bangin on the wall or something.” Anny replied.
“Why didn’t you go check on Tom?” Father asked.
“Well when I heard him talkin, I thought it was somebody he knowed.” Anny said. “I didn’t rightly thank no mo bout it.”
“So he wasn’t yelling or have a raised voice?” father asked.
“No sir, he sound like he was just talking, likes you and me is now” Anny replied.
“Did you hear another voice?” Father asked.
“Yes sir, but I couldn’t tell who it was or what neither one of dem was sayin.” Anny replied.
“Do you have anything else that you need to tell us?” Samuel asked.
“Not dat I can thank of. I know day talkin like day thank Leon kilt him but Leon couldn’t do dat.” Anny added.
“Why not?” Father asked.
“Leon aint a mean person and he love me and he know dat I loved my daddy and he wouldn’t hurt my daddy like dat.” Anny said.
“Thank you Anny. We’ll try to get to the bottom of this.” Father said.
As Samuel walked Anny out, John and Samuel entered the barn with Leon.
“So, I’m sure you know why you’re here.” Father said to Leon after he entered the barn.
“Yes sir, you thank I’s kilt Tom” Leon said.
“Well, did you?” Father asked.
“No sir, dat my woman’s daddy. I couldn’t hurt him or her.” Leon said.
“But he didn’t want you marrying his daughter did he?” Father asked.
“No sir” Leon responded.
“But you been acting like you was married to her from what I’ve been told.” Samuel added.
Leon hung his head low but did not respond.
“So you’ve been having marital relations with Anny and Tom wouldn’t give you permission to marry her?” Father asked.
“Yes sir” Leon responded.
“Well that won’t do at all” Father said.
“Where were you the night Tom went missing?” Father asked.
“I’s asleep” Leon replied.
“Who was with you?” Father asked.
“I’s by myself” Leon said.
“Don’t you bunk with George and Lewis?” Father asked.
“Yes sir, but I slept outside that night cause it was so hot.” Leon answered.
“Interesting” Father said. “So there’s no one who can verify where you were?”
“No sir, I guess not” Leon replied.
“This doesn’t look good for you” Samuel said.
“Go back to work, and don’t even think about running off anywhere.” Father said.
I listened in as Samuel, John and Father discussed Leon. All three of them felt like he was guilty, but none of them were ready to hang Leon yet. Father decided to withdraw his approval for Leon to marry Anny. He said that he thought it would be improper with Leon being likely to have killed Tom. I knew that wouldn’t rest easy with Leon and fully expected him to run away or worse.
The days passed. Father told Leon that he wouldn’t be allowed to jump the broom with Anny until he resolved Tom’s death to his satisfaction. Leon seemed okay with it though. Most likely because he and Anny were free to do have relations without the watchful eye of Tom, though if Father caught them, it would likely be a death sentence and not just another beating.
“I don’t like that murderer living on the same plantation with my family” I heard Bea telling Sissy and I walked into the kitchen one morning.
“Leon?” I asked.
“Sorry Miss I didn’t know you was dare.” Bea said.
“It’s okay, I don’t like the idea of him living here either.” I replied.
“I don’t know why masa don’t juss sell him.” Bea said.
“I guess he feels like he needs more than. Leon could have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time.” I said.
“Bull hockey” Bea said. “He done it. We all know he done it”
“I feel the same way” I said.
That afternoon I decided to go for a ride. I had Gabriel hitch up the horses. The truth was that the summer was half over and I dreaded the courtships that would be coming in the fall. I wanted another adventure with Gabriel and needed an excuse for him to drive me. Charlotte was better
“Why didn’t you go check on Tom?” Father asked.
“Well when I heard him talkin, I thought it was somebody he knowed.” Anny said. “I didn’t rightly thank no mo bout it.”
“So he wasn’t yelling or have a raised voice?” father asked.
“No sir, he sound like he was just talking, likes you and me is now” Anny replied.
“Did you hear another voice?” Father asked.
“Yes sir, but I couldn’t tell who it was or what neither one of dem was sayin.” Anny replied.
“Do you have anything else that you need to tell us?” Samuel asked.
“Not dat I can thank of. I know day talkin like day thank Leon kilt him but Leon couldn’t do dat.” Anny added.
“Why not?” Father asked.
“Leon aint a mean person and he love me and he know dat I loved my daddy and he wouldn’t hurt my daddy like dat.” Anny said.
“Thank you Anny. We’ll try to get to the bottom of this.” Father said.
As Samuel walked Anny out, John and Samuel entered the barn with Leon.
“So, I’m sure you know why you’re here.” Father said to Leon after he entered the barn.
“Yes sir, you thank I’s kilt Tom” Leon said.
“Well, did you?” Father asked.
“No sir, dat my woman’s daddy. I couldn’t hurt him or her.” Leon said.
“But he didn’t want you marrying his daughter did he?” Father asked.
“No sir” Leon responded.
“But you been acting like you was married to her from what I’ve been told.” Samuel added.
Leon hung his head low but did not respond.
“So you’ve been having marital relations with Anny and Tom wouldn’t give you permission to marry her?” Father asked.
“Yes sir” Leon responded.
“Well that won’t do at all” Father said.
“Where were you the night Tom went missing?” Father asked.
“I’s asleep” Leon replied.
“Who was with you?” Father asked.
“I’s by myself” Leon said.
“Don’t you bunk with George and Lewis?” Father asked.
“Yes sir, but I slept outside that night cause it was so hot.” Leon answered.
“Interesting” Father said. “So there’s no one who can verify where you were?”
“No sir, I guess not” Leon replied.
“This doesn’t look good for you” Samuel said.
“Go back to work, and don’t even think about running off anywhere.” Father said.
I listened in as Samuel, John and Father discussed Leon. All three of them felt like he was guilty, but none of them were ready to hang Leon yet. Father decided to withdraw his approval for Leon to marry Anny. He said that he thought it would be improper with Leon being likely to have killed Tom. I knew that wouldn’t rest easy with Leon and fully expected him to run away or worse.
The days passed. Father told Leon that he wouldn’t be allowed to jump the broom with Anny until he resolved Tom’s death to his satisfaction. Leon seemed okay with it though. Most likely because he and Anny were free to do have relations without the watchful eye of Tom, though if Father caught them, it would likely be a death sentence and not just another beating.
“I don’t like that murderer living on the same plantation with my family” I heard Bea telling Sissy and I walked into the kitchen one morning.
“Leon?” I asked.
“Sorry Miss I didn’t know you was dare.” Bea said.
“It’s okay, I don’t like the idea of him living here either.” I replied.
“I don’t know why masa don’t juss sell him.” Bea said.
“I guess he feels like he needs more than. Leon could have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time.” I said.
“Bull hockey” Bea said. “He done it. We all know he done it”
“I feel the same way” I said.
That afternoon I decided to go for a ride. I had Gabriel hitch up the horses. The truth was that the summer was half over and I dreaded the courtships that would be coming in the fall. I wanted another adventure with Gabriel and needed an excuse for him to drive me. Charlotte was better
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