Hour Game

"I was swimming, Mama. I don't usually go swimming in my debutante gown," Savannah shot back, but her fingers flew to her mouth and she chewed nervously on a nail.

Remmy gave the young woman such a penetrating stare that Savannah finally grabbed another sandwich and a fistful of chips, rose, muttered something under her breath that to Michelle sounded pretty close to "old bitch" and stalked off, her wet flip-flops smacking against the brick in a series of exclamation points.

Then Remmy Battle sat down and turned her full attention to King and Michelle.

They each drew a deep breath as her gaze bored into them. To Michelle it was quite an introduction to Casa Battle. Now she understood exactly what King had meant about judging the "interior."

CHAPTER 15

"I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR Savannah," said Remmy. "I love her, but some days I can't believe we're actually related by blood, or anything else for that matter."

"It's okay, Mrs. Battle, she's just a kid," said Michelle. "They all do crazy stuff."

Remmy snapped, "She's not a child. She's twenty-two! She's a graduate of one of the finest schools on the East Coast. Rings in her belly and tattoos on her butt! I didn't send that girl to college so she could lose her damn mind!"

Michelle looked at King for help.

"Uh, Remmy, we were sorry to hear about Bobby. How's he doing?" he asked.

"His condition is still critical," Remmy answered in the same harsh tone, and then her hand crept to her lined forehead and she said in a more restrained voice, "I'm sorry. Here I am complaining about Savannah, and I'm not exactly being Miss Hospitality myself. It's just that a lot has happened lately." She paused and said slowly, "Bobby was in a coma for the longest time, and the damn doctors didn't know when or even if he'd come out of it. But then he did. They were even able to take him off the ventilator. Two nights ago he said his first words."

"That must be encouraging," said King.

"You'd think so, wouldn't you? Thing is, he was incoherent. Spouting off names, nothing he said made any sense. Hell, they don't know for sure if he's slipped back into the coma or not."

"I guess that's hard for the doctors to determine."

"With what they charge I expect them to walk on water and have a direct line to God," she replied bitterly.

"Is there anything we can do?"

"Right now a prayer or two couldn't hurt."

Mason came out carrying a tray of coffee. He poured a cup for Remmy and offered some to Michelle and King-both declined-before retreating once more.

"There's nothing like a soothing cup of coffee in the afternoon." Remmy took a long sip and then settled back in her chair. "Harry Carrick's a damn fine lawyer, and Junior's lucky to have him." She paused, took another drink of her coffee and added, "But Junior did it. I know it as though I'd seen him do it myself."

King pounced. "But that's the point, Remmy, you didn't see him. No one did."

She waved this comment off in a way that reminded Michelle of Savannah's earlier chopping gesture. "The evidence is overwhelming."

"Right, too overwhelming. He could have been framed."

Remmy looked at King as though he were speaking a language not of this earth. "Who in their right mind would want to frame someone like Junior Deaver?"

"Whoever really broke into your home and stole all that property," replied King. "And do you really see Junior fencing bearer bonds and fine jewelry?"

"He didn't know what was in there. He got cash too. It doesn't take an Einstein to spend cash, now, does it?" she retorted.

"All we want to do is look around and talk to a few people. And even though we're working for Harry and Junior, I'm presuming you want the guilty party caught."

Remmy smiled, but there was a dangerous glint in her eyes. "You presume correctly, Mr. King, although they've already caught the guilty party." She suddenly roared, firing the words off like a.50-caliber gone haywire, "And if that big dumb son of a bitch would tell me where the hell my wedding ring is, I might persuade the commonwealth's attorney to drop the charges! Why don't you go back and tell Harry that! And then maybe we can put an end to this horseshit!"

Michelle noted that the woman's southern drawl was far more pronounced when she was angry and, unlike her daughter, there was absolutely nothing affected about it. Michelle set her iced tea down because she'd almost dropped it after Remmy's eruption. She silently thanked God that Remington Battle wasn't her mother.

Unfazed, King said in a calm voice, "Duly noted, Remmy. But can we look around now?"

Remmy stared at him for a long moment. Her lips twitched as she apparently tried to master her anger. For an instant Michelle actually thought the woman was going to hurl her cup of soothing coffee at King's head..Maybe you should switch to decaf, Michelle thought.

Finally, Remmy rose from her chair and motioned for them to follow. "Hell, I'll show you myself."

CHAPTER 16