Ravens. Part 12

"Oh."

"Well actually, it's his his deal. I'm just like, here if needed." deal. I'm just like, here if needed."

"I see."

They sat a while. Then Romeo said, "Can I tell you a story?"

"Sure."

"One time there was this dude, this grad student from OSU? And he got on my buddy's nerves. We were working at this tech place, my buddy and me, and one night we met this guy, and he was such an arrogant a.s.shole, but our friend Amber really liked him. And Shaw got p.i.s.sed off at the guy, and they had a quarrel. And later Shaw asked me would I help with what he wanted to do. And, you know, he's my buddy, you know?"

"Yes," said Claude.

"What he wanted to do was break into the s.h.i.tstain's apartment and put a little nest of vipers into his computer, you know? So I did it. So then Shaw could read all his emails, and know everywhere he surfed, and f.u.c.k him in every which way possible. You know? I mean we owned this poor guy."

Claude nodded. He looked uncomfortable.

"I mean, I can't tell you I didn't have fun, because it was OK, because I was doing this with Shaw. We intercepted the emails the guy sent out and changed them just a little to make them sort of insulting. We got him fired from his job, and we made the dean of his college think he was like a psycho child molester, and we made Amber come to hate the sucker. And I said to Shaw, 'This is enough, right?' But Shaw said, 'Are you with me or not? We're going all the way.' So we did. We went all the way with that s.h.i.tstain."

The old man said, "How far. Was that?"

"Oh G.o.d," said Romeo. "I mean all all the f.u.c.kin way. And now Shaw's got me on a similar ride. And I'm scared. I don't want to do this s.h.i.t." the f.u.c.kin way. And now Shaw's got me on a similar ride. And I'm scared. I don't want to do this s.h.i.t."

But Claude's distress was evident, which made Romeo feel awful. He wished he'd never started this story.

The silence grew oppressive.

Romeo said, "Tell me again what your grandfather said. OK? About the old rooster?"

But Claude had fallen asleep.

Romeo settled the blanket around the old man's shoulders, and patted his head like an infant, and went outside. He leaned against the hood of the Tercel. He thought he could still hear the rhythm of Claude's breathing, and he listened to that for a while, comforted - until he realized that all he was hearing was the heave of the a.c. condenser.

Then his alarm buzzed: it was time to make his check-in call.

Shaw took the call outside, on the deck. He murmured, "Hey, how's it going?" took the call outside, on the deck. He murmured, "Hey, how's it going?"

"Good," said Romeo.

"There's a press conference in the morning. Eleven o'clock, at the Plantation House Inn. That pimped-out sleazy dump on Gloucester? You know the one I'm talking about? Right off 17?"

"Wait. A press conference?"

Shaw could hear his fear. "Uh-huh. You win the jackpot, you have to do a press conference."

"With cameras and s.h.i.t? And you're going?"

"Of course. Why not?"

"Why not?" Romeo sounded stunned. Romeo sounded stunned.

Shaw softened his voice, brought it down close to a purr, and said, "It'll be good for us." That was how you had to talk to Romeo. You had to cosset and coddle him, and tell him you understood his fearfulness, and never let him see how much it p.i.s.sed you off. "This is the way we've got to do this, Romeo. Everything out in the open. No secrets, no skulking around. You know?"

"I think it's insane," said Romeo. "Who's going?"

"Everybody."

"The whole family?"

"So I'm told."

"Cousin Alfred? Vanessa and Henry?"

"I guess."

"Shelby and Miriam and the kids?"

"So I'm told."

"What about their friends? They're coming too?"

"Uh-huh."

"Then who've I got?" said Romeo. "If everybody's at that press conference and the place is filled with pork, I can't touch any of 'em. Who's our hostage? Who've I got?"

"You've got Nell. Nell doesn't care for crowds, so she won't be coming."

"Just Nell?"

"That's all we need."

"Shaw, they'll f.u.c.k us!" Sounding panicky.

"No they won't," Shaw murmured. "We're fine. The Boatwrights are fine. They're making their adjustments. They don't want trouble, Romeo. And I've got a little surprise planned for this event which'll be beautiful. You need to trust me on this one."

"What am I I supposed to do?" supposed to do?"

"Just keep close to Nell. And don't worry so much. Have some faith."

SAt.u.r.dAY.

