The Trial of Dr. Kate (25 page)

The bailiff said, “All rise.”

The courtroom cleared quickly. Shenandoah blocked the aisle to her bench and asked the two unknown men, “You fellows reporters?”

Both men frowned at her. The one closest said, “I’m Roger Williams from the
Knoxville Herald,
and Joe Beals here is with the
Chattanooga Times
. Who’re you?”

Shenandoah shook hands with each. “Shenandoah Coleman, with the
Memphis Express
.”

The
Herald
man asked, “Know much about this woman?”

“I’ve known her since grade school.”

Beals of the
Times
asked, “Think she’s guilty?”

“I guess that’s for the jury to decide.”

Williams, a big man, six feet two or three with broad shoulders, glared at Shenandoah and pushed past her. As he did, he said, “Where’re you staying? We can’t find a motel anywhere.”

Not wanting to be intruded upon, Shenandoah said, “I’m in a boarding house. There’s no room there, though. There’s a motel at one of the boat docks on Dale Hollow Lake, but I don’t know which one. You could ask around.”

Williams grunted and started up the aisle, his friend Beals following. Thelonious and Baxter had gone, but the defense table remained in a huddle, just as they had the day before. Shenandoah waited for them to finish, and then Deputy Masterson led Dr. Kate back to the jail. Shenandoah was glad to see that Kate wasn’t in handcuffs.

Just as Jake and Rebecca began to leave, Shenandoah said, “Looks like things will get started in the morning.”

Rebecca asked, “You okay, Shenandoah?”

“I’m fine. How’s Kate holding up?”

“So far, so good, but things haven’t started rolling yet.”

Shenandoah glanced at Jake and asked, “You feel good about the jury?”

Jake gave Shenandoah a sly smile. “Thelonious is smart and a damn good attorney, but I know these people and he doesn’t. That’s my secret weapon.”

* * *

Shenandoah had an hour before supper, so she lay down for a short nap. Just before five-thirty she rolled out of bed, threw cold water on her face, and took her place at the table. They had meat loaf that night with mashed potatoes and fresh green beans.

Later that evening, Shenandoah sat in her room writing notes for her article when she heard the phone ring. A few minutes later, Hattie Mae knocked on her door.

“It’s your boyfriend, Shenandoah. Better see what he wants.”

In the hall she almost stumbled over Mr. Applebee as she made her way to the phone. “Hi, Bobby. What’s up?”

“I need some help. Momma stepped off the back steps and hurt her ankle. I don’t think it’s broken, but it’s beginning to swell. I’ve got to take her down to the Livingston Hospital and get it X-rayed. Could you watch Wally for me?”

Shenandoah took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She knew nothing about taking care of a two-year-old child, and Wally was a handful even for Bobby. She shook her head, and against her better judgment, she said, “Sure. Tell her to pack ice around it and keep her leg elevated. I’ll be right over.”

Shenandoah found Bobby waiting on the porch with Wally at his side. Mrs. Johnson sat in the swing with her right leg on the seat. A washcloth packed with ice was wrapped around her ankle.

“How do you feel, Mrs. Johnson? Does it hurt?” Shenandoah asked.

“No, not too bad. Thanks for asking.”

Bobby touched Shenandoah gently on the arm and said, “Thanks, Shenandoah. We may be a few hours, and I don’t think Wally would do very well in the waiting room.”

“No problem. What time does he go to bed?”

“I try for seven-thirty, but it doesn’t always work. If you get him down by eight, I’ll be happy.”

“Why don’t you take my car? That way your mother can sit in the back and keep her leg up.”

“You’d let me use your car?”

“My God, you’re a much better driver than I am.”

Bobby and Shenandoah stood on either side of Mrs. Johnson and helped her to the car with Wally following close behind. When his mother was resting comfortably on the backseat, Bobby gave Shenandoah a quick peck on the cheek, took her keys, and moved toward the driver’s door.

Shenandoah grabbed Bobby’s arm and said, “You better leave me your keys in case I need to take Wally somewhere.”

He pulled them from his pocket and handed them to Shenandoah. “I may need gas. Better check the gauge.”

Bobby gave her a quick peck on the cheek, slipped behind the wheel of the Bel Air, and drove down the street before Shenandoah could ask him what she needed to do with Wally. She’d never changed a diaper before.

“Where Daddy and Ma-ma going?” Wally asked her.

“To the hospital. They’ll be back in a little while.”

“Ma-ma hurt?”

