“Do you want to hear what I have to say or do you want to analyze how dysfunctional my family is? Because I’m not goin’ to do both.”
“Go on.”
“Janet knew somethin’. I don’t know what. But it was a big secret. She said it had to do with some important people in town.”
“And that was where the money, the payoff, would come?”
“That’s right.”
“Did Sara know about this, too?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Maybe it was Sara who told you, not Janet.”
“Why do you say that?”
“They were closer in age. I bet they spent more time together. You were just the kid sister to keep in the dark.”
“So what!” she snapped. “I can still hear things.”
“Yes, you can. What else?”
“Janet went out that night to make a big score. She was happy, really lookin’ forward to it. And then she ended up dead.”
Robie sipped his Coke and thought about what she had told him.
“What was Janet wearing that night?”
“What?”
“What was she wearing that night?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Just indulge me. Sexy stuff, like for a date?”
“No. Jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. And sandals.”
“Good memory.”
“I watched her get dressed. Those were her favorite casual clothes.”
So she wasn’t going to hook up with a guy. This was money for something else.
“Okay. Did she say where she was going for this meeting?”
“The same spot, she said. I guess Sara knew what that meant. I didn’t.”
“You know what they were doing with Sherman Clancy?”
“What, you expect me to be all upset and stressed out? Yeah, I’m pissed that Janet is dead although she just thought of me as her dorky kid sister. But they needed money, and if Clancy was willin’ to pay them, so what?”
“So you don’t see anything wrong with that?”
“Consensual sex? No, not really. We’re livin’ in the twenty-first century, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
“Sex for money is illegal.”
“Lots of things are illegal, that doesn’t make them wrong.”
Robie rubbed his eyes. He had little experience with teenagers, but he still couldn’t believe he was having this conversation with a thirteen-year-old. Had the world really changed that much while he wasn’t looking?
She said, “I was also pissed that I couldn’t get any of that money. I bet Clancy would have paid me, too. Sara said he liked them young. And I wouldn’t have done anythin’ that would get me pregnant. I’m not stupid.”
Okay, enough was enough. Robie stood. “Right, thanks for talking to me.”
She took another slow sip of her coffee and rose, too.
“God, I never would’ve taken you to be such an uptight jerk.”
“Yeah, me neither.”
They walked out together. And right into Sara Chisum.
She looked at Robie and then at her sister.
“What are you two doin’?” she demanded.
“Just talkin’,” said Emma sweetly. “He had some questions and I had some answers. And now I can get those shoes I wanted,” she added gleefully.
Sara scowled at Robie. “I told you she knew nothin’. You stay away from her.” She grabbed her sister’s arm and jerked her away. “You stay away from us both!”
Emma looked back and called out, “Nice doin’ business with you.”
Robie looked over his shoulder and saw Victoria staring at him from across the street. She had Ty on her hip. She was in front of the jail. She was apparently going to see her husband.
Robie hustled across to her.
“What was all that about?” asked Victoria.
“What? The Chisums?”
“Yes, of course the Chisums.”
“Just paying my respects and conveying my condolences.”
She looked at him with great skepticism. “Right. That’s exactly what it looked like, all right. Come on, tell me the truth.”
“Emma had a little bit of information about the night Janet died. That she was going to meet someone and that she expected a nice payoff for it.”
“Really? And who might that be?”
“She didn’t know. Or didn’t want to tell me. She’s quite grown up for thirteen.”
“Hell, Robie, girls down here get married at fifteen with their parents’ consent. What’d you expect?”
“You going to see Dad?” Robie said quickly.
“Yes.”
“With Ty?”
“Yes. I told you I was. Why?”
“I was in to see him a while ago. I told him you were bringing Ty. He didn’t think it was a good idea.”
“Well, like it or not, we’re going in.”
She turned and walked to the jail.
Robie watched her go and then turned in time to see the sedan pull out.
There were four men inside it. One of them Robie recognized. It was the guy from Clancy’s house, the one he’d shot in the hand. His face was bandaged from where Robie had clubbed him with his gun.
And they had seen him with Victoria and Tyler.
Well, damn.
Chapter
35
Robie called Blue Man and told him of this latest development.
“Wurtzburger touched base. He said he’d gotten a call. I have to say I was surprised that the Agency was so open with information about me.”
“If you were indeed surprised, then you managed to miss the meaning of everything I said during our last call. Now it seems that you have been made by the people from the casino and they will undoubtedly seek payback.”
“I’m prepared for that.”
“And if they go after Victoria? Or her son?”
“I said I was prepared for that.”
“Saying it and it actually being so is not the same thing.”
“Why is Wurtzburger down here? I’d assumed it was for the folks at the Rebel Yell and whatever it is they’re involved in that makes more money than gambling.”
“I don’t know and didn’t ask. I was only focused on the Agency’s side of the equation, meaning you. What are you going to do now?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Well, if I were you, I would achieve some clarity on that point. And do it sooner rather than later, Robie. That is my best, and last, advice to you on the subject.”
This time Blue Man was the one who clicked off, leaving Robie to stare down at his phone and wonder if he was making a colossal mistake. That was as close to showing anger as Blue Man was likely ever to come. And it had shaken Robie more than a dozen people screaming at him.
He contemplated his next move and then made up his mind.
He bought a six-pack of beer and headed to Billy Faulconer’s house.
“Damn, that tastes good.”
Billy had just finished chugging one of the beers and then crushed it against his forehead.
Or tried to. The big man didn’t have the strength to finish the job. He let the partially crumpled can fall to the floor.
Robie sat across from him sipping on his beer. He looked around the Airstream. It seemed that Angie had come and cleaned up quite a bit. The dirty dishes were gone, the floor and counters were free of litter, and the place smelled of bleach and air freshener.
Billy popped another can.
“Shouldn’t you go slow on that?” asked Robie. “It might mess up your meds.”
Billy looked at him in surprise. “Ain’t on no meds, less you count the oxygen.”
“Isn’t the pain bad?”
Billy held up the beer and smiled weakly. “That’s what this here is for.”
He took a long drink and then rested the can against his chest. “How’re things goin’ with you?”