Page 65 of Trailer Trash

“Her shot at Branson? She was sure he treated me like he did because I was weak. She believed she would be different. I just wanted out. But a few days later, I was still bleeding from my procedure and Branson told me he had some big deal in the works and that he needed me to do something special. He said if I went along, he’d give me part of the money. I knew right away that this had to be big. He’d never offered me anything before other than the promise not to beat me. It was a ridiculous offer. I never went anywhere to use money, and he kept every penny I made at the club, but I asked him what he wanted me to do.”

“Neely Kate. You don’t have to tell me.” Jed’s voice shook. “I already heard enough from Stella.”

“No. You need to know it all. We’re close to the end now.”

He gave a small nod.

“He said he had a rich customer from Dallas who’d heard about me. Branson said he wanted to buy me for one night, but I had to sign a waiver promising not to press charges. Well, that perked my fear right up. No one else had ever been worried about such a thing. Branson saw my hesitation. He played down the agreement, saying it was no big deal. The guy had a reputation to maintain, and if word got out that he was into something kinky, it could ruin him. I said I’d think about it, then told Carla I needed to leave sooner. The guy was coming the next night. He was going to watch me dance; then I was supposed to leave with him. Branson would come pick me up after six hours. That was when the guy would pay him. But I had to sign the agreement. If I didn’t, the guy would leave and neither of us would get anything.”

“So what happened?”

“I didn’t give Branson an answer, but he took my silence as agreement to go through with the deal. In the meantime, Carla had scraped together gas money for me. We had a plan worked out, only Stella was working that night and knew something was up.

“When it came time for me to escape, I got in Carla’s car, but Branson was waiting for me. He told me that I was still going with the guy, but I wasn’t gettin’ a dime. When I told him I refused to do it, he threatened to hurt Zelda.”

“You agreed.”

I couldn’t tell what he thought of that. “I had to. I could handle his fists, but she was frail . . . I couldn’t risk it.”

A car pulled up next to Jed’s side, and a woman got out. She looked to be in her forties, and the expression on her face suggested she didn’t take shit from anyone.

“Family Services?” I asked.

“I suspect so.” He put the car in reverse but didn’t back out.

Sure enough, the woman marched up to Stella’s door and knocked. As soon as Stella answered, Jed backed out.

I hadn’t finished my story, but now that Jed knew someone was going to make sure the baby was okay, his whole demeanor had changed.

“Where are you going?” I asked, worried about where I stood with him.

“We’re going to find Beasley.” The look in his eyes suggested Beasley should be very afraid.

Chapter 18

“Jed, hold up,” I said, reaching for his arm. “You don’t even know where to find him, and you don’t know why I’m lookin’ for him.”

“Neely Kate, I know I said I was lettin’ you handle this, but I’m taking over with Beasley.”

“Jed.”

“No,” he snapped. “That man has a lot to answer for . . . and I’ll be the one makin’ him atone for what he did.”

“He’s already atoned for it, Jed. He went to prison for something I did.”

“What was the charge?”

“Jed.”

“What was the fucking charge?Because unless it’s for murdering his brother, he’s not even begun to pay.”

“Jed!Stop!”

He pulled over into a gas station parking lot and got out of the car, leaving the engine running, and began to pace the length of the car.

I got out and walked over to him, half-scared to confront him, but I had to fix this.

“Jed.”

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