the snake and back again. He lifted an angry finger and pointed at me. “I guess you think you’re a clever girl arming yourself with that snake.” He stepped a little closer but still kept a good distance. “Know this, your st
epfather is losing plenty of money at my tables. He’s already up to his fat face in debt. One way or another, I always collect what is owed me.” The lascivious expression on his sharp, mean face left no room for misinterpretation. “If your refusal has anything to do with that two-bit rum runner, Jarrett, then you should rethink it. The boy works for me. With a snap of my fingers, I can put him out of business. That same finger snap can cause him a great deal of pain too, if you catch my meaning.”
“Mr. Griggs, I assure you nothing you’ve said here needs interpretation.” His threat about Jackson horrified me, but this was no time to show any weakness. “I know you are a snake.” I patted Rusty on the head. “Sorry, buddy. Bad comparison.” I glared at the man. His face was like cold stone. “My refusal has nothing to do with Jackson Jarrett. We are nothing to each other.” Just saying the false words aloud felt like a stab in the heart, assuring me that I had fallen hard for Jackson. “I won’t go out with you because I hate you. Simple as that.”
The stone facade cracked some with my last words, but I was sure his self-confidence would just brush it off as unfathomable.
“You will bend to me soon. Otherwise, this whole damn place will collapse around you.” He snapped his fingers. His loyal servants trotted after him as he strode across the midway to the parking lot.
As if he’d been waiting for Griggs to leave, Buck stepped out of the main tent. His face was pale, and he looked a bit unsteady. It wouldn’t have been the first time he’d laced his coffee with liquor.
It was time for me to confront the man on just what he’d been up to. “Buck,” I said sharply.
He walked over and stroked Rusty’s head. “Did you have a nice talk with Griggs?” he asked before I could start my own interrogation.
“No, talking to that man is never nice. But he sure seems to think that somehow I will agree to go out with him.”