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〃What？〃 Ashley Nicole asked； wide…eyed and absorbing more than Trudy wanted。
〃He killed a man； and he made it look like； well； there was a big car wreck； you see； a big fire； and it was Patrick's car； and the police found a body inside the car； once the fire was out； and the police figured it was Patrick。 Everybody did。 Patrick was gone； burned up in his car； and I was very sad。 He was my husband。 I loved him dearly； and he was suddenly gone。 We buried him in the cemetery。 Now； four years later； they found Patrick off hiding on the other side of the world。 He ran away and hid。〃
〃'Why？〃
〃Because he stole a bunch of money from his friends； and since he's a very bad man he wanted to keep all of this money for himself。〃 〃He killed a man and he stole money。〃 〃That's right； honey。 Patrick is not a nice person。〃 〃I'm sorry you were married to him； Mommy。〃 〃Yes。 But look； honey； there's something you need to understand。 You were born when Patrick and I were married。〃 She let the words drift through the air； and watched the little eyes to see if she caught the message。 Evidently not。 She squeezed Ashley Nicole's hand and said 〃Patrick is your father。〃
She looked blankly at her mother； the wheels turning rapidly in her head。 〃But I don't want him to be…〃
〃I'm sorry； honey。 I was gonna tell you when you were much older； but Patrick is about to e back now； and it's important for you to know。〃 〃What about Lance？ Isn't he my father？〃 〃No。 Lance and I are just together； that's all。〃 Trudy had never allowed her to refer to Lance as her father。 And Lance； for his part； had never shown the slightest interest in approaching the arena of fatherhood。 Trudy was a single mom。 Ashley Nicole had no father。 This was perfectly mon and acceptable。
〃Lance and I have been friends for a long time；〃 Trudy said； keeping the initiative and trying to prevent a thousand questions。 〃Very close friends。 He loves you very much； but he is not your father。 Not your real father anyway。 Patrick； I'm afraid； is your real father； but I don't want you to worry about him。〃 〃Does he want to see me？〃
〃I don't know； but I'll fight forever to keep him away from you。 He is a very bad person； honey。 He left you when you were two years old。 He left me。 He stole a bunch of money and disappeared。 He didn't care about us then； and he doesn't care about us now。 He wouldn't be ing back if they hadn't caught him。 We would never have seen him again。 So don't worry about Patrick and what he might do。〃
Ashley Nicole crawled across the end of the bed and cuddled in her mother's lap。 Trudy squeezed and patted her。 〃It's going to be all right； honey。 I promise。 I hated to tell you this； but with all those reporters out there and all the stuff on television； well； I just thought it best。〃
〃Why are those people out there？〃 she asked； clutching her mother's arms。
〃I don't know。 I wish they would leave。〃
〃What do they want？〃
〃Pictures of you。 Pictures of me。 Pictures they can put in the newspapers when they talk about Patrick and all die bad things he's done。〃
〃So they're out there because of Patrick？〃
〃Yes； honey。〃
She turned and looked at Trudy square in the eyes； and said； 〃I hate Patrick。〃
Trudy shook her head as if the child were naughty； then she clutched her tightly； and smiled。
LANCE WAS BORN and raised on Point Cadet； an old fishing munity on a small peninsula jutting into the Bay of Biloxi。 The Point was a working neighborhood where the immigrants landed and the shrimpers lived。 He grew up in the streets on the Point； and still had many friends there； one of whom was Cap。 It was Cap who had been behind the wheel of the van loaded with marijuana when the narcs stopped them。 They had awakened Lance； who'd been asleep with his shotgun amid the thick blocks of can…nabis。 Cap and Lance had used the same lawyer； received the same sentence； and at nineteen been sent away together。
Cap ran a pub and loan…sharked money to cannery workers。 Lance met him for a drink in the rear of the pub； something they tried to do at least once a month； though Cap saw less and less of Lance now that Trudy had bee wealthy and they had flioved to Mobile。 His friend was troubled。 Cap had read the papers； had in fact been waiting for Lance to appear with a long face； looking for a sympathetic ear。
They caught up on the gossip over beer…who had won how much at the casinos； where the newest crack source was； who was being shadowed by the DEA… the usual idle chitchat of small…time Coast crooks still dreaming of riches。
Cap despised Trudy； and in the past he had often laughed at Lance for trailing behind her wherever she might go。 〃So how's the whore？〃 he asked。
〃She's fine。 Worried； you know； since they've caught him。〃
〃She oughta be worried。 How much life insurance did she collect？〃
〃Coupla mill。〃
〃Paper said two point five。 Way that bitch spends it； though； I'm sure there ain't much left。〃
〃It's safe。〃
〃Safe my ass。 Paper said she's already been sued by the life insurance pany。〃
〃We got lawyers too。〃
〃Yeah； but you ain't here 'cause you got lawyers； Lance； are you？ You're here 'cause you need help。 Lawyers can't do what she needs。〃
Lance smiled and sipped his beer。 He lit a cigarette； something he could never do around Trudy。 〃Where's Zeke？〃
〃That's exactly what I figured；〃 Cap said angrily。 〃She gets in trouble； her money is threatened； and so she sends you down here looking for Zeke or some other klutz you can grease to do something stupid。 He gets caught。 You get caught。 You take the fall and she forgets your name。 You're a dumbass； Lance； you know that。〃
〃Yeah； I know。 Where's Zeke？〃
〃In jail。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Texas。 Feds got him。 running guns。 You're stupid； you know that。 Don't do this。 When they bring your guy back； there'll be cops crawling all around him。 They'll lock him away some place； his mother can't even get near him。 There's serious money at stake here； Lance。 They gotta protect this guy until he breaks and tells where he's buried it； you know。 You try to hit him； and you'll kill half a dozen cops。 And die tryin'。〃
〃Not if it's done right。〃
〃And I suppose you know how to do it。 Could that be because you ain't ever done it before？ When did you get so damned smart？〃
〃I can find the right people。〃
〃For how much？〃
〃Whatever it takes。〃
〃You got fifty grand？〃
〃Yeah。〃
Cap took a deep breath and glanced around his pub。 Then he leaned forward on his elbows and glared at his friend。 〃Lemme tell you why it's a bad idea； Lance。 You never were too bright； you know。 Girls always liked you because they think you're cute； but thinking was never your strong suit。〃
〃Thanks； pal。〃
〃Everybody wants this guy alive。 Think about it。 Everybody。 Feds。 The lawyers。 The cops。 The guy whose money got stolen。 Everybody。 Except； of course； that fleabag who lets you live in her house。 She needs him dead。 If you pull this； and somehow knock him off； the cops go straight to her。 She； of course； will be pletely innocent because you'll be there to take the fall。 That's what little stud puppies are for。 He's dead。 She keeps the money； which you and I know is the only thing that matters to her； and you go back to P