*Author's Note*
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What's Your Price?
Johnse POV:
"Sarah Elizabeth, why don't we go get somethin' to et for dinner. Just you and me." I told my daughter with a small smile, standing next to her as she did her homework at the kitchen table- huddled together wit' her half-siblings.
"Okay, but why?" She replied, lookin' up at me curiously as she paused in writin' whatever she was writin' on the worksheet she was doin'.
"Just cause, darlin'." I told my daughter. Truth was, I thought that breakin' the news 'bout her mama an' askin' if she wanted to see Roseanna at the hospital'd be easier to do if she had a kiddie-meal of her choice instead of ettin' somethin' I half-burnt since Mira's on bed rest now an' I'm stuck cookin'.
"Can we go to Pizza Hut?"
"Sure thing. Grab your sweater and we'll go." I told her, since I didn't want her catchin' a chill (I knew she was sickly like her mama).
Sarah Elizabeth hoped down from her spot at the table and ran off towards the coat hooks by the front door. By time I followed her over there she was quickly puttin' her sweater on. Mira just smiled at me, one that let me know she wished me luck at tellin' my daughter 'bout her mama bein' deathly sick, as I came to a stop by the blonde girl that was excited 'bout goin' to Pizza Hut or dinner.
"Bring me back some cinnamon sticks." Mira told Sarah Elizabeth as she gave her a kind look. All in all I had'a say that if, god forbid somethin' happened to Roseanna, my wife would make a good fill-in ma for my daughter. Just as she's done with my other chil'ren that ain't hers by blood. Yes, Mira might be an ex-stripper, but she's got the biggest heart (other then's Roseanna's).
"We will, Mira." My daughter, who was the prefect mix of me an' her mama, assured my wife as I opened up the door to our remodeled trailer.
Sarah Elizabeth rushed out of the door. She was already boundin' down the porch steps as I walked outside, shuttin' the door 'hind me. A light smile crossed ov'r my face as I walked down the porch steps, watchin' my daughter run to my truck. I chuckled as she opened the door and jumped inside as I started to make my way over to the old truck.
After gettin' inside an' bucklin' up, I pulled out of the driveway an' onto the road. "How was school today?" I asked my daughter, turnin' on the radio and setting the volume to a level that'd let us talk, but still listen to the music bein' played.
Sarah Elizabeth answer me with a smile. "It was good. I got an A on my math test."
"That's good, Sarah Elizabeth. I'm proud of ya." I honestly told her. I was proud of her, was glad that I finally had the chance t'be in her life too.
As Johnny Cash flowed softly out of the radio speakers, my daughter told me, "The teacher gave us a history project to do. We got two weeks to make a poster board and write a paper on any US president we want."
"Don't pick Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, or Kennedy." I wisely advised my daughter.
Her blonde brows quirked up as she asked, "Why not?"
"Cause everyone picks them."
"Oh, okay." Sarah Elizabeth nodded 'fore goin' on to tell me more 'bout her school day.
Nova POV:
After a long and boring day at the law firm I picked up Sally Elle along with a family meal from KFC's drive-thru and headed home to Tolbert's. The drive didn't seem that long, but maybe that's cause it was filled with me and Sally Elle singing along with the radio. She truly was a sweet girl; an amazing kid.
"Poppy, we got KFC!" Sally Elle announced with a big smile as she ran into the house, dropping her backpack by the door.
"I see somebody wasn't in the mood for cookin'." Tolbert remarked to me, as I walked into the house, from his spot in his oversized chair as his daughter jumped on the sofa.
"I've been cravin' chicken all day." I explained, hanging up my purse. "Even went to Peggy's Diner for lunch to grab some chicken tenders." I added in as I walked into the main room, towards the kitchen, "You know who I ran into there?" I asked, placing the bag of KFC down on the table as I entered the kitchen.
"No, who?" Tolbert asked me as he got up from his chair.
"Shaw Eldridge." I informed him as I took a box of biscuits out of the bag.