Romeo, early in the morning, went to Trudy's Cafe and got himself a fried-egg sandwich. early in the morning, went to Trudy's Cafe and got himself a fried-egg sandwich.

The place was brimful of pork. One big booth against the wall was nothing but bacon. Even that paunchy old cop was here - the one who had confronted him yesterday about the burial. Looking kind of hangdog though. Sitting there all by himself, while the cops at the big booth were joking and laughing with each other. Romeo thought of going over and joining the poor guy, but didn't. Talk to a cop? Shaw would have a fit.

Instead he got his egg sandwich to go and drove to Nell's house. He parked a hundred yards down Egmont Street, tilted his seat back, and tuned to WICK 103.9. Hoping for news of the upcoming press conference. What he got was a steady stream of treacle: "Ebony and Ivory." "You Light Up My Life." "Sometimes when we touch, the honesty's too much." "Sometimes when we touch, the honesty's too much." And the egg sandwich was just as greasy and unpalatable as the music: he ate three bites and put it aside. And the egg sandwich was just as greasy and unpalatable as the music: he ate three bites and put it aside.

Thinking, if I start driving now, I could be five hundred miles from this town before dark.

Back in Piqua before morning. Mom'll make me breakfast. Eggs and hash browns. No more sc.u.m-colored grits for as long as I live. Call Carla, tell her I'm really sorry for what I said, how would she like to spend the weekend at Lake Loramie? Borrow Burchie's cabin. We're pretending it's Trinidad and dancing calypso by the lake, under the moon which is so fat it looks pregnant. Carla, laughing at my two left feet. G.o.d, look at that moon!

Then he opened his eyes. He'd fallen asleep - and when he looked up he saw that Nell was right out there on the street, getting into her car. She was dressed in a pantsuit and wore earrings, and Romeo knew knew, instantly, that she was going to the press conference. From the chambers of his heart, terror came shooting up. I knew it. I could have told you. I did did tell you, Shaw. They're gonna f.u.c.k us. tell you, Shaw. They're gonna f.u.c.k us.

Shaw was so excited he felt light in the head. Riding to the press conference, he wore his faded brown corduroy jacket - the only one he owned - and a tie he'd borrowed from Mitch. He had the .32 tucked into the thunderbelt behind his back. Prepared for whatever comes. This is the way to live, he thought. Been trying to live some other way, but this is the only way: everything into the fire. He was in the pa.s.senger seat of the Boatwrights' SUV - a battered '02 Jeep Liberty - and Tara was driving, and the others were in the back. Tara's expression was grim but determined. Shaw was sure she'd be all right. And she'd lead the others through as well. We're all going to soldier through this. was so excited he felt light in the head. Riding to the press conference, he wore his faded brown corduroy jacket - the only one he owned - and a tie he'd borrowed from Mitch. He had the .32 tucked into the thunderbelt behind his back. Prepared for whatever comes. This is the way to live, he thought. Been trying to live some other way, but this is the only way: everything into the fire. He was in the pa.s.senger seat of the Boatwrights' SUV - a battered '02 Jeep Liberty - and Tara was driving, and the others were in the back. Tara's expression was grim but determined. Shaw was sure she'd be all right. And she'd lead the others through as well. We're all going to soldier through this.

But then his phone buzzed, and when he answered Romeo barked at him, "Nell's going to your press conference!"

"What?"

"She's heading there now!"

"How do you know that?"

"She's all dressed up and she's in her car. Where else would she be going?"

"Hold on," said Shaw, and he looked to Mitch. "You said Nell wasn't coming."

Mitch said, "I thought she wasn't. She changes her mind a lot."

Shaw told Romeo, "Mitch says she changes her mind."

"She changes her mind? Shaw, if she's at the press conference I can't touch her! I can't touch anyone! They can f.u.c.k us at will!" Shaw, if she's at the press conference I can't touch her! I can't touch anyone! They can f.u.c.k us at will!"

"OK. Try to calm down."

"This is a mutiny mutiny! They're gonna kill us!"

"I really can't talk now. I'm in the car."

"We're dead!"

"We're fine, Romeo. Let me go."

