“No, I’m afraid I don’t remember that at all.”
“Maybe because they were better times. Some people hang on to those like prized jewels; others toss ’em as soon as misery comes a-callin’.”
She disappears into the kitchen, where I hear the hissing sound of her filling the kettle, the scratch of a match and the whumping sound of a gas ring catching fire.
The bed is rumpled, and I have to wonder whether or not Kyle even spent time in it tonight. I was sure I’d find him here, but for whatever reason, his visit was a short one.
A few moments later, with impatience ticking a countdown in my head, Iris emerges from the kitchen. She’s holding a single cup of coffee, which she brings to me. “I’m out of sugar,” she says. “Hope it’s okay.”
“It’s fine.” I take a sip that scalds my upper lip and tongue, but I don’t mind. It chases away some of the exhaustion that’s clinging to me like a shroud.
Iris stands close enough for my breath to warm her belly, and crosses her arms. “So you’re lookin’ for Kyle?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re a little late.”
“I figured.”
She turns and makes her way through the labyrinth of candles to the bed, and watches me as she unbuttons the shirt and slips out of it. God she’s a pretty thing, but I avert my eyes to the vapid stare of the mannequin in the opposite corner while she tosses the shirt on the bed and slips beneath the covers. “You’re welcome to join me,” she says. “Despite what you might think, that’s not an offer I extend to just anyone.”
“Then you may want to change your ad.”
“Funny. You got nice ears, Sheriff. Anyone ever tell you that?”
“How long was Kyle here?”
She plumps her pillows and sits back, the sheet drawn up over her breasts, nipples hard points beneath the flimsy material. “Not long. He wanted some company but…” She shrugs, puts again. “Seems he wasn’t up for it tonight.”
“He say anything to you about what happened?”
“Sure. Told me Eddie’s burned. No great loss if you ask me.” She sighs, then her lips curl in amusement. “Bet you’re wonderin’ why you never saw me up there with the rest of you sinners, aintcha?”
In truth, I wasn’t, but I am now, so I nod.
“Well I’m not real sure about that, Sheriff. Maybe it’s because women in my line of work get special consideration. Maybe we’re needed just like we’ve been needed all through history, so when it comes time to open that great big book of black sins, we get left out. Or maybe it’s because Reverend Hill, despite his bible thumpin’, was still a man at the back of it and needed his poke just like everyone else and couldn’t rightly put me up on the cross for givin’ folks, and him, what they asked for. Besides, it ain’t like I force people’s hands. And I ain’t never killed a man. Least, not yet.”
“What else did Kyle tell you?”
“That he wasn’t sorry to see those folks killed. But he was lyin’.”
“How do you know that?”
“Call it women’s intuition. You sure you wouldn’t like to join me in here where it’s warm?” She pats the empty space beside her. “You look like you could use the release.”
“No.”
“No charge.”
“I said no.”
“All right,” she sighs.
“So tell me.”
“I don’t think he gave a shit about the black man. In fact, I’m pretty sure he didn’t, was probably glad to see the back of him if the way he talked was any indication.”
“Wintry? Why?”
“Because he had the murderin’ bitch.”
“Why would that—?”
“Wake up Sheriff. I know you’re tired, but you ain’t stupid. Kyle had a thing for her. Didn’t mind tellin’ me neither, ’cuz y’know… I’m just good for one thing, right?”
She’s still wearing that smile, but a hardness has entered her eyes, splintering the candle light and I feel a small knot of shame because that’s exactly how I’ve always looked at her—Iris, former store-owner, current whore.
“Didn’t give a shit about Cobb, or Gracie, and didn’t care too much that he put a bullet in that young thief’s belly. Only one he really cared about was Flo. Said he’d planned to run away with her, get away from Milestone and start a good life somewhere.” She snorts a little laugh. “You raised yourself a gullible one, Sheriff.”
The coffee tastes sour and I set it down between my feet. “What else?”
“Well, I’ve already told you he needed lovin’ and I put on my best show for his poor soul. Didn’t work though. He wasn’t—”
“Yeah, you told me. He say anything else?”
She stares at me for a moment, and the expression on her face is unreadable. The light warms one side of her face, leaving the other in shadow. She sits forward, and the sheet slides down, exposing her breasts for a moment before she draws up her knees and crosses her arms around them. “He’s gunnin’ for you, you know.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Know why?”
“Off hand I can think of any number of reasons.”
“Know why he’s plannin’ on finishin’ you tonight?”
“No.”
“Because he made a deal and said he would.”
“A deal? With who?”
“That old guy who looks like a corpse.”
Cadaver. Not a great surprise, but it adds a layer of hurt to the pile that’s already festering inside me. What does come as a surprise is finding out Kyle knew Cadaver was behind everything, even if the old man didn’t start the fire. Now I’m wondering what they were really saying while they stood watching Eddie’s burn. The idea of the two of them being in cahoots makes my blood run cold and those two pennies in my pocket are starting to feel like sandbags.
“You know what the deal was?” I ask Iris.
“Nope. Kyle wouldn’t say, but I expect the end of you’ll be his ticket out of town. Maybe he’ll even get Flo back for his efforts. You never know.”
We share a moment of silence, both of us burning up inside over Kyle’s betrayal. I stand, careful not to send my cup of coffee flying, and put my hands on the cold bedrail. “He say where he was going?”
“He did.”
I wait. She says nothing.
“Where?”
“Not sure I should tell you.”
“Why’s that?”
“You haven’t settled up for the information you’ve already gotten outta me.”
“What is it you want?” I ask, sure I already know.
“Come here.”
“Iris. I have to get going. You know why.”
“I do, so I’m not gonna be hurt that you ain’t gonna stay with me. But that ain’t it.” She lays back, sheet to her waist, hands by her sides. “Just come here. It won’t take long.”
Against my better judgment, and struggling to keep my eyes from studying what’s there to be studied, I sidestep my way through the candles until I’m standing next to her. “What?”
She reaches up, one hand finding the back of my neck, drawing me down even as her face is rising toward me, an odd look about her, her eyes like stars, and she kisses me. But my eyes are open, and in the honey-colored light from the candles, I see a deep angry-looking scar running from the top of her forehead back into her hair, like someone tried to split her skull open with an ax. I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Doing what she does is bound to put her in the company of some mean folks, but I don’t like seeing it. I break the kiss, despite it making my body tingle with warmth that spreads across my chest and down to where I don’t want it going, and I step back, look at her. Goddamn it’s been way too long.
Iris hasn’t bothered to draw the sheet up again, but that’s all right. She’s smiling, and the urge to say to hell with everything and just crawl in with her is powerful. But I can’t, and she knows it. Knew it before she even opened the door to me, and I guess all this has been is a little betrayal of our own.