Page 6 of Mail Order Bride: A Psychological Thriller

I started to speak, but closed my mouth.It’s a special skill, like speaking several languages, or keeping your mouth shut in one.“I’ve got the bags. The rest I’m just going to toss in the passenger seat, if you don’t mind.”

Martin followed me to the truck and swung the passenger door open. “I heard about Red.”

My throat went dry as a bone. Like it folded up on itself. A weaker man might’ve gotten choked up.

He shook his head. “I’m really sorry.”

I shrugged and thought about what Pa told me to say to people after Mama died, and that’s what I told Martin. “She had a good life.”

He looked confused at first, but then he did what most people do and pretended like he wasn’t. “Speaking of, son,” he said, walking around the truck to where I was standing. He placed his hand on my shoulder in a way that made me feel very uncomfortable. So uncomfortable I hardly heard what he said. His voice sounded far off, like it was coming from a thousand miles under the sea. “Give it some thought, would you? About supper. Perhaps things can be rearranged. Perhaps—”

“Sure,” I said, my word full of empty promise. I slung a bag of feed over my shoulder, considering what I’d do if he found the bags with the hands and the feet, or if he touched me or called mesonagain. “I’ll give it some thought.”

He took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, almost like he was relieved. Almost like he believed me. “It’s not good for a man to be alone. It’s not the way God intended it.”

“I’m not alone.”

“You know what I mean.”

Just then, his eyes landed on the cooler. I followed his gaze to the blood smeared on the side. “Been huntin’, eh?”

“Had to cut out early,” I said, pointing at the sky. “On account of the storm.”

“I envy you, kid. It’s been forever since I shot anything good enough to write home about. The missus doesn’t let me stray too far.”

Martin walked around and closed the passenger door. I slid into the driver’s seat. He motioned toward theAlmanac, folded open to the heavily circled ad. “Looks like you might soon learn a thing or two about that.”

I smiled like I might be embarrassed that he’d busted me. “God willing.”