Read 0764214101 for Free Online Page A

accomplish in two days. Excitement surged through him. Maybe Jimmy would finally speak again. Oh, it might take time, but Woody just knew that Miss Porter was the answer.
    As he paced the room, Mrs. Goodman entered. “All right, Woody, so what’s this news?”
    “The lady I was telling you about in Indianapolis?”
    “Yes?”
    “She’s coming. She’s on her way right now.”
    “Why, that’s wonderful news! Jimmy needs someone so badly.” Mrs. Goodman pulled a pencil from behind her ear and her tattered notepad from out of her apron pocket. “And goodness knows, I’m too old to keep up with the lad. Oh, this will be just what we need. I’ll have to get the room ready for her and I think new curtains would be nice . . . and—”
    “She’ll be here the day after tomorrow,” Woody threw out.
    “Oh my.” Mrs. Goodman dropped her pencil, then picked it up again. “Yes. Well, then . . .” She scribbled furiously on the notepad.
    “Don’t go to any unnecessary trouble. I know how you like to do things, but I’m sure Miss Porter will be happy with the room as it is. You’ve done a wonderful job keeping up the house.”
    Mrs. Goodman left the room, nodding and talking to herself. If he were to guess, the older woman would have the room totally redone and have enough baked goods for an army of soldiers by the time Miss Porter arrived.
    Now if he could just get to her before the town rumors did, he’d be doing well.

    “Run!” Mama’s voice sounded weak. But one look at her eyes told him she meant it. And Jimmy didn’t want to disobey. A sob caught in his throat. Why couldn’t he breathe? But, Mama! Her eyes closed and her hand went limp. She just lay there. He couldn’t leave her.
    The bad man yanked Jimmy up by his arm. “I don’t suppose you know where my treasure is, you snot-nosed kid. . . .” His large hands wrapped around Jimmy’s shoulders and squeezed.
    His breaths came faster and faster. He shook his head.
    The man shook him. Hard. “You sure? You better not be lyin’ to me.” He shook him again and again until his teeth rattled.
    The shaking helped him breathe, though. He had to help Mama. This man scared him. More than spiders and snakes. More than anything. “I don’t know. . . . Mama doesn’t know, either. She always tells the truth. Why’d you hurt her?”
    The man made a face by scrunching up his nose and frowning too big. His voice changed as he made fun of Jimmy. “She always tells the truth.” His big hands shook him again and the mean voice came back. “And I hurt her because she couldn’t help me and got in my way. That’s why.” He looked around the foyer. “And now you’re in my way, and I gotta dispose of you too, you little snoop.” With that, he smacked Jimmy on top of the head with one hand and dragged him by the arm with the other.
    The bad man stopped in front of the closet Mrs. Goodman used for cleaning supplies and mousetraps. He yanked open the door and muttered, “Too small to hide your mother’s body in, but it would do for you, runt.”
    “No, mister, please! Don’t put me in the closet.” Jimmy started to cry. He glanced over at Mama. She hadn’t moved.
    “Shut up!” He yanked harder on Jimmy’s arm. “Might as well just shoot you right here.” It took him less than a second to pull out the revolver from his belt.
    The whirring started in Jimmy’s head again. This time, the spots came faster.
    “Brother . . . Brother . . .” Another voice from outside sang the words.
    The bad man said a word that Papa had told Jimmy never to say. Both of the big man’s hands came around his throat and squeezed until he couldn’t breathe. He whispered, “You better not say a word about me to anyone, you hear me? I’ll kill your pa and your little housekeeper, and I’ll kill everyone in town if you say one word.” And with that, he slapped Jimmy hard in the face.
    Pain shot through his whole head. Tears burned the corners of his