“Jimmy,” Buster said. “You won’t wipe your goddamn ass without me telling you the direction. Got me? Now tell me. What is Skinner doing for you?”

“Nothing.”

“You are one tricky-dicky fuck,” Buster said. “Surrounding yourself with these Bible-thumping hicks. Those goddamn Watchmen militia fuckwads. You got their vote. But don’t you forget who backed you when those white-haired cocksuckers in Jackson wouldn’t give you the time of day.”

“I better get going.”

“Sure thing,” Buster White said, grinning behind his Wayfarers. “Is that all you came for?”

One of the waitresses started to stir, reaching up behind to expertly tie her bikini top purely by touch. A fucking magic trick. Buster White was amazed how she pulled it off. Vardaman was sweating like a pig now, makeup melting down his face.

“Johnny Mathis?” Buster said, beaming, slapping the waitress’s butt with his hand. The woman scowled at him and turned her head the other way.

“No thank you,” Vardaman said, wiping away the sweat with the back of his hand. “Some other time. I can’t give up now. We’re so damn close.”

“I know what you want,” Buster White said. “I’ve known it for a long time. But I’m not going to kill the goddamn sheriff of some jerkwater town. That would bring so much fucking heat on me I just might melt. Thank you very much.”

“But Fannie—”

Buster White stood, stretching his bad back, patting his big stomach and looking to the big, cool swimming pool. “OK, Senator,” he said. “Whatever makes you happy. I’ll talk to her about new arrangements.”

TWENTY-TWO

Two days after getting the forensics on the girl, Quinn met Caddy and Tashi Coleman over at the Fillin’ Station diner. It was late for the breakfast crowd. Most of the six a.m. boys were off on their tractors, at their job sites, or on their runs up over to Tupelo or Memphis. Quinn nodded to his sister and Tashi as he walked in the door, taking off his sheriff’s ball cap and setting it on a hook by the door. Mary winked at him from behind the cash register, bringing him a hot cup of coffee before he even reached the booth.

“Not every day I get a message saying Get your ass over here,” Quinn said.

“Needed an attention grabber,” Caddy said. “Don’t you ever call people back?”

“Been a little busy,” Quinn said. “I guess y’all have seen the news.”

Tashi nodded, lifting her coffee to her lips, staring at him over the rim of the cup. Caddy waved over to Miss Mary that they were ready. All of them giving the woman their orders as Miss Mary refilled Tashi’s cup, not writing any of it down. Miss Mary was a pro at her job.

“Do you have an ID yet?” Tashi asked.