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That Scott Woman

By Carlene Havel

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Chapter One
Saturday June 18th, 1966
Maggie Scott read aloud the story that ran down one column of the front page of The Summerville Daily Clarion.
Controversy over Supreme Court ruling
In an exclusive interview today, Summerville's Police Chief Arno Simmons expressed the belief that the new Supreme Court ruling requiring police to inform suspects of their rights before questioning them is detrimental to law enforcement and will hinder arrests and convictions of criminals.
"How can a police officer be so wrongheaded?" Her gaze turned toward the young woman slumped in a chair across from her. "If this law had been in effect five years ago, I might never have gone to prison."
Karen Hamilton shook her head. "Don't fret over things you can't change. Turn to page three. There's an article about the city's upcoming Fourth of July Celebration."
Maggie flipped to the third page and read.
"Fireworks display in the Summerville City Park the Fourth of July."
An advertisement caught her eye. "The First Baptist Church's Revival begins next Sunday."
A short article near the bottom of the page struck her with the force of a bullet fired at close range.
John Markum Released from Leavenworth Prison.
The paper slid from her fingers and fell to the floor. "John's out of prison?"
Karen sat up in her chair. "You didn't know? It's been on the news all day. Where have you been?"
Maggie swallowed over the tightness in her throat. "I was at the warehouse until five. I stopped at the gym and worked out for an hour." Her head spun. Her palms were sweaty. "What am I going to do?"
"Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do."
Maggie nodded. Bitter experience had taught her the futility of railing against injury and injustice. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "A mad man has been loosed on society, and there's nothing anyone can do about it."
"Maybe he won't come back to Texas."
"He will have to go where the court and probation board send him. I suspect that will be back to his home."
"Look on the positive side," Karen said. "John's spent five years in prison. He's undergone psychiatric evaluation and treatment. He's being released for good behavior. Maybe he's changed."
Maggie felt in her bones that John Markum would never change. "John is, and will always be, a mad, disruptive force. He destroys everything he touches."
"You can stay out of his way."
"I'm certainly going to try." Maggie dropped her head causing her honey-colored hair to fall like a curtain across her face, hiding the fear that dyed her amethyst eyes a deeper shade of purple. After a moment, she lifted her chin. "I'm stronger now, and wiser. I can't let him destroy my life again."
"Forget about John." It was obvious Karen wanted to change the subject. "Reid should be home for dinner soon. I cooked your favorite, pot roast." She paused before adding, too casually, "Reid's brother Blake will be with him."
Maggie closed her eyes and groaned. It wasn't enough that John Markum was out of prison. Now her best friend was playing matchmaker. "Why did you invite someone else? You know how I feel about meeting strangers."
Karen twisted in her chair. "I didn't know Reid's brother was coming when I invited you for dinner."
Karen Hamilton was Maggie's oldest and dearest friend, and Maggie wanted to believe her. "Is this a happy coincidence?"
"Coincidence, yes, happy, no. Trust me. I didn't plan this."
Karen's denial held a ring of truth. "Was it Reid's idea?" Maggie didn't know Karen's new husband very well.
Karen's fingers dug into the chair arm. "I wouldn’t be surprised if Blake invited himself, although Reid would never admit that to me."
Guilt moved in to replace Maggie's doubt. She was so engrossed in her own problems she failed to recognize Karen's obvious distress. "Don’t tell me you’re having in-law trouble so soon? I thought you liked Reid's family."
"I do. Reid's parents are wonderful, but Blake?" Karen held up one hand. "When you meet the man, you will understand."
It wasn't like Karen to speak in derogatory terms about someone who was virtually a member of her family. "Understand what? What's wrong with Reid's brother?"
"Nothing." Karen dropped her hand. "Everything."
Maggie inclined her head to one side. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"He doesn't like me. He thinks Reid's marrying me was a mistake." Karen frowned. "I wouldn't wish him on my worst enemy. He's bad news." Her frown deepened as she shook her finger in Maggie's direction. "Stay away from him."
