Madison's Children

The door jingled and Luther came in and handed Maddie her keys. “All loaded and ready to go.”

“Thank you.” She looked at Nell. “I trust we won’t have any more problems.”

“No, ma’am.”

“Bye,” she said to Walker and Georgie, and headed for her truck.

Walker watched her leave with a funny feeling in his gut. God, he was falling for her caring attitude. No. It was just a natural reaction to her kindness to Georgie. He had enough problems without even thinking of Ms. Belle and her pure, pure blue eyes.

He had parked out back. His office was next door so it was always easy to leave Georgie with Nell. After resigning from his search-and-rescue unit in Houston, he hadn’t planned on going back to work. But Mr. Pratt, the constable, had passed away, and the commissioner’s court, by way of Judd, begged him to take the job.

There were two years left on Mr. Pratt’s term and Walker thought he could handle that. Then he would decide if he wanted to run for the office or not. He was already a state-licensed law enforcement officer so he’d agreed. After in-service training, he was appointed the constable of High Cotton and the surrounding precinct.

As an associate member of the Texas Department of Public Safety, his job was to keep the peace, enforce traffic regulations, go on patrol, undertake investigations and arrest lawbreakers. Since he didn’t have a jail, he coordinated his activities with the sheriff of the county.

At the time he’d taken on the job, he thought he would need something to keep him busy. But now he wished he’d thought it over a little more. He was needed at home.

Juggling his kids was getting harder. He never knew Nell was using physical discipline. That he wouldn’t tolerate.

He’d gotten a call that the Grayson brothers were fighting again. He’d planned to leave Georgie for just a little while with Nell. Now he’d changed his mind. He’d take Georgie with him. He didn’t have any other choice. His part-time deputy constable, Lonnie, was in Brenham visiting his parents.

The Graysons weren’t dangerous, just idiots fighting over a fence that was ten inches over the line. He had to talk to them about every six months to defuse the situation.

He walked closer to his aunt. “You might try losing that holier-than-thou attitude, because if the Belles and the Calhouns take their business elsewhere, Walker’s General Store will be in trouble.”

“I handled it, didn’t I?” She tucked a receipt into the register and slammed it closed.

“Yes, in a disagreeable fashion.”

“Now…”

“No.” He held up a hand. “This discussion is over. When Cooper Yates comes into the store, you will treat him cordially.”

“People don’t know their place.”

He gritted his teeth and let that pass. “And you will never slap my kids again—ever.”

“They need discipline.”

“Ever, Nell. Are we clear on that?”

She raised her chin. “Yes.”

“Okay, Georgie.” He jostled the boy, who had a mouth full of jelly beans. “Let’s go see what the Graysons are doing?”

“Aren’t you leaving him here?” Nell called.

“No,” he said over his shoulder, “not ever again.”

As he strolled toward his car, he thought about Ms. Belle. No one stood up to Nell. Most people in town would rather diffuse a bomb than cross her, yet Ms. Belle had no qualms about speaking her mind. About Cooper.

Although he was appalled at Nell’s tactics, he had to wonder if there was something going on between Ms. Belle and Cooper. When the crisis at High Five had been settled, she was supposed to return to Philadelphia. But she’d stayed. Why?

And what did he care?

MADDIE WALKED TO HER TRUCK and saw that the barbed wire, steel posts and bag of steel-post ties were loaded. As she was about to get in, she saw a young girl crossing the street to the store. It was Ginny. The school was just across the highway, but school wasn’t out. It was too early.

Ginny sat on the bench in front of the store, huddled in her Windbreaker, which didn’t reach across her protruding stomach. Her face was pale.

Maddie walked over to her. “Are you okay?”

Ginny looked up. “Oh, hi, Ms. Belle.”

“Why aren’t you in school?”

“I felt sick and the nurse said I could go home. My dad delivers eggs here and I’m waiting on him.”

“Maybe you should see a doctor?”

“No. I’m okay—just pregnant.”

“Still…”

“We can’t afford it, okay?” The words were angry, defiant. Ginny rested her head against the wall. “God, I wish Brian had been at High Five and then I could be out of this awful place.”

Maddie eased onto the bench beside her, thinking the girl might need someone to talk to. “Haley doesn’t know where her mother is, so you could have been stranded, too.”

“That would be better than this dump of a town.”

“Ginny…”

The girl sat up straight. “Please don’t give me a lecture. I’ve heard enough from the school counselor and the teachers.”

“They have a point. You’re so young.” Maddie had a good idea of what the counselor and teachers had told her.

“And stupid, like my dad is always telling me.” Ginny chewed on a fingernail that had been gnawed to the quick. Her greasy hair was pulled back into a limp ponytail. Food stains speckled her jeans, even the Windbreaker, and her sneakers were a dirty tan. The girl needed a bath. Maddie wondered at her home life.

Suddenly Ginny turned to her. “Ms. Belle, please help me. A social worker came to our house and my dad told her I was giving the baby away. He says he can’t afford to feed another kid. I want to keep my baby.”

“Ginny…”

“I have an aunt who lives in Temple, and she said I could stay with her. She’d let me keep my baby and she’d help, too. I just need money to get there. Please, Ms. Belle, help me.”

Maddie could feel herself weakening under that desperate tone, but she had to be careful. So many times she let her emotions rule her head. She had to remind herself that Ginny had a family.

“Why doesn’t she come and get you?”

“She’s had knee surgery and she’s not driving yet. I can help her, too.”