Free Nobody Knows Your Secret by Jeri Green

gas.
    Hardy had gotten in a few good licks before Candy had driven up and screamed for Hardy to leave Kyle alone. That she took up for the little pip-squeak over her own father had broken Hardy’s heart.
    He knew by the look in Candy’s eyes that her loyalty lay with Kyle. Once Claire saw that Hardy’s anger was spent, she slinked back into her trailer.
    Must be time for another pill, thought Hardy, getting into his truck and driving away.
    “She’s yours now, Kyle,” Hardy had yelled. “You better treat her right. If you don’t, you have me to answer to.”
    It was a vague threat, but Hardy’s anger was so white, he couldn’t think of a better one. And bless Pat, if Candy didn’t move in with that no-good slug within a week. She got a job at a burger joint 10 miles away. She refused to have anything to do with Hardy, who, after he’d calmed down, offered to help Candy any way he could.
    “Keep your money,” Candy had told him. “Kyle and I are fine. We’re renting a trailer. It’s just him and me and our baby,” as she patted her flat belly. “That’s the way I want it, Daddy. Leave us alone. Kyle wants nothing to do with you. Neither do I.”
    Candy had Kyle’s kid seven months later and another followed soon after. A girl and a boy. From what Hardy heard, the kids were wild as bucks. How could they be anything but? Candy worked all the time, and that worthless Kyle laid around doing dope. Hardy spit on the ground in disgust.
    Hardy was a grandfather, but you’d never know by how often he’d seen his grandkids. And Kyle didn’t seem to care that Candy was working herself ragged trying to support them all. All that Kyle did was find more trouble and do more drugs.
    Hardy didn’t know who he hated more: Kyle or Candy. Kyle had stolen the only person besides Hardy’s mama that Hardy had ever loved. And Candy had turned her back on the only man who had ever treated her decently.
    “Ain’t like you didn’t raise her like a princess,” Hardy’s mama said. “A lotta thanks you got fer all yer trouble, son.”
    Mama was right, Hardy thought. No thanks and only heartaches. If he lived to be a hundred, Hardy decided, he would never understand women.
    But, on the other hand, if he lived to be a hundred, he’d see to it that that dopehead who ruined his little girl’s life would pay. If it was the last thing he ever did.
    Yes, sir. Hardy swore an oath that he wouldn’t rest until he made Kyle pay.
    An eye for an eye.
    It was biblical justice.

Chapter Fourteen
    O nus was fed . Check. Baloney sandwiches and sodas and bottled water. Pecan pound cake. Check. Gloves. Check. Eustian’s keys. Check. Time to tackle more junk at Eustian’s empire of trash and rubbish. Hadley drove to Beanie’s modest house and tooted the horn. He came shuffling out of the door and got into the car.
    “Good morning, Beanie. Ready to hit the trail?”
    “We goin’ hikin’?” asked Beanie.
    “Naw,” said Hadley.
    “Figger ‘a speech,” said Beanie.
    “You got it, Bean. “At least, it isn’t too warm this morning. That fog and those low clouds are going to keep the temperature down today.”
    “Yeah, I hope that’s baloney in that big grocery bag. I can haul that entire house and put in the dumpster if there’s baloney waiting for me when I finished. I think you got the best baloney I ever ate in my whole life.”
    “Well, thanks. And my baloney thanks you, too,” said Hadley.
    They drove in comfortable silence.
    “Road’s better today,” Beanie said.
    “A couple of days without rain allows some of that mud to dry up,” Hadley said.
    Eustian’s house loomed up ahead.
    “Hadley.”
    “Yeah, Bean.”
    “That house don’t look no nicer, does it?”
    “We’ll put on our nicest faces. Maybe the old place will warm up to us.”
    Parking her car under a huge old oak tree, Hadley got out. Beanie sat in the car.
    “What is it, Bean?”
    “Nuthin,’ I guess. It’s gonna be a sad day when we finish up