The woman shovedCarrie aside and I saw the resemblance, so deduced this woman was her mother.Although, it appeared Carrie’s mother had also made the same choices Dennyapparently had, there was no doubt they were all related.
“Mama,” Carriewhined. “I was talking to her.”
“You shut yourspoiled little mouth. This is all for you, so you’d better show your Mama somegoddamned gratitude, or you can spend the night in the hole.”
“Yes, Mama,”Carrie replied.
“What do youwant?” I asked. My mouth dry.
“Well, I’m gladyou asked,” Mama crooned. “Straight down to business. I like that.”
“I don’t reallygive a fuck what you like,” I rasped. “What do you want?”
My comment wasrewarded with a hard slap across my face. I let out a hiss, unable to doanything else to ease the sting.
“Let’s try thisagain.” Mama scowled. “This time without any of your sass.”
I said nothing.
“Good,” Mamasaid. “Now that you understand who’s in charge here. I want you to hire Gillback.”
“What?”
“You heard me.You’re going to re-hire Gill Crenshaw and tell the cops that everything withCarrie was just a big misunderstanding.”
“You’re out ofyour mind. Why would I do that?”
“’Cause we’s gota little girl here who’s gonna marry him. And he promised her a record deal onthe new label he’s starting. This girl here’s got talent and he’s gonna helpmake her rich and famous with all his connections.”
Carrie smiledwide and nodded. “I’m gonna be a star like you.”
“Honey, you’refourteen,” I said.
“You werealready famous when you was six,” Carrie said. “And Mama says I can have a carwhen I get rich. And Gill promised I can have my very own baby.”
“Jesus,” Ihissed, glaring up at Carrie’s mother. “You cannot really mean to sell her to aman like Gill Crenshaw. He is a predator.”
“Of course heis, sweet cheeks. Why do you think I put Carrie onto him? I troll all the siteswhere these guys are.”
“You werepimping her out?” I asked in horror.
“All men arepigs,” her mother said. “Might as well find her a rich one. Give her a chanceto buy a life.”
“It sounds likeyou’re selling her so you can buy more meth,” I snapped.
“Fuck you,” thewoman snapped. “What do you know about anything? You come in here on your highhorse judgin’ me.”
“You knocked meout and threw me in a wardrobe case, psycho. You kidnapped me and brought me toyour… ah… home. There are no fucking horses here, high or otherwise,” I pointedout.
“This here is myhouse,” Denny said, puffing out his chest. “Mama gave it to me. She don’t livehere no more.”
“I feel sick,” Iground out.
“Oh, that’s theK,” Denny said.
“The what?”
“Vitamin K.Ketamine. It helps you do what we want you to do. You’ll be alright in a littlewhile.”
