Chapter 11
Javier decided to take the day off. What was happening was more important than work, and his projects were ahead of schedule. He sat down across from his mother. “You’re never here at this hour during the week.”
“Well, there’s a lot going on. I thought you and your girlfriend might need me.”
“She’s not my girlfriend. She’s?—”
“Memphis is more than a casual relationship You’re simply having trouble accepting that.”
“She wants me to go to Texas and help with an issue about the ranch. I’m not equipped.”
“I’m glad to hear that. You are equipped, or Ransom wouldn’t have reached out to you through his daughter. He needs you, even in death, to protect what he built for his family. To protect her. By the way, I like her. That’s why I’m here.”
I like her too. “You’re in my business, Mom.”
“I am. I’m asking that you allow me to be while you address what you need to do for Memphis and her father.”
“Ransom.”
“Yes. Why was that evening kept a secret from me and the rest of our community here in the Narrows?”
He looked at his plate, at a loss for words, and pressed his thumb into the biscuit crumbs, thinking, coming up with nothing, and contemplated her.
“You were young adults filled with righteousness and a bloodthirst for justice. Did you get it that night?”
He glanced away and lost himself in the gentle movement of the trees. It was pleasant and soothing compared to the nighttime scene from more than thirty years earlier looping in his mind.
“Javi?”
“No,” he said quietly. “We already talked about this. Let’s drop it.”
“I don’t think so. The cat is out of the bag. I need to talk about it and so do you.”
“It didn’t go the way we planned.”
“Ah, yes … the castration. Who came up with that idea?”
“Ransom. Said he could do it without blood.”
“Mm-mm. And everyone agreed because he had hands-on experience castrating livestock from working at Pittman’s farm.”
“Yes, after a lot of discussion. We weren’t monsters.”
“Situations can spin out of control when emotions run high, especially if a large number of people are involved. How many of you were there that night?”
“Dozens.”
“And your brother of the heart, among the more fragile in spirit, was tasked by all of you, elected by a vote to do the job. He was proud to do it, for Rose.”
“We weren’t thinking about that. Only the fact that Ransom had experience.”
“Ransom snapped when she was beaten, raped, and left for dead. He and Rose had a special bond. He took it the hardest.” Daphne grasped his hand. “Whereas you all wanted and agreed to justice, he truly wanted revenge.”
“I see that now.”
“Good. That’s why we’re talking. Yes, he chose the most humane way, but castrating Rose’s culprit was not enough for him. He wanted the bastard to live with what he had done. Every day. For the rest of his life. So, he cut him, permanently scarring his crime into his torso. I’ve lived here my whole life. I know who the man is. He’s a sick, twisted excuse of a human. I’m confident that bastard grows more bitter with each passing year because every day he sees RAPIST in raised scars on his belly. He is reminded, as Ransom intended, of just one of the evils he has perpetrated on others during his lifetime in our town. He can’t hide.”
“As it should be,” Javier said bitterly.
“He might have died, honey.”
“We would never have let that happen.”
“It could have, but you took him to the hospital afterward.”
His brows shot up.
“Uh-huh. I knew.”
He frowned. Where in the hell had she gotten all of the accurate information? “Ransom took it too far. He should have stopped.”
“I agree. Ransom did take it too far. I understood why, although I didn’t agree with it. His love for a sister drove him to act without considering the fallout. And for that, he was banished. His brothers, sisters, and friends turned their backs on him. Abandoned him. He was rejected. You knew how that felt. Did you ever consider that?”
She kept her tone even and never raised her voice, but Daphne’s questions and on-point summaries cut deep, making him relive all of it and feel fucking terrible. Abandonment. Rejection. They were two of the issues that he had dealt with his entire life because he had been discarded and placed in the system. Fuck.
He bowed his head. His words cracked with raw emotion. “I didn’t. I’m sorry, Mom. I wish I could tell him I’m sorry for abandoning him. Collectively, we were of the mindset that it would have come back on Rose. Or you. On us. I loved him, but at the time, well believed he had to leave.”
“What happened to Rose was beyond vile, but the banishment was harsh. You and Stone have always been who everyone else looks up to.” She fixed him with her frank expression.
