“Yeah. What is it?”
“Don’t ask if you don’t want to know.”
Carson set down her drink and looked at him intently. “I want to know,” she said.
“For a lot of your life you’ve had to show men your panties to get what you wanted, only you didn’t really know what you wanted. And, one way or another, every time you showed your panties, you took it on the chin.”
A tear rolled slowly down Carson’s cheek. She held it together and sighed. “I even showed my panties to the FBI, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did.”
“This is hard, Crockett.”
“I know it is, sweetheart. It has to be. If it was easy, anybody could do it. But the tough people, the ones who really deserve to make things better, do it because it’s hard.”
“Ruby told me that you were a very perceptive person.”
“Ruby who?” Crockett said.
“You really don’t like talking about her, do you?”
“No.”
“She saw your panties, huh, Crockett?”
“That’s why I have this ridiculous little beard,” Crockett said, stroking his chin. “It covers up the scars.”
“I use makeup,” Carson said.
She got up from the table and dumped what little was left of her drink down the sink, opened the fridge, poured two short glasses of pineapple-orange juice, and returned to the dinette.
“Now what?” she asked.
“Now we take some time off. The Great Escape starts on TCM in a few minutes. Why don’t I pop some corn, turn on the tube, and we can see if Steve McQueen gets away this time.”
“Can we sit on the couch together so I can snuggle?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” Crockett said, getting up to pop the corn.
Carson grinned. “Do I get to see your panties?”
“Not a chance.”
“Aw. Why not?”
Crockett bumped his eyebrows. “Because I’m not wearing any,” he said.
Carson lasted only until McQueen went to the cooler the first time. Crockett untangled himself from her shoulder sprawl, stretched her out, took the popcorn to the recliner, and used The Great Escape as background for thought.
She was something else, this sleek butterscotch-topped lady that had wormed her way into his world. In many ways she had yet to live her life. Portions of Carson were blank, waiting for circumstance and happenstance to scrawl information and idea across the vacant pages. To fill in experience she had missed. Going too quickly from girl to woman, she learned responsibility without developing the ability to respond in ways that were in her best interest. She was not a child, far from it. But there was something of the child about her, revealing itself from time to time, peeking out from within the adult with a lopsided grin on a dirty face.
Crockett smiled. This one was not like other women he had known. She was clay where Ruby was stone, more malleable than Mazy’s rigidity, more hopeful than Satin’s charade. And she was frightened to the bone. He needed to keep her vulnerability at the front of his mind. She could, with very little intention, distract him badly. This would be the absolute wrong time for Crockett to believe his own publicity.
He grunted as he got up to let Dundee out for the last time, walked to the bedroom and retrieved a sheet to cover Carson. As he laid the material over her, she rolled to her back, scratched her nose, and softly mumbled something in her sleep. There was an open softness about her then, an innocence that was free of fear or guile. It pulled at his heart, and Crockett restrained himself from leaning over and kissing her goodnight.
Barely.
It was a little after eight the next morning before Carson stirred. Crockett had sliced cantaloupe warming on the counter and bagels ready for the toaster when she blinked awake and looked at him. He smiled. She did not wake up well.
“Timeisit?” Carson asked, rubbing her face.
“Almost eleven thirty.”
“What!” she exclaimed, lurching like a marionette as she swung her feet to the floor.
“I lied,” Crockett said. “It’s ten after eight.”
She moaned and leaned forward, elbows on knees. “I’ve been sleeping too much. I just can’t seem to get enough rest.”
“Stress,” Crockett said. “Resisting my charms takes a lot of energy.”
Carson snorted a laugh. “That must be it,” she said around a yawn. “What else could it be?”
“You want your bagel toasted?”
“I have to pee.”
“I don’t have time for your personal problems right now. Do you, or do you not, want your bagel toasted?”
“Toast it while I’m in the john.”
“Cream and sugar in your coffee?”
“Just cream,” Carson said, weaving toward the bathroom.
Crockett had breakfast on the dinette by the time a bleary Carson returned. As she passed by him she stopped, slipped her arms around his neck, kissed him comfortably on the lips, rubbed his back, and sat down.
“Good morning, Crockett,” she said.
Realizing she was on groggy autopilot, Crockett laughed. “Well, good morning to you, too,” he said.
She looked at him for a beat, then flushed.
“Oh, God,” Carson said, putting a hand to her mouth. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Crockett smiled. “I don’t either, but I’m real curious,” he said.
“Please excuse me. I’m so sorry.”
“Why should you be any different? Most of the women who’ve ever kissed me have been sorry.”
Carson grasped her skull with both hands. “I don’t know where my head is,” she said. “It just seemed like a natural thing to do.”
“It takes a lot of trust in someone to behave in such an unaffected manner.”
Carson’s blush was beginning to fade. “I, ah…okay,” she said.
Crockett grinned. “Thanks, Mary Lou, he said. “That was very sweet.”
Carson giggled and threw up her hands. “You’re welcome,” she said.
Crockett looked at her from under lowered brows for a moment, then dropped his voice an octave. “It was without motive, wasn’t it, darling?”
“Eat your bagel,” Carson said.
