Dirty Faces- Book 1

Chapter 10: A Sack of Flour

They agreed and all headed toward the coal camp. "You girls handle the distracting," J.D. instructed them as they walked. "Me and Danny'll take care of the flour. Shouldn't take more than two minutes."

When they reached the Montgomery's house, next door to J.D.'s, Tommy broke off from the group to retrieve that broom and J.D. and Danny slipped around the side of the house. Ginny looked at Becky gloomily and said, "You better do all the talking. I've been told I'm a terrible liar."

"Who told you that?"

"Tommy."

Becky rolled her eyes. "He just knows you too well. You're a fine liar, I'm sure."

Ginny wasn't sure that was a quality one ought to be proud of.

The two girls, one fair with curly, red hair wrestled into two braids, the other tan with untamable, dark hair, both equally guilty-looking, continued walking, stopping just before J.D.'s porch; J.D. appeared from around the back corner of the house and gave them the thumbs-up.

Ginny took a deep breath. "Here goes..."

They stepped up onto the wooden porch and Becky tapped daintily on the door. A moment later it opened and Leslie greeted them with her characteristic friendly smile. Ginny already felt bad about lying to her.

"Morning, ladies. How are y'all today?"

"We're fine, Leslie," Becky answered."You?"

"I can't complain."

"Glad to hear it. Is J.D. home?"

"He's supposed to be at the ball field...with y'all..."

"He never showed up," Ginny fibbed. "We just figured he overslept. But ya say he ain't here?"

"No, he isn't home."

Ginny and Becky exchanged puzzled looks. "Well that's strange," Becky observed. "Reckon where he could be?"

Leslie looked a little worried but deep in thought. "You know, yesterday was his birthday," she explained. "Our grandparents gave him some money and I'm sure it's just burning a hole in his pocket. He might have stopped at the store."

Behind Leslie, Ginny spied Danny and J.D. dart stealthily across the doorway that opened to the kitchen.

"You say he has money?" Becky asked, feigning surprise. She narrowed her eyes and looked at Ginny. "I bet I know where he is. I bet that fool's sitting at the diner sipping on a root beer float, while we're all out here sweating it tryin' to find him!"

"That's also possible," Leslie agreed.

"So we'll look there. And then the store if he ain't there," Ginny said. "Thanks for your help, Leslie."

They turned and started to descend the porch steps. "Um, could you..." Leslie began meekly.

Ginny looked over her shoulder. "Of course. We'll let ya know if we don't find him shortly. But I'm sure we will."

"Thanks."

They stepped off the porch and headed in the direction of the store. "Gosh dang!" Becky snapped once they were a few houses away. "That was horr'ble. She's so stinking nice and now we got her all worried."

Ginny was glad she wasn't the only one with a guilty conscience. Until then, she had never really been sure just why she and her other friends were friends with Becky. She had supposed that, for her, it was mainly just an effort to convince Mama that all her friends were not, in fact, boys; and for the others it was probably because Becky was not only willing to play baseball with them, but she was just as good at it as most of the boys. It didn't really matter that she was probably only there because she was sweet on J.D. But now it made sense. She was one of them, and a lot more like Ginny herself than she'd realized- capable of doing what she knew was wrong while simultaneously feeling bad about it, and making it look easy. A worthy accomplice.