“I’ve wrestled with the banishment, especially now that Ransom is truly gone.”
“I see that, and expect it’s been more so since Memphis arrived.”
“Yes.”
“There is growth in tragedy, honey. Look at Rose. She’s remarkable. Whole. Happy. She has a full life. A wonderful marriage and children. A thriving business.”
He nodded.
“My advice to you is to live, really live. You hold back from doing so. Break the chains that confine your heart and mind. You’re emotionally stronger than you think. Throw the past into the river and let it wash away. You’ve been given an incredible opportunity, the gift of Memphis.”
His head snapped up at that. “What are you talking about?”
“There’s a reason that Ransom and Lindy named her Memphis.”
The hair on the back of his neck rose, but he shrugged. “Memphis told me she was born in Memphis, which is her namesake. Makes sense, right? People name their kids for where they’re conceived or born all the time.”
“It was more than that, Javi. Memphis means beautiful and enduring. Lasting. Her name was important to Ransom. Although not his blood, she was his future and a connection to his past.”
“Mom, how do you know all of this?”
“Ransom contacted me after Lindy died. He hit rock bottom. A frightening place to be with a newborn and a toddler. Lindy’s parents were grieving, too. I went down there for a while to help. It was the best medicine for him and me.”
Shell-shocked didn’t begin to express what he was feeling. “You saw him? You’ve been to the ranch?”
“Yes. Just that once. For about a month. It was the last time I saw him. Any of them, until Memphis arrived in Torch River. You’re the first to know. You see, I have my secrets, too. We all do. I met Hank and Myra Fuller, who were Memphis’s and Eben’s grandparents. What good people they were. Salt of the earth. Myra was gentle and sweet, a redhead like her daughter and granddaughter. Hank was one hell of a role model for Ransom. I saw such growth in him. I cried with them, and I listened. I held baby Eben because Ransom couldn’t. I took care of little Memphis because her father was broken. I was so grateful that he reached out.”
“I’m so grateful you went, Mom.” It was the truth. He pinched the bridge of his nose to staunch the tears. Only Daphne had ever seen him cry—before he became a teen, when he sliced open his thigh climbing over a barbed wire fence and had to have a ton of stitches to close the deep, long gash.
Fully absorbed and impacted by Daphne’s revelations, he was unaware that Memphis was behind him until he felt her arms wrap around from the back and squeeze tight. In one fluid moment, he reached around, pulled her into his lap, buried his face in the crook of her neck, and let the tears come.
“Good morning, sweetheart. You and Javi need some time. I think I’ll make a second breakfast.”
* * *
Daphne rejoined them, setting down a tray with bagels, a platter of fresh berries with a serving spoon, and a stack of small bowls and spoons. “I used up all the fruit, Javi.”
“That’s fine, Mom.”
Daphne filled a bowl with berries, slathered a bagel with cream cheese, and ate in silence, her eyes drifting between Memphis, who was comfortably ensconced on Javier’s lap, and the stack of photos. She wiped her hands and reached for them, taking her time looking. When finished, she glanced up. “The berries are delicious, perfectly ripe. Both of you should have some.”
Memphis pulled the note she had tucked into the pocket of the joggers and placed it on top of the photos, watching with interest as Daphne and Javier stared at it but made no move. She spooned a few large scoops of berries into a bowl, handed it to Javier with a smaller spoon, and then did the same for herself.
“Sorry that I eavesdropped on your conversation with Javier. I’m so happy Pops reached out to you, stayed in contact some. The note is from him. As you can see, it’s short and sweet. ‘My family. Muscle, a big presence, and rebellious. Gray Wolf.’ He wrote this shortly before he died. I wanted to share it with you. He believed that his family’s presence was the answer to Eben and I retaining the ranch. He told me as much just before he died. Daphne, earlier I shared with Javier that the timetable had been moved up. My brother and Arla, his fiancé, are getting married next weekend. A year ahead of what they planned. I’m leaving today to find out what the hell is going on and how I might address it.”