“Yes, but it’s probably not too bad. She’ll be okay. Let’s go back in the house.”

Wally frowned and stuck out his lower lip. Shenandoah swept him up and carried him into the house.

“Okay, big boy, what you want to do?”

“Wally want ice cream.”

Shenandoah eyed the keys in her hand and said, “I guess we can do that. What kind do you like?”

“Pints.”

Shenandoah laughed. “That might be just a little too much. You ever had frozen custard? It’s like ice cream but better.”

“Okay.”

There was a frozen custard stand on the outskirts of Round Rock that only stayed open in the summer months. It was on the road to Celina about two miles outside the city limits. Shenandoah put Wally into his father’s pickup, sat him on the bench seat, and then climbed into the driver’s side.

“Here we go,” she said with a grin. “Hold on tight. I’m a fast driver like your daddy.”

Wally giggled and moved close to Shenandoah. He grabbed her shoulder and stood next to her.

“Sit down, Wally. I’m afraid you’ll get thrown into the dash if I have to stop real fast.”

He frowned, but did as he was told. Then he threw a barrage of questions at Shenandoah. “Where is it? Are we there yet? They got chocolate?”

“It’s mostly vanilla, but we’ll put some chocolate syrup on the top.”

They had just left the city limits and entered a curve when Shenandoah noticed the Dodge pickup sitting on the side of the road.
Surely that bastard won’t recognize me in Bobby’s pickup.
But just as Shenandoah passed the Dodge, it made a quick U-turn and pulled in behind her.

Wally kept up his chatter, unaware that anything was amiss.
I wish I had one of those restraining belts like Army has in that Ford hotrod,
she thought.

She pressed the accelerator down hard, but the Dodge was right on her bumper. She didn’t want to go too fast for fear that Wally would get hurt. The Dodge rammed them just as Shenandoah exited the curve. The jolt was so severe that she threw her arm in front of Wally to hold him in place. Then she pushed him into the foot well on the passenger side of the cab.

“Stay there, Wally! Don’t move! I mean it!”

Wally’s eyes were as big as pie plates. He didn’t say a word.

On the straightaway, the Dodge pulled alongside Bobby’s truck and moved sharply into Shenandoah’s lane. She slammed on the brakes and the Dodge slid by without touching Bobby’s pickup. Then the Dodge powered down the blacktop, gaining speed at a frightening rate.

“Bastard!” Shenandoah yelled through clenched teeth, and she gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles. She took deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves. She’d slowed to about thirty miles an hour. Wally, sensing that something had changed, climbed back up on the bench seat.

“It’s okay, honey. You can sit down again.”

Just then the frozen custard stand came into view, and Shenandoah headed for the parking area.

“Come on, big boy. Let’s get some ice cream.”

Wally followed her out of the driver’s side door and stood on the running board. Shenandoah picked him up and held him close to her chest, still shaking. She simply could not believe that someone would try to hurt her when there was a child in the pickup.

Shenandoah ordered two cones of soft serve frozen custard that had been dipped into hot chocolate fudge sauce. Wally attacked his as if a gang of bandits was just around the corner to steal it from him. Shenandoah showed a little more restraint. It took five napkins to clean the chocolate sauce off Wally’s face, hands, and arms.

The return to Bobby’s house was uneventful. Once there, Shenandoah asked Wally, “Any games you like?”

“I like hide game.”

“Hide-and-seek? Okay, you hide and I’ll try to find you. I’ll count to twenty and then come looking for you. Go on now.”

Shenandoah closed her eyes and started to count. When she reached twenty, Wally had disappeared. Shenandoah looked behind the sofa and, the chairs, and under the tables. In the front bedroom, she got on all fours and glanced under the bed. She checked the closet and then went down the hall to the kitchen. She looked under the kitchen table and behind the door. The dining room was empty, as well as the back bedroom, bathroom, and closet. Shenandoah even checked the dirty clothes hamper.

“Wally, where are you?” she yelled in a controlled voice. Nothing.

Shenandoah retraced her steps. Nothing. In the kitchen, she looked in all the cabinets that were close to the floor. No Wally.

“How about some ice cream, Wally?”

Nothing.

Then she heard a faint giggle.

“I give up, Wally. I can’t find you. Come on out now.”

Another giggle but no Wally.

The sound seemed to be coming from the front of the house. Shenandoah went back to the living room, stood in the middle, and scanned the whole area. Somehow, she had missed a closet door, and when Shenandoah opened it, Wally started laughing.

