Dirty Faces- Book 1

Chapter 13: The Revenuer, the Bootlegger, and the Priest

Chapter 13: The Revenuer, the Bootlegger, and the Priest

Saturday morning Ginny went up onto the Montgomerys' creaky porch and knocked on the door, but no one opened it. She knocked again and waited, but no one answered. It was quiet, a rarity at this house. She knocked a third time and waited for what seemed an unusually long time before she gave up. When she turned to step off the porch, she was startled to find J.D. standing by the bottom step.

"Dang it, J.D.! You 'bout scared the tar outta me! How long you been standing there?"

"A minute. They ain't there, ya know. Not none of 'em."

"Coulda told me that instead of standing there all creepy-like."

"Sorry."

"Well, where are they?"

He hesitated. "When we got home yesterday, the Priest was sitting right where you're standing."

"The Priest?"

"Yeah. I reckon the sheriff told him."

"Told him what?"

"Ginny, the revenuers found their daddy's still yesterdey. They took him in."

It took her a minute to absorb what he'd said.

"So...what was the Priest doing here?"

"He took 'em home with him. Reckon they're staying there 'til the county comes to take 'em off somewheres at least."

"What about Andy and Freddy?"

"Dunno. They asked the Priest but he didn't know."

"How horrible. They must be so shook up."

"Yeah. They didn't say much yesterday, kinda like it come as a shock to 'em."

"I'd say so...Don't reckon they'd wanna do much today, huh?"

"Doubtful."

"But we should go check on 'em."

"Yeah. Should prob'ly swing by Becky's on the way over."

It seemed a bit like Becky's fondness for J.D. might not be so unrequited.

They headed into town uncharacteristically solemn. When they reached the store, they went around back and up the stairs that led to the Kelly's apartment, and knocked on the door. The noise coming from inside was in stark contrast to the silence of the Montgomerys', with the usual chaos that Ginny always associated with Becky's home. Her weary, red-headed mother answered the door, a dirty-faced toddler on her hip. Several other children of varying ages, most with red hair, were sitting at the kitchen table or running around the apartment; Becky was among the well-behaved ones at the table, attempting to quiet a squalling baby.

"Good morning," Mrs. Kelly practically sighed.

"Morning, Miz Kelly," said Ginny. "Can Becky come out?"

"She hasn't done her chores yet. When she has, yes she can play."

"Thank you, ma'am."

Becky frowned and waved to them pathetically as the door shut. They turned and went back down the steps and headed toward the houses across from the schoolhouse. The light blue one where the Priest lived sat further off the road than the abandoned gray house with the broken upstairs window. They followed the shaded gravel drive up to the screened front porch then argued over who should knock on the door. As they stood bickering, the front door opened. They froze, expecting the Priest to emerge, but instead Danny walked across the porch and pushed open the screen door.