Chapter 18
The wizened woman said, "No, sir; no, sir, mister, I never seen no two white women come up my road. Not this here past week and not never. Onliest white women I sees is them church folks, when they brings me a little somethin'. "
Scarpo looked at Geeth, then back at the old Black. "Storekeeper in town said your cabin was for rent; that right?"
She bobbed her head, and sat on the edge of her rocking chair on the sagging porch of her small house. "Yes, sir, cap'n. Guess so.'
"Any other cabins to rent around here?"
"Not that I know of," she answered, wrinkled face intent upon his, rheumy eyes squinting. "Wouldn't rent mine, save for I'd purely like to visit my brother in Jackson, yes, sir. Wouldn't rent to no white women, neither-did folks say maybe I oughtn't."
Geech said impatiently, "You got any neighbors, old woman ? "
She craned her neck around to look at him. "Don't lay much claim to 'em, but they's them Santees down the road a piece."
Geech said, "They might of got the wrong turn, man." And to the woman, "These Santees-they live back the way we came, maybe up the other fork of the road?"
"You right, sir, right and proper. But was I you, I wouldn't go messin' around there none. You ain't lookin' for whiskey makers, is you?"
Scarpo made a face and wiped his soggy handkerchief over his head and cheeks. "Jes-sus-stills and revenuers; would you believe it?"
Birdlike, cocking her head at him now, the old woman said sharply, "Trash they is and I ain't ascared to say it: trash. On top of that, they's bad, bad. Always slippin' around with them guns."
Scarpo said, "Okay, lady. Thanks for your help."
"They ain't even got a proper road up to they place; twists and wobbles every whichaway, and they's potholes."
"Okay, lady." Scarpo turned from the porch and walked heavily across the swept yard and back onto the dusty road. He kept staring at the grass on either side, and moved gingerly into the shade where he'd left his carbine hidden.
"Back to the fork in the road," he said. "We missed it."
Geech said easily, "Been a lot of screwin' up on this job."
Scarpo stared at him for a second, then cradled the carbine and plodded away, not really giving a damn if the younger man followed or not.