As promised, Satin arrived about two o’clock. Crockett made introductions and iced tea, then did the boogie. He had no intention of being close to ground zero while the women got acquainted. He knew that he would be the subject of some of the conversation, and Satin, with the opportunity to have that much fun, would pull no punches. That type of conduct from a woman stimulates any other women in her proximity. Carson would be nearly biologically compelled to join the Crockett rending celebration. He had no desire to be dissected while still breathing. He went to Home Depot for some outdoor necessities, stopped by the grocery, and didn’t arrive back at the bus until nearly five.
Why is it, Crockett wondered, that if a man who has been intimate with a woman meets another man who has, for whatever reason, become attached to that same woman, women consider it to be an earthshaking breach of protocol for the two of them to discuss the woman in question in any other than the most general of terms? And yet, in the reverse of that scenario, those very women feel free to discuss a man with little or no restraint whatsoever? Not only will they confer about his nose hair, bathroom habits, or sexual conduct, they will even do it, if given the motivation and opportunity, while he hovers painfully within earshot. Crockett secured his groceries, shouldered his masculine burden much as a Sherpa preparing to leave Camp Four to launch the final assault on the summit, and forced his way inside the bus.
The instant he walked in he could feel a shift in Carson’s attitude and see a slight change in her eyes. Satin appeared a bit smug. They were both grinning and neither one of them even stood up to help with the bags. Resisting the urge to mention that Satin hummed while she sat on the john, and that Carson mumbled in her sleep, he deposited his burdens on the counter and greeted the two of them with
a hearty, “Hello, girls!”
They barely acknowledged him, preferring instead to finish a conversation about shoes. Withstanding the realization that he had been reduced in importance to something less than a pair of bone slingbacks, Crockett began to unpack the groceries. Satin arose and headed for the convenience. When she did, Carson was motivated to assist him in restocking the larder.
“She loves you, you know,” Carson said, putting a quart of Half & Half in the fridge.
Crockett smiled. “Yep. I love her, too.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Little Women
After the groceries were put away, Crockett phoned the Hartrick police department.
“Police. Jameson. Help ya?”
“Yes, you can, Officer. Is Chief Smoot there, please?”
“Yeah, but he’s busy. What can I do for ya?”
“You can tell Chief Smoot that Crockett is on the phone.”
“Told ya he was busy.”
“I appreciate that, Officer. I know the pressures of running a metropolitan constabulary can be overwhelming. Still, I ask you to tell your chief that Crockett is on the phone.”
Irritation crept into Jameson’s voice. “He’s busy.”
“Let’s try this another way, son. If I have to drive in there to get his attention, I will. If he is not there when I arrive, which will take about fifteen minutes, I’ll try to catch him at Wagers Café. If I miss him there, I’ll drive by his house and disturb him when he’s off work and trying to relax. No doubt that will irritate him. When he asks me why in the hell I just didn’t give him a call, I’m gonna tell him I did, but Officer Jameson refused to let him know I was on the phone. Now, who do you think he’s gonna be pissed at when he gets that piece of news?”
“Just a minute.”
“Thank you, Officer,” Crockett said. In about thirty seconds the young cop returned.
“You still there?” he asked.
“Always and forever.”
“He’ll be with ya in a little bit. I’m gonna put ya on hold.”
“Thank you, Officer Jameson. Your assistance has been invaluable.”
Satin spoke up from her position in Crockett’s recliner.
“Having fun bullying the nice young policeman?”
“What’s it to ya, lady?”
Satin turned to Carson. “Wait ‘til you get to know him better,” she said. “He’s a hateful old bastard.”
Carson grinned. “I suspected as much. It’s hard to hide one’s true nature. You have no idea how glad I am to be getting out of here.”
Crockett was formulating a witty retort when Smoot came on the line.
“Hey, Crockett. Thanks for calling. You got the mayor off my back.”
“What’s his problem?”
“Aw, somebody egged his truck. ‘Course it’s my fault that it happened. If I’d been doing my job, payin’ attention, so on and so forth. He won’t make it next term. Most of his old guard support is either dying off or has gone to stay in Happy Acres. Thank God for democracy. What’s up?”
“I’m gonna send the ladies into town in a little bit in Satin’s Jeep. I’ll be a few minutes behind them in my truck, watching to see if they’re being followed. If you can spare the time, I’d like you to be out by the highway in something unmarked to see if anybody is following me.”
“Who’s gonna watch to see if anybody’s following me?” Smoot asked.
Crockett smiled. “I thought maybe Jameson could follow you. Then Satin can follow him to see if he’s being followed, while I follow her to see if she’s being followed, and you follow…well, you get the idea. Who do I have to see to get a parade permit?”
Smoot chuckled. “You figure you’re being watched?”
“Not yet. But soon I expect. I’d just rather be safe than sorry.”
“You got that right. I’ll be there.”
“Great. I’ll send the girls to Wagers for a bite so if somebody is peeking, they won’t know where Satin lives. Thanks, Dale.”
“To serve and protect. See ya after while.” He disconnected. Crockett turned to the ladies.
“You guys get that?”
