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y。
〃Did Cowboy take his things with him？〃 my father asked Miguel。
〃Si； senor。〃
〃Did Tally take her things with her？〃 my father asked Mr。 Spruill。
He didn't answer； and the question hung in the air until Bo said； 〃Yes sir。 Her bag's gone。〃
〃What's in her bag？〃
〃Clothes and such。 And her money jar。〃
Mrs。 Spruill cried harder。 Then she wailed； 〃Oh my baby！〃 I wanted to crawl under the house。
The Spruills were a beaten bunch。 All heads were down； shoulders shrunk； eyes half…closed。 Their beloved Tally had run away with someone they considered low…bred； a dark…skinned intruder from a godforsaken country。 Their humiliation before us was plete； and very painful。
I was hurting； too。 How could she have done such a terrible thing？
She was my friend。 She treated me like a confidant； and she protected me like a big sister。 I loved Tally； and now she had run off with a vicious killer。
〃He took her！〃 Mrs。 Spruill bawled。 Bo and Dale led her away； leaving only Trot and Mr。 Spruill to tend to the matter。 Trot's normally vacant look had been replaced with one of great confusion and sadness。 Tally had been his protector； too。 Now she was gone。
The men launched into a windy discussion of what to do next。 The top priority was to find Tally； and the truck； before she could get too far。 There was no clue as to when the two left。 They had obviously used the storm to cover their getaway。 The Spruills had heard nothing during the night； nothing but thunder and rain； and the driveway passed within eighty feet of their tents。
They could've been gone for hours； certainly enough time to drive to Jonesboro or Memphis or even Little Rock。
But the men seemed optimistic that Tally and Cowboy could be found； and quickly。 Mr。 Spruill left to unhitch his truck from the tents and tables。 I begged my father to let me go with them； but he said no。 Then I went to my mother； and she held firm； too。 〃It's not your place；〃 she said。
Pappy and my father squeezed into the front seat with Mr。 Spruill； and off they went； sliding on our road； tires spinning； mud slinging behind them。
I went past the silo to the weedy remains of an old smoke shed and sat for an hour under the rotted tin roof； watching rain drip in front of me。 I was relieved that Cowboy had left our farm； and for this I thanked God in a short but sincere prayer。 But any relief in his departure was overshadowed by my disappointment in Tally。 I managed to hate her for what she had done。 I cursed her； using words Ricky had taught me； and when I had spewed forth all the foul language I could remember； I asked God to forgive me。
And I asked Him to protect Tally。
It took the men two hours to find Stick Powers。 He said he'd been en route from headquarters in Jonesboro； but Pappy said he looked as if he'd been sleeping for a week。 Stick was plainly thrilled to have such a high crime within his jurisdiction。 Stealing the truck of a farmer was only a notch below murder in our code； and Stick kicked into high gear。 He radioed every jurisdiction he could pick up on his old radio； and before long most of northeast Arkansas was buzzing with the news。
According to Pappy； Stick was not too worried about Tally's whereabouts。 He guessed correctly that she had voluntarily run off with a Mexican； which was a low…class and disgraceful thing to do； but not exactly a felony； even though Mr。 Spruill kept using the word 〃kidnapping。〃
It was doubtful that the two lovebirds would venture a long journey in our truck。 They most certainly wanted to flee Arkansas； and Stick reasoned that their most likely means would be by bus。 They would be too suspicious as hitchhikers； Arkansas drivers were not likely to pick up such a swarthy character as Cowboy； especially with a young white girl at his side。 〃They're probably on a bus headed North；〃 Stick said。
When Pappy told us this； I remembered Tally's dream of living in Canada； a long way from the heat and humidity。 She wanted lots of snow； and for some reason she had chosen Montreal as her place in the world。
The men discussed money。 My father did the math and guessed that Cowboy had earned close to four hundred dollars picking cotton。 No one knew； though； how much he'd sent home。 Tally had earned about half that much and had probably saved most of it。 We knew she'd been buying house paint for Trot； but we had no idea of her other expenditures。
It was at this point in Pappy's narrative that I wanted to bare my soul about Hank。 Cowboy had robbed him after he killed him。 There was no way of knowing how much picking money Hank had saved； but I knew for certain that there was 250 of Samson's money now in Cowboy's pocket。 I almost blurted this out as we sat around the kitchen table； but I was simply too frightened。 Cowboy was gone； but they might catch him somewhere。
Wait； I kept telling myself。 Just wait。 The moment will e when I can unload my burdens。
Whatever their finances； it was obvious that Tally and Cowboy had enough money to ride a bus for a long time。
And we were broke； as usual。 There was a brief conversation about how to replace the truck in the event that it was never found； but the subject was too painful to pursue。 Plus； I was listening。
We ate an early lunch； then sat on the back porch and watched the rain。
Chapter 29
Stick's old； loud patrol car came rolling into the front yard； with our stolen truck right behind it。 Stick got out； full of importance because he'd solved the most urgent part of the crime。 Black Oak's other deputy was driving the truck； which； as far as we could tell； had not changed at all。 The Spruills ran over； anxious for some word about Tally。
〃Found it at the bus station in Jonesboro；〃 Stick announced as the small crowd gathered around him。 〃Just like I figured。〃
〃Where was the key？〃 asked Pappy。
〃Under the seat。 And the tank's full of gas。 Don't know if it was full when they left here； but it's full now。〃
〃It was half empty；〃 Pappy said； astonished。 We were all surprised； not only to see the truck again but to see it unchanged in any way。 We'd spent the day worrying about a future with no truck； with no means of transportation。 We'd be in the same boat as the Latchers； forced to bum rides to town from anybody passing by。 I couldn't imagine such a plight； and I was now more determined than ever to someday live in a city where folks had cars。
〃I guess they just borrowed it；〃 Mr。 Spruill said； almost to himself。
〃That's the way I see it；〃 Stick said。 〃You still want to press charges？〃 he asked Pappy。
He and my father exchanged frowns。 〃I guess not；〃 Pappy said。
〃Did anybody see them？〃 Mrs。 Spruill asked quietly。
〃Yes ma'am。 They bought two tickets for Chicago； then hung around the bus station for five hours。 The clerk knew somethin' was up； but figured it wasn't his business。 Runnin' off with a Mexican ain't the smartest thing in the world； but it ain't no crime。 The clerk said he watched them through the night； and they tried to ignore each other as if nothin' was happenin'。 They wouldn't sit together。 But when the bus loaded they got on together。〃
〃What time did the bus leave？〃 Mr。 Spruill aske