Ruby awakens to a sickly, acrid smell. She’s back from Sheldon’s, must be one or two in the morning by now by the slight chill in the desert air. She throws on her robe and runs to the window to see a ball of flame engulfing the general store next door. Ruby rushes to the back porch to see fingers of fire lick the edges of her property.
Divina! she thinks, I’ve got to get to Divina. And then remembers Divina is gone.
Grasses, already consumed in flame, jump from clump to clump before her eyes. A few minutes more, and the fire will be at her door. With a houseful of guests! Shouts, men, horses appear. A line of townspeople forms a bucket brigade. Jericho’s lone pump wagon rounds the corner and men spool out to spray water on the blaze.
Ruby hurries to the boys’ room to rouse them. She gathers every bucket, pot, and pitcher, the ones she can reach, and throws them on the table. Virgil and Sam rush into the kitchen, Sam rubbing sleep from his eyes. Virgil pushes the back door open to observe the fire engulfing Burton’s.
“Quick, Virgil. Now. Nothing we can do for Burton. But we need to drench the outer walls and the ground, to keep the fire away. Sam, you go roust Wink.”
Virgil mans the pump while Ruby and Sam run back and forth from the pump to the perimeter of the inn to dump precious water onto the burning desert. Wink helps, his steps slower than Ruby’s or the boys’. By now, guests are huddled on the second-floor balcony. A woman screams. Ruby watches Burton’s store disappear in front of her eyes, the last of the roof timbers crashing into the center of the inferno. The fire has now jumped the road, but the bank is unharmed, being stone. Up the south side of Jefferson, house upon house pops with flame. If it crosses Jefferson, Judd’s and the church will be next.
Ruby can’t worry about anything else now except saving the roadhouse. Back, forth, heavy buckets. Embers settle in Ruby’s hair and singe her robe. The foundation. The root cellar. The porch. Why aren’t the guests helping?
“M-more, Virgil! Watch out Sam!”
Kittens, ever huddling beneath her back porch, mew and scatter into the desert. Ruby trips on debris, once falling. Up again, more water, never enough water. A coyote howl. Hair plastered to neck and shoulders. Elbows black. Shoulders cracking in their sockets.
Is there anything more frightening than fire? The way it licks and jumps in reds and oranges and sickly yellows? Quick, quick, quick, no time to spare.
Ruby trades places with Virgil. No, we can’t stop yet, no. When her arms go numb from pumping, she rests for a split-second, holding her hanky to her nose to avoid smoke and embers and looks up for the first time in an hour. Her robe is now beyond repair. She wipes her forehead. Who sweats at midnight? Half of Jericho is burning again. Up, down, pump. Up, down, again. Wink takes over for a moment to give Ruby respite. She heaves bucket after bucket and screams toward the boys. “There, Virgil! Over there, Sam!”
Bloody guests.
When Ruby realizes it’s up to her, she takes over at the pump again. Ruby can’t feel her arms, but still she pumps. How many times will Jericho burn? It’s enough to make a body give up and not bother trying. But there they are, shadows of townspeople trying to save Harvey Burton’s store with Mae Burton wailing outside. Ruby takes up the pump again, up, down, up, until she can’t feel anything, inside or out.
Later, clustered in the smoky kitchen with her sons and red-eyed guests, Ruby wraps her arms around a smudge-faced Sam. “You’d best be back to your rooms,” Ruby says. “Although we could have used your help.”
“We won’t be staying here a moment longer,” one of the guests says. “Best arrange a rig to take us back to Tucson right away.”
“And we’ll be expecting a full refund,” another says.
“All of you. Please. Not to worry, you’ll get a refund. There’s nothing to do now. Try to get some shut-eye. I’ll sort it out in the morning.”
Virgil enters the kitchen with a full bucket. Ruby reaches for the pail. “Here, Sam. Drink.”
“What is everyone going to do, Ma?” Virgil asks.
“Rebuild, of course.”
“You know what the Bible says about that, Ma. ‘Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho.’ Maybe let’s go to Tucson, or find Clayton or Fletcher, move there.”
“We will do no such thing, Virgil. Jericho is my home, and has been since I was five days old. It’s burned before. Twice. If the Lord wanted to curse Jericho for once and for all, he could think of another way. One more time in ashes isn’t going to make a damn bit of difference. We just double down, rebuild. In brick next time, if we’re smart. And if God is so intent on demolishing this place, why is the church still standing? Answer me that one, Virgil.”
