Muriel’s cigarette had developed another long ash, and there wasn’t much left to it. She plucked it from her mouth and dropped it to the ground, stamped it out with her slipper. Then she went inside to get a cup of coffee and start breakfast.
The day was scorching hot. By ten o’clock, the temperature was a hundred and five degrees. The trees above the Riverside Mobile Home Park, dry and rustling in the hot breeze, were filled with birds – their chirping and screeching clashed in a shrill cacophony that did not pause.
Shortly after ten, Reznick took Conan and left the trailer. The little dog followed him over to the Dunfy trailer next door. At the screen, Reznick knocked and looked inside and said, “Hello?”
“Hi,” Kendra said. She came to the door and opened the screen for him. “C’mon in.”
Reznick went up the steps and Conan followed him.
“I thought maybe Conan and Dexter would like to see each other this morning,” he said. “I hope it’s all right that I brought him over.”
“Oh, sure, I like Conan. Hey, Conan, you cutie.” She bent down and petted him.
“How’s the finger?”
“Not bad right now,” she said.
She wore a plain white cotton T-shirt and yet another pair of short denim cutoffs, this one with a yellow daisy sewn onto the back pocket. The T-shirt’s material was thin and Reznick could see the faintest hint of her rosy nipples beneath it.
“You want somethin’ to drink?” she said. “Mommy’s got beer, or there’s Pepsi.”
“A Pepsi sounds good.”
Kendra went to the refrigerator, got a Pepsi, and brought the can back to him. “C’mon in and sit down.”
They both sat down on the couch.
“I was watchin’ The Joker’s Wild,” she said. “You like game shows? I love game shows.”
“Yeah, game shows are fun.”
Kendra stretched out on the couch and put her bare feet in Reznick’s lap. He looked down at them – the small, perfect toes with their red-painted nails, the paint chipping in places. He let his eyes move slowly up her long legs. He followed his eyes with one hand, running it up her leg, feeling the smooth skin, the lump of her knee, the firmness of her thigh. Then he looked at her.
She was smiling at him. She liked it.
He smiled back and said, “What have you been up to today, Kendra?”
She shrugged. “Just watchin’ TV.”
He nodded. “And… what have you been up to… lately?”
Another shrug. “Just layin’ around since I cut my finger. The pills make me sleepy, but they also make me feel real good. I mean, they make me feel all floaty, like. I never felt nothing like that before.”
“Yeah, codeine’ll do that to you. No, I meant the last few days. I was wondering what you’ve been up to. If maybe you’ve been… say… posing for some pictures?”
The smile dropped off Kendra’s face and her beautiful blue eyes popped open wide, lips parted, head tilted back just a little. She stayed that way for a long moment, frozen in place.
Reznick smiled. “I’ve seen your pictures online, Kendra.”
“You… have?”
“TrailerParkGirls.com. See, my work sorta brought me into contact with the man in unit five. What’s his name again?”
“Steven. Steven Regent.”
“Yeah, he’s the one. Steven Regent. I needed to look up his websites for a case I was working on, and I saw your pictures on TrailerParkGirls.com.”
For a moment, Kendra looked as if she were about to cry.
“They’re beautiful pictures, Kendra,” he said, almost whispering. “You’re a beautiful young woman.”
One corner of her mouth curled up into a half-smile. “Re… really?”
“Looking at your pictures… it excited me.”
“It… did?”
“Oh, yes. It made me very excited.”
His hand was still on her thigh, moving back and forth slightly, and the sensation of their skin rubbing together made him hard. With his right hand, he pressed her ankle down against his erection.
The other corner of her mouth curled up, too. Her cheeks became rosy, but that didn’t last.
“Do you like me, Mr. Reznick?” she said, tilting her head to one side.
“Kendra, you’re one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said. “And I’ve wanted you since the first time I saw you on the roof of this trailer.”
“You’ve… wanted me?” she said, her eyebrows rising curiously.
“Yes. Wanted you. I’ve wanted to touch you, kiss you. I’ve wanted to make love to you.”
Her breath caught in her chest and she held it for several seconds, then started breathing again, her eyes wide.
Reznick leaned over to his left and put a hand behind her neck. He pulled her to him and pressed his lips to hers. He gently pried her lips open with the tip of his tongue. When she exhaled against his face, it was with a high, tremulous sigh.
Reznick put his right hand on her breast and gently squeezed. Then he slipped his hand beneath her T-shirt and found the breast again, bare this time. His fingers passed over the hard nipple. He rolled it between thumb and forefinger and she made a small whimpering sound.
Reznick said, “Why don’t we go over to my place and use the bed?”
“The… bed?” she said.
“I’d be more comfortable. We can take the dogs with us.”
She smiled. “Okay.” Her smile faltered a little, and she asked, “What’re we gonna do in your bed?”
He grinned. “Whatever we want to.”
Reznick held the screen door open for her and she went up the steps. The little dogs followed her, their tiny claws clicketing on the steps. Reznick followed them all into the trailer and pulled the screen door closed, then closed the door and locked it.
“Do you have any wine?” Kendra asked.
“No, I’m sorry. I don’t have any alcohol.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“Would you like something else? I’ve got Diet Dr. Pepper.”
“That sounds good,” she said.
He went to the refrigerator and got her one, popped it open before handing it to her. She took several gulps, then released a long, satisfied sigh.
Reznick took her right hand and led her down the hall. The bedroom was dark. He sat on the edge of the bed with Kendra standing in front of him. He looked her up and down and realized his hands were trembling. He took the Dr. Pepper from her and put it on the night stand.
“Arms up,” he said quietly.
She lifted her arms, and he pulled the T-shirt off over her head. He tossed the shirt onto the foot of the bed and stared at her, his lips parted, his eyes wider than he realized.
Her breasts were great round cushions in taut, smooth skin, topped with rosy nipples. He cupped them in his hands and lifted them up. He pressed his face between them and inhaled Kendra’s scent.
“You like them?” she said, smiling. A little giggle escaped her.
“They’re incredible,” he said, pulling his head back and looking up at her face.
She dropped the shorts. She was wearing nothing underneath them. She kicked off the flip-flops and stepped out of the crumpled shorts. She stood before him naked and radiant. She moved around him and crawled onto the bed.
Reznick stood and quickly removed his clothes. He opened the top drawer of his night stand and removed a box of condoms, took one out, put the box back, and closed the drawer. The last thing he needed was a pregnant retarded girl on his hands. He tore the wrapper with his teeth, took out the condom. He set the wrapper on the night stand and put the condom on the wrapper where it would be ready and waiting for him. He turned to Kendra.
“You’re hard,” she said.
“Yes, I am. You do that to men, Kendra. You always will. You should get used to it.”