Catching Moondrops by Jennifer Erin Valent Read Free Book Online Page A

time.”
    â€œIt’s gonna kill Gemma to see this.” I stared off into the woods where the Klansman had disappeared. “I never thought to have to run across them again.”
    I waited for Luke to reassure me that we never would, that this was the last time, but he didn’t say a word. I suppose he couldn’t. Who is there on this earth that can promise evil won’t ever touch your life again?
    He just rushed me around to the front of the office, loaded our things in the truck, and swept us away from there without a word. When we pulled up at the house, Momma and Daddy were on the porch, and they shot down into the yard like cannon fire the minute they saw us coming. They could smell our fear without a word, and before I could count five, Daddy was between us, nearly dragging us up to the porch and inside the house.
    When we got inside, I saw Tal and Gemma standing in the middle of the den. Gemma ran to me and took me by the arms. “What’s wrong? I told them somethin’ had happened to keep you. I had a bad feelin’ in me.”
    Daddy locked the door behind us. “What’s goin’ on?”
    â€œKlan,” I murmured breathlessly. “They’re at it again.”
    At the mention of the Klan, Momma’s hands shot to her mouth, and I could hear her whispering a prayer to Jesus.
    â€œWho said they ever moved out?” Daddy paced the floor with loud, angry clomps. “Jessilyn, you sure it was Klan?”
    â€œOh, it was Klan all right,” Luke answered for me. “Only saw one, but he did enough damage. Put a rock through your other window, Tal. Looks like you got cross-ventilation now.”
    Gemma slid down to the sofa and tucked her hands tightly between her knees. I knew well enough she was doing it to keep them from shaking. I sat beside her and put my arm around her shoulders.
    Tal walked over to the fireplace and leaned on the mantel, his back to us. “They do anythin’ else?”
    Luke shifted his weight and cleared his throat. “Left a little note for you, is all.”
    â€œI reckon it didn’t have nothin’ to do with welcomin’ me to town.”
    â€œReckon not.”
    â€œHarley,” Momma gasped, “I thought the law took care of this years ago.”
    Daddy leaned back against the doorjamb and sighed loud and long. “Honey, the law may have shut down the local Klan back then, but they weren’t able to clean up people’s hearts none. It was only a matter of time.”
    Gemma finally found her tongue and interrupted Daddy with a shaky voice. “And what with Malachi and his like goin’ about town talkin’ nonsense, there ain’t no wonder they’s started up again.” She slumped back into the sofa and hugged her arms around her waist. “I knew he’d stir things up round here.”
    â€œNo, ma’am. It ain’t just Malachi. It’s me, too.” Tal crossed the room and knelt in front of Gemma. “They ain’t goin’ to take kindly to no colored man claimin’ to be smart enough to doctor folks around here, even if them folks is colored. You best think about that long and hard, Miss Gemma, ’cause if you’re thinkin’ to work side by side with me in this here town, you’re like to be caught right up in this with me.”
    â€œThey ain’t got call to go after you. You ain’t done nothin’.”
    â€œMost folks they go after ain’t done nothin’ except be born colored. Makes it worse, them thinkin’ I’m bein’ uppity. I got me a target on my back, and I won’t have you gettin’ hurt because of that.”
    Gemma scowled at him. “Don’t you go tellin’ me what to do, Tal Pritchett! If I want to work for a colored doctor, I’ll work for a colored doctor. I ain’t ever had no Klan tell me what to do, and I won’t have you doin’ it,