Page 74 of The Last Straw

“Evening, Miss Pete.”

She gave him a strange look.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“That’s what I came to ask you,” she said. “Your son was doing some bragging at school today. He said something to the effect that his daddy was worth a quarter and a bazillion dollars, cause he’d done a job for the Lord. And when his daddy got paid, he was going to buy candy for everyone.”

“Oh, my God,” Judy said. The look she gave Farrell was somewhere between “look what you’ve done” and pure horror.

Farrell went numb. He could still see the teacher’s lips moving, but he couldn’t hear what she was saying. After all of the conniving and lying to his brother, their own child had outed him. But how? They’d been so careful.

“Well, what do you have to say for yourself?” Mildred cried.

Farrell just kept shaking his head when all of a sudden, Junior was among them.

“Teacher, did you come to eat supper with us?” Junior asked.

Mildred shook her head. “No, but thank you. I’m on my way home to my own supper.”

“Daddy don’t mind,” Junior said. “He’s got lots of money, don’t you, Daddy?” Then he looked up at Farrell and smiled, waiting for confirmation.

Farrell’s thoughts were in free fall. He just kept shaking his head.

“No, son. I don’t have lots of money. You go get your brother and sister and get them in the house. Tell them to wash up. Supper’s almost ready.”

Junior glanced at his teacher, then frowned.

“But, Daddy, I heard you and Mama talking about a quarter and a bazillion dollars that was on you.”

Judy grabbed her son by the arm and headed toward the house, dragging him as they went, leaving Mildred and Farrell alone.

“I knew it! I knew it the minute he said it! You’re the other one, aren’t you?” Mildred cried. “You and Jessup Wallis went and lost your good sense listening to that Jeremiah Raver. He’s never amounted to a hill of beans, and never did anything but preach hellfire and damnation to all his church members about their mortal sins. And all the while, he was partaking in criminal activities, and look where that got him! He’s dead, and you’ve shamed yourself and your family.”

Farrell just kept shaking his head. “No, no, that—”

Mildred jabbed her finger in his chest. “You were willing to kill a woman for how she looked, and now you’re trying to call an innocent child a liar? You’re willing to throw your son under the bus to save yourself? You are one poor excuse for a father, Farrell Kitt. Now...I’ve had my say. But just know that every kid in school probably went home today and told their parents what Junior said. So prepare yourself. Your dirty secret is out, and if you so much as lay a hand on your boy’s innocent little head for telling a truth, I’ll report you to CPS myself. It would serve the both of you right if they came and took all your kids. You don’t deserve to be parents.”

“Judy didn’t know anything,” Farrell said, and the moment it came out of his mouth, he realized he’d just confirmed her suspicions.

“I knew it!” Mildred said.

She whipped out her cell phone, snapped a picture of his face, then ran to her car and locked herself inside.

Farrell was in shock.

Why would Mildred take his—oh no!

She was going to turn him in for the money!

Now the whole world would know his face. They wouldn’t understand how he’d believed he was doing the right thing. They would only see a man willing to kill. He turned and ran for the house as Mildred drove away.

Judy was in their bedroom with their youngest in her lap, sobbing.

He sat down beside her, but when he went to put his arm around her, she pushed him away.

“I’m sorry, honey. I’m so sorry. Mildred threatened something about telling Child Protective Services. We need to leave. I can’t lose you and my babies.”

Judy shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere. I didn’t go to that church. You did. You’re the one who needs to leave. This is my home. Daddy left it to me. You did this to us, not me.”

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