Hortons Bend

Curtis shook his head and said “I don’t think so sir. He may be suspicious about the late evening and night work but I won’t say anymore than I have to.” The commissioner nodded gravely. “Good. This will be important for your growth too Roger. The county needs good men who can be trusted.” Curtis beamed and stepped out of his boss’ way. As Banner was about to leave he walked back over to Curtis. “Roger, I’m going to have a gentleman named Steve Price in the area too. He’s going to be your boss so do exactly as he says to do. And be sure to let me know if you see anything. This is simply a county matter involving an involuntary eviction but I want it handled quietly. Our local legal eagle, Gary Marcus, will have the papers served shortly and I’m not taking any chances. The last thing I want to see is some advocacy group show up to protest and get the media involved. When you contact Ragland go on home and get some rest. It’s gonna be a lousy night but we need this so I’m depending on you.” The commissioner wanted to be damn sure there was no mistake in what needed to be accomplished this weekend. “Yessir I understand” Curtis replied. The commissioner reached over to his desk and handed his new aid maps to direct him to the Horton farm. “These should be studied and then destroyed” he said to Curtis. “I’ve got another meeting so we’ll talk again soon” Banner said before he left the room. Curtis sighed as he began to rethink his entire weekend schedule. Over his initial disappointment, Roger Curtis smirked and started dialing his cell to ruin Robert’s weekend too.
    Steve Pr ice received his bad news but didn’t tell Gary Marcus about his weekend plans. Marcus was on the phone with a sheriff’s deputy who confirmed that he would serve the eviction papers promptly. Price shook hands with the lawyer and decided he would cut his day short too. “Better get some rest” he thought as he got into his Mercedes. As he drove home, he began thinking about the Horton’s. “Poor saps” he said over the din of his radio. He sympathized briefly but then got into a dark mood. What if they cause a stink? They better not! That was the last thing this project needed. The paper would stay out of the way but the Atlanta muckrakers would have a field day. The local rag would report an increase in the availability of local work, a decrease in water rates, and how the county is on the road to financial stability. It would work out. He just knew it would.
    The sheriff’s deputy, Marvin Talley, and his fellow officer, Bill Mason, delivered the papers to the Horton’s. They were old pros at this but neither ever enjoyed the eviction process. Silently each wondered if kids were involved. That aspect was never easy to swallow. When they arrived at the farm, an old man and an old woman were idly standing in their yard. No protest was made. They simply accepted the papers without a single question. The husband and wife’s facial expressions never changed. Nothing was said by either one of them. “You both understand what I have just explained?” Talley asked. Both nodded in unison but exchanged no words. An odd wind blew up as the officers began to get into their patrol car. It wasn’t an incoming storm but it seemed to come out of nowhere. Dust flew across the nearby row crops and then suddenly stopped when they got back onto the paved road. While very little was said back at the farm, Talley and Mason had plenty to talk about on the way back into town. What had happened back there? Both of them described an odd feeling out at that farm. And why had those two acted as strange as they had? It was almost as if the old farmers had been expecting them. Their stares had bored through the men and then that strange wind. Neither mentioned the eviction to anyone back at the police station. Both men remained quiet even after the events that followed that weekend.
    After the sheriff’s deputies left, the old couple stood in the yard and stared off in the distance. Horton’s wife looked at her husband with worry. He smiled and put his arm around her and guided her to the house.
    Chapter 11
    Jeanie got up from her seat on the porch and walked to her pickup truck. “Maybe….maybe” was her only thought. Brody started to follow her but she reached inside the cab of the truck and retrieved a rectangular box that looked like a plant press with its wooden lattice strips and cardboard. Jeanie walked back