Who Let That Killer In The House? by Patricia Sprinkle Read Free Book Online

leaned over me and hissed, “You always take Garnet’s side, but she’s mean as the dickens when nobody else is around, to Hollis and their mother both. Some of the things she says to them would make you cry.” Bethany did, in fact, look close to tears.
    I put my hand over hers and whispered, “Your mother doesn’t think Garnet ever got over her daddy’s death.”
    Bethany shook her head and whispered back, “But she seemed fine right after it happened. Sad, but—you know—like always. It was later that she got so mean and went into her shell.”
    That’s exactly how Garnet looked—like a princess in a shell. All I knew to say was, “Death affects people differently, sweetheart. I’m grateful you’ve never had to learn that firsthand.” I was also grateful that Art arrived just then with our desserts.
    I was taking my first bite of chocolate pie with three-inch meringue when DeWayne and Yasheika Evans arrived. Ronnie was with them, and anybody could see he and Yasheika each wished the other gone. When Hollis and Bethany jumped up and threw their arms around DeWayne’s neck, Ronnie and Yasheika moved in opposite directions.
    “We did it! We did it!” the girls squealed. A flash went off.
    As they turned to hug Yasheika, other teammates ran to join them.
    DeWayne looked around the restaurant and said so everybody could hear, “That was the best game I can remember, and I’ve seen a few. You’ve got some fine ballplayers here. Don’t ever forget this day.” He led us in another round of applause for the team.
    His sister nudged him. “Stop showing off and find us a table.”
    Bethany grabbed Yasheika’s hand and Hollis grabbed DeWayne’s, and they started pulling them our way. “Come join us.”
    Bethany called over her shoulder to Ronnie, “You come, too.”
    Yasheika curled her lip like she’d rather sit at any table except where Ronnie was, but DeWayne was already taking a vacant chair and Ridd was dragging up more. Myrtle came bustling over to get their order.
    Joe Riddley asked DeWayne, “Have you met Buddy Tanner, Hollis’s uncle?”
    DeWayne hesitated, then stuck out his hand. “Hi, Buddy. You got two mighty fine nieces.” He beamed across at Garnet, who had looked up and was giving him a quiet smile. “Garnet was the best lab assistant I’ve ever had. If she weren’t set on music, she’d make a good chemist. You taking chemistry in college?” he asked her.
    She nodded, her eyes happier than I’d seen them all day. “I had it last year, but my prof wasn’t as good as you.”
    His big laugh rumbled through the restaurant. “We can’t all be great, now, can we?” To my astonishment, she laughed. She could use some practice, but it had a pleasant sound.
    As Hollis narrowed her eyes at Garnet, Bethany asked quickly, “Did you all know Yasheika’s going to Yale Law School in the fall?”
    “Whoa!” Ridd exclaimed. “I’m impressed.”
    “Next thing we know you’ll be running for president,” I teased.
    Yasheika shook her head. “All I want to do is get one innocent man out of jail.”
    Ronnie gave a little puff of disgust. In the privacy of our kitchen he’d used words like “bossy,” “pushy,” and even “uppity” to describe DeWayne’s little sister. It was easy to see he didn’t think she had a chicken’s chance in a foxhole of getting anybody out of jail.
    Joe Riddley clapped him on the back. “Speaking of degrees, Ronnie just got his, too. In accounting.”
    Buddy looked up. “You lookin’ for a job? I got a man leavin’ next week.” Buddy’s racism excepted people he knew. When Ronnie nodded, he said, “Come by Monday at one. We’ll talk.”
    When Myrtle set DeWayne’s pie before him, we heard a scuffle of shoes and the corner booth emptied. As they approached our table, Tyrone said gruffly, “Like I said, Hollis, good game.” His plump face was pink and flustered.
    Smitty looked deliberately from Coach Evans to Yasheika to Ronnie, but he waited