Part 21 (1/2)
”Yeah, muscle. In getting whoever did that to George.” He took a look around at his fellow members. ”We've vowed to not rest until his killer is brought to justice. Legally or illegally.”
Behind him, Archie's bike started to tip again and several others wearing the same vests helped him keep it upright. I was not looking forward to seeing him attempt to ride it and hoped we could keep at a safe distance.
”Thanks,” I said. ”But I think we've got it covered.”
He fixed me with a hard stare, then nodded. ”You can call on us if you need to. Offer will always be there.”
Before I could respond, someone from near the 4-H float was calling my name.
I turned to see Susan waving at me.
”I need someone tall,” she said. ”Can you come over here for a moment?”
”Yep, one second,” I said.
I turned back to Butch and his expression had changed. He looked as if he'd swallowed a lemon. Several of them.
”You know her?” he asked.
”Who? Susan?”
He nodded.
”She's our 4-H leader.”
”I'd find a new 4-H group if I were you,” he said, narrowing his eyes. ”That woman is a menace.”
”My wife feels the same way,” I said, smiling. ”We aren't her biggest fans.”
”I'm serious,” he said. ”That woman ever steps in front of my bike, I'm hitting the throttle and I'll keep on riding.”
”Bad experience with her?” I asked.
He rolled his eyes. ”I wanted to throw tomatoes at her last night, Deuce. With pieces of gla.s.s in them.”
”Sounds bad.”
”She's the worst kind of woman,” he said. ”Controlling. Manipulative. Fake. Ugly.”
I was surprised at his vitriol and I wasn't sure how to respond. I didn't know Susan well enough to confirm any of those things, but I didn't have a hard time believing they were true. Susan was a pain in the rear. Julianne wasn't the only one in town who couldn't stand her. I just hadn't known that Butch was in that line, too.
”Poison,” Butch continued. ”She's just poison.”
”You used to date her or something?” I asked, curiosity finally getting the better of me.
He frowned at me like I'd spit on him. ”h.e.l.l no. I'd never date that viper.”
”Oh, sorry. It just sounded like you were talking from experience,” I said, backtracking.
He shook his head. ”No way. Not ever.” He sighed. ”We tried to get him away from her. But he had the hardest time cutting her loose. I think she just guilted the c.r.a.p out of him.”
”Who? A friend? Someone in the Petal Dawgs?”
”Remember when I told you George was way better off with Matilda?”
”Yeah.”
”Never mind, Deuce!” Susan yelled. ”We got it since you were taking so long!”
Butch shook his head and narrowed his eyes. ”Susan was the one that broke George.”
I blinked several times. ”Susan and George? Used to be together?”
He nodded solemnly. ”Until he finally got his head screwed on right and dumped her b.u.t.t.”
41.
”I have to call Victor,” I whispered to Julianne.
”So call him,” she said, sitting on the edge of the flatbed. ”And why are you whispering?”
I pulled my cell from my pocket. ”I don't know.”
”Well, don't. It's creepy.”
I started to say something, but Susan materialized next to us. ”Problem?”
I fumbled with my phone. ”What? No. Why?”
She glanced at Julianne sitting on the flatbed. ”I saw you sitting. Wondered if maybe you were going to have to leave. Maybe the heat was getting to you or something.” She smiled.
Julianne smiled back. ”I'm fine, Susan. But thanks for your concern.”
”We have extra water bottles,” she said. ”And I could probably arrange for a wheelchair.”
It was like I could hear the talons spring from Julianne's fingers. ”Only if you think you might need one, Susan.”
Susan tried to smile, but her face just scrunched up. ”Oh, I'm fine. Okay. Toodle-oo.”
She scurried around the back of the trailer.
Julianne looked at me. ”What is the matter with you? You looked like you saw a ghost when she came around the corner.”
”Did you know Susan and George used to be together?” I asked, lowering my voice again.