Chapter 6

I left the Caldwell's hungry and annoyed. All-state running back or not, Junior Bishop should not be treated like a god. I thought about how best to put a crimp in his style. I knew one way to get his attention, so when I got home I went straight to the telephone.

"Hello, Mrs. Langley. It's John Robinson. May I speak with Missy, please?"

Missy came to the phone right away. "Hi, John. What's up?"

"I'm hungry, I'm tired and I'm ticked at your boyfriend, Junior. Would you like to get something to eat with me? I know it's late, but..."

"I'd love to, John. Junior called earlier. He's off to a party at the lake."

"I can't afford much, Missy, but I could meet you at the Cafe. I don't have a car, so I can't come pick you up."

"That's fine, John. Sure, I'll meet you there in twenty minutes or so?"

"Great."

I hurried to change out of my work clothes and made it to the Cafe with a few minutes to spare.

As I'd hoped, Junior's mom was working. She led me to a booth and Missy joined me in a few minutes.

"What's going on, John?" she asked as she slid into the booth. "I mean, you know Junior and I are dating."

"Yeah, and that's exactly why I'm here." At Missy's puzzled look, I added, "Junior's off at the Lake again tonight harvesting another poor sophomore."

Missy nodded.

"He raped Stacey Jackson last night."

"Come on, John. The girls he gets are all willing participants."

I shook my head, leaning forward on my elbows. "Some maybe, but not all of them, Missy. Stacey certainly wasn't. She's sporting a swollen jaw and some other bruises today."

Missy stared at me as if I had two heads.

I decided to tell her the whole story. I could see her eyes tearing up as I finished.

"That's not what Junior tells me, but I believe you, John. You're right. This needs to stop. No one should be hurt like that."

"Why Missy Harmon," Mrs. Bishop was genuinely surprised when she brought our menus. "I thought you were going out with my boy."

"Not tonight, Mrs. Bishop. Junior went to a party at the Lake without me."

"Well, the boy needs some time to blow off steam. He's going places, that boy."

Missy and I humored her, smiling but remaining silent about Junior, and Mrs. Bishop left after taking our orders.

"You know that Junior's going to hear about this, John, either from Charles or from his mother."

"I'm counting on it, Missy."

Missy placed a hand on mine. "He won't be alone when he comes for you." She looked down and pulled her hand back, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed.

I shrugged, purposely reaching out to pat her hand. "I'll worry about that Monday. He's not going skip the party at the lake to come chat with me."

" It's not worth it, John. You'll get hurt and nothing will change."

"Oh, I don't know, Missy. Junior and his friends are bullies, but I don't think they'll actually do anything physical. We'll chat and I'll try to get my point of view across and then apologize. I can act sufficiently awed by their muscles to keep things from getting out of hand."

I guess news travels faster than I thought it would. I paid Mrs. Bishop and walked Missy out the door to find Junior, Boardman, and Hawkins sitting on the hood of Missy's car. They stood as we walked out.

"Hello, Missy, honey," Junior smiled, sidling up beside her and putting his arm around her waist. "Hello, Robinson."

"Hi, Junior," Missy said quickly, flashing a look of fear towards me. "I thought you were going to be at the lake tonight."

"Well, I was until I heard that my girlfriend was out on a date."

"Date? I'm just had dinner with a friend, Junior. It was not a date! I'm not going to sit around my house and pine for you. If you don't want to spend the time with me, I will find someone who does."

I couldn't believe anyone could move as fast as Junior did. His hand whipped around and connected with Missy's cheek before the words were completely out of her mouth. I could see a trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth.

"My girl does not go out in public with another guy. I'm the only rooster in your yard, Missy," Junior snarled.

"That's no way to treat a lady," I said, pulling Missy around behind me.

"She's mine to treat anyway I please, Robinson."

"Junior Bishop! I taught you better than that," Mrs. Bishop said as she stood watching from the door of the Cafe. "You apologize to Missy right now."

"Stay out of this, Mom!" Junior said angrily. "It doesn't concern you."

"Don't you take that tone with me, Ethan Morris Bishop," Mrs. Bishop said sternly, stepping up in front of him. "You aren't so big that I can't take a switch to you."

Junior deflated a little. "Yes, Mom."

"That's better. Now you apologize to Missy and let her get on home."

"Yes'm."

Junior turned to Missy. "I'm sorry I lost my temper like that Missy. I shouldn't have hit you."

Missy nodded. Peter Hawkins stepped between Junior and his Mom. "Why don't you fix me and Junior a piece of that scrumptious peach pie, Mrs. Bishop?" Mrs. Bishop looked at Junior and Missy, decided things had been resolved, and followed Hawkins into the Cafe, leaving Missy and me with Junior and Boardman.

"You go on home, Missy. We'll talk about this tomorrow," Junior said politely.

"What about you, John?" Missy asked.

"Don't worry about me. You just get home. Oh, and thanks for having dinner with me."

Missy nodded, concern and doubt still on her face, but got into her car. Junior waved as she pulled out of the parking lot.

"It's just you and me, now, Robinson," Junior sneered. I glanced at Boardman and wondered if the guy even understood he'd just been insulted.

I crossed my arms across my chest and waited.

"You made me lose face tonight, Robinson. I can't have a nobody like you hanging around my girl."

He paused and I waited him out.

"Ain't you gonna apologize to Junior, Robinson?" Heath Boardman asked.