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“Fuck them, Scamp. Who needs them? You had a fucking platoon show up for you. Got a feeling the boss would line up every person in the city if that’s what you wanted.”
She sat on the pew again, taking Strat with her. “I’m not offended. I don’t want to shake their hands either. It… it’s strange. I’m used to being the least important member of my family. These people will shake my hand, they were polite coming in, but people look at me differently now. Like my life is…”
“Public property? This is a first for the McDades in this city. To be so publicly linked to the highest-ranking officials? People wanna know…”
“What do they want to know?”
He stretched his legs out, crossing his ankles. “How you did it.”
Another smile, though she lowered her chin, appreciating the private memory. “I didn’t. It was all him.”
“You got in there somehow, got close to him. People want to know your story. The news reporter has become the news. They want to know it as much as they’re terrified by it.”
“Aren’t we all.”
“Are they coming to the wake? Is it a wake when there’s no body?”
“No idea,” she said, resting her head on his arm. “There’s cake. That’s about as much as I know.”
“Think you should shake some hands?”
Opening her hand, she scrutinized her palm. “Think maybe they’ll wonder where these hands have been?”
Strat groaned. “Thanks, Scamp. Like I needed that visual.”
“I didn’t mean that!” Her next laugh was loud. Unashamedly. “Though because you mentioned it, I haven’t had Conn today. He was working last night.”
“Shit, I’m sorry I brought it up.” He hadn’t, but okay. “Now I need a drink. There a backdoor out this joint?”
TWENTY-SIX
THEY GOT A DRINK at a corner bar and took their time wandering along to the restaurant. What was there to rush for? Everyone would still be there when they arrived. Who would dare miss the harlot’s entrance?
The banquet hall teemed with people, though it was probably just her imagination that every eye in the room landed on her the moment she stepped inside. And with an older man, gasp, where was lucifer? Just how many men did she have?
Luckily, her father chose that exact moment to get in her face.
“Where have you been?” he snapped. “Did you disappear with him?”
“I disappeared with Strat,” she said. “I’m surprised you noticed I wasn’t here.”
“You made a farce of a somber event.”
“How?” she asked, frowning. “I didn’t make a farce of anything. It’s only because of me that any of this shit is organized.”
He blinked in surprise. “You curse at me? Today?”
“Dad, aren’t you sick of this hostility between us? Live and let live.”
“You don’t—”
“Can we take today off? Avoid me if you want.”
“So you can indulge your betrayal?”
“Emotions are high—”
“For once in your life, think of your family. How does it look? You walking into the service with that man?”
