Page 72 of Road Queens
Or so Amanda had thought, once upon a time. But now she wondered. Maybe it was time to give Cassandra a smidge of the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she hadn’t left to protect herself, but all three of them.
She shook it off, all of it. Focus was critical here. “It was all Sid’s idea,” Amanda finished. “If I had my way, Dave would never have had to guard my Hole.”
“I’m not alone. My mother—”
“Your mom kicks ass and bakes a mean apple pudding,” Sidney put in, “but she’s also locked up and no help to you at all. Not out here, not with a murder investigation bearing down on us.”
“Bearing down onme,” Cassandra urged.
Sidney waved away Cassandra’s remark. “Face it, babe: we’re it. Oh, and Beane, too, maybe; who the fuck knows with that sneaky shit?”
“I’m in the room,” he pointed out. “In case you forgot.”
“Who the hell could forget? We can’t get rid of you ... well”—Sidney gave Amanda some side-eye—“some of us can’t. Every time we turn around, there you are.”
“Where else would I be?” Sean asked, which was an odd question from someone they’d just met a couple of days ago.
Not so odd if you know his backstory,Amanda thought.Because we didn’t just meet him three days ago.
“I’m still confused,” Sonny reminded them, which was a sensible reaction to the madness he’d just stepped in.
“Join the lame-ass club. Now what?” Before anyone could answer, Sidney added, “Besides the obvious.”
“The obvious?” Sonny asked, because he thought he was in this for some reason. Well, two reasons: this was his shop, and he was standing four feet away.We need to stop having confidential meetings in public places with witnesses.
“Yeah, that being we all strongly encourage Cassandra to get the fuck out of Dodge,” Sidney finished. “With clubs and kicks if necessary.”
Cass shook her head. “No way.”
“I’ll do it, Rivers!” Sidney smacked the tool chest again. “I’ll find or make a club and go to fucking town on your selfless ass and boot you right back over the town line, you justwatch.”
“I believe that. I meant ‘no way’ because I’m not leaving you guys holding the metaphorical bag again. And yeah, Amanda, before you jump in and point it out, I’m aware of the irony. Couldn’t get out of here fast enough five years ago—”
“I thought we agreed this didn’t need pointing out,” Amanda sniffed.
“—and now you can’t get rid of me.”
“It’s a nightmare, all right,” Sidney agreed with uncharacteristic cheer.
“We’ve taken up enough of your time,” Sean told Sonny. Amanda had no idea if that was true or just a platitude, but guessed Sean thought they should continue the gosh-who’s-using-Sonny’s-shop-to-frame-Cass-for-murder chat somewhere one of the (unlikely) suspects couldn’t hear them.
Having finished wringing the towel, Sonny was now drying his dry hands with it. “Oh. Okay.” To Cassandra: “I’m real sorry if I caused trouble for you. It’s just ... y’know. Your bike. You need it.” This last phrase said as if he were talking about her liver.
“It is. Was, and is,” Cass agreed. Despite the shock, Cass seemed delighted to see it again.There’s a rider for you,Amanda thought.Sure, the proximity of this machine will mean more trouble, but shouldn’t we start it up and listen to that delicious-sounding engine regardless? And perhaps make a cream puff run?“I appreciate you taking such good care of it.”
“And if you don’t leave, if you think ’er over and decide you’re gonna stay in town for a bit”—as Sidney opened her mouth, Sonny rushed ahead—“you should swing by and see Becka Swanson. She hears from her sis all the time, and she’d love a visit with you.”
Oh, boy. Becka and Bobby Swanson. There’s a footnote from history.
“Thanks, Sonny. Maybe I will,” Cassandra replied with a bright smile.
The smile, like “maybe I will,” was a lie. For all that Operation Starfish was Cassandra’s brain baby, once the battered spouse in question was out, Cassandra’s focus was always on the next one; she never looked back, Debbie Frank being the notable exception.
“Becka and Bobby Swanson?” Sean asked.
“Rebecca and Roberta,” Amanda explained. “Fraternal twins. Only one of them married well.” Which was how Roberta Swanson ended up as OpStar’s first client.
“I’d love to hear about it.”