"Thought he was in the army?" He asked, his voice thick and smooth, as he stepped foot into the kitchen.
"The navy, and he was til he decided to use up his paid leave and have his C.O. put in his retirement/discharge papers." I explained to Tolbert as I unpacked dinner out of the KFC take out bag.
"Well, I don't want'cha goin' to the diner anymore." Tolbert told me as I began to take the lids off of all the takeout containers.
"Why, cause his mom owns it?" I asked, stuffing the lids into the KFC bag after getting the last container open.
"Yea, cause I bet the loser's workin' there and he's only gonna push up on ya whenever ya show up t'et." Tolbert told me, his voice deep and gruff, as I went over to the counter and set the KFC bag down on it.
"He's not like that, Tolbert. He's actually very nice once you get to know him." I informed the moody ginger while going over to the cabinet and taking from dishes out of it.
"What? Ya mean ya were talkin' wit' the fool on yer lunch break?" He asked in a low rumble as he stormed over to me.
"Yep." I popped my tongue. Opening up the utensil drawer and grabbing some fork, I went on to say, "Turns out he was on break when I came in." I grabbed the plates and bushed by Tolbert on my way towards the kitchen table. "Gave me some chicken tenders on the house and kept me company."
"Surely not out of the goodness of his heart." Tobert remarked in a dry and snotty tone as he followed me over to the table.
"Tolbert, don't be like that. He had a good reason to talk to me."I told my ex turned client turned lover as I turned around and gave him an exasperated look while folding my arms over my chest.
Standing right in front of me, he asked with dark sarcasm dripping from his gruffly smooth timbre, "Bein' what? Hmm, tryin' to get ya 'lone an' naked in the freezer?"
"Don't be a jackass, Tolbert." I spat at him. He just tilted his head at me, giving me a look that portrayed that he wanted to hear what Shaw needed to talk to me about. I let out a small sigh before telling him the, "Mary, his little sister, is pregnant with Billy's baby. Your family won't believe her and Peggy wants her to get an abortion." Tolbert's face was hard as he took in what I just told him. Instead of letting it go, I went on to say, "Shaw needed somebody to talk to about it, especially since he's remodeling the apartment above his mom's diner for him, his kids, and his sister to live in."
Tolbert shook his head and scoffed, "If his sister's anythin' like him, which I bet she is, then her bastard ain't Billy's." His stormy eyes were full of rage as he declared, "She's just pinnin' it on my dead brother as a scam, tryin' t'get benefits for her bastard by claimin' it's poppy's a dead man."
"Tolbert, how can you say that?" I asked, not understanding how he could be so mean and hateful when it came to the girl that was gonna be the mother to his future niece or nephew.
"Cause Billy was in love with Mariah. He never would've cheated on her with some Eldridge whore."
My cornflower blues went wide, like saucers. "Oh my god, how can you be so mean? Mary's a girl still in high school, one who's family has been friends with yours for years."
Seeing nothing wrong with his attitude, the ginger deadpanned, "I ain't bein' mean, just bein' honest."
"Did you take your meds today?" I asked before I could even think better of it. As soon as it left my mouth I knew I fucked up; that I should've have said that.
"Don't ya dare say that shit to me. Y'know full well I take that shit every mornin' cause I'm crazy so don't ask 'did you take your meds today?' as a way to rationalize why I'm bein' 'mean' 'bout Mary an' her dumbass brother, Shaw."
Instead of apologizing, which is what most sane women in my position would do, I snapped. Waving a hand at him half-heartedly, I bitterly, but honestly told him in a frustrated tone, "This attitude right here, Tolbert, is the reason why I'm strugglin' with your case. You know it's hard to make a hot-headed and hard-pressed man look like a harmless puppy dog in the court when everyone knows how you are; when your nastiness always slips out."
"If ya don't like my attitude and think it's too hard to defend me then go home to that ugly one-eyed Hatfield husband of yers."
"Don't tempt me, Tolbert." I warned in a low snap.
