Fat Tuesday(135)

"Does Dredd have a pen pal?" Nancy asked.

"In a manner of speaking. An old friend of ours."

The postcards had been mailed from all over the country, dated about a week apart. None were signed. All were from Gregory James. The messages were brief, never more than a sentence or two, and would have been cryptic to anyone who didn't know the circumstances behind the young man's flight from New Orleans. He'd also alluded to Duvall's death and the relief that learning about it had brought him.

Basically, the cards were sent to let them know that he was safe and thinking hard about the direction his life would take from here on.

The most recent card bore a postmark from Santa Fe. The sum total of the text was St. Luke 15:11-24. Dredd had looked up the scripture to find the parable of the prodigal son.

"He's been away for a while," Burke told Nancy."But I get the idea he's working his way back to us."

"Hey, I caught one!"

The shout drew their attention to the pier, where Flarra was holding up her catch for the other fishermen to envy and admire. David Stuart, Nancy's oldest, offered to take the fish off the hook for her.

Nancy confided to Burke that Flarra had made deep dents in her sons' conviction that all girls were icky and ugly and stupid.

"Before they met Flarra, they had vowed never to have anything to do with the opposite sex. She's weakened their resolve."

"She likes them, too. Poor kid never has had a family beyond Remy.

She's really terrific, though. Smart as a whip. Funny. Looking forward to going to a coed school this fall." Chuckling, he added, "She even likes me. Hounds me all the time about when I'm going to get Remy pregnant."

"Remy confided that a baby is in the plan."

"We're doing our damnedest," he said, feeling his lips forming a smile.

It was ridiculous how often he smiled these days.

"I'm so glad for your happiness, Burke."

"Thanks."

"Speaking of which ..." She pulled her lower lip through her teeth.

"I'm seeing someone."

"No shit? That ... that's great, Nancy."

"You really think so?" she asked timidly.

"If he's everything you deserve, yeah."

"Well, I don't know if he's everything I deserve," she said demurely, then broke into a wide smile."But he's awfully nice. A wellestablished businessman. His wife died of cancer a few years ago.

He loved her like I loved Kev, and that's a good sign, don't you think?"

"Definitely. How is he with the boys?"

"So far so good. And he looks great from the rear in a pair of blue jeans."

"Now you're talking."

"But of course he'll have to pass the acid test."

"Dare I ask?"

"Meeting you," she said.

He felt his teasing grin slowly dissolve. She was serious."Why should my opinion of him matter that much?"

She reached across the space separating them and clasped his hand.

"Remy's my new friend, but you're my best friend. Your opinion matters a lot to me." They gazed at each other meaningfully, then she stood up and dusted off the seat of her linen shorts."I notice Peter is becoming frustrated. Time for a pep talk."

As she left him to join the others, Burke was too moved to speak.

He went inside the store, ostensibly to get another soft drink, but actually what he did was brace his hands on Dredd's countertop and stare down through the cloudy glass at the dusty candy bars and packages of beef jerky.

Several minutes later, the screened door squeaked open."Burke?"

Remy came to stand beside him. She placed her hand on the small of his back.

"Everything okay?"

He acknowledged her concern by turning his head and giving her a wan smile. But he couldn't hide his eyes from her."What's wrong?" she asked, alarmed.

"Nothing."

"You're sad?"

"Actually I'm happy." He wiped his damp eyes on his sleeve and told her about Nancy's beau."It choked me up, to know that she values my opinion."

"Implicitly," Remy told him."Her words to me exactly the other day when we had lunch."

News of Duvall's death had been a lead story that circulated far beyond state lines. It was followed by expanding reports of corruption in the N.O.P.D and city hall, and the special task force that had exposed it.

Having heard this news, Joe had called Burke, who affirmed that this was the police matter he'd been involved in. It was now safe for Joe's family, and for Nancy Stuart, to return home.

On the eve of Doug Pat's funeral, Burke had confessed to Nancy his complicity in her husband's death. They had cried together, and she had thanked him for telling her. It had been a cathartic experience for both. Even so, Burke's misjudgment continued to haunt him.

"After what I did," he said now, "I don't understand how Nancy can forgive me, much less still think of me as her best friend."

"Burke," Remy said, moving nearer and placing her arms around him.

"The only one who hasn't forgiven you is you. You've been appointed by the attorney general to ferret out all forms of corruption in the N.O.P.D.