Page 96 of Poison Wood

My conversation with Rosalie keeps replaying through my head. Specifically, her reference to the girls at Poison Wood and their powerful fathers. Which gets me thinking of the conversation Ididn’thave with my father yesterday.

The dogs come running up to me, wagging and whining. I take them to the back door and let them out. A rumble of thunder sounds in the distance. The dogs race across the back porch and into the backyard. The sky is light purple with deep-blue clouds in the distance. The wind has picked up, but it’s a warm south wind. The seasons change fast here. One minute it’s sleeting, the next pollen is budding on the pine trees.

A gust of wind blows the door out of my hand, followed by a crack of thunder that rattles the panes of the windows. I get the dogs back in as the first drops of rain start to fall; then I push the door shut and lock it.

Another clap of thunder shakes the house.

I walk to the kitchen sink and look out at the driveway. The rain is blowing sideways. I lean back against the island and tap my nails on the countertop. I need something to do.

I pull my phone from my pocket and toggle it onto speaker as it rings.

“Hello?” Katrina says.

“You avoiding me?”

“There’s no avoiding you, Rita.”

“Is Summer with you?”

“No, but I can try to call her. Conference her in.”

“Yes, please.”

“Hang on.” She puts me on hold and a second later says, “Rita? Summer?”

“Yeah,” I say.

“I’m here,” Summer replies.

“Great,” I refill my coffee cup and sit at the breakfast table. “I wanted to let you know I spoke with Johnny’s sister, Rosalie Adair.”

“What?” Summer says. “When?”

“Yesterday.”

“Wasn’t that her at the news conference?” Summer asks.

“Yes.”

“I can’t believe she talked to you,” Kat says.

“She did.”

“What did she say?” Kat sounds worried.

I sip my coffee. “She said we’re to blame.”

“Us?” Summer scoffs. “What the hell?”

“She referenced the girls at Poison Wood who had powerful fathers to get them out of trouble.”

“My dad never got me out of trouble,” Summer says.

“No shit,” Kat replies. “Your mom did.”

“There’s something else,” I say, interrupting Summer before she can retort.

“What?” Kat says.