“Who’s Evans?” LeBlanc said.
“The hack.”
“I give a cop some trouble.”
“What did you do?”
“I spit on him at the front gate.”
“Who’s the new guy?” Billy Jo said. “This is LeBlanc,” Avery said. “He came in from Angola.”
“What happened to your face?” Jeffry said. “I fell on the sidewalk playing hopscotch.”
“I was in Angola,” Billy Jo said. “So was Daddy Claxton.”
“I was there when they was going to set fire to the hacks,” Daddy Claxton said.
“Who done that to your face?” Jeffry said. “Them stitches ain’t been out very long.”
“He was in a fight,” Avery said.
“The other guy must have been using a ball bat.’
“My face ain’t your business,” LeBlanc said.
“I didn’t say it was.”
“Stare at something else, then,” LeBlanc said.
“This is the best gang in camp,” Billy Jo said. “Everybody here is doing life or they showed the hacks they don’t take crap.”
“You got a cigarette on you?” Daddy Claxton said.
“They took them away from me at the office.”
“What are you pulling?” Billy Jo said.
“Three and seven.”
“Daddy and Brother Samuel is pulling life,” Jeffry said.
The dust rose from the earth as the men worked. LeBlanc rested his pick and took off his shirt. There was a wide band of tape around his ribs and stomach. He swung the pick into the ground.
“You got something busted?” Billy Jo said.
“It’s healed up now.”
“Brother Samuel can heal it for you if it ain’t right,” Jeffry said.
“There ain’t anything wrong with me,” LeBlanc said.
“Who done it to you?” Jeffry said.
“Let the man be,” Brother Samuel said.
“I was only asking.”
“Listen to the thunder. Maybe we’ll get some rain tonight,” Daddy Claxton said.