“She’s no kin of yours. What would she know anyway? Talks to the fucking fairies.”

“For you?” he said.

Bennet laughed. “For pretty boy here”—he nodded toward Goldwin—“and for Finn and my cousin.”

“Three?” Again he looked around at the turned-away faces of the men.

“Jesus,” Bennet said, “it’s them or some fucking farmhand, if it hasn’t happened already. What are women worth in the end? Look at Finn; look at Magnus; look at Siggy. Look at yourself. Men and women been at war since day one. That’s the best lesson any man can learn.”

Otto looked cornered and confused.

“Tell you what,” Bennet said. “Turn of a card.” He spread the cards out. “You get the highest, you get everything back, no strings. I get the highest, you get everything back except….”

“How?” he said.

“We’ll figure something out. You can bring her somewhere. We won’t hurt her. I’ll get something from Snyder’s to knock her out. Won’t be rough and I can guarantee with these peckerwoods it’s going to be quick. Anyway, what’s she going to do, go to the sheriff?”

Otto swallowed hard. He reached out, his hand hovering above the cards. Finally, he slid one out. Bennet did the same.

“Oh, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.” Finn came over to the table and laid a dollar down in front of Bennet.

“Goddammit all, I should have known you would’ve done it.” Goldwin threw a crumpled dollar down as well.

“My good man,” Magnus said, “you shall have to take my word as my bond.”

Sal, staring at Otto with ecstatic triumph, slapped down a dollar. “A nice Polish, eh?”

Otto was still confused. “What’s this?” he said. “What’s going on?”

“What’s it look like?” Siggy said, sliding a dollar out of his wallet. “When you were out there playing your pipe, Mr. B bet us he could get you to give up your daughter on one turn of a card.”

The men were laughing now.

“What do you think we are,” Siggy added, “goddamn animals?”

“I knew he do it,” Sal said.

“You knew shit,” Bennet said.

Otto was still bewildered, looking around at the laughing men. “What about my truck?” he said. “I’ve got a high card.”

PISGAH 1956

PISGAH
1956

LEW WAITED ON MISS WINTERS’S PORCH FOR ANNIE and Raj to get back from school. He was so glad to be away from his own house. The roof rats were everywhere now in the walls, and their squealing kept him up all night. He and his dad had set traps this morning.