The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires(60)

They each examined the cards for lack of anything else to do.

Grace walked into the den.

“The door was open,” she said. “I hope you don’t mind?”

“Do you want some coffee?” Patricia asked.

“No, thank you,” Grace said. “Bennett is at a heart association dinner. He won’t be back until late.”

“Horse is at the Yacht Club with Leland,” Kitty said. “Again.”

As July had gotten hotter, Leland had convinced Horse to put what money he could scrape together into Gracious Cay. Then the Dow had surged and Carter had cashed out some AT&T shares Patricia’s father had given them as a wedding present and he’d put that money into Gracious Cay, too. The three men had all started going out for dinner together, or meeting for drinks at the back bar of the Yacht Club. Patricia didn’t know where Carter found the time, but male bonding seemed to be the in thing these days.

“Patricia,” Grace said, pulling a sheet of paper from her purse. “I wrote all your talking points down in an outline just in case you needed to jog your thoughts.”

Patricia looked at the handwritten list, numbered and lettered in Grace’s careful calligraphy.

“Thank you,” she said.

“Do you want to go over it again?” Grace asked.

“How many times are we going to hear this?” Kitty asked.

“Until we have it right,” Grace said. “This is the most serious thing we’ve ever done in our lives.”

“I can’t keep hearing about those children,” Kitty moaned. “It’s horrible.”

“Let me see it,” Maryellen said, reaching toward Patricia.

Patricia handed her the paper and Maryellen scanned it.

“Lord help us,” she said. “They’re going to think we’re a bunch of crazies.”

They sat around Patricia’s kitchen table. The living room had fresh cut flowers in it, the furniture was new, and the lights were just right. They didn’t want to go onstage until it was time. No one had much to say. Patricia went over her list in her head.

“It’s eight o’clock,” Grace said. “Should we move to the living room?”

People pushed back their chairs, but Patricia felt like she needed to say something, give some kind of pep talk, before they committed themselves to this.

“I want everyone to know,” Patricia said, and they all stopped to listen. “Once the police get here there is no turning back. I hope everyone’s prepared for that?”

“I just want to go back to talking about books,” Kitty said. “I want this all to be over with.”

“Whatever he’s done,” Grace said, “I don’t think James Harris is going to want to call any more attention to himself after tonight. Once the police start asking him questions, I’m sure he’ll leave the Old Village quietly.”

“Let’s hope you’re right,” Slick said.

“I just wish there were another way,” Kitty said, shoulders slumping.

“We all do,” Patricia said. “But there isn’t.”

“The police will be discreet,” Maryellen said. “And this will all be over very quickly.”

“Will y’all join me in a moment of prayer?” Slick asked.

They bowed their heads and joined hands, even Maryellen.

“Heavenly Father,” Slick said. “Give us strength in our mission, and make us righteous in your cause. In thy name we pray, amen.”

Single file, they walked through the dining room and into the living room, where they arranged themselves and Patricia realized her error.

“We need water,” she said. “I forgot to put out ice water.”

“I’ll get it,” Grace said, and disappeared into the kitchen.

She brought the water back at five after eight. Everyone adjusted and readjusted their skirts, their collars, their necklaces and earrings. Slick took her three rings off, then put them back on, then took them off again, and put them back on one more time. It was 8:10, then 8:15.

“Where are they?” Maryellen muttered to herself.

Grace checked the inside of her wrist.

“Ed doesn’t have a car phone, does he?” Patricia asked. “Because we could call if he does and see where he is.”

“Let’s just sit tight,” Maryellen suggested.

At 8:30 they heard a car pull up in the driveway, then another.

“That’s Ed and the detectives,” Maryellen said.

Everyone came awake, sat up straighter, touched her hair to make sure it was in place. Patricia walked to the window.

“Is it them?” Kitty asked.

“No,” Patricia said, as they heard car doors slam. “It’s Carter.”





CHAPTER 21


“Did he forget something?” Maryellen asked behind her.

Patricia looked out the window and felt everything falling apart around her. She watched as Carter and Blue got out of the Buick and Leland’s BMW parked behind them. She saw Bennett’s little Mitsubishi pickup drive past the end of their driveway and park at his house, and then Bennett got out and came up her drive, joining Carter and Blue. Ed emerged from the back seat of Leland’s gold BMW in a short-sleeved shirt tucked into his blue jeans, wearing a knit tie. Rumpled old Horse hauled himself out of the passenger side of Leland’s car and hitched up his pants. Leland got out of the driver’s seat and pulled on his summer-weight, polyester blazer.