Dark Places by Reavis Z Wortham Page A

so long they were dusty.
    John T. was in the rear, talking to Oak through the iron bars of the post office counter. “Have you seen James Parker’s little gal, Pepper?”
    Oak shook his head. “Naw, not today. Why’n’t you ask James, or Ned?”
    â€œI will when I see ’em. I wanted to warn her away from that Westlake kid.”
    â€œSomebody needs to.” Ned joined him at the post office window. “I ain’t seen her today. Why?”
    John T.’s face reddened. He moved to face Ned. “Well, uh, I don’t think much of that Westlake kid and I think she needs to be careful.”
    â€œI’m all right with that, but I don’t know much about you. Where do you live?”
    â€œDown toward Cooper right now.”
    Ned’s blue eyes took stock of the man in front of him and he didn’t like what he saw. “I’d sooner you didn’t have anything to do with my grandkids.”
    â€œThat’s fine, then.”
    â€œWhere’s your other runnin’ buddy you were up here with earlier? What’s his name…”
    â€œFreddy.” His eyes narrowed in frustration when he realized he’d done exactly what Ned wanted.
    â€œYeah, ol’ Freddy. Where’s he?”
    John T. scowled. “Home, I guess. He tried snuff the other day, but it didn’t set well with him.”
    â€œAin’t that the truth?”
    Oak watched the exchange with one wandering eye through his coke-bottle-thick glasses. His sight was so bad he had to hold objects almost against his nose to read them. Tiring of the subject, he peered at an envelope through the thick lens. “Ned, you want your mail?”
    â€œProbably just duns.”
    â€œMost likely. You need anything else, John T.?”
    He started to say something else, but changed his mind. “Nope. I’m gone.” John T. spun on one boot heel.
    When he opened the door, James Parker rushed in, shouldering him aside. “Ned!”
    The old constable’s head snapped around at his son’s frightened voice. “What?”
    â€œPepper’s done run off from home.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?”
    â€œShe left in the night.”
    Holding his belly, Ned rushed out the door, followed by James. Ned had no idea what to do first, other than get ahold of Top. He’d know what was going on.
    John T. watched them go. With luck, Pepper and Cale would disappear forever, like a lot of kids who ran away from home.
    At least he wouldn’t have to deal with them.
    Unless they returned.

Chapter Twenty
    Once again on Main Street, Anna shook off her mad and passed a small, empty building that still harbored a mystery. A decade earlier, the owner of what then was a small fix-it shop was tied up, beaten, and left alone. By the time Ned and John Washington broke down the door, the owner was dead. They never knew if it was from the beating, asphyxiation, or the rats. The case was still unsolved.
    She thought about turning into SkateWorld, but didn’t figure grown men in suits would have any interest in roller skating. Her next stop was the Dairy Kreem drive-in. She parked under metal cover and ordered a burger, fries, and a Dr Pepper. The carhop hung the tray on Anna’s partially opened window.
    Anna held up the photo. “You ever serve these guys?”
    The little brunette stood hip-cocked beside the car. “Yep. They’ve been in here a few times.”
    â€œDo you remember the last time you saw them?”
    â€œIt’s been several days.”
    The hand-cut fries were still too hot to eat, so Anna separated the largest and balanced them on the side of the plastic basket, like cigarettes in an ashtray. “Did you talk to them?”
    â€œNo ma’am. Not more than taking their order.”
    Anna bit into the burger and chewed for a moment. “Do you always work this shift?”
    â€œNo ma’am. I work around my kids, and when