Bring Your Own Poison (6 page)

Warren snorted. “Do you even know who he is? Who called you anyway?”

Tuck didn't respond. Instead, he turned and walked right over to Gerald and started talking to him.

Warren muttered an obscenity, just loud enough for Tuck to hear it. Wanda Nell saw red, and without even thinking about what she was doing, she jumped up from her chair. She drew back her hand and slapped Bill Warren so hard his head snapped back.

Elmer Lee grabbed Wanda Nell by the arms and held her. “What the hell do you think you're doing?” His voice hissed in her ear.

There was dead silence in the restaurant. Everyone was watching to see what would happen next.

Wanda Nell shook loose from Elmer Lee. She looked straight up into Bill Warren's face. Warren was rubbing his cheek and glaring at her, but Wanda Nell didn't back down.

“Don't you
ever
let me hear you say such a thing, Bill Warren,” Wanda Nell said. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself.”

“You ought to be more careful about assaulting officers of the law,” Warren said, scowling at her. “I've got half a mind to have you hauled down to that jail, too.”

“You just go ahead and do that,” Wanda Nell said, her temper still up. “And I'll be glad to tell whoever the hell I have to what you said. Don't think I'll let you get away with it. I'll go to the governor himself if I have to.”

She waited a moment for Warren to respond. When he remained silent, she said, “I have a witness, too. Right, Elmer Lee? You heard what he said.”

Both Wanda Nell and Warren looked at Elmer Lee. He met both their gazes before exhaling. “Yeah, I heard it, Wanda Nell.”

Satisfied that Elmer Lee would back her up, Wanda Nell folded her arms and waited for a response from the state cop.

“Why the hell should
you
care what I think of that jerk?” Warren said, his tone savage. “What's he got to do with you? You're not his type.” He laughed.

“Don't start that crap again,” Wanda Nell said. She was itching to slap him a second time.

Elmer Lee stepped between them. “Stop it, both of you,” he said. Wanda Nell moved back a couple of paces. Elmer Lee faced Warren. “I think you owe Wanda Nell and Tucker both an apology.”

Warren flushed. He pushed past Elmer Lee and went to talk to Dixon Vance. Wanda Nell watched him go, her stomach churning as her adrenalin rush faded. The hum of conversation resumed, now that the scene had ended. Many of the men still stared at Wanda Nell, though.

“Thank you, Elmer Lee,” Wanda Nell said, holding out a shaky hand to him. “I appreciate your support.”

Elmer Lee clasped her hand in his but let it go pretty quickly. “He was way out of line, and he knew it.” Elmer Lee frowned. “But you're lucky he didn't have you hauled off to jail. Assaulting an officer's a serious offence, like he said. You can't do things like that, Wanda Nell.”

Wanda Nell ignored that. She didn't think Bill Warren had the guts to make an issue of it, especially when she had a witness to back her up. “He was such a nice boy back in high school,” she said. “What happened to him?”

Elmer Lee regarded her with an odd expression on his face. “How well did you know him back then?”

Wanda Nell shrugged. “We dated for a couple of months.” She felt her face begin to redden. “And then I started going out with Bobby Ray.”

Elmer Lee and Bobby Ray had been really close in high school and afterward. When Bobby Ray was murdered, Elmer Lee had been convinced, at least for a while, that Wanda Nell had done it. Back in high school he had acted like he couldn't stand to be around her, and over the years their relationship had been rocky, at best.

Averting his face, Elmer Lee said, “I see.” Abruptly, he walked away, leaving Wanda Nell staring after him, puzzled by his behavior. She never would be able to figure him out, she decided, shaking her head.

“Thank you, Wanda Nell,” Tuck said, placing a hand on her arm and giving it a little squeeze. “But be careful. Don't you get yourself in trouble for something like that. I'm used to men like Warren.” He laughed, and the bitter sound of it tore at Wanda Nell's heart.

“That don't mean it's right,” Wanda Nell said. “He shouldn't get away with talking like that.”