"I can take care of myself."
"Since when?" Karen muttered.
Maggie laughed. "After all these years, you're still running interference for me. I think it began with Jimmy Collins."
Karen's mouth curved into a reminiscent smile. "Even when you were six years old, you couldn't handle aggressive males. Jimmy was intent on making your first day at school miserable."
Maggie chuckled. "He was succeeding until you stepped in. A kick to the shins sent him running for cover."
Shadows collected in the corners of the neat living room. Karen moved across the floor and flicked the light switch by the door. "Maybe if I give Blake a kick on the shin that will send him packing."
Maggie's eyes rounded in surprise. "You're serious."
"I certainly am." Karen dropped any effort to conceal her dislike for her brother-in-law. "There's something about that man that makes me want to pat him on the back with a knife in my hand."
Maggie studied the pained expression on Karen's face. Blake Hamilton had no right to make his new sister-in-law so unhappy.
"Reid adores him." Karen shrugged. "A hold-over, I suppose, from the hero worship he developed when he was a teenager, and Blake was a star bronc rider on the rodeo circuit."
"What does Blake do now?" Maggie asked, suddenly caught up in the mystique of Reid's older brother.
"As little as possible," Karen replied. "When he could no longer straddle a horse, he went to school for a few years. Now he does odd jobs and claims to be a preacher."
"A what?" Maggie giggled.
"You heard right. He’s a Holy Joe, but Reid adores him anyway.” Karen's voice died on the end of a sigh.
"You not only dislike him, you resent the influence he has over Reid," Maggie observed.
"There may be some truth in that," a subdued Karen admitted.
"Does this Blake person have a wife or children?"
"No children. He had a wife once. She divorced him years ago. Reid says Blake was devastated. I can see why he’d be difficult to put up with."
Karen's lack of objectivity troubled Maggie. "Maybe she broke his heart."
"Ha," Karen snorted. "Blake Hamilton was no paragon of virtue before his wife found someone else. Now he’s holier than thou.”
Maggie knew how easy it was to misjudge others because of circumstances. "I've learned from experience it's not wise to judge a person too quickly."
Karen waved her hand. "There is no comparison between you and Blake. You're a girl who got caught in an unfortunate situation. He’s, well, you’ll see."
Maggie took stock of Karen's comfortable living room and thought how little her friend knew of the seamier side of life. "I'm not a girl. I'm a thirty-two-year-old woman. I'm also a felon who is on probation."
"Surely you don't blame yourself for what happened?" Karen gasped. "None of it was your fault."
"I'm guilty of crimes the federal government can't punish me for."
"Is that why you keep punishing yourself?" Karen shook her head. "You were the victim, not the perpetrator."
Maggie wished she could believe what Karen said, but four years in prison had stripped her of her innocence and most of her illusions. "I can't pass the blame for my mistakes on to someone else. But I love you for believing in me, and for defending me."
“Someone may need to defend you, literally, against John now that he's out of prison."
The mention of John Markum sent a tremor of fear shivering through Maggie. "We agreed not to talk about John."
"I'm sorry I mentioned him." Karen glanced at the clock. "Reid should be here soon."
Karen might believe she was a victim, but Maggie doubted that anyone else did. Most of the people in Summerville referred to her as 'that Scott woman'. "You know, I really didn't want to come back here to live."
"Why did you?" Karen asked.
"The parole board decided it was best for me to come back here after the owners of Baldwin's Storage and Warehouse agreed to hire me as a bookkeeper. So, I really had no choice. Anyway, this is my home."
Karen jumped to her feet as a car pulled into the driveway followed by a pickup. "That's Reid and his brother. Get the door while I see about dinner." She hurried toward the kitchen.
"Karen," Maggie called after her friend's retreating figure, "come back here."
Karen stuck her head around the side of the dining room door, and made a wry face. "You said you could take care of yourself. Remember?"

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