“Did she believe you when you said you went out and got drunk alone?”
“I guess so. She seemed to. Everybody else believes me.”
The look they exchanged lasted a few seconds too long to be comfortable for either. “Yeah, right.” Reede gazed out the window. “Alex said Stacey showed up and was none too friendly.”
Junior fidgeted. “I’ve, uh, I’ve been seeing Stacey lately.”
Reede swiveled around, surprised. “Seeing or screwing? Or are they automatically synonymous to you?”
“Guilty to both charges.”
Reede cursed. “Why are you fanning that fire?”
“Convenience.”
“Nora Gail’s is convenient.”
“But not free—at least, to no one but you.”
Reede’s lip curled. “You sorry son of a bitch.”
“Look, it’s not hurting anybody, Stacey needs the attention. She wants it.”
“Because she loves you, you jerk.”
“Awww.” Junior dismissed that notion with a wave of his hand. “One thing I do know. She’s all bent out of shape about Alex. Stacey’s afraid she’ll ruin all of us, but especially, her old man.”
“She might do it. She’s determined to find a culprit and send him to prison.”
Junior slouched against the headboard again. “Does that really worry you?”
“Yes,” Reede said. “I’ve got a lot to lose if ME doesn’t get that racing license. So do you.”
“What are you getting at, that I ran Alex off the road? Is this an interrogation, Sheriff?” he asked in a tone that didn’t flatter the office Reede held.
“Well?”
Junior’s handsome face flushed with anger. “Good God, are you crazy?” He left the bed and came to stand eye to eye with Reede. “I wouldn’t harm a hair on her head.”
“Were you in her room this morning?”
“Yes. So?”
“What for?” Reede shouted.
“What do you think?” Junior shouted back.
Reede’s head gave a little snap backward. It was a reflexive action, one he couldn’t prevent from happening or hide once it had.
Several moments of silence elapsed before Junior said, “She said no.”
“I didn’t ask.”
“But you wanted to,” Junior said intuitively. “Does Alex and her reason for being here have anything to do with you turning down Dad’s offer to come back to ME?” He returned to the bed and sat down on the edge of it, giving Reede a wounded and inquisitive look. “Weren’t you even going to mention it, Reede?”
“No.”
“Why?”