Eight
Lupe, the Mintons' housekeeper, showed Reede in. Alex
turned in time to see him come through the doorway. Junior's
startling revelation had left her dazed.
From Grandma Graham, she'd heard that Reede and Celina
had been high school sweethearts. The photograph of him
crowning her homecoming queen bore that out. But Alex
hadn't known that her mother had wanted to marry him. She
knew her expression must reflect her shock.
He took in the room at a glance. "Well, isn't this a cozy
little scene."
"Hey, Reede," Junior said from his position near Alex,
which suddenly seemed all too close and familiar, for a reason
she couldn't explain. "What brings you out? Drink?"
"Come on in." Angus signaled him into the room. Sarah
Jo ignored him as though he was invisible. That mystified
Alex, since he had once lived with them like a member of
the family.
He laid his coat and hat in a chair and moved toward the
bar to accept the drink that Angus had poured for him. "I
came to check on my mare. How is she?"
"Fine," Angus told him.
"Good."
There followed a strained silence while everyone seemed
to contemplate the contents of their glasses. Finally, Angus
said, "Something else on your mind, Reede?"
"He came out here to warn you about what you say to
me,'' Alex said.' 'The same way he did Judge Wallace earlier
this afternoon."
"When somebody asks me a direct question, I'll do my
own answering, Counselor," he said testily. He threw back
his drink and set down the glass. "See y'all later. Thanks
for the drink.'' He stamped from the room, pausing only long
enough to pick up his hat and coat.
Surprisingly, it was Sarah Jo who filled the silence once
Reede had slammed out the front door. "I see his manners
haven't improved any."
"You know Reede, Mother," Junior said with a casual
shrug. "Another glass of wine?"
"Please."
"Have another drink together," Angus said. "I want to
speak to Alex in private. Bring your wine if you want," he
told her.
She had been helped out of her chair and escorted into the
hallway before she quite knew how it had come about. As
they moved down the hall, she looked around.
The walls were covered with red flocked wallpaper and
held framed photographs of racehorses. A massive Spanish
chandelier loomed threateningly overhead. The furniture was
dark and bulky.
"Like my house?" Angus asked, noticing that she was
dawdling to take in her surroundings.
"Very much," she lied.
"Designed and built it myself when Junior was still in
diapers."
Without being told, Alex knew that Angus had not only
built but decorated the house. Nothing in it reflected Sarah
Jo's personality. Doubtless she countenanced it because she'd
been given no choice.