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Jefferson was talking. “You should try warm milk before bed. Puts me right out. Like I said, I sleep like a baby.” The brown sedan shuddered to a stop at the edge of the fairgrounds. Jefferson pulled on his black gloves. “Come on. Time to go to work.”
Jefferson cut the headlights and let himself out of the car. He walked purposefully toward the silent circus and did not look back. Adams stared down at his hands resting on his knees, at the bandage wrapped around his right hand. Blood seeped through in the spot where the last Diviner they’d forced into Marlowe’s Eye had bit him.
“Babies don’t sleep so well,” he said.
He got out of the car.
SARAH BETH
It was Saturday when Mr. Olson announced he was headed into town for some feed and groceries. “Happy to take anybody who wants to go,” he said.
“Oh, I would adore going into town! Any town,” Evie said.
“You suppose it’s safe?” Jericho asked.
“I don’t care,” Evie said. “I can’t stay on the farm one more minute. Besides, we might be able to get news about Marlowe.” There had been nothing further in the papers about Marlowe testing the Eye in the desert. It had gone very quiet all of a sudden, and that worried Evie.
It was decided that Jericho, Evie, Theta, Henry, Sarah Beth, and Isaiah would accompany Mr. Olson into town. Memphis and Sam were concerned about being seen. Bill wanted to finish painting the barn. Ling’s body hurt, and she didn’t think she could bear walking. “Bring me back something to eat, please?” she begged Henry. “Nothing with mayonnaise.”
Bountiful was a sweet little town, but Evie was longing for New York. Every night, she whispered to Sam, “I hope you don’t think you’re getting out of taking me to Goldberg’s Deli for that pastrami sandwich.” What she was really saying was, There’s a future. There’s always a future. She needed to believe in that just now.
“I need to bring a few things home for Mrs. Olson,” Mr. Olson said and stepped into the dry-goods store. It was clear from his tone that they were not to follow.
“I suppose we’ll wait out here and soak up all that Bountiful has to offer,” Henry said.
“Don’t be snide,” Theta said, grinning.
“Who’s being snide? It’s got fresh air. I’m breathing, aren’t I?”
Theta arched one eyebrow. “Yes. Snidely.”
“How do, Bert,” Mr. Olson said, nodding at the shopkeeper behind the counter inside the dry-goods store.
“Afternoon, Jim. I see you brought company with you today.” The shopkeeper looked out the window to where the Diviners strolled along the sidewalks. “Family of yours or Ada’s?”
“Mmm,” Mr. Olson said, ignoring the man’s nosy questions. “I’ll take a sack of flour, another of sugar, fifty pounds of feed.…”
The shopkeeper didn’t budge. “I heard from Maryellen that they’ve been staying on your farm and helping out.”
“Don’t even know why anybody has a telephone when they can just get the news from Maryellen,” Mr. Olson said. He tried to make the comment sound lighthearted, but that wasn’t his specialty.
“She got the news from Dr. Wilson. Heard Sarah Beth had another fit.”
Mr. Olson only nodded.
“Where do these folks come from? Who are their people?” the shopkeeper persisted.
“They’re helping ’round the farm. They’re hard workers. The rest ain’t my business.”
“It ain’t? They’re strangers staying on your farm. You got a wife and daughter to think of, Jim.”
“Then I’d best get my goods and get back to ’em. Uh, just put this on my bill, Bert.”
“You’re out of credit.” The man behind the register leaned forward. He lowered his voice. “Now, you know I don’t want to see your farm go under, Jim. The boys have heard about this.”
The boys. The Klan.
“Word spread from some of the other klaverns. Seems like those folks match up with these Diviners that are wanted. There’s reward money they’d split with you, Jim. Big money. You could get Sarah Beth a good doctor in Omaha. You could pay off what you owe, with money left over for a new tractor and plow. Fix up the house with electricity! The boys just want those Diviners. That’s all.”
