Page 64 of Evil Bones
“I hope you never smoke and drive.”
“Do I look like a moron?”
“Of course not.”
“Besides, I have no wheels. I am forced to depend on the kindness of strangers.” Doing a passable Blanche Dubois imitation.
“Are your parents aware—”
“God, no. Mom would kill me.” Her eyes went wide. “Are you going to rat me out?”
“Your secret is safe with me,” I said, “unless I feel that you’re endangering yourself.” How I’d make that determination was better left for another day.
“Thank you, Aunt Tempe. You’re the best.”
“May I ask where you got the grass?”
“Remember I went on that visit to UNCC?” Her eyes gave a varsity-level roll. “It was my mother’s idea. She insisted and wouldn’t take no for an answer even though I’ve made myself absolutely clear that I’ve maxed out on the sitting-in-class thing.”
“But you digress.”
“Right. Our group’s guide was a grad student—in psych, I think. A totally rad dude.”
“And?”
“After the tour he asked me to join him for coffee.”
“He hit on you.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“What was it like?”
“He introduced me to some of his friends. They have this sort of club, I guess. I don’t know.”
“What was his name?”
“Lester.”
I raised both brows in question.
“Lester Malloy. Or Malory. Or something like that.”
“Lester hooked you up with the marijuana?” Making a mental note to run this guy down through university channels.
She nodded.
“How old is Lester?”
“Seriously?” Angry, two-handed hair tuck behind both her ears. “That’s exactly where my mother would go.”
I waited.
“Shit. I don’t know.Grad studentage.”
I just looked at her.
“Jesus, Aunt Tempe. I’m not planning to marry the guy.” Full-on petulant. “Maybe in his midtwenties?”