Javier’s hug was the encouragement she needed to continue. “Arla’s father has wanted our land for as long as I can remember. His interest became rabid after an oil deposit was discovered on our land. The estimate is that it’s worth billions. He’s been very aggressive, bordering on criminal. Even though Pops had a trust put in place long ago, and it seems ironclad, there are ways to break it if you are nasty, underhanded, and have connections. Trey Rooney ticks all of those boxes. Eben’s marriage to Arla is worrisome. She’s the apple of Trey’s eye. Pops believed Arla will influence Eben to take me to court to invalidate the trust.”
“Oh my. It sounds like we need to get down there, Javi. We’re going on a road trip.”
“We?”
“Of course. Do you think I am going to sit here on my ass and do nothing for Ransom and his children?”
“Not at all, Mom.”
“Call a meeting, please. I want to speak to our family and friends. The Narrows needs to make an impression.”
“Mom—”.”
“I’m going.” Daphne waved a dismissive hand at him.
“How ‘bout I fly you in?”
Daphne shook her head. “No. I’ll ride behind or next to someone. It’ll be fun. Memphis, before you leave, please stop by my house. I have something for you. Your dad contacted me late last year. I had no idea he was dying. I believe he meant you to have what he sent me.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Daphne or Nana, that’s what my other grandchildren call me.”
Memphis came to her feet and walked to Daphne. She leaned over and gathered the petite woman into her arms. It felt so right. “Yes, Nana,” she said softly, grinning from ear-to-ear, her heart full.
* * *
Javier brushed a stray lock from her face and kissed her again. “You packed the journals?”
“I did. I’ll read them soon.” Pops had sent his and Lindy’s journals to Daphne for safekeeping with explicit instructions to give them to his daughter, along with the sealed letter. His note to Daphne was short, indicating she would know when the time was right.
“Call me every so often.”
“You have my location.” She teased. “I might be listening to the radio.”
“I’ll sing to you.”
“You will?”
“Well, I’d try. I’d probably sound more like a frog.” He chuckled, his white teeth and dimples flashing.
Since his talk with Daphne, a vulnerable and romantic Javier was surfacing. She had seen signs before, but now it was freed. Memphis loved it.
“I’d rather hear your voice, Jav. I need your strength.”
He hugged her tightly. “I already miss you, baby.” And released her. “I can’t touch you without burning.” He admitted, sounding winded.
She laughed, somewhat breathlessly. “I have the same problem. We’ll see each other in a few days. Do you really think Nana” —she delighted in saying that, and smiled— “will be okay riding for days?”
“She’s wants to do this. Mom will never stop chewing my ass if she doesn’t ride with us. She’s hearty and healthy. Active. Hell, she’s still doing alterations and creating clothes for the snotty bitches in the Cliffs. She kayaks. Walks miles daily. Reads incessantly. Rides her bike around. Gardens and takes care of her property. She painted her fucking house last year. She plays Bunco and Euchre every week. I think she’s busier than me.”
“Mm-mm. I don’t think so.” They were outside Cabrera’s, where they had first met. Unable to resist, she ran her hand over the fly of his cargo shorts and pushed up on her toes, running her tongue along the shell of his ear, unfastening the shorts, and easing her hand in. “Sweets, I’d love one for the road. Please.” She whimpered, beginning to ride him.
“Woman. You’re going to fuck me to death.” Javier teased, hoisting Memphis over his shoulder, and carrying her to the outdoor shower where he stripped both of them in record time.
“Uh …, reminder. It takes two, sir.”
“The Torch is pleasantly refreshing when you’re hot. We’re gonna burn, baby.” He turned on the shower and pulled her under it with him, devouring her mouth with his.
Memphis got on the road an hour later, sated. She liked to get behind the wheel early in the morning, so this first eight-hour leg of her trip, leaving just before noon, would drag. The GTO’s ragtop was folded down and her soaking wet hair was braided and secured under a colorful scarf.
* * *
Ahush filled the Wake as Daphne entered and made her way to stand in the center of the tables. Tiny, she stood erect and confident, and turned slowly, her dark gaze connecting with every single man and woman in the room.
