Read Online Satan’s Lambs by Lynn Hightower - Free Book Online Page B

Harry Zyn. He bad, honey, but nice if you don’t be hanging on. He probably dead now.”
    â€œDead?”
    â€œThat why he … Bennelton Property and Casualty, how may I assist you? Yes, ma’am. You would need to fill out a form for that and mail it to our office here in Louisville. I’ll be happy to send it, just give me your address. Yes? Uh-huh. And the zip? Oh-eight. Yes. Thank you . You there, girlfriend? Ole Harry, he real sick, he have the cancer or something real bad. Got a few months left, what he say. Tell all the girls good-bye, and quit the company. Going to travel, he say, for his last few weeks. He sad, he bad, everybody mad.”
    â€œWhat did you really think of this guy?”
    â€œHe one those boys you can have the good time with, uh-huh, but don’t let it go no further, uh-unh, he break your heart and take you money.”
    â€œLike Marty.”
    â€œMarty, he fine. Nice thing, Marty, he scared of Christy. So long I keep him happy, he behave. But Harry Zyn, no ma’am, he got one my girls pregnant, she got his chile. Nice chile. Harry Zyn, he real smooth with the talking and drinking. How he get information for a case. Take you witness to a bar, and smile his big teeth, and order lots of drinks, and you tell old Harry anything he want to know.”
    â€œGood old Harry. Thanks, Christy.”
    â€œAnytime, girlfriend. When you coming up and we go out?”
    â€œWhen you coming down?”
    â€œOne of us got to budge sometime.”
    â€œI may actually be up there in a few months.”
    â€œYou call me, girlfriend, and tell me when.”
    â€œI will. ’Bye, Christy.”
    â€œTell Rick hi from Christy girl.”
    â€œYou trying to make Marty jealous?”

11
    The Cutlass was low on gas and running rough.
    Lena parked in the small lot in front of Eloise Valetta’s apartment building. Weeds were sprouting through cracks in the asphalt.
    â€œAh, spring,” Lena said.
    The front door of the apartment building was warped and stuck in the mostly closed position. Lena had to brace one foot on the door frame and pull hard. She wondered how people did that with bags of groceries or babies in their arms.
    The hallway was carpeted in worn lime green shag, and smelled of cigarette smoke and sour dishrags. Lena ran up the stairs to the second floor and knocked at Eloise Valetta’s door. The television in the next apartment was turned way up. A man invited a shrieking woman to “ Come on down! ”
    Lena heard little feet pounding a threadbare carpet, and the door swung open. Charlie put his hands behind his back and stared up at her.
    â€œNo, Charlie, how many times I told you, don’t —”
    â€œHi, Charlie,” Lena said.
    He stuck a finger in his mouth. “Hi.”
    â€œCharlie!”
    Eloise appeared behind him, scowling and out of breath. She looked scared for a moment, then her face cleared.
    â€œHi, Lena.” She put a hand to her chest and took a deep breath. “Come on in.”
    There were newspapers and magazines on the living room floor. A cardboard box that said Del Monte Freestone Sliced Peaches was brimming over with clean laundry.
    â€œCan I get you some—”
    â€œNo, thank you.” Lena sat down on the couch.
    The radio was playing in the kitchen. A coffee can full of broken crayons had been dumped out next to a thin pastel coloring book with the Easter bunny on the cover. The book was untouched. Charlie sat in front of the crayons and began arranging the pieces.
    Eloise sat on a stool and went back to the laundry she was folding. “Tell Miss Lena what you got on.”
    Charlie ignored her.
    Eloise leaned toward Lena.
    â€œBatman underpants.” She spoke in a whisper and grinned. “Second day, and no accidents.” Eloise folded her arms tightly. “Been in his drawer for more’n a year, and yesterday, he points and says no to the diaper, wanting those