Accused

THIRTY-FIVE

Fireworks exploded in the night sky over the Gulf of Mexico.

Two nights later, they were sitting in folding chairs lined up on the seawall for the Fourth of July celebration. Boo and her mother sat side by side at one end.

"You're a complicated woman," Boo said.

Mother smiled. "Is that a compliment?"

"It means we don't understand you."

"Boo, a woman's life is a complicated life."

"That's something else I'll understand when I'm older?"

"Yes."

Boo watched the fireworks for a while then said, "Mother, if you don't go to prison, do you want to come back to us?"

"Do you want me back?"

"We're at that age-we need a mother."

"Yes, you do."

"We… we need a mother."

Louis and Pajamae sat at the other end. "You decide yet?" he said.

"Decide what?"

"If Mr. Fenney's gonna be your daddy."

"I did something real bad, Louis."

"What's that?"

"When I said prayers last night, I asked God to send Miz Fenney to that prison."

"Why?"

"So Mr. Fenney doesn't marry her."

" 'Cause you figure if he does, there won't be no place for you?"

"Unh-huh."

"Well, you ain't figuring right, girl. You Mr. Fenney's daughter, so if he marries her again, you're part of a package deal, see? She gotta take it or leave it, the whole package. Ain't no picking and choosing."

"You think?"

"I know."

The night sky exploded in red and white sparkles.

"That was a nice one."

"Real nice."

Karen and Bobby sat in the middle. Bobby was trying out names on her.

"Sam?

"Ron?

"Cole?

"Clay?"

Karen groaned.

"Is it time?" Bobby asked.

"No. Junior just gave me a big kick to the ribs."

"Let me feel."

Bobby placed his palms on her belly.

Scott was happy for his old friend. He had finally found someone to share his life. Funny. After twenty-five years of Bobby Herrin envying Scott Fenney, Scott now envied Bobby.

Scott sat between Louis and Carlos, who was bouncing Maria on his lap and pointing at the fireworks. Consuela was knitting a little sweater for the baby. Louis leaned toward Scott.

"Mr. Fenney, I'm thinking about going back to school, getting my high school diploma, maybe go to college. I like learning things."

"That's good thinking."

Louis now pointed past Scott. "We got company."

Down the seawall, three Latino men were walking toward them: Benito Estrada and his thugs. Scott stood and walked toward the men. Louis and Carlos were on his heels. Benito waved like a kid come to play.

" Buenas noches, Scott."

"What brings you out, Benito?"

Benito waved a hand to the sky. "The fireworks. I never miss the fireworks. The Island, she is beautiful at night."

"Why'd you bring bodyguards for the fireworks?"

"Them? Oh, they come with the job, like Obama and the Secret Service." Benito glanced over at the others. "Your daughters?"

"Yes."

"Cute kids. I hope to have children one day."

"Might want to change your line of work first. Be hard to tell your kids not to use drugs if you're selling them."

"Five more years, Scott, then I am retiring."

"But will the cartel let you retire?"

His expression turned serious. "That is the question."

"You could quit now, leave the Island, start over somewhere, use your business skills in a more productive-and legal-way."

"I will never leave. I was born on the Island, and I will die on the Island." His eyes seemed to go away for a moment, then he said, "Scott, may we talk privately?"

They stepped down the seawall then Benito stopped and said, "Scott, this subpoena, it is a mistake."

"Why?"

"Because the cartel is watching this closely. Do not bring them into it. Things could get ugly."

"Is that a threat?"

"No. Just friendly advice. Like I told you, I do not do violence. But they do. They kill women, kids, dogs-they do not care. You bring them into this, you endanger your family."

"I could send them home."

"You cannot hide from the Muertos. They are here now, in America. And they are here to stay."

How does a lawyer zealously represent his client pursuant to the rule of law when some people make their own rules?

"Do you deliver personally to Senator Armstrong's daughter?"

"You know about her?"

Scott nodded. "And I know what happened to Trey's cocaine."

"What?"

"Those construction workers down the street, they stole it."

"You are sure?"

"They told Carlos."

Benito gazed at the fireworks in the sky above them. "He was my friend, and I did not trust him. I hope I did not get my friend killed."

The next installment of "Murder on the Beach" aired that night on the late news.

"This is Renee Ramirez live from Galveston. Rebecca Fenney might have less than three weeks of freedom left-her murder trial starts in fifteen days-but she seemed unconcerned tonight as she enjoyed the fireworks on the seawall."

The picture cut to the Fenney family on the seawall.

"She taped us!" Rebecca said.

Scott, Rebecca, Bobby, and Karen were in the living room watching the TV.

Back to Renee Ramirez. "And here she enjoyed something else. Or should I say, someone else."

The picture went to a shadowy night scene on the beach. Two people strolling along the surf. A bare-chested man and a woman in a white bikini. The woman stopped and kissed the man. Then she skipped down the beach and removed her bikini and ran into the water. The man followed her and embraced her and they…

"Oh, my God," Rebecca said.

"Uh-oh," Bobby said.

"That's not you and…?" Karen said. "Oh, boy."

Renee Ramirez had secretly filmed them that night on the beach three weeks before. It was clearly Rebecca-her red hair glowed in the moonlight-but it was not clearly Scott. The tape ended, and the screen returned to Renee Ramirez.

"This was only ten days after Trey's death, and Rebecca Fenney was acting like a college girl on spring break. But I'm sure she loved Trey."

A thought occurred to Scott.

"Rebecca, you said Renee did a profile of Trey… When?"

"A couple weeks before he…"

"Did you go with him to the studio?"

"No. I was shopping in Houston that day. But they didn't do the interview at the studio. They did it here."

"Here where?"

"At the house."

Scott stared down at his ex-wife.

"Renee Ramirez was in your house?"