In Shining Whatever (Three Magic Words Trilogy #2)(4)

Kate shuffled through her purse and found the cell phone. She called her mother at the restaurant. Courthouse employees and policemen often walked across the street to the Three Amigos for lunch, and she didn't want her mother to hear the news via the gossip vine.

"Talk fast, I'm making tamales," Mary said when she answered the phone.

"Stephanie O'Malley was killed out at the America's Best last night. They hauled Hart Ducaine in for it since they found his prints. We had gone to his motel room, but just drank coffee and talked. I fell asleep fully clothed, and so did he, but no one will believe that. I was his alibi. Is that fast enough?"

"I'd say it's fast enough. Hart Ducaine! After all these years? I thought I'd knocked that boy out of your mind years ago." Exasperation filled Mary's voice.

"It'll be all over town by noon, when the courthouse crew hits the restaurant," Kate said.

"Your job?" Mary sighed.

"Probably swirling around the toilet bowl even as we speak," Kate said.

"Where are you?"

"On my way to Fancy's place"

Mary's voice went up two octaves. "No, you are not! Turn that truck around and come right back here. You're not running from your bad decision. Might as well face it rather than run like a scalded dog. You'll be here in fifteen, right?"

"No, Momma, I'm going to talk to the girls," she said.

"You are not going to Fancy's. She's only got a two-day honeymoon, and you are not going to ruin it," Mary said.

"But .. " Kate slowed down and pulled over onto the side of the road.

"You go there, and I swear I will invent a reason for her to need you the day after you get married," Mary threatened.

"I'll be there in thirty minutes. I have to go home and change. And, Momma, I'm not ever getting married, so you can't scare me with that," Kate said.

"Leave the gun at home. I won't have blood shed in my business if Hart comes in here for lunch," Mary said.

"Has he been in there?" Kate asked.

"Couple of times"

"And you didn't tell me?"

"He's old news and bad history. See what happened when you didn't know. What would have happened if you did?" Mary asked.

"I'm turning around. I'll be there," Kate said through gritted teeth.

"Don't use that tone with me. I didn't tell you to fall for that bad boy when you were fifteen, and I sure didn't tell you to talk to him all night."

"How did you know?"

"You just told me."

"When I was fifteen?" Kate asked.

"Oh, that. A mother knows these things. Why did you think I didn't fight your father to stay in Texas when he wanted to go to Louisiana back to the sugar plantation? Now I've got tamales to make. You've got a job to get to. We'll talk later," her mother said.

Silence filled the car and Kate flipped the phone shut. She slapped the steering wheel a dozen times, but it didn't help. She dialed Sophie's number and said a prayer that she wouldn't be out in the pasture doing chores. When her friend answered, she almost wept.

"You're supposed to be working. Boring day on the force?" Sophie asked, without saying hello.

"Far from it. You got a minute?"

"I'm on my way to the barn. Cold today, isn't it?"

"Remember when Fancy came back to Albany that first night and we were all talking about K. T. Oslin's song "80's Ladies," and how we decided you were smart and Fancy was pretty and I was the borderline fool?"

"We decided no such thing. You said you were the borderline fool, and you're beating around the bush. Spit it out," Sophie said.

"I spent the night with Hart Ducaine last night. Spent the night with him at the Ridge Motel, and all we did was talk, Sophie, I swear," Kate said.

"Well, you spat it out, all right. I agree. You are the borderline fool for today. Maybe tomorrow I'll get the dunce hat, but today, girl, it belongs to you. Why did you do such a dumb thing?"

"Oh, it gets better," Kate said, and then repeated the whole story to her.

"Need a place to hide out until it blows over?" Sophie asked.

"Momma says I have to work at the restaurant today."

"Whew!" Sophie giggled.

"I'm thirty years old and I want to run away from home. I know she's right. That's what makes me so mad. She even knew about me liking him when I was fifteen," Kate said.

"Go on home and face the music, my friend. Might as well bite the bullet and get it over with," Sophie said.

"Some friend you are," Kate snapped.

"Does that mean you want me to come support you today?" Sophie said.

"God, what was I thinking? Even when things are innocent, he's trouble," Kate moaned.

"Quit whining. Life isn't fair," Sophie said. "I'll call Fancy. If Theron brings home the news from school, she'll be ready to string us both up"

"It won't travel as far as Albany," Kate said.

"If you believe that, you really are the borderline fool. Goodbye and good luck. Call me tonight"

The phone went dead in Kate's hand for the second time. She stared at it for a long time before she made a U-turn and headed back to town.