As far as I know, the only honorable thing Briar had ever done was offer a reward of $100,000 for information about who had shot my father, but no one had ever cashed in. All this time later, I assume no one ever will, that the killer will never be caught.
But him putting up that reward money didn’t change the fact that Roof and Lynyrd’s father has been the most dangerous man in North Carolina for longer than I’ve been alive.
At the moment, he’s still got hold of my hand.
“I know that your daddy, God rest, and I had our share of differences,” he says, eyes on mine. “But I’m here tonight to tell you that where I come from, the same place as you come from, we sure are proud of you, boy.”
He waits for me to respond. I don’t. He lets go of my hand and nods, eyes still on mine, and walks away.
I finally make my way to Taylor and her husband.
“Having fun yet?” Taylor asks as she gives me a hug.
“Glad you guys could make it,” I say to her and Burt. “I guess.”
She nods in the direction of the street. “See where you got yourself a fancy new car.”
I give Burt a playful shrug. “You gotta compensate when you don’t get the girl.”
He smiles at me. “Wanna trade?”
“Hey, you two,” Taylor says. “I’m here. I canhearyou.”
“You guys good?” I ask.
“We are,” Taylor says. “How’s about you?”
I make a gesture with my right hand, my throwing hand, that takes in the whole party.
“Like EmmaJean says,” I tell them. “If this ain’t good, it’ll have to do until good comes along.”
“You were always going places,” Taylor says, “even before you knew where.”
“I’ll be back, Tay.”
She gives me a look that is both sweet and sad, all at the same time.
“No,” she says. “You won’t.”
FOUR
AS THE GUEST of honor, I stay later than I’d intended, telling myself that the private plane to Pittsburgh can’t leave without me in the morning, knowing that the press conference the Steelers have scheduled isn’t until two in the afternoon.
Finally, though, it’s time for me to git, which is the way my father used to say it.
All in all, even with the Crockett brothers drunk as skunks and having tried to start a couple of fights before their daddy and his driver got them into Briar’s Lincoln Navigator, it has been a great night.
After I’ve said my last goodbyes, the most emotional being with Taylor McCarter Webb, it’s time to head back to campus. Laurance Most says he can have the Porsche driven back to EmmaJean’s house in Cross Rivers, but I say I want to drive it back to campus and park it just one time in front of our dorm, and after that I’ll have it driven or shipped to Pittsburgh once I’ve found a place up there.
“Thanks for putting this whole thing together,” I say to Laurance Most.
“You’re the one whodidmake this night necessary,” he says. “You and the best right arm God ever gave to anybody.”
I reach for my right shoulder now, rotating it slightly and grimacing as I do.
“This might not be a good time to mention this,” I say. “But I think I might have done something after all the glad-handing you made me do tonight.”
My agent gives me a look I’m pretty sure he usually reserves for the person on the other side of the negotiating table.
