“I’m gonna have you in the county, you bastard!” Frank shouted.

Kane, who had come up alongside, lashed out with his foot, knocking Frank’s legs out from under him and dropping him between two bunks. Tommy and Kane piled on, punching away.

Ragen watched as Tommy fought to be sure he was in no danger. Had there been a real threat, he would have intervened. He would not have swung wildly and in anger, as Tommy did. He would have moved in, planning where to hit and what bones to break. This was none of his affair and he wasn’t needed.

The next morning Allen decided they’d better tell Mr. Jones what had happened before Frank Jordan gave a damaging version of the incident.

“You can see Vito’s head, swelled up where Frank hit him without provocation,” Allen said to the social worker. “He’s been taking advantage of a system that gives him authority over kids like Vito. Like we said the other day, it’s wrong and potentially dangerous to put that kind of power into the hands of criminals.”

On Wednesday, Mr. Jones announced that henceforth the reduction of merits would be done only by the professional staff. The merits that Frank Jordan had unjustly removed from others were to be paid back out of his own account. Jordan was bumped all the way back to zone 1. Vito, Kane and Milligan now had enough merits to move on to zone 3.

(3)

One of the privileges of zone 4 was being allowed to go home on trial visit. Tommy looked forward to his furlough. When the time came, he packed his bag and waited for Dorothy to pick him up. But the more he thought about leaving, the more confused he felt. He liked the place, but he still wanted to be back at Spring Street, knowing that Chalmer would never be there again. Just him and Challa and Kathy. There would be good times at home for a change.

Dorothy picked him up and they drove back to Lancaster without talking very much. He was surprised .when, a few minutes after he got home, a man he had never seen before dropped in for a visit. He was a big, beefy-faced man with a barrel chest. And he chain-smoked.

Dorothy said, “Billy, this is Del Moore. He owns the bowling alley and lounge where I used to sing in Circleville. He’s staying for dinner.”

Tommy could tell by the way they were looking at each other that there was something between them. Shit! Chalmer out of the house not more than two months, and now there was another guy hanging around.

That evening at dinner Tommy announced, “I’m not going back to Zanesville.”

“What are you talking about?” Dorothy asked.

“I can’t take that place no more.”

“Now, that ain’t right, Billy,” Del Moore said. “Your ma tells me you only got about a month to go.”

“That’s my business.”

“Billy!” Dorothy said.

“Well, I’m a friend of the family now,” Del said. “It’s not right to be causing your ma so much worry. You got just a little time to serve. You stick it out or you’ll have to go over me.”