Then there was a bright light. Someone had hit the switch and walked into the room. Chastity tried to cover her eyes with her forearm while she looked up to see TJ standing there with her daddy’s AR-15 in her hands. The one they couldn’t sell because of the inscription. vince bloodgood. american by birth, southern by the grace of god.

The light sent her head reeling, feeling like she might puke. She gagged, putting a fist to her mouth. Graham looked paralyzed where he stood, his jeans below his knees, and hands over his boner.

“You’re better than this,” TJ said.

“Why would you say that?”

“We’re both better than where we ended up,” TJ said. “Come on.”

“I told Daddy where I am,” Chastity said. “He said he’s sending people for me. Don’t you get it? You’re just a sideshow to this party.”

TJ walked over to where Graham had thrown his keys. She picked them up and stashed them into her new coat pocket. “Don’t be so stupid,” TJ said, pulling Chastity off her knees. “Get your shit and let’s go. You’re done with this creep.”

Chastity looked to TJ, squinting into the light, and the halo around the girl’s determined face. She nodded and damn well did as she was told.

“And Graham?” TJ asked. “You say a goddamn word about who took your car and I’ll make sure you go down for statutory rape. I had me two uncles who did time down at Angola. A skinny white boy like you won’t last a week. Them boys will plug every damn hole you got.”

*   *   *

Dusty and Daddy rolled up on the house again at a little after five. Dusty up and alert after tossing back three Red Bulls and smoking a half pack of Vantage Lights. Daddy fast asleep in the passenger seat, coming to every so often and asking Momma if she’d taken the dogs out yet. What confused Dusty now was that there was a brand-new black Land Cruiser parked sideways in the house’s driveway with the headlights on and the doors wide open. Dusty got the idea to get out and stretch and have a little look-see.