“I’m heading there now.”
“Take Sam. I’ll be right behind you.”
Ten minutes later, Ruby hitches her skirt above the ankles and wades through soot on the way to Jericho’s house of worship. Trouble in Jericho and townsfolk gather there first before they take refuge at the taverns. A spooked horse runs by. Ruby steps over charred debris, smashed glass. Burton’s lot lays in ruin, much of the wreckage now on Ruby’s property. The bucket brigade has moved on now up Jefferson, where an inferno still envelops the south side of the street. It’s as bright as day in the dead of night.
A lone figure comes down the middle of Jefferson Street. Ruby would know that silhouette anywhere. She runs toward him, dodging hot timbers. Perce puts down a large rucksack amid charred debris and sweeps Ruby into his arms. A slow rumble of sobs starts in Ruby’s belly and climbs up her chest and throat. “Its … too … awful …”
“Shh, Ruby. I’m here.”
Ruby quakes. Has she realized before this moment how much she’s missed Perce? That she wants Perce in her bed every night, not Sheldon? No matter what it takes?
“The Lord doesn’t put anything in our path we can’t conquer,” Perce says. “You can see the fire from camp. Whole ton of men hightailed it down here to help. My only thought was for my Ruby Girl.”
They walk toward the church amid a sea of charred faces.
Virgil stands at the church door, half inside and half out. Inside, sooty faces huddle in pews. From the front of the church, Harvey Burton booms to the crowd. “We have our work cut out for us.” People nod, murmur. “And we need to find the perpetrator.” More nods.
As Ruby and Perce approach the vestibule, Virgil holds out his hands. “Not a good idea, Ma.”
“Let us in, Virge. It’s no night for deciding who can or can’t come into the church tonight. Mr. Washington is a preacher anyway.”
“Plus, we know one another,” Perce says. “Don’t we?” He motions to his rucksack.
Virgil drops his hands to let Ruby and Perce enter the church. As they pass, Virgil and Perce nod to each other.
All heads turn as they enter.
“Wait one minute, here,” Burton says. “We won’t be having no darkie here.” He rushes towards Perce from the front of the small church.
“He’s the one!” One of Fletcher’s friends balls his fists and shakes it. “I saw him!”
A huge bear of a man blocks townspeople from storming the doorway. “Miz Fortune, isn’t it? Burt Gallagher. Been meaning to make your acquaintance. But you best be on your way. And you, too, partner,” he says to Perce. “We’ve had enough trouble in Jericho for one night. Don’t need any more.”
“Where’s the sheriff?” Ruby asks.
“On Upper Gulch. I’m in charge down here, Miz Fortune. And I say it’s time for your friend here to leave.”
Ruby steers Perce away from the church door and back across the street toward the roadhouse. “Bastards.”
Sheldon barrels down Jefferson, his face streaked with soot. Ruby flags him down.
“How bad, Sheldon?”
“You don’t want to know.” He nods to Perce. “Mr.…?”
“Washington. Perce Washington.” Perce extends his hand. Sheldon shakes it.
“Mr. Washington came down from the mine to help,” Ruby says. “But it seems his help isn’t wanted.”
“Everyone’s hot tonight, Ruby.” Sheldon faces Perce. “Talk is a colored started the fire. You know anything about that?”
“Says who?” Ruby interrupts.
“Heard it at The Empire. Man up there said he saw a colored torch Burton’s.”
“You know that’s not necessarily true.”
Sheldon again addresses Perce. “I’m not saying you’ve got a thing to do with this fire, Mr. Washington, but best to stay out of everyone’s way tonight. You, too, Ruby.” Sheldon tips his hat. He coughs into a handkerchief and proceeds toward the church.
Smoke is so thick that Ruby can’t see past the crossroads, except for an eerie orange glow toward the Santa Catalina Mountains. And the stench! Ruby and Perce hurry to the back end of the hotel. When she is sure no one is still in the kitchen, she motions for Perce to come in. “Quick, now.”
Ruby hastens Perce into her bedroom and closes the door. Perce leans Ruby against the door and embraces her, his breath mixed with soot that lingers in the air. Ruby melts into the embrace. She will never succumb to Sheldon again. Perce leads Ruby to the bed and sits beside her, covering her small blackened hands with his large black ones. He rubs her knuckles and pulls her close.
Ruby cradles her head. “Who? Who would have done this?”
“I have an idea. And it wasn’t me.”
“Who?”
