A Crying Shame (7 page)

Thank you for correcting me, Joe,” Mike said, as dryly as possible, hoping his cold reply would not be lost on the man.

It was.
That woman must jump and holler every time a pine cone hits the ground, Sheriff.”

Right, Joe.”

Ever since her and her fancy, snooty brother come up here to live, fixin' up that old plantation house, they been nothing but aggravatin' to us.”

Right, Joe.” Let him get it out of his system, Mike thought. Then he'll personally drive out to Despair Plantation and make a very stiff, formal, sweaty apology for the department's not responding to her call. Joe's way.

It ain't natural, them livin' out there together. I tell you, Sheriff, the Good Lord frowns on things like that.”

Things like what, Joe?” Mike asked wearily. Right off, he could tell it was not going to be a good day.

Incestuous relationships. It's written right in the Book, Sheriff. Leviticus, Chapter Twenty . . .”

Oh, no,” Mike muttered, wishing, praying the phone would ring. Anything to stop this.

. . . And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and—”

Joe!” Mike said sharply, aware that several of his deputies were gathered outside the office door, stifling giggles.

Sheriff?”

I don't want a sermon, Joe. If I need to hear one, I'll go see my priest. Besides, we do not know that any incestuous relationship has ever occurred. Probably it has not. Ever since Alma and Miss ... ah ... Ms. Breaux had that run-in at the supermarket, Alma has shit-canned no telling how many of her calls from Despair. You know what to do about this one.”