The Ranger by Ace Atkins

Author:Ace Atkins
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Azizex666
ISBN: 9780399157486
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2011-06-09T04:00:00+00:00

Caddy agreed to follow him out to the parking lot, where she lit up a cigarette and leaned up against a brand-new red Mustang that she bragged belonged to her boyfriend. She wore a long fake-fur coat over her cheerleader getup and tried to keep balanced in her white boots, pretending that she was sober and goddamn well in charge.

“I wondered how long it would take till you came up here.”

“I wasn’t looking for you.”

“You know military gets free lap dances,” she said. “You taking advantage of that?”

“You should call Mom.”

“That’s it? No speeches?”

“What the hell, Caddy. You really need a person to warn you off working a pole?”

“You know how much money I make?”

“I met Jason.”

She took a drag of the cigarette and let out a long exhale, kneading her fist into her eye. She met Quinn’s gaze and then craned her neck back at a big jet taking off and buzzing over the concreteblock club and the Dixie Belles’ neon sign.

“How is he?”

“Why don’t you go home and find out?”

“You want me to support my son by checking folks out at the Piggly Wiggly?”

“I don’t think you send a dime home.”

“Momma tell you that? ’Cause that’s a damn lie.”

“I didn’t come to find you.”

“Liar.”

“You should have come to the funeral.”

She reached into her pocket for another cigarette, finding an empty pack, squashing it in her hand and tossing it to the ground. Her glassy eyes focused on Quinn’s face, and then she muttered something that he didn’t understand.

“What?”

“Forget it.”

“I just followed an old man up here from Tibbehah County,” Quinn said. “He brought a sackful of meth or money and dropped it off behind a metal door behind that bar. You know anything about that?”

She laughed at him.

“What’s funny?”

“What the hell you into now?”

Quinn reached out and grabbed her arm. He looked down at his sister’s face, not really seeing his sister now but seeing that kid she used to be at Halloween, when she’d put on makeup and pretend to be a princess or a witch.

“He’s a good boy, Quinn.”

Quinn nodded. “You saddled Mom with him. Don’t try and get noble now.”

“Fuck you.”

“Who’s on the other side of that door?”

“Big money.”

“Big money got a name?”

She placed her small thin hands into her coat, covering everything but her knee-high white leather boots. “Let me give you some advice, dear big brother. You got no idea what kind of people run the show.”

“I’d like to know.”

“Why do you give a shit?”

“They killed Uncle Hamp.”

“Bullshit.”

“Who runs this place?”

“Good-bye, Quinn.”

Caddy turned, shoulders hunched, and walked back toward the music and lights. Quinn stayed there and watched her go, wanting to grab her, throw her in the car, and force her to go back to Jericho and be a good daughter. Now a good mother.

“See you at Christmas?” he said to her back.

She kept walking, flipping him the bird.

You can’t make a person be what you wanted. Caddy had been broken since she was twelve. He had some ideas why, but they weren’t discussed.

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