Prisoners of the Williwaw by Ed Griffin Read Free Book Online

One of them kicked her seat again, while anotheraccidentally kicked the short woman behind Maggie.   The woman stood up.   "I can't take it anymore."   She tapped Maggie on the shoulder.   "Would you mind switching places with me?   These children…" she raised her voice so the mother could hear "…are out of control."
    "Well, sure, okay, I'll switch with you," Maggie said.
    Maggie squeezed by Latisha and the new woman slipped in.   When she was settled, she turned to Latisha, "And you are?"
    "Latisha Gilmore."
    "Well, well.What do you know?   Boss Gilmore's woman. I hope you're not planning to kill me."
    "Why would I do that?"
    "I'm Judy Villa."

 
    Chapter 6
     
     
    Latisha closed her eyes.   Maybe the Villa woman would take the hint.   She needed time to think, to plan.   Her new life with Gil started in less than an hour.
    But Judy kept on talking.   "Never in my life have I been on a flight like this. And Frank promised me a new beginning.   He said he was going to take care of me this time. Wife , he said that.   Finally he was going to treat me like a wife .Well, what a way to begin.   A flight with hooligans and prostitutes and drug addicts.   And I suppose you're in the rackets, too."
    "No.   I work for Sears. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to sleep a little. I've been up all night." Latisha shifted toward the aisle, put her head back and closed her eyes.
    "You're not the only one who's been up all night.   You know, I worked for Gold's in Milwaukee, department head,   that is, until Wal-Mart came along."
    Where was privacy?Latisha opened her eyes. Judy Villa wore a cream-colored business suit - serious, but lively.   She might dress like a department head, but she talked like a cashier that had just been laid off.
    "I gave up a comfortable little house for this, this…" she pointed forward to where the island might be.... "Why did you come?"
    Before Latisha could reply, Judy offered her own answer.   "My minister, Reverend Ellsworth, says a woman's place is with her husband."
    Suddenly a hand pushed down on Latisha's shoulder.   " Scuse me, lady."   A drunken woman tottered in the aisle. "Which way is the ladies?"
    Latisha pointed to the back where the woman had come from. As the woman turned to go, the little girl across from her, Jeannie Dickinson, stood and blocked the drunken woman's way.   She held a pencil and pad in her hand
    " Hllo , lttle girl," the woman said.   "Get outa the way.   I gotta pee. Iss the Ladies back here?"
    "My name is Jeannie Dickinson.   Press.What's your name, lady?"   She flashed a hand-printed card in the woman's face.
    "Oh, press, huh?" The woman laughed and tapped Latisha on the shoulder.   She bent down and whispered to Latisha with vomit smelling breath " Lttle yung for the pr-press, huh?"
    She straightened back up to Jeannie.   "But anyway my name'ss ..." She paused, reaching for a moment of soberness.    "Elvira, my name'ss Elvira."
    Latisha heard the music in the woman's tone.   This slurred, raspy voice had once sung out her name, "Elvira."   How sad that the music was gone.   What would it take to bring it back?
    "Why are you going to Adak?" Jeannie asked.
    "Ta be with my husband.   He's in prison."
    "What's his name?"
    "Carl, Carl Larson, that'ss his name."
    "What did your husband do?"
    "Oh, he'ss famous.   Wanna see?" Elvira opened her purse and the contents fell to the floor.   Latisha bent down to help. There were three miniature bottles of whiskey, a paper bag that obviously held a pint, a collection of old cosmetics and a series of newspaper clippings.
    "Whoops, sorry," Elvira said.   "Thanks, lady.   You're sure pretty."
    "Disgusting," Latisha heard Judy say.   "The woman is drunk."
    Elvira began to read the headlines of the clippings out loud. "Larson Arrested, Accused of `I-65' Killings."   "Rape-murderer Arrested."   "I-65 Killer -   Guilty.""Larson Kills Prison Guard."
    Next to her, Judy murmured, "He should have been