“I’d put money on Jimmy Bugg. Everyone knows he has a grudge against coloreds. Probably started the rumor himself.”
“I never did tell you …”
“Tell me what?”
She thinks of Sheldon, but stuffs it away. Every woman has her secrets, even from those she loves best. “… how Jimmy Bugg roughed me up.”
Perce’s eyes narrow. “When?” His fists clench.
“It doesn’t matter now. If I had told you when it happened, you would have been swinging from the hanging tree long before now. Going after a mine boss? I’ve told you before, Perce, and I’m afraid this is the last time. You have got to put Jericho behind you. There are jobs to be had on the railroad. Get the hell out of Arizona Territory before Fletcher’s friends catch up with you. Or anyone else.”
Perce rustles in his knapsack and hands Ruby an odd-shaped package. “For you.”
Ruby turns the heavy package over and places it on her lap. “What? It’s not even my birthday.”
Perce holds Ruby’s face in his hands and kisses her. “When is your birthday, Ruby Girl?” he whispers.
Ruby opens her eyes. “July the first, or so Miss Viola says. She’s the …”
“Everyone in earshot of Tucson knows who Miss Viola is.”
“I was born there. My momma was one of her girls. Vi sent word to my pop, said I couldn’t be anyone else’s on account of the voice I got.”
Perce slaps his knee. “Well, if that doesn’t beat all.” He stares at Ruby. “Come to think on it, you look a little bit like Vi, has anyone ever told you that?”
“Shush, Perce. I’ve got guests. Unhappy guests, I might add.”
“Well, go on. Open it.”
Ruby loosens the twine and undoes the brown paper, one fold at a time. When the wrapper falls away, she gasps. “For me?” She picks up the neck of the instrument and its strings shiver. “A mandolin?”
“You said you wanted one.”
“I never thought …”
“Well, Perce never forgets. I sent off for it as soon as you told me you wanted one. Virgil’s been holding it at the post office for me. Had to pay extra for that. Your boy’s a right entrepreneur. I picked it up a few days ago on the sly, met Virgil after dark. Thought if I was in town, I’d surprise you. I rapped on your window, but you didn’t answer.”
Because I was with Sheldon, Ruby thinks. Her stomach sours. She sits and positions the mandolin on her lap and strums. A discordant jumble of notes fills the air. She strums again. “That’s the prettiest sound I ever heard,” she says. “And it isn’t even a song.”
“You take your time with it, Ruby Girl. Make a song or don’t make a song. Heck, it’s pretty just looking at it. Like you.”
Ruby gets up and puts the mandolin down on the chair. She circles behind Perce and puts her arms around him, her face buried in his hair.
“I love you, Perce,” she says. “More than any man on earth.” She nuzzles there, drinking in contentment. “I figure I’ve got to tell you before it’s too late.”
Perce turns and burrows his head into Ruby’s breasts. “It’s never too late, Ruby Girl. Never too late.”
A loud bang on the kitchen door disrupts their embrace.
“We know he’s in there, Ruby.” Harvey Burton. Ruby puts her fingers to her lips and motions for Perce to get under the bed.
“Hold on, Harvey,” Ruby calls. “Be right there.” She closes the bedroom door behind her and opens the kitchen door. A group of men stands by Burton. They carry lit torches.
“There’s been enough trouble here tonight, fellas. Don’t need anyone coming close to the roadhouse with goddamn torches after half the town has gone to Hell.”
“We know he’s in there. That colored,” Burton says. “Talk is he started the fire.”
“That’s hogwash, Harvey, and you know it.”
“We want to ask him a couple of questions.”
“The hell you do.”
“Someone saw you crossing the road with him, Ruby. Don’t make a liar of me.”
“So you did. And that’s where we parted ways. He’s headed out of town.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Don’t you?” Ruby says. “He’s probably five miles north of town by now, on his way to Globe.”
“At night?”
“Best time for a colored man to get about, so I’ve heard.”
“Why is he in such a hurry to get out of town, then? If he didn’t start the fire?”
“Maybe because of men like you, Harvey.”
“Let us in,” one of the men yells.
“I will do no such thing, gentlemen. I have a house full of paying guests and a great mess to attend to. You boys go cool off at Judd’s. I’m sure he’s open. There’s no colored man here. Never has been.”
“That’s not what Fletcher said,” Harvey says.
“Fletcher’s got his head up his arse,” Ruby says. “Took off to see if he could find it.”
“You best be telling the truth, Ruby.”