He snapped his phone shut just as they pulled into the parking lot of the Plantation House Inn. A Georgia Lottery guy, Mr. Creave, eyes as small as jumping-beans, greeted them and briskly escorted them through the swarm of reporters and into the hotel by way of a side entrance. Took them to a kind of greenroom. Tara and Patsy were installed in aluminum folding chairs, where a couple of local beauticians applied their makeup. Jase sat in a corner and cut down the enemy hordes. Creave kept chattering away. "The Announcement will take place in the Vince Dooley Room! The local Savannah TV station is covering us live, and so is Jax, and there'll be feeds for CNN and Fox! This one's going around the world around the world, folks! So it's not just the biggest day of your lives - it's the biggest thing ever to happen to this city! Since Brunswick stew!"

n.o.body answered him.

Shaw was trying to think: could Romeo be right about the Boatwrights? No sign of them plotting - no whispering, no meaningful glances between them. They all just looked exhausted. And they knew he had a gun. They knew if they tried anything, they were all going down: they knew knew that. They weren't that. They weren't insane. insane.

But when he looked at Mitch, and saw his fat lip hanging sullenly, he thought, well, maybe a little little insane. insane.

He took Mitch off to a corner of the room, straightened his tie for him. "Everything all right?"

"Oh sure."

Creave called out, "Five minutes! How we doing? Five minutes! Lives are going to change!"

Tara led her mother to the bathroom, and Shaw let them go. I have to, he thought. I believe in this family now. He whispered to Mitch, "All right, my friend, when did you save me?"

"March of '03."

"And where were we at the time?"

"Greenville, South Carolina."

"And what were you doing the night we met?"

"Working the crisis line at the church."

"What was I I doing?" doing?"

"Pa.s.sing through."

"All right."

But Mitch kept staring straight ahead, at nothing. Stupid man, thought Shaw. I'm putting my fate into the hands of an idiot. "Look elated, Mitch. Don't look glum."

"OK."

"Everyone's well-being depends on you looking elated."

Tara went to the Ladies with Mom, and there she pulled a Diet c.o.ke bottle from her handbag, and said quietly, "Gin. Take a sip." went to the Ladies with Mom, and there she pulled a Diet c.o.ke bottle from her handbag, and said quietly, "Gin. Take a sip."

Mom waved her off. "Oh pumpkin, that's sweet of you, but you know I never drink at this hour."

Tara shut her eyes. Just drink it. Don't pose now. We don't have time.

She said, "Mom. Gotta make sure you're relaxed up there. You can't seem frightened or nervous or worried at all."

"Oh, I'll be fine. fine."

"Take a sip."

Mom looked off to one side. Then gave a little one-shoulder shrug, and brought the bottle to her lips and neatly polished off a shot and a half. Afterward she drew her chin back the way she always did after her first drink of the day, that smug-turtle look. She resisted a little when Tara took the bottle back. But Tara said firmly, as she led her back out into the storm, "Just keep thinking of how rich we're gonna be, Mom. Rich. Really rich rich. That's all you have to think about."

Burris and a couple of other cops were turning cars away at the entrance, trying to keep control of the chaos. But people kept pulling rank. The mayor arrived with a limo full of councilmen. Some bloated bullying congressman showed up; then some guy who said he was the Secretary of State for the State of Georgia - whatever that meant. A crush of praying-mantis satellite trucks. Burris was in too black a mood to contend with any of them. He hung back and let the young cops take charge. Truth was, he didn't give a d.a.m.n who got to park and who didn't - why should he? and a couple of other cops were turning cars away at the entrance, trying to keep control of the chaos. But people kept pulling rank. The mayor arrived with a limo full of councilmen. Some bloated bullying congressman showed up; then some guy who said he was the Secretary of State for the State of Georgia - whatever that meant. A crush of praying-mantis satellite trucks. Burris was in too black a mood to contend with any of them. He hung back and let the young cops take charge. Truth was, he didn't give a d.a.m.n who got to park and who didn't - why should he?

The hotel manager came out and scolded: "There's no more room! Make 'em park on Bartow!" Came out again and said, "Make 'em park on G Street!" Came out two minutes later and said, "Make 'em park on Goodyear!" In opposition to him was this Lottery guy who kept wailing, "That's the congressman! Let the congressman in!" Or, "That's WICK 103.9! Let WICK 103.9 in!" Or, "That's the president of the Sea Island Company! For G.o.d's sake! Let him come in!"

Burris didn't give a rat's a.s.s about any of it. Horns, curses, bedlam - none of it touched him. He was just trying to stay out of everybody's way.

In the midst of all this, Nell appeared.