"Hey! I'm talkin' to you!"
She gave him a seething look. "Ain't none of your business! Now let go my arm afore I…"
He laughed, jerking the sign from her hand. "Well lookee here. You stealin' things?"
She lifted her chin and looked him in the eye. She was near as tall as him. "I found it."
He ran his finger along under the letters as he read it. "Monroe Lumber Company. Last I heard yer name wasn't Monroe and you shore wouldn't have nothing to do with no lumber company. I'll take this and make sure it gets back to its owner."
She certainly wasn't going to fight him for it. She already knew what the number was anyway. She turned back to Ol' Ned and tried to mount, but Lester grabbed her arm again.
"You ain't gonna try to git it back?"
"You can have it. Now let go my arm."
"You be nice to me an I'll let you go."
She glared at him and spoke in a saccharine sweet tone. "Please let go my arm."
He stepped closer and leaned in to kiss her lips. She jerked her head around and brought her other arm up, slapping his face.
It was a fool thing to do. He was stronger and now he was mad. He twisted her arm around to her back and pulled it up until she cried out in pain. Forcing her back against Ol' Ned, he covered her mouth with his.
She brought her knee up into his groin and when he let go of her, she turned and swung up on Ol' Ned. There was a car coming and it was probably more of the Hudson boys. They could run her down on the road, so she turned Ol' Ned and started him up the hill beside the road.
She looked back at the car, but it didn't look like any that belonged to the Hudson boys. That didn't mean it wasn't one of their customers, though. The ATV was blocking the road and the car stopped. A man got out and she realized it was Monroe.
"Do you need help?" Monroe directed his question to Lester, but he didn't wait for an answer before he looked at Mary Jo.
Lester looked him up and down. "Ain't neither of us need help. You can go on now."
Monroe swung his attention back to Lester. "I would, but your ATV is blocking the road."
Lester swore. "Ain't nothing up that way nohow. Are ya lost?"