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“What was that all about?” Mr. Jim said.
“Bullshit.”
“That boy need an ass-whippin’?” Luther Varner said.
“For a long time,” Qui
Varner stubbed out his cigarette and started to stand. Qui
“What are you going to do about that lynching?” Mr. Jim said.
“It’s been heavily implied that I better find out just what happened,” Qui
“Do people ever do something just for the right of it?” Mr. Jim asked. He started to cough again, the hacking getting worse. Before Mr. Jim tucked his handkerchief back into his pocket, Qui
Varner did, too, and he and Qui
“Did they ever?” Varner said. “I spent my whole life in Jericho and seen and heard about stuff that would’ve made Norman Rockwell shit his drawers.”
“Doing what’s right isn’t go
“You’re sounding more and more like your Uncle Hamp,” Mr. Jim said, smiling big. “He was a realistic man. Before things got real bad, he’d say he had to think tactically on things. Not with anger.”
“Yes, sir,” Qui
Mr. Jim started to cough some more and excused himself from the table. Luther watched him go, finished the cigarette, and stubbed it into the already overloaded tray. “Been smoking and drinking since I was twelve years old and still feel like I could fight and fuck my way around God’s Green Earth. My drill sergeant at Parris Island said heaven didn’t want a Marine and hell was afraid we’d take over. Maybe that’s why we stick around so long.”
“How bad?” Qui
“Bad.”
“He tell you much?”
“No, sir,” Luther said. “Dying is pretty private to a man.”
• • •
When Qui
Qui
“I get the feeling she don’t like me too much,” Stagg said. “Mary Alice told me three times to come back later. I said I’d rather wait.”
Qui
“You think I could eat one of them biscuits? Or maybe she made ’em with rat poison . . .”
“I guess if you take a bite, we’ll find out.”
Ringold sat in the chair closest to the window. He’d nodded at Qui
“What do you want, Joh
“Sorry I missed the speech,” Stagg said, “but I’m sure I’ve heard it in one form or another.”
“I heard you made deacon at First Baptist,” Qui
“I didn’t ask for it,” Stagg said. “They liked what I was doing for this town. Some people appreciate all I’ve done after the storm.”
“Amen.”
“I ain’t got time to sit around and square off over smart-ass remarks, son,” Stagg said. “We got some real trouble headed this way and I don’t think you got a complete grasp of the situation.”
“Born Losers are back.”
“That’s part of it,” Stagg said. “Their head man, Chains LeDoux, is also getting out of prison in twelve days. If y’all don’t find some reason he needs to be held, he’ll be riding back into Jericho bigger than shit. Don’t you see they’re preparing a hero’s welcome out at that sorry ole shack on Choctaw?”
“Lillie and I saw them last night,” Qui
“You arrest them?”
“On what charges?”
“Be creative,” Stagg said. “Make some up.”
Qui
Qui
“How’s that old case coming?” Stagg said.
Qui
Ringold hadn’t moved an inch, shrugging in an offhand ma
Qui
“I don’t want that man back in Tibbehah,” Stagg said. “If you got some kind of personal reasons for not following up on this disgusting act, you need to let me know. Maybe need to get some state people involved.”
“Why would this be personal, Joh
Stagg gave that good old preacher grin and leaned forward in his seat. His hair slicked up tall on his head like a rockabilly star from the fifties, down to the ducktail he kept in back. He nodded and rubbed his chin. “What are you hearing about that lynching?”
“I can’t discuss a case with you,” Qui
“I’m coming in here to help your ass out,” Stagg said. “I know that DA in Oxford got you and Lillie by the gosh-dang short hairs. What I’m hearing is that you make them look good and they could reevaluate the whole case against y’all.”
“Umm-hmm.”
“This LeDoux ain’t someone you fuck with,” Stagg said. “He aims to burn this whole town to the ground.”
“Little dramatic, aren’t you, Joh
“Paint the town red?”
Qui
“There are living people who saw what that animal and his crew done,” Stagg said.
“And I’ll talk to them.”
“There ain’t much time.”
“You starting to sweat a little, Joh
Stagg nodded. He looked over at Ringold and then back at Qui
“Spoken like a true church deacon.”