“I don’t think so. Come on, I’ll take you back.”
“I hate to tear you away from your novel.”
He glanced dubiously at the torrid cover. “Doesn’t matter. It was getting monotonous.”
“What’s it about?”
“A legendary cock’s sojourn through most of the bedrooms in Hollywood, both male and female.”
“Oh, really?” Alex inquired, feigning interest. “Can I borrow it when you’re finished?”
“Shame on you,” he exclaimed. “I’d be corrupting the morals of a minor, wouldn’t I?”
“You’re not that much older than I am.”
“Compared to Reede and me, you’re a baby,” he told her as he opened the door to the den. “Dad, we’ve got company.”
Angus glanced up from his newspaper. In the span of several seconds his face registered surprise, irritation, then a smile.
“Hello, Angus. I hate to disturb you on a sleep-in morning like today.”
“No problem. There’s not much going on. We can’t exercise racehorses outdoors when the ground’s frozen.” He left his red leather recliner and crossed the room to welcome her. “You’re a bright spot on a gloomy day, that’s for damn sure, hey, Junior?”
“I’ve already told her as much.”
“But as I’ve told Junior,” she hastened to say, “this isn’t a social visit.”
“Oh? Sit down, sit down.” Angus waved her toward a tufted leather love seat.
“I’ll just—”
“No, Junior, I’d like for you to stay,” Alex said before he could withdraw. “This concerns all of us.”
“Okay, shoot.” Junior straddled the overstuffed arm of the love seat as though it were a saddle.
“I spoke to Judge Wallace again yesterday.” Alex thought she saw both men tense, but it was so fleeting, she could have imagined it.
“Any particular reason why?” Angus asked.
“I wanted to have my mother’s body exhumed.”
There was no mistaking their reaction this time. “Jesus, girl, why in hell would you want to do something like that?” Angus shuddered.
“Alex.” Junior reached for her hand, laid it on his thigh, and massaged the back of it. “Isn’t this getting a little out of hand? That’s… that’s gruesome.”
“The case is gruesome,” she reminded him as she eased her hand off his thigh. “Anyway, as I’m sure you know, what I asked for is impossible. My mother’s body was cremated.”
“That’s right,” Angus said.
“Why?” Her eyes were bright and intensely blue in the dim room. They reflected the fire burning in the fireplace, making them appear accusatory.
Angus resettled in his chair and hunched his shoulders defensively. “It seemed the best way to handle things.”
“I fail to see how.”
“Your grandmother planned to leave town with you as soon as everything was tidied up. She made no secret of it. So I decided to have Celina’s body cremated, thinking that Merle might want to take the, uh, remains with her.”
“You decided? By what right, Angus? Under whose authority? Why was it left to you to decide what would happen to Celina’s body?”