“Wally wins! Wally wins!”

“Yes, Wally wins, for sure. You had me going there, buddy. Let’s play something else.”

Wally ran between Shenandoah’s legs and, over his shoulder, yelled, “Miss Shena catch me.”

Shenandoah took off after the child at a lope and still couldn’t get within five feet of him. Wally dashed from one room to the other without ever slowing down. Shenandoah gasped for breath and finally caught Wally in the kitchen. Shenandoah slumped to the floor, and Wally fell on top of her.

“Be my horse, Miss Shena.”

Shenandoah was wearing her Capri pants, so she got on all fours and Wally climbed on her back. Wally started kicking Shenandoah in the ribs to make his “horse” move, and Shenandoah shuffled out into the hallway and toward the front of the house. By the time they got to the living room, her knees ached and her ribs were sore, but Wally was laughing and having a great time.

On the living room carpet, Shenandoah collapsed with Wally once again lying on top of her.

“Time out, partner. I’ve got to rest.”

Wally rolled off Shenandoah onto the floor and gave a grunt. The smell took Shenandoah’s breath.

“Where does your daddy keep your diapers, Wally? Can you show me?”

Wally jumped up and ran to the bathroom. When Shenandoah got there, Wally stood on the toilet seat and opened the cabinet. All the diapers tumbled out onto the floor. Shenandoah picked them up and put all but one back.

“Okay, big boy, lie down here on the rug for a minute and let me get this job organized.”

Wally climbed off the toilet and lay on his back. Shenandoah pulled the child’s pants down around his ankles, looked at the soiled diaper, and wrinkled her nose. She unfastened the safety pins and pulled the diaper down. Just as she did this, Wally sprayed Shenandoah in the face with a bladder full of warm urine. It dripped off her chin and covered one of her last clean blouses. Shenandoah wiped her face with a Kleenex and tried to roll up the diaper. As Shenandoah lifted it from under Wally, the child kicked with both feet and the diaper flew out of Shenandoah’s hands, dumping feces on Wally’s pants and the rug.

“This is a little more complicated than I’d counted on,” Shenandoah said with a grin.

Wally giggled as Shenandoah pulled his pants from around his ankles and held them at arm’s length, dropped them onto the tile floor, and reached for a washcloth. Shenandoah managed to moisten the washcloth in the sink and clean Wally’s behind. She rolled the cloth up and dropped it next to the soiled diaper, then grabbed Wally’s legs and lifted him off the rug enough to slip the clean diaper under him. When Shenandoah tried to pin the corner of the diaper, Wally screamed.

“Sorry, Wally, I didn’t mean to stick you. Hold on. This’ll be over in a minute.”

Shenandoah finally got the diaper on, but it looked lopsided. Tears were still streaming down the child’s cheeks when Shenandoah lifted him to his feet.

Feces and urine smeared the rug. Shenandoah rolled up the soiled items in the rug and took them to the back porch where she placed them in the far corner away from the door.

Wally ran through the house with his diaper about to fall off and without any pants on. Shenandoah stopped in the bathroom long enough to wash her hands and face, and then she followed Wally to the living room. Shenandoah lay down on the carpet and stared at the ceiling. Wally climbed on top of Shenandoah and gave her a hug.

“I love Miss Shena.”

They fell asleep and didn’t wake up until Shenandoah opened her eyes to see Bobby standing over them with a big grin on his face. Mrs. Johnson stood behind him on a pair of crutches.

“You smell terrible. What happened?” Bobby asked.

Rolling Wally onto the floor as gently as she could, Shenandoah sat up and looked into Bobby’s eyes. “You don’t even want to know. There’s some stuff on the back porch you’ll have to deal with. I did the best I could.”

Bobby laughed and scooped his son off the floor. He carried Wally to the bedroom, placed him in his crib, and properly pinned the child’s diaper.

“How’s your ankle, Mrs. Johnson?” Shenandoah asked.

“Just sprained, not broken. The doctor said I did the right thing by putting ice on it and keeping it up.”

Bobby came back into the living room and said, “You need to be getting on home, Shenandoah. I’ll walk you to your car.”

As they stepped off the porch, Shenandoah took Bobby’s hand in hers. “I took Wally out to the frozen custard place on the Celina highway tonight in your truck and that bastard in the Dodge pickup tried to run us off the road. I shoved Wally onto the floor board so he wouldn’t get hurt. We’ve got to do something about this situation. I can’t understand how the jerk knew it was me driving your pickup.”