"Tempt ya, oh hell so now yer thinkin' 'bout goin' back to that Hatfield husband o'yers?" Tolbert asked me in a sarcastic shout, one that had a low biting chuckle laced into it.
"Will ya leave 'im 'lone? He's got nothin' to do with why we're fightin'."
"Oh, but don't he? He's the damn ADA, sweetheart."
"Stop it! Poppy, mama, stop fightin'!" Sally Elle shouted from her spot sittin' on the couch in the living room nearby.
Hearing Sally Elle's tiny voice orderin' me and Tolbert to stop was like a bucket of cold water being poured on top of my head. I didn't even realize how loud we were being or how damaging our fighting was until she butted in, demanding that we stop. It was in that small fleeting moment that I realized that no matter what kind of feelings I harbored for Tolbert, that it'd never work out between us. We were too volatile to actually be together, whether it be temporary or long term.
I closed my eyes and let out a sigh. I knew what I had to do; knew that it'd hurt, but had to be done. Opening up my eyes, I softly told Tolbert, "I'm going home to my husband. I might be able to better fight your case within my marriage then in a courtroom."
Grabbing my arm to stop me, Tolbert begged, "Ella, please, don't go. Yer the closest thing Sally Elle's got to a mama; she needs ya here."
"I know she needs me, but she doesn't need me here fightin' with you." I honestly told Tolbert, causin' his face to upturn sourly. "I'll be by to pack up her things once I come up with a plea deal with Cap cause I doubt he'll let ya off scot-free." I told Tolbert, pulling my hand out of his and walking out of the kitchen.
Quickly, I grabbed my bag from the bedroom and made my way back to the main part of the house. Sally Elle didn't say a word, just looked at me with tears in her eyes. Tolbert was standing by the kitchen table, holding it with a death grip as the veins bulged angrily in his neck. It wasn't until I grabbed my purse from the entryway and stepped outside that I realized I wasn't fully ready to go home yet and pay the piper. I also knew that I couldn't go back inside, not when Tolbert was shouting and tearing up his house while his daughter, no doubt, hide in her room and cried. I just couldn't face all the hurt right now. I felt like my stupid choices were making not just me, but everyone around me drown in sorrow and misery.
As I walked over to my truck I decided to rent a room at the Pikeville Hotel for the night or at least until I figured out how to fix my fucked up love life.
Roseanna POV:
I was lyin' in bed, feelin' weak an' lightheaded, watchin' a movie on Lifetime. I'd finally managed t'get Perry t'go home to rest, shower, an' grab somethin' t'et so I was all 'lone. A commercial for Dove came on when the door t'my room pushed open. I looked ov'r at the doorway only to see Sarah Elizabeth runnin' inside wit' Johnse right 'hind her, a Pizza Hut take-out bag in his hand. I furrowed my brows, causin' my daughter to tell me, "Mama, daddy told me that you're really since an' I gotta stay with him for a long time. Since we were at dinner I asked if we could bring ya your fav'rite pizza to make you feel better.", as she ran over to me an' jumped into my bed.
"The hospital called me last nite. Least I could do was tell our sweet lil girl 'bout ya bein' sick." Johnse told me, placin' the take-out bag onto my tray table 'fore takin' a seat in the empty visitor's chair by me. "So, they givin' ya any meds?"
"They've given me everythin' they can. Doc's thinkin' 'bout transferin' me to the UK hospital in Lexington for trial an' exper'mental treatments."
"Oh…" Johnse trailed off, his eyes downcast wit' sadness.
"Mama, you're gonna get better, right?" Sarah Elizabeth asked me wit' hope in her big blue eyes. Oh, how I loved my sweet lil girl. She was the one bright spot in my life.
"I'm not too sure if I can, sweetheart. But I promise I'll try my hardest to." I honestly told her with a smile as played with her hair as she snuggled close next to me in my bed.
"Do what ya make me do when I'm sick, mama. Stay in bed, take yucky tastin' medicine, and sleep a lot."
