The Last Death of Jack Harbin Read Online Free PDF Page B

that the two men haven’t spoken a word to each other in twenty-some-odd years. “I sure didn’t expect that. I presume it doesn’t fit into your plans?”
    â€œThat’s an understatement! I don’t see how Woody can even think about having Jack at our house. He’s just an awful man. I mean, I’m sorry what happened to him, but a lot of people say he’s made the worst of the situation.” She sighs. “That’s not fair. I don’t know what I’d do if I was in his place, not being able to see or walk.”
    â€œLaurel, with his physical problems, even if he was a practicing saint it would still be hard having him live at your house. You’ll just have to tell Woody how you feel.”
    Her smile is tired. “Woody is a good man, but he can be stubborn when he gets something in his head.”
    It occurs to me that he and Jack are the same that way. “To be honest, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. I doubt if Jack would take to the idea anyway.”
    Her lips go all pinched. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. You have to admit Jack’s gotten along fine, being waited on hand and foot by his daddy. And if he thinks he can get Woody to do the same thing, I expect he’ll figure out a way to forgive Woody pretty fast.”
    I’m surprised at the anger in her voice. She’s generally even-tempered, if a little impulsive. There must be something else behind the fuss she’s putting up. I can’t help wondering if Taylor Brenner is in the mix.
    Laurel is an attractive enough girl, but nothing special to look at, with a pudgy face and a button nose. Folks were pretty surprised that she ended up with Woody after his divorce from Taylor Brenner. How could Woody go from Taylor, who was about as electric as a girl could be, to steady, plain, easy-going Laurel? But Jeanne told me to wait and see, that she bet it would work out. And sure enough, after he married Laurel, Woody settled down big time, almost as if he was relieved not to have to keep up with Taylor’s bright star.
    â€œWhy does Woody want to take Jack in, anyway? He’s got you and the kids to consider. And doesn’t your mamma live with you, too?”
    â€œThat’s what I told Woody, but he says since he works at home, like Jack’s dad did, he can take care of Jack the way Bob did. And you know good and well who the work would fall to.”
    â€œLike I said, why would he want Jack there anyway, the way things are between them?”
    She pushes away her untouched coffee and crosses her arms on the table. “You know Woody feels responsible for what happened to Jack. It was his idea for the two of them to sign up for the army.”
    â€œI know that’s what Woody said at the time. But they were kids. It wasn’t Woody’s fault the army took Jack and didn’t take him.”
    â€œWoody says there’s more to it. And he won’t talk about it.”
    Okay, so maybe Taylor does figure in there somewhere. But I have a feeling I’m not going to get to the bottom of it right now.
    â€œI still don’t think Jack would move in with you all.” I tell her about Jack’s insistence that Woody not be allowed at the visitation tonight.
    Her fine hair has straggled out of its clip, so she undoes it and snatches the hair back up tight and clips it again. “I know it. Belle called the house and told him.”
    â€œHow did Woody react?”
    â€œHe said as long as we can go to the service, that’s okay.”
    â€œDo you know if Taylor is coming down from Dallas?”
    â€œShe’s already out at her mamma’s. She called this afternoon. She was trying to decide if she ought to go see Jack.”
    â€œWhy wouldn’t she?”
    â€œShe doesn’t know if Jack would be in the frame of mind to see her.”
    â€œYou and Taylor get along, do you?”
    She shrugs. “We used