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He paused, frowning a little.
"But if nobody finds these two? I mean in the next couple of days. I don't want them turning to bones."
De
Robert said to Hector, "Listen to my man De
It encouraged him and he said, "You were go
"Jerry," Robert said, "changes the situation. No, I need to have them found soon, by tomorrow. And for a good reason."
"The missus," Hector said.
"You got it," Robert said. "A
No, he didn't, and shook his head.
"The man has to be seen dead so she can collect on him, the house, the bank accounts, the insurance…" He looked at Hector again. "Somebody's go
De
"What? You think the man wants to look at a homicide conviction? Walter knows how to put on a face better than I do even."
"What's he doing?"
"Waiting to be called."
De
"A widow lady, and she doesn't even know it."
It was the word, as Robert said it, that made De
"You listening to me?"
"You said you have to keep A
"And I said I only have one worry."
"Yeah…?”
"And it ain't A
De
"You're here, you're in it same as I am. We not just witnesses, we conspired, we aided, we abetted. If that's true we could be facing prison. In Mississippi. I know you don't want that."
De
"Then why am I worried about you?"
26
NEWTON HOON SAT IN HIS TRAILER with a jelly glass of bourbon watching the news: that little TV girl with the two last names in the woods showing where James Rein and Eugene Dean had shot each other, saying both men were from Tunica but nothing about Rose.
There she was now in the glade saying this was where Arlen Novis, former Tunica County sheriff's deputy, and Detroit realtor Germano Mularoni staged their duel, calling them reenactors in a senseless confrontation of views that resulted in each man's death. Oh, is that right? No mention of Walter. No mention of the smoke or the two greasers-Newton thinking of the one he'd asked that time where the nigger was and the one said he'd gone to fuck your wife. It had set him off, sure, even knowing it wasn't true. One, Myrna wasn't ever home, she played bingo every night of her life. And two, not even a smoke'd want to fuck her, Myrna going four hundred pounds on the hoof. Try and find the wet spot on her.
Now he was watching a helicopter view of the glades, the woods, the levee road and over to the reenactment site, the tents struck and gone, nothing to see but the barn with the muster sign still on it and empty land.
So much for believing what they tell you on the news. Hell, he'd seen the whole thing.
Phoned Walter yesterday and today and got his answering voice both times, Walter saying he was away from his desk but to leave a message. Both times Newton couldn't think of how to say what he wanted. Let Walter know he saw him shoot Arlen and it was go
Last night Newton had gone over to the Tishomingo, see if the smoke was still around, and there was the diver putting on his show. He had a good crowd, too, since he'd been on TV and people wanted to see him dive. Newton had nothing personal against the diver-else he'd set up in the trees with a deer rifle and pick him off the ladder. What Arlen should've done. He went inside the hotel to the reception desk and asked, the way Walter would say it, what room the colored fella was in. The girl desk clerk asked him who he was referring to. Newton said, "The jigaboo." He said, "Jesus, how many you got staying here?" The girl asked him what was the guest's name, so she could see was he registered. That was the trouble, shit, he couldn't think of it. Newton went out to the parking lot and roamed up and down the aisles for twenty minutes looking for the black car, came back to the front of the hotel and there it was. He might've known. The big-shot coon had it in valet parking.
Newton saw what he'd have to do: sit in his pickup with sweet rolls and Pepsis and watch the car. Mr. Negro leaves to drive back north, pull up next to him on the highway and give him a load of double-ought buckshot. After that he'd have time to find Walter and make his deal.
A
"You know why?" Robert said. " 'Cause they all bad guys got shot. Sheriff's people and the CIB won't have to deal with 'em no more. And what looks like happened is all they have. No witnesses, no kind of clues lying around out there to go on. Anybody look suspicious? Uh-unh, 'cause we all look alike in the uniforms, become part of the crowd. You know what I'm saying?"
Robert stood at the opening to the balcony watching the diving show, De
A
"What did John Rau ask you?"
"If I saw it developing," A
"Same kind of things they asked me, for three hours."
"John was nice. I cried a little, sniffled, blew my cute nose. I could've had him on the floor."
"You think of any other strange places?"
"The shower?"
"Girl, your next husband, get yourself a straightup business executive thinks doing it in the shower would be a trip." Robert put on his white voice. “`In the shower? Really?' " And said, "They go
"John doesn't see a problem. I'm not looking forward to the flight."
"Baby, they won't prop him up next to you, they'll put him in with the luggage."
"I don't know why," A
Robert left that one alone. She asked if he was coming to the funeral. He said he'd most likely fly up for a day or two. A