knew she wouldn't. Any town gossip
would hurt her if Clarice did decide to take her to court. There would be
speculations on twosomes, threesomes, and all kinds of illicit behavior as it
was, and Myra didn't see any need to provide the fuel to start the fire. It
would blaze on its own soon enough.
She
remained distant as she paid for her purchases in spite of an attempt at
conversation by Vogel's fat wife. It seemed everyone was getting into the act. Let's
all start talking to Myra instead of about her. It'll be fun!
Myra
wasn't fooled. After two years of only grudging nods and grunts, she wasn't
about to be taken in by this new pretense of interest in her life, If she were
ten years younger she thought she might've mooned them on the way out, Instead
she merely parted her lips enough to show her teeth and carried her sacks out
the door.
Vic
wasn't in the car. Myra put the sacks in the back and looked across the street.
The diner was full of bodies, but she couldn't make out which one was Vic. She
sat down in the passenger seat and did a quick hop as the upholstery burned the
backs of her thighs. There was a strange smell in the hot, motionless air—like
rotting meat. Myra wrinkled up her nose and covered her mouth with a hand.
Five
minutes later she remembered the ice cream and lightly tapped on the horn. When
another five minutes passed, she leaned her hand on the horn and brought faces
to nearly every window on the street. Vic finally appeared at the diner's door.
He looked annoyed. She waved to him and he turned back inside for another full
minute. By the time he loped across the street to the car she was beyond
irritation. "Our ice cream has probably melted by now."
"It'll
be okay," he said. "You shouldn't have honked like that."
"I
was boiling alive out here. Aren't you going to call a real estate
agency?"
"I
used Jinx's phone. You could've stayed in the grocery store until I was
ready."
"No,
I couldn't have."
He
frowned at her. "Why not?"
"Too
many queen bees. I was about to get stung."
"Don't
you think you're being overly sensitive? You women kill me. Why do you
automatically hate each other? These are nice people, Myra. Maybe you haven't
made enough of an effort to be friends."
Myra's
jaw dropped, but she said nothing.
Vic
shook his head and started the engine. She watched him and couldn't help
thinking something had changed in the short time they'd been separated. He was
different.
She knew
what it was once they were on the road again. He was smiling like a fool.
"Those
old guys are a real riot. Sure, they're suspicious at first, but all small town
people are like that. Once you start talking to each other everything's fine.
Old Jinx had me rolling on the floor back there. I haven't laughed like that in
ages."
Myra
looked away from him. Maybe it was different with men. Maybe having the
dangling variety of genitalia guaranteed instant acceptance out here. She
heaved an inward sigh and tuned him out as he went on chuckling and laughing
about Jinx and the guys.
Seven
hundred miles away, Clarice Callahan was on the phone to her secretary.
"Please find William for me. He's still in Louisiana. Delta Downs, I
believe. I think he's racing his new colt today."
Moments
later she picked up the phone again and heard her husband's voice asking what
the hell she wanted. It was almost post time.
"I'm
breaking my promise to you," Clarice said. "Myra has lost control.
She accused me of attempted murder and even threatened me. She's dangerously
ill, William. I've been telling you that for years and now you must believe me.
She hasn't come around like you said she would. She has no money and no job,
but she's determined not to accept our help. I'm very worried, dear. There was
a fire. Cal is unhurt, but I'm not taking any chances. I'm going to send
someone after him again."
CHAPTER 9
Jinx
Lahr eyed the men seated at his counter. They were men he had known all his
life. He knew
would hurt her if Clarice did decide to take her to court. There would be
speculations on twosomes, threesomes, and all kinds of illicit behavior as it
was, and Myra didn't see any need to provide the fuel to start the fire. It
would blaze on its own soon enough.
She
remained distant as she paid for her purchases in spite of an attempt at
conversation by Vogel's fat wife. It seemed everyone was getting into the act. Let's
all start talking to Myra instead of about her. It'll be fun!
Myra
wasn't fooled. After two years of only grudging nods and grunts, she wasn't
about to be taken in by this new pretense of interest in her life, If she were
ten years younger she thought she might've mooned them on the way out, Instead
she merely parted her lips enough to show her teeth and carried her sacks out
the door.
Vic
wasn't in the car. Myra put the sacks in the back and looked across the street.
The diner was full of bodies, but she couldn't make out which one was Vic. She
sat down in the passenger seat and did a quick hop as the upholstery burned the
backs of her thighs. There was a strange smell in the hot, motionless air—like
rotting meat. Myra wrinkled up her nose and covered her mouth with a hand.
Five
minutes later she remembered the ice cream and lightly tapped on the horn. When
another five minutes passed, she leaned her hand on the horn and brought faces
to nearly every window on the street. Vic finally appeared at the diner's door.
He looked annoyed. She waved to him and he turned back inside for another full
minute. By the time he loped across the street to the car she was beyond
irritation. "Our ice cream has probably melted by now."
"It'll
be okay," he said. "You shouldn't have honked like that."
"I
was boiling alive out here. Aren't you going to call a real estate
agency?"
"I
used Jinx's phone. You could've stayed in the grocery store until I was
ready."
"No,
I couldn't have."
He
frowned at her. "Why not?"
"Too
many queen bees. I was about to get stung."
"Don't
you think you're being overly sensitive? You women kill me. Why do you
automatically hate each other? These are nice people, Myra. Maybe you haven't
made enough of an effort to be friends."
Myra's
jaw dropped, but she said nothing.
Vic
shook his head and started the engine. She watched him and couldn't help
thinking something had changed in the short time they'd been separated. He was
different.
She knew
what it was once they were on the road again. He was smiling like a fool.
"Those
old guys are a real riot. Sure, they're suspicious at first, but all small town
people are like that. Once you start talking to each other everything's fine.
Old Jinx had me rolling on the floor back there. I haven't laughed like that in
ages."
Myra
looked away from him. Maybe it was different with men. Maybe having the
dangling variety of genitalia guaranteed instant acceptance out here. She
heaved an inward sigh and tuned him out as he went on chuckling and laughing
about Jinx and the guys.
Seven
hundred miles away, Clarice Callahan was on the phone to her secretary.
"Please find William for me. He's still in Louisiana. Delta Downs, I
believe. I think he's racing his new colt today."
Moments
later she picked up the phone again and heard her husband's voice asking what
the hell she wanted. It was almost post time.
"I'm
breaking my promise to you," Clarice said. "Myra has lost control.
She accused me of attempted murder and even threatened me. She's dangerously
ill, William. I've been telling you that for years and now you must believe me.
She hasn't come around like you said she would. She has no money and no job,
but she's determined not to accept our help. I'm very worried, dear. There was
a fire. Cal is unhurt, but I'm not taking any chances. I'm going to send
someone after him again."
CHAPTER 9
Jinx
Lahr eyed the men seated at his counter. They were men he had known all his
life. He knew
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