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"First and last."
She said, "Mine, too. I'm Loretta."
"I'm De
"Seventh Te
"Does he like to sleep out in the field?"
"Loves it. He prays for rain so he can have the experience. Do you sleep out?"
"I haven't yet."
She said, "Stop by tonight, I may have a piece of Naughty Child for you."
He found General Grant's headquarters, three wall tents with awnings in the shade, Jerry sitting in a striped canvas beach chair smoking a cigar. He was in shirtsleeves but wore his general's hat with the gold braid. Standing near him were Tonto and a Latin-looking guy De
De
Jerry said, "Jesus Christ, you too? I've worn out my arm saluting. These people I never fuckin saw before in my life, they come by throwing me salutes. Where's Robert?"
"I just got here," De
The one he believed was Hector Diaz said, "There," looking off. "He's with Missus. By those guys out there. Now they coming."
A group of mangy-looking Confederates, seven of them, were standing out in the open in sunlight with their rifles, some with their arms resting on the upright muzzles, all watching Robert and A
Robert in gray, A
Jerry said, "Where you been?"
"I saw those Joh
"And stick it up your black ass," A
"That's right, he did. I said to him, `You talk like that to a man has a sword in his hand? You want to fuck with me, take it up with my buddy General Kirkbride.' "
"He did," A
Jerry said, "What'd you give her a gun for?" "Let her bust some caps, see what it's like." Jerry said, "Queenie, put it away. You're go
A
Jerry said, "I never knew any hookers that packed," and looked at Robert. "Have you?"
"Yeah, I have," Robert said. "Long time ago." He looked up at De
They gave each other a nod and De
"You having fun?"
"It's like a county fair without the rides."
"I got weed, you want to pick up your mood. Me and A
"Jerry doesn't do any drugs?"
"Sticks to his red wine, the Sicilian in him."
"How'd you get a VIP parking spot?"
"The Jag-u-ar, man. General Grant in the front seat and one of those little American flags taped onto the fender. Pulled in there like it was the official car. The security man saluted."
"I did too when I saw him."
"Everybody does. Jerry's a show and don't know it." He touched De
They were on the crest of a slope that fell gradually to what would be the battlefield.
"We got lunch coming from the hotel pretty soon. My man Xavier bringing it disguised, in tin pots."
"I want to find my camp," De
"You into it, aren't you? Going around salutingI'd like to see that. Well, you get hungry come on back."
"I'm surprised," De
"He might not last. I told him, `Man, you have to be seen, so people will think you're all the way into the gig.' That's his cover, being out front, serious, loving it."
"Who're the new guys?"
"The tall one, Groove, came out of Young Boys about when I did, known him all my life. Groove's go
De
"Old pros. They stay close to Jerry for the time being, their Colt guns capped and loaded. Case
Arlen pulls any sneaky shit in the night."
"So Arlen thinks Jerry's the boss."
He could see Robert caught what he meant. "Yes, he does."
"If he can scare off Jerry you and your guys will go with him."
"He calls Jerry Caesar. I told him like in Julius." "Why'd you antagonize Arlen's guy, call him an asshole?"
" 'Cause that's what he is. 'Cause I had a big fuckin sword in my hand."
"Come on-"
"I want him coming after me once we in the woods. Get him riled. You go
"Is that part of the deal?"
"Noooo, man, do what you want is cool. Hang out with the county fair people, learn the period dances. You notice what I told you, everybody being so serious? Hey, maybe they'll let you judge the pie-making contest."
"I met a woman was making one," De
It caused Robert to pause, looking at De
"Naughty Child."
"You're kidding me. They call it that?"
"Has green tomatoes in it." Robert paused again.
"You go
"I might."
19
DENNIS CROSSED THE SLOPE where the spectators would sit to watch the battle, no one else out here yet. He reached the pasture, headed for the thicket over to the left, and saw he'd have to watch his step as he moved through the coarse grass, the ground underneath broken and rutted, years of grazing cows leaving their marks. Man, but it was hot in the wool uniform, the sun still high. There was a crackling sound and a voice over the PA system.
"Four score and seven years ago… Wait a minute, somebody gave me the wrong speech."
There was no mistaking Charlie Hoke. De