“Well, um, I told him to let us borrow as much as possible. He still don’t know yet how much he can let us have. In the meantime, we still might have to hit up Dr. Patterson, Mr. Cunningham, and Aunt Mattie.”

“Aunt Mattie? Didn’t you tell me you was behind again on your pussy-cat tab at her house?”

“Dagnabbit! That’s right!” I gave Willie Frank a frantic look. “Man, I can’t ask her for no money until I bring my account up-to-date!”

Willie Frank gave me a thoughtful look. “Let me worry about that. I’ll borrow what I can from her and give it to y’all. Just don’t let her know about it.”

“I won’t. But what makes you think she’ll lend you some money?”

“For one thing, I ain’t never been late paying my tab. For another thing, I done sent her a heap of business. Half of the men in my family, and a lot of other white men I know wouldn’t be going over there frolicking with her girls if I hadn’t encouraged them. Besides, she was charitable enough to let me borrow the money I needed for the down payment on my truck.”

“Willie Frank, I would love it if you’d do us that favor.”

He shrugged. “That’s what a friend is for.” He grinned.

When everybody left, me and Yvonne poured the drinks folks hadn’t finished, back into the jugs they’d come from. “I’m too tired. We’ll clean up tomorrow when we get home from the grill. Let’s go to bed.”

* * *

When I got up Thursday morning around seven, I was pleased to see that Yvonne had already set breakfast on the kitchen table. “How come you got up so early?” I asked, wrapping my arms around her from behind while she wiped grease and crumbs off the counter.

She turned around and gave me a quick kiss before she answered. “There was too many things on my mind, I couldn’t sleep no longer. I’m just worried about Odell.”

“Why?”

“Milton, if we don’t kill him, what if all that other stuff we said we’d do don’t work? He could be cooking up another scheme right now and do something else against us before we get him.”

I didn’t have nothing ready to say to that. I just stood there with my face froze up like a mask.

“Standing there looking stupid ain’t helping none. I’m surprised at you. You supposed to be the one with all the smarts.” Yvonne rolled her eyes and pulled out the chair in front of me. “Sit down and eat them grits and bacon before they get cold.” She eased down into the chair across from me.