“What are you doing, Ma?” The voice came from a young woman who stood with her hands on her hips. She was tall and bony except for ample breasts. Her hair was black and poker-straight, clipped just below the earlobes, with bangs grazing the tops of her eyebrows. Her complexion was chalk white, red lipstick outlined her mouth, and green eyes peered from black-lined sockets. Her hands were long, but unlike Mom’s, her nails were short and ragged. She wore black leather pants and a midriff denim vest that barely contained her cleavage. Her navel was pierced, as were one eyebrow and her nose.

“I’ve been expecting this, Alice. They know I’ve been with Ernesto. It’s guilt by association. Wrong, but what the fuck?”

Alice said, “Do you have to use such crude language?”

“Yes, I do—”

“Why do you have to do it in front of me?”

“Because it’s so much fun to see you squirm. But don’t sweat it, old cow. I’m leaving.”

Mom marched off, tears in her eyes. Ruby flashed the cops some white teeth and a tongue pierce. “Ah, the unholy trinity. I must rate to send over three little coppers.”

“Ruby Ranger?” Martinez asked.

“Duh, yeah!” She knocked her temple. “Anyone home?”

“May we come in?” Wanda asked.

“Yes, you may come in.” Ruby swung the door open. “You can talk to me while I pack. Because when I’m done, I’m gone.” Abruptly, she turned and headed up the stairs.

Wanda raised her eyebrows. “Oh, my, my!”

“Whatever she is, porn star ain’t that bad of a guess,” Webster said.

They started in after her, but then Alice suddenly reappeared. “Can I get any of you some coffee or tea?”

“No thank you, Mrs. Ranger, we’re fine,” Webster said.

Alice was filled with short, spasmodic movements, as if tension was delivered through her nervous system in discrete bundles. “You shouldn’t think badly of Ruby. She’s a free spirit because we’ve raised her that way. Maybe too much a free spirit, but I know she’ll settle down.” The woman smiled, but her eyes were still moist. “We were all free spirits and look at us now.”

In Wanda’s mind, that wasn’t an endorsement. “We’d like to talk to your daughter before she leaves. So if you’ll excuse us.”

“Of course. I’m just trying to explain…” She stopped. “To understand and explain…”