Tuck smiled. “You certainly called him on it tonight.” His smile faded. “Seriously, though, be careful around him. He's got a pretty tough reputation, and you don't want to be on his bad side.”

“What do you mean?” Wanda Nell said. Tuck's words and his demeanor made her uneasy.

“We'll talk about it later,” Tuck said. “Right now, I'd better get on down to the jail.” He nodded in the direction of Gerald Blakeley. “They're taking him down there now, and I want to be on hand.”

“I feel sorry for him. He needs a good lawyer.”
Especially
with Bill Warren acting like such a jackass
, she added to herself.

Tuck gave her arm another squeeze before he walked away. Wanda Nell walked behind the counter and approached Melvin and Ruby at the cash register.

Ruby's big green eyes were wide with admiration. “Wanda Nell, you were so brave to stand up to that man like that. I was afraid he was going to arrest you.”

“You're lucky he didn't,” Melvin said in a sour tone. “That temper of yours is gonna get you in big trouble one of these days if you don't watch out.”

“I know, I know,” Wanda Nell said, holding her hands up in a gesture of conciliation. “But he made me so mad, I reacted before I had time to think about it.” She paused. “I would have done the same thing, probably, even if I
had
thought about it first. If you don't call people on things like that, you might as well say it yourself.”

“Good point,” Melvin said, smiling a little. “But my point is, you didn't necessarily have to knock his head off to get
your
point across.”

Wanda Nell shrugged. Suddenly she was exhausted. With the adrenaline gone, she could feel the weariness creeping in. She just wanted to go home and climb into bed and try to forget about this night, at least until tomorrow.

“When do you think they'll let us go home?” Ruby asked, echoing Wanda Nell's thoughts.

“Soon, I think,” Melvin said. “If they don't have any questions for you girls, y'all can go on home, and I'll close up.”

“You sure?” Wanda Nell asked. “I don't mind staying if you want me to.”

Melvin shook his head. “No, I think you need to get home and get some rest. Both of you. Wait here, and I'll go ask.” He strode around the counter and approached Elmer Lee and Bill Warren, who were once again conferring.

As Wanda Nell watched Melvin talk to the two lawmen, Elmer Lee glanced at her and Ruby a couple of times. Bill Warren never looked their way, and that was fine with Wanda Nell. The less she had to do with him, the better. Until this case was solved, though, she knew she would probably have to talk to him again. She would face up to it when she had to. In the meantime she would do her best to block him and his hateful attitude from her mind.

“Do you think people will stop coming here?” Ruby asked, frowning. “What if this ruins business?”

Wanda Nell sighed. “As long as the cops don't shut us down for too long, I'll bet you anything we'll be so busy we won't know what hit us.”

“Why?”

“People will be curious,” Wanda Nell said. “It's like how people always slow down and look at a car wreck on the highway. They just can't help themselves.”

“I guess you're right,” Ruby said, “but that sure is pretty morbid. I'm just glad I wasn't back there to see it.”

Wanda Nell put an arm around the younger woman's shoulders. “I'm glad you weren't either, honey. It was ugly.”

“You gonna be okay?”

“Yeah,” Wanda Nell said. “Don't you worry about me.” She might have a few bad dreams, but she would just have to deal with that.

Melvin came back. “Y'all can go on home,” he said.

“Are they going to close the restaurant for a few days?” Wanda Nell asked.

Melvin shook his head. “Naw. They think they'll have what they need tonight and tomorrow.” The restaurant was closed on Sundays. “Monday we can go back to business as usual.”

“Good,” Wanda Nell said. “Okay, Ruby, come on and let's get our stuff.” She headed to the back room for her purse.

A few minutes later she and Ruby were out in the parking lot, getting into their cars. Wanda Nell had avoided looking at Elmer Lee and Bill Warren when she left. They and their men were still interviewing the partygoers and examining the back room for evidence. Melvin would probably have to stay there for another couple of hours at least until they finished. She was glad she didn't have to stay.

She was surprised when she glanced at her dashboard clock. It was only a few minutes shy of nine-thirty. It sure seemed later than that. She yawned as she backed out of the parking lot and headed for home.