“Yeah,” Satin said. “We’re gonna have a parade. Kinda like homecoming. Should I get out my old cheerleader uniform?”
Crockett leered. “My God, yes. Just the thought of you shaking your pom-poms makes me feel quite vigorous.”
Satin rolled her eyes. “Oh, hell! I knew when I said cheerleader it was the wrong thing to do. Jesus.”
“Something about those short pleated skirts,” Crockett said, “that just tickles my fancy.”
“You ain’t got nothin’ fancy,” Satin said. “Any cold water in your shower?”
“Why?” Crockett asked. “You need some?”
Carson laughed. “You two make a heck of a pair.”
“That’s true, but we make a helluva couple,” Satin said. “Ol’ Crockett here ain’t much, but he’ll do ‘til the roads dry up.”
“Damned with faint praise,” Crockett said.
“I never had a friend like him before,” Satin said. She got up from the recliner and stood by Crockett, slipping an arm about his waist. “He’s as good a friend as he was a lover,” she continued, looking steadily at Carson. “I’ve never had a better friend. Don’t believe I ever will. Where I come from, we watch out for our friends.”
“Point taken,” Carson said.
Crockett pulled a five-dollar bill out of his pocket. “Thanks,” he said, and handed it to Satin. “That was even better than I hoped. Good work.”
She took the bill, slipped it inside her bra, and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re welcome. The rates go up next week.”
“As well they should. You females about ready to head for town?”
“I’m all packed,” Carson said.
“Good. Let’s load up. Go to Wagers Café until we’re certain everybody is in the clear.”
Crockett followed the women into town and saw nothing unusual. He parked across the street from the café and remained in his truck until Chief Smoot rolled by and gave him the high sign. He found the girls drinking coffee in the customary back booth. As he approached, Satin held her ground and looked at Carson. Carson slid over to make room for him. Crockett ignored the interplay and sat down.
“Okay, ladies,” he said. “No bad guys in the bushes, yet. Now comes the short speech. I realize the folly of attempting to inflict my will on even one female, much less two. Nevertheless, I am bound to try. It would be good if you, Carson, stayed under cover. If you need something, prevail upon Satin to get it for you. Please stay inside, keep the drapes drawn, and lay low. I understand that what I have just told you means less than nothing should you decide to go shopping, or for a walk, or some other life enriching necessity, but please listen to me. This will either be settled in a few days, or I will move you to a secure location out of state where your every whim will be satisfied. I stress again that this current situation is very temporary. As inconvenient and constraining as it may seem, it could be vital for your safety.”
“Yessir,” Carson said.
“And you,” Crockett went on, looking at a smiling Satin, “you tell no one who she is, where she is, or what you’re doing. Try to keep your routine as normal as possible. Tough keeping secrets in a small town. Do your best.”
“I promise,” Satin said.
“If either of you need to contact me, let Satin do it. Carson, you do not exist. Satin, finish your coffee and go home. Carson and I will hang around for a while, and then leave together. I’ll drop her off in the alley and she’ll come up to your place. Leave her bags in your Jeep until it’s full dark then you, and only you, carry them up. Play this as if you are being watched. Okay?”
Both women nodded.
“This could all be for nothing,” Crockett went on, “but on the off chance it isn’t, you have to take it seriously.”
“You’re beginning to repeat yourself,” Satin said.
“Spaced re
petition is an important tool in education,” Crockett said.
“Yeah, well I need more space and less repetition,” she snorted, standing up. “I think I’ll go home, put on my trench coat and shades, and make some sandwiches. My coffee’s on you, Crockett. See you two great kids later.”
Carson watched her leave as Crockett moved to the other side of the booth. “That is quite a woman,” she said. “How come the two of you aren’t together anymore?”
“By ‘together’ I assume you mean engaging in sexual congress.”
Carson smiled. “Took the words right out of my mouth.”
“Sex, if it involves love, lends a certain seriousness to a relationship,” Crockett said. “Sex without love is nothing more than mutual masturbation. Mutual masturbation, while it may be fun, cannot be the foundation for anything other than itself. That would be fine if Satin and I did not love each other, but we do. And we’re too damn confrontational to invest ourselves in a partnership of that type. Sooner or later, sex would have fucked up the friendship. We sort of mutually decided that the friendship was too important to lose, so we made the necessary adjustments.”
“Did you two discuss it?”
“We didn’t have to.”
“That’s a very uncommon coupling, Crockett.”
Crockett nodded. “She’s a very uncommon woman,” he said.
Ten minutes later they were sitting in Crockett’s truck by the stairway in the alley behind the post office. Carson, who had been pondering something, spoke up.
“Satin told me that you’re the best man she has ever known,” she said.
Crockett smiled. “She needs to get out more.”
“She’s the second woman I’ve heard say that about you.”
Crocket felt his stomach tighten. “Oh, yeah?” he said.
“Yes. The other one was Ruby LaCost.”
Crockett stared out the windshield for a moment. “You oughta get upstairs,” he said.
“That why you’re out here in the middle of nowhere? You trying to get away from Ruby?”
Crockett sighed. “I was for a while,” he said. “Now I’m just trying to get back to myself.”
Witness Rejection Page 13