"I'll make sure to do that, baby." I assured my daughter wit' a weak smile. Lookin' ov'r at my ex, the only man I'd ever loved, I gently told him, "Thank ya for bringin' her by to see me, Johnse."
"Weren't no problem comin' by, my beautiful sweet darlin'." He told me, callin' me the endearment he did all those years 'go after our first night t'gether, while shootin' me a sad, but charmin' smile. I think he knew, just like I did, that I was really sick an' most likely wouldn't make it much longer.
Shaw POV:
The yellow-orange receding lights were down low in The Barn as I sat in the far back corner booth. I had a bottle of Jack and a pair of shot glasses on the table. Well, one glass was overturned and waiting for an owner to claim it while the other was firmly between my fingers as I brought it up to my mustache and scruff bearded framed lips. I tapped my toe to the beat of The Gambler by Kenny Rogers as I impatiently waited for Bad Frank to show up. Fuckin' prick calls me up wanting to talk business, but still hasn't made it to our lil meetin' yet. Fuckin' bullshit and discourtesy's what it is.
"Need some company, sugar?" Some bar hoe asked me in a sultry voice as she rubbed my shoulder. Dear god, could this skank be anymore desperate? Why don't she just state her price, that's how forward the hoe's bein'.
"No, not from you." I told the skank while roughly shovin' her hand off of my shoulder. "Now go on and git, skanky." I told the bottle-blonde, wavin' her off before pouring myself another shot of whiskey. I downed my shot before leaning back in my booth and takin' my pack ok smokes out of my pocket. Quickly, I took out a cigarette, placed it into my mouth, and lit it. I took my first drag off my fresh smoke 'fore puttin' my pack back into my pocket.
Honestly, I turned down the bar hoe cause I was in hot pursuit of Nova and knew that I had to play my cards just right to get what I wanted from her. Mrs. Hatfield was a fine piece of ass that I intended to have. Oh, and when I say have, I don't just mean for a night or two, but as my next wife. Yep, I intended on takin' that beautiful redhead away from both Tolbert McCoy and Cap Hatfield. A feat that'd be challenging, but well worth it in the end when I had one of the most well-bred women in Pike County by my side. That'd show everyone that always thought I'd amount to nothin'. Plus, she is a fine woman. Has the right mix of smarts, sass, and sex appeal goin' for her.
I was shaken out of my mental reverie whenever I heard a shufflin' paired with the boom of a walkin' stick hitting the ground nearby. I looked up only to see Bad Frank limpin' his way over to my booth. I blew some smoke out of my mouth and tipped some ashes into the ashtray that was close to the wall while greeting my old boss with, "Well, with that there limp, I see somebody got the jump on ya."
"Got shot twice in the back takin' down the Levingers." He informed me as he reached my table.
"Ah…" I nodded, bringing my cigarette up to my lips. I took a quick drag and let smoke flout out of my mouth as I flatly stated, "Hatfield kin."
"Yes and I bear all Hatfields and their kin a grudge in result of it." Frank told me, settin' his walking stick (which looked like a pimp cane) into the booth before slipping in to take a seat across from me.
Cuttin' right to the chase, I asked, "So, what's the job you need done?", before takin' a breath off my cigarette.
Frank grabbed the whiskey bottle off the table, overturned his glass, and poured himself a shot while telling me "Ya know that the trial's on hold cause of Roseanna's hospitalization, but Lawyer Cline wants it put on hold indefinitely with a mistrial."
"Okay, but what does that have to do with me and the skills I learnt as a Navy Seal?" I asked, picking up the bottle after he set it down and pouring myself a shot.
Taking a sip of whiskey, he answered me with, "You need to find a way to get ADA Cap Hatfield off the case."
Knockin' back my shot, I concluded, "Ah, so you need him scared shitless so he'll remove himself from the case causing it to be slotted for retrial."
"Yes, and if Cline's good friend, Tobias Wagner, gets elected to the judge's seat over Wall then the case will be reexamined and declared a fight of self-defense gone bad instead of a murder." The man running for sherriff told me as I poured myself another shot.
