The Last Government Girl. Ellen Herbert

      “Albert Trundle, close that door and don’t ever say the word moonshine, you hear?”

      “Yes, Ma’am.”

      Why would a grown man like Bert allow his mother to speak to him in such a way? Those who lived at home remained children. Eddie ought to know. Living under her father’s roof, she’d assumed the responsibilities of an adult without any of the freedom.

      Aunt Viola lumbered to her feet her head flung so far back Eddie looked into the dark caves of her nostrils. Not a pretty sight. “Edwina, how dare you bring a Ballou into my house?”

      Pearl’s eyes filled with tears, before she lowered her head and snuffled.

      Eddie’s hands shook. She longed to grab her aunt and shake her. “I brought Pearl because she was assigned to stay here.” She placed her hand on Pearl’s waist and felt Pearl’s pouch. “Don’t be mean to Pearl. She’s my friend.”

      Pearl couldn’t help being born into a family of bootleggers any more than Eddie could help being crazy Mrs. Smith’s daughter.

      “She’s my friend, too.” Rachel strode to Pearl’s side. “If you don’t want Pearl here, we’ll take a taxi to a hotel tonight and find another place to live tomorrow.”

      Over Pearl’s head, Eddie exchanged a glance with Rachel, her eyes luminous with righteousness. They stood united against Aunt Viola’s injustice, even though Pearl had probably lied about her government job and thus had lied about being billeted here.

      “Please don’t leave, Rachel.” Aunt Viola collapsed into her chair. “Edwina knows how I get when I’m tired.” She spoke only to Rachel as if her nastiness was Eddie’s fault. “Welcome to my house, girls.” She raised her hands, her fingers stubby as link sausages. “Bert will show ya’ll upstairs to your room, but you’re going to have to bunk up together since there’s only a double bed and a twin.”

      Rachel was out the door, Eddie close behind when Aunt Viola said, “And Pearl, I need ten dollars from you now for your first month’s rent.”

      “All righty, ma’am.” Pearl turned from Aunt Viola, lifted her blouse, and opened the pouch around her waist.

      Lamplight fell on Pearl’s wad of money, more money than Eddie had ever seen. Where had Pearl gotten it? Unease came over Eddie. She couldn’t think of any way Pearl had come by that money legitimately.

      As Pearl flipped through the bills, a new smell was released into the room. It was the odor of alcohol, moonshine. Or was Eddie imagining this?

      Pearl pulled out two damp tens, covered the pouch with her blouse, and turned to offer the bills to her aunt. “This here’s for two months, Miz Trundle.”

      Aunt Viola smoothed the bills and smiled at Pearl for the first time. “Thank you, Pearl.”

      Her aunt loved money, even moonshine money.

      8

      “Where did you get that money in your pouch?” Eddie asked Pearl when they were alone.

      Water gurgled through the pipes. Rachel was in the bathroom taking a bath.

      Eddie stood behind Pearl, who sat on the stool in front of the dressing table, pinning her hair into victory rolls. Her bony shoulders moved like bird’s wings.

      “Earned it,” Pearl said, her hand went to the pouch, now under her ragged night gown.

      “I don’t believe you, Pearl. Tell me the truth or get dressed and leave here now.”

      The money frightened Eddie. Why had she stood up for Pearl? She wasn’t thinking straight. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. This was the longest day of her life. For the last week she’d been so excited about coming to Washington, she had barely slept and now she was exhausted.

      Pearl leapt to her feet and gripped Eddie’s arm. “Promise not to tell?”

      Eddie sighed. She shouldn’t agree, but she said, “All right.”

      Pearl leaned closer. “Found near about five hundred dollars in a Mason jar buried in the roots of a river birch.”

      Eddie got dizzy. “Five hundred dollars is a fortune.” She pried Pearl’s hand from her arm. “You know who that money belongs to, Pearl.”

      “Don’t be a scaredy cat.” Pearl wore the smug expression Eddie had so disliked in the classroom. “I left bills around the outside of the jar and filled the middle with tore up pages from the Sears and Roebuck. Uncle Alton don’t even know it’s gone.”

      Alton Ballou: his name sent a shiver between Eddie’s shoulders.

      Government revenuers, who went onto his land to arrest him, were never seen again. And the local newspaper editor knew better than to mention the bootlegger’s name in connection with their disappearance. Even Saltville’s sheriff steered clear of Alton Ballou.

      “What will he do when he finds out his money is gone?” Eddie could barely get the words out.

      “This here’s moonshine money, so he can’t go to the law.” Pearl patted her pouch. “Admit it, Eddie. It’s the perfect crime. Even a hard grading teacher like you would have to give me an A.”

      “Give you an A for what, Pearl?” Rachel entered rosy from her bath, her white terrycloth bathrobe tied around her.

      “Aw, Eddie and me were just funning with each other.” Pearl went to the double bed and pulled down the bedspread.

      They had decided since Eddie was tallest she would sleep in the long twin bed. An arrangement Eddie found familiar, yet lonely. This was how the bedroom she shared with the twins was set up.

      Rachel said, “Your turn to take a bath, Pearl.”

      “Eddie, go ‘head and have yours.” Pearl sent her a conspiratorial look. “I don’t need a bath. Took a good one in the stream a few weeks ago.”

      Rachel’s eyes widened. She and Pearl were to share the same bed.

      Eddie felt a twinge of schadenfreude. Rachel had grown up in a grand house with all the modern conveniences. Let her learn how the poor lived, many without indoor plumbing. In households where hygiene was a priority, a metal tub came out on Saturdays, which was filled with water heated on the coal stove. Each member bathed, usually in the same water. That’s how the Smiths had done it before Eddie’s father got promoted to night supervisor at the mine, and they could afford a bathroom.

      “Come on, Pearl. I’ll let you use my special bubble bath.” Rachel took a bottle of pink liquid from her compact case. “It’ll be fun.”

      “I don’t fancy getting wet at night.” But Pearl let Rachel lead her to the bathroom.

      Eddie lay on her twin bed and tried not the think about Pearl’s money stolen from the most dangerous man in Saltville. Her heart pulsed in her throat, her body tight with fear. She doubted she would sleep.

      Through the wall, she heard Rachel say, “Start with your face, Pearl. Here’s a washrag. Let me put soap on it. Now go down around your ears and neck…”

      Rain drummed on the tin roof, reminding Eddie of home. Sometime during the bathing lesson, she fell asleep, still in her clothes.

      A little before dawn, she woke, not knowing where she was, her mind dark with nightmare images. Large man hands had wrapped electric cord around her neck sending shock waves through her. She sat up, tense with raw terror. Was Mama getting her shock treatment at this moment?

      Eddie watched the sunrise turn the sky pale pink and calmed.

      Once Bert finished washing up, she hurried to the bathroom. The tub was so filthy she decided to take a sponge bath at the sink. After she washed and dressed, she went to the bed where Rachel and Pearl lay sleeping like tangled kittens.

      “Time to get up.” She angled the lamp’s light in