Fannie tossed the county ordinance onto her glass-top desk and picked up her cigarillo, standing up and walking toe-to-toe with Lillie. She was several inches shorter than Lillie, all red hair and long red nails, so much perfume on her she smelled like the makeup counter at Macy’s. Lillie didn’t move, smelling the smoke and perfume, the woman’s large breasts poking into her chest like she could make her back the hell up.

“Why do you keep on coming back to Tibbehah County?” Fannie asked. “Never figured you for a traditional woman, but it seems like you just can’t stay away from the sheriff. Even after he turned his back on your big ass and found a sweet little freckly girl to shack up with. A real instant family going on with that kid named for that boy who shot himself. I know you never ask for my advice, Lillie Virgil, but I’d do the right thing and keep to your own business running down black kids in the housing projects and shooting down escaped convicts in the back. Colson’s set up his own life.”

Lillie took a step forward in her suede cowboy boots, hands on hips, pressing against Fannie hard as the woman smirked, cigarillo lifted up to her lips. She could see the crow’s-feet just starting to form at the corners of Fannie’s green eyes, smoker wrinkles around her lips. “They shut down this shitshow and it’s gonna be hell with the IRS all over your ass. I have to admit, this was one hell of a money wash during its time. What do you think you’ll use next? Maybe start up a megachurch to go with that big cross they’re erecting outside?”

“Are you saying I run an illegal business?”

“Shit,” Lillie said. “Everything you do is illegal, woman. You probably can’t even pop a squat without breaking an international treaty. I think this is just a solid first step to shine the light on who you really are.”

“And what’s that, Lillie Virgil?”

“The most ruthless bitch in the South since Scarlett O’Hara hitched on a strap-on and took it to ole Rhett Butler’s bony ass.”

Lillie turned to Reggie, whose mouth hung open, looking uncomfortable standing there, a few of the working girls peeking into the narrow office from the metal platform. “OK,” he said. “She’s got the paper. We’re done.”

“Can’t wait to see Skinner burn this place down,” Lillie said. “Not that it’ll matter much to you. It’ll just make it much easier to see what you’re really about. And when the Feds come knocking and you run, I’ll track your ass down wherever you go. I can smell that cheap-ass perfume from a thousand miles away.”