Page 97 of Take Two

Mary Leigh throws a napkin at him, but she laughs and shakes her head at her son.

“Let me clear this up once and for all,” Vickie says. “I broke up with him and went to teach in Mexico. I told him in no uncertain terms that we were through, and he knows it.”

“Never happened,” Colt says with a dismissive snort. “Let me ask you something, Violet. Have you ever broken up with a man?”

“A few,” I admit. Charlie playfully rolls his eyes at my answer.

“Okay, bear with me.” Colt stands taller and starts to pace around in the small kitchen. “The evidence will show beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Queen Vee and I never broke up.”

“Are you a lawyer now?” Vickie asks. “You watch way too many Law & Order reruns.”

“Now, Violet,” Colt says, ignoring his wife’s last statement. “After you broke up with these guys, did you talk to them every day?”

I look at Vickie, who is looking up at the ceiling and rolling her eyes. “Um, no,” I say.

“Exactly. Now, I will admit, me and my queen had a little misunderstanding. A minor, little argument that people in love often have.”

“Oh, Lord,” Vickie says. “You misunderstood that I dumped you?”

“And she did accept a teaching job in Mexico, but that was not to get away from me.” He eyes Charlie when he says that. “Now, Victoria, did you or did you not apply for that job months before we met?”

“Yes, but—”

“Yes or no is all the answer I need, darlin’. Now, while you were in Mexico, did you talk to Mama every day?”

“Yes, however—”

“And,” he says, cutting her off, “did you or did you not talk to my brother every day?”

Vickie juts her chin out and says, “No, I did not.”

“It’s your testimony that you did not speak to Charleston Chastain every day?” Colt asks, clearly outraged.

“That’s correct,” she says. “And I object to this line of questioning.”

“You can’t object. I’m the lawyer, and you’re the witness.”

“Hostile witness,” she says.

“How often did you talk to him? How many days per week?” When she purses her lips and refuses to answer, he turns to Charlie. “Charleston, how many times per week did you talk to Mrs. Chastain?”

“You mean Mama? Every day,” Charlie jokes.

“Victoria Chastain,” Colt corrects.

“Uh, I don’t remember exactly, but about four to five times per week.” Charlie clears his throat and looks away from Vickie.

“Still a substantial amount of time to talk to the brother of the man you allege you broke up with.” He puts his arms behind his back and continues his pacing.

“Whatever,” Vickie says.

“And how often did you talk to me?” Colt asks.

“I have no idea,” Vickie says. “But it would have been zero if you left me alone.”

“Daily,” Colt clarifies. “Sometimes two to three times. And let me remind everyone that you talked to Evan daily as well.”

“Really? Every single day?” I ask Vickie, who is now looking at me as if I betrayed her by asking that question.

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