grin, “maybe not everybody, but I’ll bet I ain’t the only one, am I right?”
Cissy shook her head without answering.
“Well, I’m no” Jo Jo
said. “One guy once a week ain’t enough for you.
Maybe you do different things.
Maybe Thursday’s your night for rough
trade. But I’m not the only guy.“
A flush smudged along Cissy’s cheekbones.
She took her small straw purse from the top of the dresser, put her lipstick in it, closed it carefully, and then, without looking again at Jo Jo, went out of the bedroom. Jo $o made no move to go with her.
Jo Jo said, “Good night, slut,”
but she was probably too far down the stairs to hear him.
He closed the door, and began to strip the bed. He put the sheets and pillowcases in the old-fashioned wicker laundry hamper in the ba[hroom, and remade the bed with clean sheets. When he was done he went into the bathroom and took a long shower. After he got out and toweled dry, looking at his muscles in the mirror, he rubbed a little Neosporin ointment into the scratches on his hand.
spection. His uniform was tailored and pressed. There were military creases in his shirt. His badge shined. His shoes were spit-shined. His pistol belt and holster gleamed with‘
polish. What LITTLE hair he had left was always freshly cut.
He was carefully cean-shaven, and he smelled faintly of cologne.
“So tell me about this militia group you belong to.”
Jesse said.
Burke shrugged. Carefully, Jesse thought.
“Freedom’s Horsemen?”
Burke said.
Jesse nodded.
“Just a bunch of guys, like to shoot, like to stay ready.”
Burke said.
“Ready for what?”
“For whatever comes. You know, like the Constitution says, a well-regulated militia.”
Jesse nodded.
“Everybody got ,paper for the
guns?”
“Sur,” Burke said.
“Mostly F.I.D.‘s. Guys with handn got c.”
“d schging a fi win town li?”
Bke sl.
“No problem. Selden mat leg, fo, five ye ago, lk it up, long it is not done in a way to enger life or pm,” Bke sd. “Besides, even if it we illeg, you going to st hf e town goven inclung e hd 1?”
“Not me,” Jesse sd. “y
automatic wns?”
“No. ese guys woul’t ow where to
get one.
Hunting rifles mostly, some shotns, couple old MI’s, couple of M1 cines at tim se offiy.“
“Hty e con,der?”
“Ye. H’s serious ut
it.”
“Any of, you ow, wte supmy, Jewish con- .
spy, at nd of sin”
“Hell no, Jes. We‘ a selffen fore
at enjoys getting togeer one y a wk d doing some meuve.
You ow I woul’t a p of ying at
wn’t sght.“
“y blac in e lf-defen fo?”
