Sullivan…and a guy who looks like he ate Cash’s father.
“Fancy seeing you three here,” Sullivan says after making his way to our table. His cowboy hat is pushed back on his brow, making him look downright congenial.
Ha!We all know that’s a big, smelly load of BS.
“Son,” Cash’s father says to him.
“Rick,” Cash says, refusing to call himDad.
From the beginning, I’ve known Cash has no respect for his old man thanks to Richard Armstrong’s less-than-above-board business practices. And I always got the feeling that Rick didn’t treat Cash’s mother well before she died, but I don’t know that for sure. Cash never said anything of the kind. He just said his dad was a real sonofabitch and if I ever needed proof, all I had to do was check out the best friend, aka George Sullivan.
“I’m glad I ran into you two.” Sullivan glances from Luc to me. “I’ve been reinterviewing some of the folks who were at the party the night Dean disappeared.”
My heart, already in my soles, drills down into the floor.
“How about you two come on down to the station with me now,” he adds. “Let’s take this opportunity to go over your statements again.”
A muscle ticks in Luc’s jaw. “Nothing’s changed in ten years. We’re real sorry for your loss, but there isn’t a shred of new information we can give you.”
Sullivan motions for us to stand. “Why don’t you come on with me anyway?”
“You arresting them?” Cash jumps in.
“Stay out of this, Cash,” his father snaps.
“Go fuck yourself, Rick,” Cash replies. “Well?” He turns back to Sullivan. “Are you?”
Sullivan’s nostrils flare so wide I think I might be able to see into his brain. “Not yet,” he mutters.
The café au lait in my stomach turns to pure acid.
“Well, when you do, they’ll make themselves available for questioning,” Cash tells him. “Right now, I figure they’ll choose to invoke their right to silenceandtheir right not to be harassed by the police. I mean, those are still things, aren’t they? We are still living in the good ol’ US of A, aren’t we?”
“Careful, Cash,” Sullivan snarls. “Just because I’m friends with your daddy, and just because you got an alibi for that night, don’t mean you’re in the clear here.”
Cash’s smile is that of an alligator, all teeth and no feeling. “You two have yourselves a super-nice day. Get out and enjoy this beautiful weather we’re having.”
I can tell Sullivan wants to get nasty, but too many taxpayers are in the room watching. He tugs his hat down over his brow and raps his knuckles on our table. “Right.” He nods. “I’ll be seeing y’all real soon.”
After Rick and Sullivan leave, both Luc and Cash reach for beignets.
How can they eventhinkof eating? Every time I see George Sullivan, I feel like puking up my shoelaces.
I don’t care how awful he is, I don’t care how awful hissonwas, every fiber of my being screams with the truth. The only thing that’s kept me quiet all these years is the need to protect Luc. He was with me that night. Hehelpedme. I’d never forgive myself if he ended up on the wrong side of the law because of that.
Plus, Luc’s right. If past circumstances are anything to go by, Sullivanwouldtwist things and lie to make sure we both suffered for what happened out there in the swamp. He’s proved he’ll do whatever it takes, even ruin the life of an innocent girl, to protect Dean’s reputation.
“So Cash tells me he gave you our list of potential excursions,” Luc says, as if nothing untoward has happened. “Which adventure should we tackle first?”
“Ow.” I rub my neck. “Give me a second. I’m suffering emotional and conversational whiplash.”
He squeezes my arm. “Maggie May, we just gotta put him outta our minds, okay?”
Easier said than done.
Before I can voice that thought aloud, Vee and her Ladies Who Brunch walk in.
Pasting on a smile I hope looks far more sincere than it feels, I sit up straighter as she makes her way over. “Hey, Vee. You look especially pretty this morning. Are those Aunt Bea’s sapphires?” I point to the teardrop earrings glinting in her ears.
