He clucked his tongue against his teeth.
“Look, what I said the other day at the grave, I didn’t mean it.”
“Yeah, you did. One thing about you, Buddy Lee Jenkins, you ain’t got no problem calling people out on their bullshit,” Christine said, slipping into her Red Hill County accent. Now it was Buddy Lee’s turn to laugh.
“They let you use them kinda words up on Monument Avenue?” Buddy Lee asked. Christine pushed herself up off the floor. She wiped off her backside, and Buddy Lee watched as her hands moved over her firm buttocks.
“I don’t live on Monument Avenue. We moved out to King William three years ago. Garden Acres. We’re pretty much by ourselves out there, so nobody cares what I say,” Christine said. She wiped her eyes again before balling up the paper towel and putting it in her pocket.
“I guess I should get going,” Christine said. Buddy Lee nodded.
“Why’d you really come out here? I didn’t think you even remembered where I lived,” Buddy Lee said.
“The last time I was in Red Hill was rather memorable,” Christine said.
“Derek ran away from home and hitchhiked all the way down I-64 to here. If I’m correct, I think your husband threatened to put me so far down in a cell I’d have to get on a stepladder to kiss the devil’s ass,” Buddy Lee said.
“That was after you headbutted him, Buddy Lee.”
“He has a big head. It’s an easy target. Anyway, I didn’t like the way he was putting his hands on Derek. Or how you didn’t say nothing about it,” Buddy Lee said. Whatever magic spell had been cast between them broke so cleanly Buddy Lee thought he could see the fractures in the air between them.
“I need to go,” Christine said.
“You never answered the question.”
“I suppose I wanted you to convince me I wasn’t as bad a mother as I thought I was.” Christine said. She opened the door, and Buddy Lee could hear the crickets singing to their loves in the distance. Christine paused in the doorway.
“You really think you’re going to find out who did this?” Christine asked. Buddy Lee stared up at her. He didn’t see the high-society icon of the upper-crust establishment of Virginia. He saw that girl with the cornflower-blue eyes he’d first met at that field party so long ago.
“I’m dedicating the rest of my shitty life to it,” Buddy Lee said.
“That sounds like something you would say,” Christine said. She stepped out into the night and closed the door behind her. Buddy Lee began to sing:
“And soon they’ll carry him away.
He stopped loving her today.”
Buddy Lee’s voice cracked as he sang the old George Jones classic. He sang it low and soft, but the words still felt sharp and full of spikes.
TWENTY-SEVEN
Ike got up at seven on Monday morning. The house was quieter than usual. Mya and Arianna were staying with Mya’s sister for the time being. He grabbed his phone and called Jazzy.
“Hello?”
“Jazz, it’s me.”
The sleepiness in her voice evaporated.
“Hey. What’s … what’s up?”
“I was wondering were you up to coming in today? We can get the guys and hit some of the jobs we called off on Friday and Saturday,” Ike said. The phone line was silent.
“Jazz?”
“I don’t know if I’m ready to come back,” she said.
“That’s cool. I’ll just go in and get the guys out on some of the small jobs, and when you’re ready—”
“I don’t know if I’m ever gonna be ready to come back,” Jazzy said. Ike put the phone against his forehead.
“Ike, you hear me?” Jazzy asked. Ike put the phone back to his ear.
“Yeah. I hear ya, Jazz.”
“I love working for you, but it’s like Marcus says. Who knows when those guys might show up again?” Jazzy said.
“I get it, Jazz. I’m sorry I put you through that,” Ike said.
“I’ll send Marcus by tomorrow to get my stuff off my desk, if that’s okay,” Jazzy said.
“Alright,” Ike said.
“Are you mad?” Jazzy asked.
“What? No. No, I understand, Jazz. I should never have brought that shit to our door.”
“What do you mean you brought to our door? What’s going on, Ike?” Jazzy asked.
“Nothing you have to worry about, Jazzy,” Ike said. It came out with harshness he didn’t intend. “I mean, it’s nothing to get concerned about. It’s all good.” Jazzy didn’t speak for what seemed like minutes.