I took a drag off my smoke 'fore flicking some ashes into the ashtray and telling Bad Frank, "Well, I'll do the job, but it's gonna cost ya cause I need to learn the ADA's habits in a short amount of time; I'll have to also to learn about everyone he's close to in order to do something that'll scare him off the case."
"What's your price?" He asked in a business-like tone.
"Hmm…" I hummed, pretending to think as I took another drag off my cigarette. Letting a cloud of smoke waft out of my mouth, I gave him the answer of, "Ten grand in cash." Picking up my shot glass, I added in, "Five before the job gets done as a down payment and the other half after the job's done."
"How'd ya expect me to get that much cash?" He asked, his brows raised up, as I downed my shot.
"Funnel it out of your campaign funds or weasel it out of Perry Cline." I advised him, knowing that if anybody had that kind of money in this town it'd be Mr. Cline. Hell, he did put his niece thru law school after all. "I don't care how ya get it, but I expect my money in my hand tomorrow." I told Bad Frank before standing up and walking away from the booth.
No doubt the outlaw turned lawman's sittin' in the booth, chewing on his lip and ponderin' his options (or law of them) as I walked pass the bar and towards the exit. I knew I'd get my money. This case is too important to the McCoys not to pay me my price. I took a drag off my smoke and flipped the collar up on my jacket as I got closer to the door.
After reaching the door, I walked outside and tossed my cigarette butt into the parking lot as I made my way over to my truck. Once at my truck, I got inside of it and backed out of my parkin' space. Quickly, I pulled out of the bar and onto the street. As I was drivin' down the highway I passed by the local hotel, which had a bright neon sign advertising it along with bright lights scattered in the large parking lot, only to notice Nova's truck parked in the lot. My oh my, talk 'bout some good luck for me. If I can convince her to let me up; to talk then I can find out pretty much all I needed to know about her husband's habits and routines.
Quickly, I pulled into the parking lot of the Pikeville Hotel and found a place to park. Cutting my truck's engine, I grabbed my phone from my pocket and called up Nova. After a couple of rings, she answered her phone with an uncertain, "Shaw?"
"Yea, Nova, it's me." I confirmed in a friendly tone.
"Um, why're you callin' me at like 9 at night?" She asked, most likely pulling her face up in a baffled way on the other side of the phone too.
"I was meeting a friend for drinks and when I left to go home, I noticed your truck in the hotel parkin' lot. I just wanted to make sure that you're okay."
"Oh…well, thank you for worryin' bout me, but I'm okay."
"You sure as hell don't sound okay, babe." I honestly told her since she had a melancholy undertone to her voice. "Do you need somebody to talk to? If so, I can always come up to your room as a shoulder to lean on."
"Shaw…I don't know…I mean we're not that close of friends." Nova told me, her words lingering in the air with uncertainty.
"And what did I tell ya earlier today at the diner? Hmm?" I rhetorically asked her before stating, "We're gonna be good friends, Nova." I heard her let out a small sigh from over the phone, no doubt as a reaction from my words. "Now, babe, tell me what room you're in and I'll come up to keep you company. Hell, if you want, I can swing by a drive thru and grab ya whatever comfort food you want."
"I'm in room 305, but if you come up ya better be armed with a Spicy McChicken." She relented, like I knew she would.
"A'ight, your wish is my command." I told her in a lighthearted and joking way as an attempt to lighten her spirits. "Give me a few minutes and I'll be up with that Spicy McChicken." I told her before hanging up and turning on my truck.
Looks like I gotta do what I gotta do to get paid and laid. Eh, at least all she wants is a lousy buck-fifty sandwich. Could be worse, she could've wanted something pricey like Chick-Fil-A or Chipotle.
AN:
So, is anyone surprised that Bad Frank hired Shaw to scare Cap off of the case? Tolbert's temper got the best of him in this. At least Roseanna and Johnse are good parents to Sarah Elizabeth. Do you think Roseanna'll get better or no?