Page 157 of Five Mountain Daddies

I grin. “Thankyou.”

She sighs and turn away from the door. “Jaxson!” she screams. “Friends arehere!”

“What the fuck, ma?” he shouts back. She slowly walks back into the trailer. I catch a glimpse of a cigarette in the ash tray, a game show on TV, and a cat prowling along the floor. Jaxson comes around thecorner.

“Who the fuck is—” He stops when he spots me andCora.

He glances at his mother and back to us. I can tell he’s trying to decide what he wants to do in this situation. He’s not wearing a shirt, just a pair of baggy jeans. He hesitates a second, wondering if he should turn back, but I shake my head subtly. I don’t want him going into that room again and coming back out with agun.

He sets his jaw and comes to the door. “The fuck you want,Wyatt?”

“Can we talk?” I askhim.

He shrugs. “I’mlistening.”

I stare him down. “Outside.”

He glances back. “Ma, I’ll be out front.” He opens the door and steps out. He pulls it shut behind him and walks out toward thestreet.

We follow him. He doesn’t bother looking at Cora. He crosses his arms and turns onme.

“This was a big fucking mistake, Wyatt,” he says, showing histeeth.

“Relax,” I say. “We’re not here to stirshit.”

“You’re not?” he asks. “You here to talk about the olddays?”

“Sure,” I say. “Whynot?”

He laughs and eyes me. “Fuck you, Wyatt. You were always such a boring kiss ass, you knowthat?”

My eye twitches but I keep it together. “Do you know Atticus’s ex?” I ask himsuddenly.

“Kristi?” he says, and then instantly I can tell he regrets thatresponse.

I smile at him. “Yeah, that’s theone.”

He clearly didn’t mean to give that up. “What about her?” heasks.

“She’s been pretty hard to track down,” I say, glancing at Cora. She keeps her face straight, not giving anythingaway.

“Yeah, why you lookin’ forher?”

“You know why, Jaxson. She might knowsomething.”

He shakes his head, grinning. “You still don’t getit?”

“I guess not. Explain it tome.”

“Atticus is a fucking nothing,” he says. “A little fucking worm that got stomped on. You fucking think anyone cares abouthim?”

“Kristi might,” Isay.

“Kristi don’t give a fuck about him, nobody does.” He looks at Cora. “Sorry, kid, but it’s the fucking truth. Your brother was scum, pure andsimple.”

“What do you think you are?” Cora snaps athim.

He grins at her. “Got a mouth on this one,” hesays.

---