“Worth, now I’m not someone who gets into other people’s business, but I’ve known you a long time, and I know how you are. We been friends and I know if the situation were reversed, I’d want you to tell me.”
I put down my drink and steeled myself. A dozen possibilities passed like a slideshow in my head. “Tom, I think you’d better just spit it out before I imagine the worst.”
He took a gulp of his beer as a preamble and set it down. “It’s Marga.”
“Marga?” She wasn’t even on my dread list.
“Yeah, I pretty much figured you didn’t know. Worth, don’t get pissed at me but dammit, if I didn’t say anythin’ and somethin’ happened, well…”
“What’s she doing?” I wanted him to just tell me.
“She’s runnin’ wild, Worth. Folks are talkin’.”
I felt my blood chill. “Can you give me an example, Tom?”
“You just got her a new car, ain’t that right?”
“Yes.”
“Well, the word is that a few nights ago, she got somebody to buy her a keg, and they went down to the creek, there at Witch’s Holler, and had a party. I’ve heard ten kids, and I’ve heard thirty, so I don’t know. Anyhow, a few of them got to drag racin’, and you know as well as I do, Worth, them roads there ain’t nothin’ but curves. It ain’t no place for drunk kids to be runnin’ cars. Well, somebody called the sheriff, and one of his deputies went over to check it out. Word is that he lit out after a white Mercedes convertible, and it outrun him. ‘Tween you and me, I believe he let it go; probably knew he was bitin’ off a bigger chunk of trouble than he wanted, but they don’t take kindly to no kids makin’ a joke outta them, you know?”
I measured my words. “That the only incident, Tom?”
“No, Worth, it ain’t. There’s been talk ‘bout her bein’ seen with lots o’ older boys ‘fore she got her own car. Now I ain’t sayin’ she did nothin’, but if it were my daughter, I’d want ta know. Hope you ain’t sore at me.”
I patted his arm. “No, Tom, not at all. I take it as a favor. Most people would have figured I’ve got something coming and let it go. You’re a good friend, Tom,” I reassured him and downed the rest of my beer. I slapped a hundred on the bar and said to the bartender, “Keep my friend here supplied, would you?” I patted Tom on the back and left.
My head was spinning when I hit the cool air. Words were coming back to me then. Words from Auggie, complaining about Marga’s rebelliousness. I knew they were at odds, but I’d had my own problems with Auggie and decided it was easier to turn a blind eye.
I knew I couldn’t just jump on Marga without some kind of proof. If I called her on her behavior, she’d only up her game. She had the LaViere blood, and I knew how that worked. I’d have to tread carefully. Most of all, I couldn’t be seen as taking Auggie’s side. Marga might take off entirely if she thought she had no ally in the house at all. I’d have to watch silently from the sidelines and let Auggie take the hit as the bad parent. I knew, sure as hell, it wasn’t going to be a fun house.
In fact, I didn’t particularly want to go back there right then. This new information was too fresh. I needed time to cool down so I headed to the clinic. When I arrived, my supervising psychologist, Deborah Hunt, was in her office. I popped my head in. “Got a minute?”
“Of course,” she smiled and waved me to a chair. “What’s up?”
“You work with teens far more than I ever have. I’d like an ear, if you have time.”
“Which one?”
“Marga, of course. She’s the one most like me.”
“There’s your answer.” She slid her chair back from her desk and crossed her magical legs. They were why I’d hired her in the first place. I tried not to think how long it had been since Auggie and I had been in the same bed at the same time.
“I get that, but I’m too close to it.”
“So, what’s she been up to? Drugs?” Her face had lost its humor, and she was serious. She knew better than to mock me when it came to my family.
“Not sure, but I don’t think so. Ran into an old friend of the family who’s talking beer, car racing and boys. I wasn’t aware of any of this,” I lied. In some corner of my mind, I thought if I made Deborah a witness to my innocence, I’d be less responsible if something bad happened.
“Does Auggie know?” she asked calmly, a slightly quizzical look on her face.
“I think so.”
“You think so?”
I realized I’d just caught my own foot in the trap. I tried a side maneuver. “Well, she’s been complaining about Marga lately, but I thought it was just one of those mother / daughter things.”
“Look, Worth. Don’t drag me into this. I’m not your moral alibi if something happens.” I opened my mouth to protest, but she held up a hand to stop me. “If you know that Auggie’s upset, then you know something is up with Marga. Don’t be coy and don’t make Auggie the heavy. That won’t solve Marga’s issues; it will only amplify them. I’m not telling you anything you don’t know. I’m just voicing something you don’t want to hear.”
I looked down at the carpet, and the women’s voices in the health spa portion of the clinic suddenly were too loud, too raucous. “You’re right.” Jesus, do women always have to stick together? “So what do you recommend?”
“I understand your eldest son reappeared in your life recently?” she asked, taking a side track.
I nodded. “It’s been something less than a joyous reunion all the way around. The twins are relatively indifferent and Hawk, as he’s known now, has an axe to grind. He’s also engaged. Lots of tension.”
“Well, Worth, my best advice is to go home and heal your family. You’ve got new dynamics and sensitivities involved. Your family grew by two overnight. That’s bound to have repercussions. Perhaps Marga is taking advantage of your lack of attention, or maybe wanting more.”
“I think her behavior is not an especially new thing.”
“Maybe it’s just new to you because you haven’t been paying attention.”
My brows went up. “I seem to be getting accused of that a lot lately.”
“There you go. That’ll be a thousand bucks. Leave your check at the door.” Deborah’s arms were crossed as she grinned.
“Worth every penny,” I said, taking a long and obvious look at her legs as I left.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Auggie
Lily texted me from the barn. We had a mare about to foal, and there was some sign of distress. I hopped into the golf cart I kept next to the patio and headed down. It was just as she’d reported.
“Did you call the vet?” I asked anxiously.
Lily nodded. “On his way.”
“See what you can do to make her comfortable in the meantime and move the other animals to the farthest stalls. We don’t need this anxiety feeding the rest of them.” Lily nodded and signaled the hands. They moved the mare to a special birthing room that was separate from the rest and were walking her around to ease her discomfort.
“When was she due?” I asked Lily.