‘You can’t stuff this kind of shit down my throat,’ Elias screeched at him. Think I’m a goddamned old fool, don’t you? Playing a trick like that – Well, I tell you, I ain’t taking this! I sure as hell—’

Jonathan squeezed past him and into the room. He kneeled beside Carma, who was moaning softly. ‘Are you all right, Carma? What’s the matter?’ She rocked herself a little to one side and then the other, still moaning, but she said nothing and she didn’t look up.

‘Don’t you pretend you ain’t a party to this, you bastard,’ Elias shouted. ‘The whole goddamned town—’

Jonathan wheeled on him. ‘Shut up and sit down,’ he said. ‘I have no idea what the trouble is. But I certainly mean to find out.’

Elias studied him a moment, then laughed. ‘New, ain’t you? I forgot. They told me that.’ He laughed again. ‘So they took you in, too, eh? Just let me show you something. You just set yourself right here – over here – by the door a minute, eh?’ Jonathan got to his feet warily. Carma pulled herself toward the corner. ‘I ain’t gonna hurt nobody,’ Elias said, ‘just gonna show you – Come on, Preacher. You gotta let a man have his say, ain’t you?’

Puzzled, Jonathan changed places in the tight space. While he was still off balance, Elias lifted Carma off the floor and threw her on the bed. Jonathan made a wild grab at him and caught hold of the sleeve of his nightgown.

‘Let go, Preacher! I can’t show you nothing less of which you let go.’

Carma lay on her stomach with her face toward Jonathan. Her lips moved but no sound came. He bent nearer. ‘I always knew—’ She broke off, her eyes shut tight.

‘See? Even she knows, poor godforsaken beast. Only body what don’t know is you. So take a step back, man. Go on. Go.’ Jonathan stepped back. ‘Turn over, girl!’ She rolled over on her back and Elias threw her nightgown up above her waist, revealing heavy legs and narrow hips. He prised the legs apart. ‘Now take a squint there, Preacher,’ Elias shouted. ‘Enough to make a man puke, ain’t it?’

From between Carma’s legs, embedded in her labia, protruded a small, partially erect penis.

‘There’s a ladyhole back in there somewheres,’ Elias said indignantly, ‘but it ain’t rightly big enough to stick a thumb in. There’s even a couple of wee-bit balls.’ He turned his furious face to Jonathan. ‘Jesus Christ, the only thing what’s right in this mess is the ass-hole.’

Jonathan reached out and drew the gown down to cover Carma. ‘Wait a minute,’ he said. ‘Just wait a minute. Let’s think this through—’

‘I been cheated – bamboozled – load of shit sold as woman. Ain’t nobody gonna—’

Before he was even aware of the thought, Jonathan struck out open-handed and caught Elias full in the face. ‘Well, let’s have a look under your gown, old man.’ Jonathan’s voice was soft as it always was when he was angry, but there was no mistaking the menace in it. ‘Let’s see what you got under there that’s been cheated so bad.’ He pulled the red flannel gown up to Elias’s neck; elongated, flaccid genitals sagged down between bowed thighs. ‘Does that thing work? Can it do anything but piss? Doesn’t look like much of a tool to me. Come on. Show me. Make it work. Get it up.’