“Kendall Murdoch.”

The name didn’t register with me.

“Who’s that?” Marshall asked.

“Y’all know who he is,” Peanut said, “probably seen his damn campaign signs all over the county. He’s running for senate.”

“I’ve seen him on TV,” Marshall said, “like a damn used car salesman.”

“You ain’t far off,” Peanut said.

“What’s his connection with Randy Jessup?” I asked.

Peanut sat back down and rocked back to spit in the trash can.

I waited Peanut out, and he smiled. He said, “That preacher’s using his church to launder money for him.”

“Goddamn,” Marshall said, “I knew that fucking preacher was crooked.”

“That’s where Harper Lewellen got all the money,” I said.

“Sure is,” Peanut said, “and y’all’re gone help me get it.”

Marshall looked over at me and waited to see how I’d react. His forehead wrinkled, and I understood the deal he’d made with Peanut to get me out of the church.

“I need something for me first,” I said.

Peanut’s eyes narrowed, and he spat in the trash can.

I finally took a seat in Buford’s rocking chair. The seat was still warm from when he’d been sitting in it, and I propped my elbows on the arms and ran my hands through my hair. “Andy Lewellen.”

“Goddamn,” Marshall said.

Peanut looked over at my brother and then back at me. “Explain.”

“After we stole that money, the preacher killed her deddy and chained her up in that basement. Now that I ain’t there no more and the Elis ain’t around, she’s probably gone suffer the same fate as Harp.”

Peanut leaned over to me. “Explain to me how that’s my problem?”

“It’s not. It’s mine.”

Peanut leaned back in his chair, and Marshall said, “I don’t see how it’s your goddamn problem, Coy.”

Peanut asked Marshall, “She’s the one that called the preacher on y’all?”

Marshall said, “Gave us up like prom pussy.”

“So let her stink the place up,” Peanut said.

Marshall said, “That’s what I told him.”

“I can’t do that.”

Buford and Caudell were on the way back with a cooler full of beer, and the discussion was over.

“Where’s mama?” I asked.

“She’s done asleep,” Marshall said. “I had to medicate her when she found out where you was. She got Deddy’s rifle and was fixing to shoot the preacher, God, and everybody unless they let you go. You’ll see her in the morning.”

“I’m gone go ahead and get some sleep then. I’m ’bout dead on my feet.”

“You ain’t even gone have one beer with me?” Peanut asked.

“Not tonight.”

“Tomorrow then.”

3.

The smell of bacon frying teased me from my dreams. Sunshine lit the room just enough for me to see Marshall wasn’t in his bed. I didn’t know if he’d ever come to it. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I died to the world. I kicked the blankets to the foot of the bed and rolled out of it. My pants hung over a bedpost, and I put them on. I needed to find a shirt to wear, but all I found were kids’ clothes in the drawers I checked. Hopefully, Katie didn’t mind me walking around half-naked until I got some other clothes.