“Thanks for coming on a Sunday evening when the Wake is closed for business and many of you are preparing for the week ahead. You”re probably wondering why you”ve been asked to be here and at such short notice, with urgency. It’s very simple. One of our own needs us.
“We’re a tight-knit community here in the Narrows. We are more than just neighbors. We are family. Generations of people who have been considered socially and culturally inferior by many who live across the river.”
There was a chorus of affirmations and a lot of nodding. Javier, leaning against the rear wall, was among them.
“Over thirty years ago, all of you here tonight thirsted for and in some way participated pursuing justice for my daughter. All of us in the room know why.” Her gaze landed on Rose. “We are beyond grateful for your survival and are in awe of your strength and willingness to share your story. I love you, honey.”
“I bring it up because what happened that night cast lingering shadows and created new secrets in the Narrows. What happened changed all of us. A small group—” Her eyes panned over Javier, Sammi, Rose, and Stone, who had just stepped inside “My kids led the charge. One of them is not here tonight. Ransom Creed. He came into my care when he was a young boy. Ransom was banished by the very people he considered his family and friends. He was my son. I should have been asked.
Daphne moved about the room pausing in front of a few tables at a time. Her voice was strong and sure. “What only a few know is that Ransom reached out to me later.”
She waited until the gasps and murmurs faded.
“He had married a lovely young woman. Her name was Lindy Fuller Creed. They settled in Texas, at Lindy’s parents’ ranch. They had two children. A daughter and a son. Lindy died shortly after Eben’s birth.” Wringing her hands, she paused, looked up at the whitewashed ceiling, cleared her throat, and continued.
“Ransom asked me to come and help.” Murmuring grew into talking that grew so loud that she could not speak above it.
Javier pushed off the wall and went to stand next to Daphne with his legs wide and arms crossed. “Hey,” he called above the racket. “You’re disrespecting my mom. Shut the fuck up. This is important.”
The talking ceased, all eyes on him.
“Better. Now, stay quiet. Drink your beer, you only get the one tonight, and listen.”
Daphne smiled a sad smile. “I’ll wrap this up. I couldn’t deny Ransom. I went to Texas for a month to help a grieving father with two little ones and his in-laws. That’s the last time I set eyes on or spoke to Hank and Myra Fuller, my son, and grandbabies. Over the last few days, you may have noticed my stunning grand girl or her beautifully restored red ’68 GTO convertible. Memphis is a redhead like her mama and grandmother. She is Ransom’s daughter.”
She clasped Javier’s arm and squeezed, conveying a silent message to not to say anything, and waited for the talking to subside. “Memphis needs our help. You all have a chance to make amends what I have long considered was wrong.” She looked up at Javier and said, for his ears only, “Finish please.”
“Creed Ranch, the property Ransom took over and made very profitable built for his family, is in jeopardy of being stolen by a ruthless neighbor. Ransom sent Memphis to make the request in person: our physical presence at the ranch in numbers. We turned our back on one of our own once. Are we going to do that again?”
“Why isn’t he here?” Dierks, Rose’s husband, shouted from a corner.
“Two reasons. One, Ransom was banished. Two, he’s dead.”
There was an immediate hush and then the room erupted.
Javier pounded on the table with his fist, silencing everyone again. “Listen up. We have a short timetable. We ride out at noon tomorrow. Northeast Texas. The trip is sixteen hours, and we’ll camp halfway. It’s likely we’ll be camping on the ranch, too. We’ll be gone for at a week to ten days, maybe more. A head count is needed tonight.”
There was a chorus of “Let’s go!” and other comments:
“Man, it’s been too long since we took a long road trip as a club.”
“Count me in!”
“This is going to be great!”
Cissy yelled over the small talk. “Are you riding with us, Daphne?”
The conversation ebbed again as many waited to hear her response.
“You bet your sweet ass I am. This is about family, and with family I’ll travel.” She yelled back.
The room grew louder.
Javier grimaced at Daphne, shook his head, and raised his hand. The talk reduced to a murmur. “Rose and Sammi are organizing. Those of you who can’t make the ride can help in other ways. Meals, road snacks, water, etc. No alcohol. Pack smart and get a good night’s sleep.”