The Sassy Belles by Beth Albright Page B

utter a sound.
    “Well, Miss Vivi,” Sonny pushed.
    Vivi sucked in a deep breath, and I slipped my hand in hers as
she began to nod.
    “Yes, Sonny, that’s probably what Lewis was wearing. I believe
those are his clothes.”
    “Thank you, Miss McFadden. That’s all we need for now.”
    Sonny was matter-of-fact. He glanced over at me and then at
Harry. “We’ll be in touch.” He handed the soggy bag back to Officer Dooley and
gave him a nod, cop-speak for, “You know what to do.”
    Officer Dooley trotted off into the darkness of the long
hallway as the three of us turned to head back into the midmorning mist.
    “Blake.” Sonny caught me. He cleared his throat. “Can I see you
a minute?”
    I saw Harry glance back at us, but he only said, “Go ahead.
We’ll head to the car.”
    I turned to Sonny. He looked concerned. “Blake, we need to
talk.”
    I sat back down under the slow-moving fans and got comfortable.
I knew Sonny well enough to know that nothing with him only takes a minute.
Nothing. Sonny was slow and steady, much like Harry in that way. I guess that’s
always been my kind of man. A rock of a guy with a strong shoulder to lean on.
It balances my overly emotional side.
    Sonny looked at me without blinking. His dark brown eyes were
speaking silent messages to me but I couldn’t quite make out the code.
    “What is it?” I finally said.
    “I was just thinking,” Sonny began. “Blake, as you know, we’re
still waiting to hear whether those body parts belonged to Lewis. Without that,
it’s still a missing person case.”
    “I know.”
    “Well, I am a little concerned about a couple things,” he
continued in his thick-as-molasses Southern lilt. “I’m worried ’bout Harry,
Blake. I saw him look at that bag of clothes.”
    “Yes. So?” I said.
    “C’mon, Blake, the guy missing is Harry’s brother. How’s he
gonna deal with that? You know? Separate the emotions from the job? I mean, hey,
I know you lawyer types can do all sorts of gymnastics in the courtroom, but
this might be one cartwheel too many.”
    “What are you saying, Sonny?” I leaned forward and put my arm
on his desk. Sonny leaned in toward me, just inches from my face. I could feel
my face growing hotter by the second, though I knew this wasn’t the time or
place to be getting riled up. It’s just that I hadn’t been this close to him in
ages. I could smell his trademark peppermint gum, and his Stetson cologne
hanging in the air.
    “What I’m saying, Blake,” he continued, “is that Vivi Ann
deserves a lawyer with a completely clear head. We’ve got a press conference in
less than two hours and someone has to speak to the press. Frankly, we both know
Vivi is a loose cannon, and I don’t think Harry’s up to it.”
    That was Sonny. Just telling it like it is.
    “Blake.” Sonny leaned even closer as if telling me a secret. “I
care about you. Your heart is showing on this one. Stop a minute and think about
what I’m sayin’. You need to make sure you get off on the right foot. No
missteppin’, you know? With Lewis being the star that he is, it’s a real muddy
case already. I know you know that. Someone will need to be the family
spokesperson for Lewis. Please don’t take offense. I’m just callin’ it like I
see it.”
    Sonny had that protective, nurturing quality about him. That’s
the part I’d always loved. Well, that and just the pure physical chemistry that
had always been part of our story. I felt this passion whenever I was around
him…always simmering just under the surface. For both of us.
    “Just who do you think should handle the press?” I asked.
    “Well, honey, there’s only one Deep South debate champion and
University of Alabama speech and debate scholarship winner in this group. Seems
to me she’d be the perfect spin doctor for a prickly case such as this.
Sweetie,” he continued, “I’m looking at her.”
    Something exciting bubbled up within me at his words. He’d
remembered my