Skeleton Canyon

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

As usual, Marliss Shackleford couldn’t keep from gushing. “It was such a beautiful wedding,” she said to Joa

Joa

And it had been fine. With Maria

Now, as dusk settled into evening, the party was winding down. The champagne toast had been drunk. Wedding cake had been cut and served. The bride and groom had gone home to what had once been Eleanor and D. H. Lathrop’s cozy little house on Campbell Avenue. There was still plenty of Jim Bob’s mouth-watering barbecue beef left despite the fact that every-one had eaten more than their fill. Some of the guests were in the process of taking their leave. They were driving back into town early in hopes of locating the perfect parking place from which to view the evening’s coming fireworks.

Just as Joa

Joa

“I’m sure that’s true,” Marliss said. “You go ahead. I’ll be right behind you, but I do want to say a few words to that charming brother of yours before I go.”

Gratefully, Joa

“He’s out back,” Je

Walking through the remaining guests took time. Joa

“Mom,” Je

Suddenly she burst out laughing. “Oh, honey, that’s not what Maria

Butch Dixon paused in the act of tossing the Frisbee. “All right, you two,” he said. “I heard you laughing. What’s so fu

“Je

Butch laughed, too. Je

“No, we’re not,” Butch told her. “Not really. We’re enjoying you. Now, what’s up?”

Joa

To her surprise, Butch turned his attention away from her and back to the panting and one-track-minded Tigger, who was watching his hand with unwavering interest, waiting to see if the Frisbee would once again fly through the air. Butch wound up and gave the Frisbee an expert toss, sending it into a complicated spin. The throw came with an extra bounce that faked the dog out twice before he finally managed to catch it on the fly.

“Why don’t you two go ahead,” Butch said as Tigger came sprinting back for yet another throw. “I’ll hang around here and help Jim Bob and Eva Lou clean up.”

“You mean you don’t want to see the fireworks?” Je

“I do like fireworks,” Butch insisted. “It’s just that someone ought to stay here to help.”

Joa

Je

“Your mother?” Butch asked. “Nothing of the sort. Eleanor is fine. I just want to stay here, that’s all.”

Joa

“Je

To Tigger’s dismay, Butch dropped the Frisbee, letting it fall without bothering to throw it. “Are you sure?” he asked.

“Of course, I’m sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Butch looked uneasy. “Didn’t you tell me that this was your and Andy’s first date years ago-Bisbee’s Fourth of July fireworks? I thought you and Je

Inexplicably, Joa

“That’s sweet of you,” she said, smiling mistily up at him. “But it’s not necessary. I really want you to go with me tonight. There are people in town I’d like to introduce you to. I want to show you off.”

“In that case,” Butch said with an affable grin, “your wish is my command.”

As he followed her toward the car, she gave him a sidelong glance over one shoulder. “You know,” she told him, “for a non-Wedgwood kind of guy, you’re not bad.”

“Non-Wedgwood?” he asked with a puzzled frown. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Never mind,” Joa

Minutes later the three of them headed into town in Joa

“Did you know Mom had to have the air-conditioning fixed before she could come get me at camp?” Je

“I know,” Butch replied. “She told me all about it on the phone.”

Je

At the ballpark, Je