Box

48

Trudy Lake.

“Your boyfriend certainly gets around,” Sheriff Boyd says. “I’ll give him that much. So how do you know he’s in Paducah?”

“While waiting for you to show up this past hour,” I say with no small amount of anger, “I called half the motels within a fifty mile radius of Logan, where Renee lives.”

“And you finally found him checked into the Royal Landmark Inn?”

“Yes. Can you call the Paducah police department and have them check on him?”

“Why don’t you just call Dr. Box at the Inn and ask if he’s okay?”

“You think I haven’t tried?”

“No answer?”

“No. But the last five times I’ve called, they said Dr. Box has asked not to be disturbed.”

“Maybe they’re having sex. Maybe you’re jealous to learn your sister’s fucking your boyfriend.”

From behind us, Clem laughs.

“Shut up, Clem!” I holler. “Sheriff, this is Renee Williams we’re talking about. She kills people.”

“Not according to the laws of the state of Tennessee, she doesn’t.”

“She’s taken over his phone. She threatened me.”

“Is that the only message she sent? To keep your ass away from Doctor Box? And she won’t tell you again? Because that’s not much of a threat, Trudy. If it was, I’d be arresting every pre-pubescent girl in junior high. And I hope you know I can’t go around banging on hotel doors demanding grown men and women tell me what they’re up to.”

“You’re refusing to help me?”

“If by ‘help’ you mean will I chase down your boyfriend and make him stop dating your sister, the answer is no.”

“How will you feel if Dr. Box turns up dead?”

“Honestly? I’ll feel relieved.”

“Then go fuck yourself.”

“That’s an awfully ugly sentence to come from such a pretty face. I expect your mom would be ashamed of what’s become of her sweet daughter.”

“My mom would be proud of me for tryin’ to save a man’s life.”

“I guess we already found out how proud of you she was.”

I try to slap him, but he backs out of the way and says, “You have a nice day now, Mrs. Lake, you hear?”