In a Handful of Dust

“It’s likely you’re right,” Vera conceded. “But there are other factors to consider.”

“Like what?” Lucy asked.

“When I brought Carter’s mom over to the cabin to break the news to her,” Stebbs said, “she went biblical—fell to the floor, gnashed her teeth… it was all Vera could do to keep her from harming her own self, which wasn’t exactly helpful.”

“Monica’s never been one for helpful,” Lynn said.

Stebbs shook his head. “Once we got her calmed down, we told her the boy would have to go. He took the news better than she did, I’ll say that. She broke down all over again, said she’d lost her daughter and now we was taking her son away. So Vera told her she could always go with him.”

“What’d she say?” Lucy asked.

“Exactly what you’d expect her to say,” Vera answered. “No.”

“She cut him loose?” Lynn asked.

“She’s not made of strong stuff,” Stebbs said. “Even if she had gone with him, she’d be more of a hindrance than a help to the boy.”

Lucy imagined poor Carter standing in a corner of Vera’s house, his mother rejecting him in favor of her own comfort. “Maybe she would’ve been,” Lucy agreed, “but now he’ll be alone.”

“What’s this got to do with us?” Lynn asked.

“When I explained to Monica why I suspected it was her son infecting the second wave of victims, she came to the same conclusion I had,” Vera said. “She knew you and Carter had been working together during the epidemic.”

“So she knows it could be Lucy,” Lynn said, guessing the end before Vera could come to it, “and she’s not likely to keep her mouth shut about it, with you two kicking her son out.”

Stebbs nodded. “Monica’s a coward, but not stupid.”

The warm spot the whiskey had formed in Lucy’s stomach had managed to calm her a little, and the exhaustion from hours of crying had lulled her into a stupor while the adults talked. But Lynn’s words brought a spike of cold fear bursting through the warmth.

“Is she telling people I’m sick too? Are you going to make us leave?”

“We don’t know what to do, honey,” Vera admitted. “But yes, it’s likely Monica will tell people you could have been the source. Which means a few things: people will expect us to treat you the same way as Carter, and if we don’t…”

“If we don’t, it’d stir up an already pissed-off hornet’s nest,” Stebbs finished. “Lots of people are mourning right now, and once that’s done, they’ll turn to wanting to know why their people died. They’ll need somebody to blame.”

“Even if we let you stay, you’d be in danger,” Vera said.

“They’d hurt me?”

“They would,” Lynn said. “Much as I don’t like agreeing. They would turn on you, if they thought it’d protect them from falling sick themselves, or losing more of their own. People are harsh animals. You’ve not had to see that firsthand in a long while.”

“Lynn’s right,” Stebbs said. “And Monica’s an injured animal, ready to bite at any threat. Right now, that’s us.”

Lynn’s hand went to her gun. “She can’t bite if I shut her mouth for her.”

“I won’t allow that, Lynn,” Vera said. “Killing her would only solve half your problem anyway.”

“What’s the other half?”

Stebbs gave Lynn a shrewd glance. “You’re not going to like what I have to say next, but don’t hit me, okay, kiddo?”

Lynn’s eyes narrowed, and Lucy noticed she made no promises.

“Abigail came down the hill today,” Stebbs said carefully, keeping an eye on Lynn.

“Oh crap,” Lucy said. “I forgot to tell you.”

Lynn’s eyebrows drew together. “Forgot to tell me what?”

Vera put a hand on Lynn’s taut shoulder. “It seems she believes you and Devon have, um…”

“Christ,” Stebbs broke in. “She thinks you’re sparking him.”

Lynn flushed a deep red. “She thinks I’m… with…” She trailed off, eyes wide. “Well, I’m not.”

“Much of a relief as that is to hear,” Stebbs said, “I don’t think she’s going to believe you.”

“Why not?”

“Lynn,” Vera said softly. “Sometimes when people are—”

“What she’s saying is that Abigail is cracked in the head,” Stebbs finished. “She’s convinced herself you’re sleeping with her man, and no amount of truth is going to sway her otherwise.”

“Have Devon set her straight,” Lucy said, seeing Lynn was beyond words. “She thinks the world of him. If he says it as well as Lynn, she’s bound to believe it.”

“Devon passed away this morning,” Vera said quietly.

“And with him dead, there’s no one to do the denying but the one she’s accusing, and Abigail half out of her head with grief—”

“And the other half of her head not being all that stable to begin with,” Lucy finished.

“She’ll be gunning for you,” Stebbs warned Lynn.

She shrugged. “I got a gun too.”

“And I bet Lynn’s a better shot,” Lucy said.

“Good shot or not, is that your plan?” Stebbs asked Lynn. “Climb up on the roof again and shoot anybody comes near? That the kind of life you want for Lucy? What you had? Skulking in the basement and sniping from the roof? Scared to talk to anybody for fear they’re gonna take something from you?”