Part 83 (1/2)
”No,” Vanessa said. ”We talked about that.”
”We did?” Bubba threw back a shot and placed the gla.s.s on the bar again, and Vanessa refilled it.
”Yes,” Vanessa said slowly. ”If I have knowledge that a crime is to be committed, I have a sworn duty to notify the police.”
”Oh, yeah.” Bubba threw back a second shot. ”Forgot that.”
”Be a good boy,” Vanessa said.
”Uh, okay.”
Angie narrowed her eyes at me. I resisted the urge to jump off my bar stool and run screaming from the room.
”You guys want to stay for dinner?” Vanessa asked.
Angie stood up awkwardly and knocked her bag to the floor. ”No, no. We're...We already ate. So...”
I stood. ”So, yeah, we'll be, ah...”
”Going?” Vanessa said.
”Right.” Angie picked up her bag. ”Going. That's us.”
”You didn't touch your drinks,” Bubba said.
”You have 'em,” I said as Angie crossed the floor in five or six steps, reached the door.
”Cool.” Bubba threw back another shot.
”You have any limes?” Vanessa asked him. ”I'm in a tequila mood.”
”I could scare some up.”
I reached the door, looked back over my shoulder at the two of them. Bubba's huge frame was tilted as he leaned his shoulder into the fridge, and Vanessa's lithe body seemed to curl toward him like smoke from the top of the bar stool.
”See ya,” she called, her eyes on Bubba.
”Uh, yeah,” I said. ”See ya.” And then I got the h.e.l.l out of there.
Angie started laughing as soon as we left Bubba's building. It was a helpless giggle, a stoner's laugh almost, that bent her body and led her out through the hole in the fence and into the playground beyond.
She got control of it as she lay against the jungle gym, looked up at the thick lead gla.s.s of Bubba's windows. She wiped her eyes and sighed through a few remaining chuckles.
”Dear, oh, dear. Your Your attorney and Bubba. My G.o.d. I've seen it all.” attorney and Bubba. My G.o.d. I've seen it all.”
I leaned back on the metal rungs beside her. ”She's not my my anything.” anything.”
”Not anymore,” she said, ”that's for sure. After him, she'll be ruined for normal men.”