22
The next day I was cleaning up at work and it was pretty quiet. Forrest was in the back; Howard seemed to be passed out in the corner of the store and Jack was out with Bertha. It didn't seem like we would get business so I was trying to keep myself busy. I found sweeping silently boring so I moved over towards the radio and began to cut it on and look for some music but all I got was static.
Once I was done Forrest came out of his room and patted Howard on the back of his neck and he sat up quickly and then Forrest looked at me.
"We're closing early. We got business." he said looking at Howard and I knew what he meant. He was going to be selling his alcohol tonight. Howard nodded and got up.
"I'll go get the truck ready." he said and moved outside. I looked a bit discouraged as I put the broom away and then Forrest and I met in the middle of the bar. I looked him over and patted his chest lightly.
"Come back alive." I replied. "And bring Howard back too."
"Thanks for the concern!" I heard Howard yell and I smiled a bit and looked at Forrest who didn't really smile, but nodded.
"We'll be back later on tonight. I'll give you a ride home." he said. I shook my head and gently caressed his face.
"I'll walk home. I don't mind." I said. He nodded once and kissed me quickly and I smiled and I didn't even notice my hands were in his until I pulled away from him and he seemed to not want to let go until after a second and I moved towards the door and he followed and once we were outside Howard was in the truck waiting and in the back were blanket covered boxes. I looked at Forrest.
"I love you." I replied and he took my hand once more before rubbing over my palm with his thumb.
"I love you too." he said. I smiled and the two of us separated into our own directions. I moved onto the side of the road and watched as the boys drove in the opposite direction. As I walked I let my eyes move up towards the sky and I simply got lost in my thoughts. I was slightly worried for Forrest and Howard and hoping that Deputy Rakes never catches them in their business. What if he caught my brothers and their bootlegging? I sighed with worry not sure if my brothers being caught up in this was a good idea. From the look in Charlie Rake's eyes I knew he was trouble and played dirty to win and I didn't want my brother's hurt. I looked down at the dirt I was walking on and could hear a car coming by so I made sure to move to the side with my head down so I wouldn't cause any unwanted attention. In seconds the car came to a screeching halt beside me and I gasped to see it was Deputy Rake's car with him inside. My eyes widened and I stopped as he got out taking some handcuffs out of his suit pocket.
"Eula Kincaid I need you to come with me to be questioned." he replied and grabbed my wrist and forced me again the hood of his car.
"Questioned for what?" I asked as I felt his entire body push up against mine and he bent forward bending me over so my chest was on the car. He grabbed my hands and forced them behind my back and I winced as I felt the metal tighten around my wrists and he pulled me back up.
"Reliable sources say your brothers have partaken in the bootlegging business and I know you have some sort of information to give on that." he replied. I glared now and looked at him as he opened the back seat of his car.
"You think I'll tell you anything about my own brothers?" I asked. He smirked.
"With the methods I am going to use on you…I hope you don't say anything." he replied and forced me into the back of his car and closed it. I watched as he got in and drove on turning the car around speeding away. My mind was racing now. He was going to torture me and I felt like death was coming to me soon. What could I possibly say to free myself? I couldn't give up my brothers. All I knew was that their business was up in the mountains and I would not even tell the man that even if it meant my life. I looked up and out the window to see I was in another part of town. Sheriff Pete's jailhouse was not in this area. My heart raced even more. He was going to torture me and lynch me to end it off. We stopped in front of a large building and I noticed it was a hotel building. I blinked with mild confusion and I heard the door open and Deputy Rakes stepped out of the car and moved over to the back of the car where I was sitting and opened the car. I tensed and leaned back from him only to be grabbed swiftly and pulled from the car.
"Now if you play nice and cooperate this will be very simple." he said.
"I thought you were taking me to the sheriff's." I said and his grip on my wrists tightened.
"Well our meetings are off the books." he merely said and pushed me forward making me walk towards the hotel. Our meetings? Now I was definitely scared and his grip on my wrists didn't loosen as he pulled me inside the hotel building. He was moving quickly, pulling me up some stairs as if he didn't want to be seen. Once we were at a room he stopped and unlocked the door before pushing me inside and closing the door then he pushed me on top of a bed and I landed on my side and in seconds I felt the cuffs removed but my hands were pulled above my hand and I gasped as I figured out that he had handcuffed me to the bars of the bed. My eyes widened as I felt so helpless and powerless and Forrest was not going to save me this time.