Free Twilight by William Gay

just easy led, and I ought to went to her to begin with. But I believe a man’s accountable for the actions of his womenfolks, don’t you?
    No, Tyler said. I don’t believe one person can be responsible for another person’s life. We’re on our own.
    Sutter shrugged. Still, I figured man to man between me and you would be better. We ought to be able to come to terms. What it is, you don’t quite see the whole picture. You’re lookin at it, but you’re not seein all the details. You’ve got some idea about Fenton Breece and you’re judgin me by him. Fat and soft and very likely some specie of queer. Let’s get it straight right now that me and him ain’t nothin alike. Right? If we was, he wouldn’t have me agentin for him to begin with. He’d of just took care of it hisself.
    What’s he paying you?
    I won’t lie to you. He’s payin me plenty. Because he’s got a lot to lose and because he thinks I can stop up the holes where it’s spillin out. And make no mistake about it, Tyler, I can. I’m the fix-it man, and you’re the problem I been hired to fix.
    I don’t have them, Tyler said.
    Maybe not. But you know where they live. Whatever you have to do, you better get your mind right to do it. Because I’m not foolin around, and I don’t want no mistake about it. If you have to talk to her, you better let her know I’m dead serious.
    Tyler didn’t say anything. The cordwood truck had gone, and a cool blue dusk lay over the railroad yard. Across the tracks where happenstantial shanties spilled yellow light, three young blacks strolled toward town, and a woman’svoice, faintly ridiculing, called something after them.
    I got to get on, Tyler said. He’d thought he was able to handle whatever befell him but this was something new. Something far outside the borders, and he could feel a panicky fear like cold waters rising about him. He didn’t know how deep they were and he didn’t know if he could swim in them. Anywhere seemed preferable to here but when he made to go Sutter’s hand on his arm stayed him.
    Not just yet, Sutter said.
    The hand tightened on Tyler’s biceps, then moved away.
    None of this means anything, Tyler said. It’s all just a waste of time. If I went to the law, it would all be out the window anyway.
    If, Sutter said contemptuously. If a frog had a glass ass, he’d only jump one time and bust like a dropped teacup. We both know you’re not goin to the law. If you did, there’d go your big money. Which is gone anyway, you’ve kissed it goodbye and never knowed it. And on top of that, graverobbin and foolin with corpses ain’t never been too highly thought of in this part of the country.
    We never robbed any graves.
    Sutter shrugged. You got your story, Breece has got his. He’s prepared to swear in a court of law that he caught you and your sister diggin up graves and doin stuff to the bodies. Desecratin em, he called it. I guess the first tale told is the one that gets listened to.
    I got to get on. I have to think what to do.
    Then while you’re at it, think about this: I’ll do what I have to do. It’s a hell of a lot of money, and it would move me pretty far down the line, and it looks like I need to be there. All these son of a bitches. Push and push and keep on and I’ve hadabout all I want of it. I’m goin to lay some folks out to cool if I have to, and I don’t particularly care who. But what I want you to think about is the worst thing that can happen. You know when somethin bad happens, how folks kind of console one another? They say, well, it could of been worse. This or that could of happened. Well, not this time. Believe it. I am absolutely the worst thing that can happen to you.
    I just don’t know.
    You better know. If you don’t, ask around about me. I don’t carry no references, but folks’ll tell you. And you better letme know somethin one way or another by tomorrow night. If you don’t, it’ll be on your head.
    What will?
    Whatever happens.