Page 26 of Small Town Beast

“You saw the picture? That was my wife Cynthia. I got called up right after baby Junior was born.”

Every last one is dead.Anticipating his question Wilks Johnny said, “They died right before I came home, when I was in the hospital.”

Jesus.

“Drunk driver hit ‘em in broad daylight. Since I’d lost my legs I couldn’t even get around to find him. I heard he was a Bailey, like that woman that lives up the road. One of the big names.”

“What made you think it was a Bailey?”

“There were witnesses,” Wilks Johnny shrugged. “Burying my wife and son took all the money I’d sent home when I joined the army. It nearly broke me, to tell you the truth. But then I found the Lord. Every day He gave me strength to carry on.”

Saverin stared at the old man. Then he looked off into the hard bright sunlight, eyes hooded.

“You ain’t married yet?” Wilks Johnny asked, opening his coke. His voice was even.

“No,” replied Saverin.He felt suddenly racked by grief.

“The Lord giveth and the lord taketh away. Naked I was taken from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return. Blessed be the name of the Lord,” quoted Wilks Johnny.

Saverin cleared his throat. “Hand over that plate.”

Ignoring the man’s protests, Saverin took the plate inside and washed it in the clean sink. He did the rest of the dishes, though they weren’t much. Just a couple coffee cups.

Again before he walked out back to the porch, something caught his eye: not a picture, but a word.

AMARI.

He took the newspaper outside. “Mind I read this?”

“Go on ahead. Son, what was your name again?”

“Uh— Saverin.”

“Saverin what?”

“Bailey.”

“Alright.” Wilks Johnny settled in his chair, staring thoughtfully at the road. If he truly saw the road, or some vision of the past, only he could know.

Saverin thumbed open the paper and read,

The mother of Amari Weaver is desperate for any information relating to her young son’s whereabouts. Amari was last seen in the A&W park lot on Gresham Blvd in the care of his grandmother.

Amari Weaver is an African American male child, 3 years old, 45 lbs and 3ft, 0 inches. Last seen wearing a blue hoodie, gray pants, and red dinosaur slip on shoes. If you have information, please call 911 or the East Rowanville PD, at 844…There was a picture. A very adorable kid…same eyes. Just the same as hers. By God!

Saverin put the newspaper back, his mind humming with the possibilities. Didn’t this prove his theory? Tanya hadAmaritattooed on her breast. She said she had a son, buthe wasn’t waiting home for her.Looked damn near ready to cry when she said it, too.

He didn’t know her name and the paper didn’t say, but there was a number on the bottom.

And she might work at Laura Jane’s place. That’s another thing.

“I’d best be heading out,” he told Wilks Johnny. “Thanks for the refresher.”

“Come back and visit any time,” the old man said. If it registered that Saverin was related to the man who had killed his wife and child, he did not reveal it.

A yellow dog trotted up the road and stopped in front of the broken gate.

“There he is!” Wilks Johnny scowled.

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