Page 89 of Night Falls on Predicament Avenue
“Floyd?” Effie took tentative steps toward the woods. The spot of blue hadn’t moved. She focused on it, realizing Anderson was letting her go. Trusting her. “It’s okay now, Floyd. Mr. Charlemagne is in custody. He can’t hurt anyone anymore.”
The spot of blue shifted.
Effie glanced over her shoulder at Anderson. He gave her an encouraging nod.
“Floyd, thank you for telling me to run. I know you were trying to protect me.” Although it didn’t explain the woman—his mother, Mabel?—who had tried to strangle her. Effie would address that fright at a later time. “Floyd,” she continued, taking more slow steps. “If you have the baby ... please, Floyd. Her father is here. That is Anderson—Lord Mooring.” The name was unfamiliar on her tongue, but it sounded important. Weighty. Authentic and purposeful. “He has come all the way from England to reunite with his baby girl. Cora.”
The sound of a small whimper met her ears.
Effie whirled to look at Anderson, to see if he’d heard it also.
He had. His eyes were wide. His body tensed. It was obvious it was taking everything in him not to race to the woods and reclaim his child.
Effie turned back. “Floyd, why did you bring her to the James manor?” An idea began to form. “Did you realize I was ... attachedto the baby’s father? Is that also why you came here this morning, only to see Mr. Charlemagne and then turn to run away? You knew he was dangerous to the baby, but you knew I would help you, didn’t you?”
Another whimper, as if someone were clutching a child tightly and it wrestled to protest.
“It was your mother, wasn’t it?” Effie tried again, drawing closer to where the woods met the lawn. “She attacked me, but...” Effie hesitated. Dare she voice her theory out loud? Not one she preferred to believe, but one that made the most sense as she dwelled on it. “Your mother thought I was dangerous, didn’t she, Floyd? That I meant to harm the babe, just like the other woman and Mr. Charlemagne meant to? She didn’t know that you’d just warned me to stay away from Mr. Charlemagne. She’s been protecting Predicament Avenue for you, hasn’t she? It’syourplace that you go to in order to be alone.”
No response.
Effie’s footsteps were silent in the grass. “You were there the night Mr. Charlemagne met Isabelle Addington, weren’t you? You saw him kill her and so you took the baby so she wouldn’t be hurt—is that right?”
A flash of blue and then Floyd stood from his crouch in the undergrowth. His arms were empty. There was no baby Cora. Effie scanned the woods. Nothing. No whimpers either.
“He killed her,” Floyd said. His voice had the same gravelly tone as the day he’d warned her to run. “He made a mess of her. She screamed and screamed and then ... ain’t nothing left. Just quiet. But then the baby started cryin’.” Floyd stared at her with wide, earnest eyes. There was gray at his temples. His burly form seemed far less intimidating now. “I grabbed that baby and run. Run to my mama’s. An’ she took care of her when I went back. That poor lady was all bloody. I took her body, and Ma and I—we did right by her. Proper cleanin’ and dressin’, a nice and proper photograph—Ma’s cousin’s got a camera, andhe don’t ask no questions. Then I got her buried proper-like in back of that house. Put sod and leaves over it so no one knowed.”
“That was good of you.” Effie hoped her words were reassuring to Floyd. She glanced behind her. Anderson was still standing there, poised to spring forward at the first sign of his daughter. She turned back to Floyd. “And then what happened?” she urged.
Floyd lifted his shoulders to his ears in a shrug. “After I took that dead lady to Ma’s with the baby, I went back, and that man had moved stuff. Cleaned up. So I figured there wharn’t nothin’ else to do but go home and make sure he didn’t come after the baby girl.”
“He’d seen you, hadn’t he?” Effie surmised.
“Ohhhh yeah.” Floyd’s affirmation was laced with a vibrato to emphasis how right Effie was. “He’s not a nice man. Said he’d kill me and the baby both. He’d kill you and your sister too. I ran. I ran hard. I’ve been runnin’ ever since. Ma an’ I keep taking the baby to different places so he can’t find her. Ain’t safe. Ma don’t trust you. She don’t trusthim.” Floyd tipped his head. “Ma, she don’t trust nobody. I’m right sorry she tried to hurt you. She—” Floyd hesitated and winced—“she thinks I need carin’ for, but she ain’t always thinkin’ right herself.”
“It’s safe now, Floyd,” Effie said. “That man behind me? That’s the baby’s father. Please. The baby needs her papa.”
A glimmer of doubt flashed in Floyd’s eyes as he looked past Effie toward Anderson. “I’m not stupid.” He returned his frank gaze to Effie.
“No, you’re not. You’re averysmart man.” Tears sprang to Effie’s eyes at the truth of it. “You saved that baby—you did. Now let’s finish rescuing her and get her back to her papa.”
Floyd didn’t respond. He looked between Effie and Anderson, then ducked back into the woods.
Anderson launched toward baby Cora, only to pull up short as he realized the child had shrunk into Floyd, the only familiar person in her life. Effie’s breath hitched. Of course Cora wouldn’t know her father! The heartbreak of the moment almost equaled the joy.
Floyd worked at loosening Cora’s fingers, which gripped the fabric of his shirt. “That’s your daddy,” he explained to her, even though the infant didn’t understand him.
Anderson approached slowly. Effie could see the tightness in his body as he restrained himself from taking hold of his child.
“Hello, Cora.” His voice was strained with emotion. “I am your papa.”
The little girl stared at him, her long lashes and delicate features giving her the appearance of a porcelain doll. She hung on Floyd, her protector, and then suddenly Cora leaned forward toward Anderson, letting go and holding her arms toward him.
Anderson grabbed hold of her and clung, drawing the babe into his embrace. Cora held back, unsure, but her hand extended to touch his face. His nose. Curiosity and an expression of confidence not unlike her father’s reflected in her eyes.
“I cannot thank you enough,” Anderson choked out, addressing Floyd. “I’m more grateful to you than you will ever know.”
Floyd ducked his head. “Wharn’t nothin’.”
