Gold Digger

Gold Digger

“Help me with these bodies before you sit down to eat. Will you, please?” Sheriff Claiborne begged Nellie-Rae's 'Uncle' Ray. She still couldn't remember her slain parents ever mentioning any uncle from her mother's side of the family. He claimed he visited ten years ago when she was six-years-old. Still recollection remained fuzzy especially in her grief stricken state finding her parents murdered in cold blood.

“She's a lousy cook anyway, Sheriff. Charred the meat to be unrecognizable and no potatoes or cornbread sides.”

The men bundled her parents' bodies and carried them out to the waiting wagon the sheriff drove up the mountain after Ray reported the killings to him.

“There's little evidence as to who could have done this. If Nellie says there was gold hidden beneath floorboards under the trunk at the end of the bed then the motive is obvious. I'll tell merchants to be on the look-out for extra gold usage but the thief is probably long gone from these parts.

“Do the two of you plan to come back to town with me tonight? Someone may be lurking around hoping to find more. Nellie are you okay? Maybe you want to go stay with the parson and his wife? The funeral will be in a few days at the church. You don't have to be alone until then.”

“She's not alone. I'll be here to protect her from any more intrusions. Hey, why weren't you attacked along with them?” The uncle wondered as he chewed on a piece of meat and offered some to the sheriff.

“I was in the woods chasing a deer I injured. Once it fell dead, I field dressed it and hauled back a supply of meat for winter. I still need to slice and hang strips in the smoke house for curing. I brought in some to fry for supper, put it in a skillet then discovered the tragedy. I can't help dinner didn't come out right. I...I can't believe they're gone!” She covered her face with her hands and cried some more.

“You poor child. Such an exhausting day then to make this kind of discovery!” Sheriff Claiborne clumsily put his arm around her shoulder.

“I feel like I'm gonna be sick. Please excuse me while I go outside.”

Nellie wrapped herself in a shawl and stepped through the back door into the brisk October wind sending dried leaves skittering across the packed earth of the clearing. She needed the comfort of something familiar so headed to the barn where Old Grey, the plow horse, and Brownie, the burro, welcomed her. She fed them some hay as she consulted with them.

“I don't think I can leave this place in the hands of shifty Uncle Ray while I take respite with the parson's wife. Pa hid more gold all over the property. I know Ray is the one responsible for their deaths. I can sense the gold on him. He'll rip everything apart looking for more. There's no way I can stomach living with him. Why he thinks my home belongs to him, I don't understand. What do you guys think I should do? If I leave for even three days the lazy, selfish bum wouldn't think to care for you two or the chickens, would he? There must be a way to reclaim what is left of my life. I don't know how but I think he knows of my gift, or my curse, and intends to use it for his own benefit.

“Gotta go for now. Please be safe. Here he comes with his own big black horse.” Nellie made some room and put out some hay for the incoming horse.

“You're taking long enough out here, Girl. Hiding secrets? Make some room here for Big Blackie. These old plugs don't need so much.

“You riding into town with the sheriff or staying with me? He's ready to take off.”

“You take care of these fellows and the chickens if I go for three days? I could use some kindness right now.”

“I was raised on a farm with your ma. Lived in the city since, still I remember everything. But we've got a lot of catching up to do since you've totally forgotten me. We need to learn to get along. Your folks wanted me to watch over you if anything ever happened to them. Actually wrote it up in a will last time I visited.”

“I forget when you were here last.”

“Well, you were pretty young and kind of sickly back then, too. Still not outgrown bouts of nauseousness I see.”

“Comes on unexpectedly.”

“Gotta be hard to live with such a miserable condition. Tell you what. If you need some time to get your emotions under control I'll even finish getting the meat you drug home ready for winter. Take those few days in town with caring folks. Once you're back we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other. Right?”

“Sure. Ask the sheriff to hold up while I run put a few things together, please.”

~~~

Nellie already pocketed a bag from under the hay. She slipped two more from their hiding places on her way to her loft bedroom where she packed her few belongings into a carpet bag, grabbed another coat near the back door along with what looked like a gun powder pouch and headed out. Shame I can't carry more gold with me but it would cause me to be sick all the time.

“Do you think I should ride Old Grey into town, Sheriff?”

“I can always bring you back. Hop on up here.”

Once they were on their way she asked, “Why do you think Uncle Ray assumes he can take over my homestead?”

“Children nor women can inherit property according to the law. He showed me a will made up ten years ago saying he would own it if anything happened to his sister, Rachel, or her husband, Leo. He was named guardian of any minor children. Which means you are his ward.”

“Oh, so I have no recourse, no rights whatsoever?”

“I'm afraid not. Sorry. He does seem concerned about your welfare so it shouldn't be too difficult once you get to know each other.”

“I have a very uneasy feeling about him, Sir. He may have committed this crime to get his hands on my father's gold mine. You understand. If he thinks I might stand in his way he won't hesitate to get rid of me either.”

Three days. Three days to figure out what to do to get out of dear Uncle Ray's clutches. Maybe I should have ridden Old Grey into town so I could have left and never looked back. But if he knows my quirky skill he would hunt me down anyway. The gold here in Georgia may be played out but heard there's a gold strike out in California. I'm sure he's nothing but a gold digger who doesn't want to work for it.