About ten minutes later she pulled her car into its covered parking space beside her double-wide trailer. T.J.'s pickup was parked nearby, and so was Jack's car. Though she was really tired and ready for bed, Wanda Nell was glad Jack was here.

The minute she opened the door to the trailer and stepped inside, Jack was waiting for her. She walked into his arms, and he wrapped her into a warm embrace. She rested her head against his shoulder, and he stroked her hair.

“You okay, honey?” he asked, his voice soft. “T.J. called me, so I thought I'd come over.”

“I'm okay now,” she said, pulling back a little so she could look into his face.

The light from a nearby lamp shone on his glasses, obscuring his eyes slightly. Wanda Nell could read the concern there, nevertheless.

“I wanted to call you,” Jack said, “but I figured it would be impossible to talk to you.”

“Yeah,” Wanda Nell said. “So much was going on, I don't even know if anybody would've heard the phone, much less answered it.”

“Come on and sit down,” Jack said, leading her toward the couch.

T.J. walked out of the kitchen into the living room. “Mama, are you okay? Can I get you something to drink?”

“I'm fine, honey,” Wanda Nell said, stretching up to kiss her son's cheek. “A glass of water sure would be nice.”

T.J. gave her a quick hug. “Be right back with it.”

Wanda Nell sat down on the couch next to Jack. He laid his arm across the back of the couch, and Wanda Nell snuggled up next to him. She closed her eyes for a moment and enjoyed the feeling of having the man she loved there with her.

T.J. came back with her water and set it down on the coffee table in front of her. Wanda Nell heard the clink of the glass as it touched the ceramic coaster, and she opened her eyes. “Thank you.” She reached for the glass and drained most of the contents in one long swallow.

“Want some more?” T.J. stood over her, staring down at her.

“No, that's good,” Wanda Nell said as she set the glass down again. “Sit down, or I'll get a crick in my neck looking up at you.”

T.J. made himself comfortable in a nearby chair, leaning back and crossing one leg over the other. His highly polished cowboy boots shone in the lamplight.

“Are those new?” Wanda Nell asked, gesturing toward his feet.

“Yeah,” T.J. said. “We did a little shopping when we were up in Memphis last weekend.” He grinned.

Those boots looked expensive, but Wanda Nell didn't say anything. T.J. and Tuck probably had at least ten pairs of boots apiece, but that didn't seem to stop them from buying more. It was their money, and they could spend it how they liked.

“Do you feel like talking about it?” Jack asked her. “We don't want to push you, but we're really curious.”

“I guess so,” Wanda Nell said. She gave them a quick rundown of the facts, but she did not tell them about the scene with Bill Warren and his insulting Tuck. If Tuck wanted to tell T.J. about that, she would leave that up to him. She might confide in Jack later, but for now she kept quiet about it.

“Pretty awful,” Jack said. “I'm sorry you had to see that.”

“Me too, Mama,” T.J. said. “But I have to tell you, if anybody ever deserved killing, it was Travis Blakeley.”

“Did you know him at all?” Jack asked.

“A little,” T.J. said. “His brother, Gerald, and I used to be buddies back in high school, but Travis was a lot older. He always treated Gerald like a piece of, well, you know. Always beating up on him and everything.”

“Didn't their parents do anything about it?” Wanda Nell asked. T.J. had never told her any of this.

“Naw,” T.J. said. “Travis was all they cared about. Anything he did was okay by them. Gerald was an accident. At least, that's what his mama told him.”

Appalled, Wanda Nell said, “That's an awful thing to tell a child.”

“I can't believe a parent would do something like that,” Jack said. “But unfortunately, I've seen worse with some of my students. It makes me think some people should be sterilized so they can't have children at all.”

“Yeah, but by the time you know they're worthless as parents it's too late,” T.J. said.

Now Wanda Nell felt even sorrier for Gerald Blakeley. If he had been so badly treated by his family, though, might that not make him hate his brother so much he could have killed him?