The sound of the gavel banging had him smiling. He could imagine the new judge trying to regain control of the women. Wats wondered not for the first time since this started if anyone would ever get control of his mother and aunts. When they didn’t want to hear the answers you gave them about something, they simply pretended you didn’t say a word. His uncle Clayton had figured that out when visiting the jail they were being held in.
A break was called to take the women back to their cells. He was asked, politely, to return in an hour, and he said he’d be there so long as he didn’t have an emergency. They’d approved him being able to leave when he’d been summoned here today, as he had a practice. The judge, he’d forgotten his name, looked like he was ready to call it a day even though it was only nine-thirty in the morning.
“Did you hear about the trial for Fran and Phoenix? Well, Fran’s trial anyway.” Wats said to Booker that he’d not as he dug into his breakfast. He’d not been able to eat before leaving the house this morning. “The judge has decided that since the two of them were together when Phoenix shot the judge, he’s going to have them both judged in federal court. They’re being taken away in the morning. I think that will make Amy sleep better at night. There is no way they’ll be able to cover that up. Judge Wessex was well respected, even by those that she sent away. Because she was fair to everyone.”
Lorinda Wessex had been murdered when Amy’s sister, Phoenix, had pulled a gun from one of the officers trying to untangle a fight in the courtroom several weeks ago. Wats had done all he could for her while in the courtroom, but she passed a few days later from it. Her daughter Charlie was just like her mom.
After breakfast, they sat around the restaurant and talked. They had been getting together with their dads at least once a week since their mothers had been arrested. Wats had been staying with his dad for the last few weeks since his condo was being used by Rayne and her grandda James. They’d be moving out soon, he realized, as the house that was being put on the land for James was nearly finished. The rest of them had even pitched in and made sure that the double wide, all that James wanted, was furnished as well.
“Are you listening to me?” He looked at Mars when he spoke. Smiling at him, he told him he’d been thinking about other things. “I can tell. You were thinking of Rayne again, weren’t you?”
Looking around the table, he realized it was only him and Mars. Wats started to ask where the others had gone but didn’t want to embarrass himself any more than he already had. Instead, he told him he was thinking about her.
“She’s looking for a part-time job. Know of any that she can work around her school schedule?” Wats asked him why he didn’t hire her. “I thought you needed someone to answer phones and make appointments. That would be a good job for her, don’t you think? Not too stressful, and she could work with you on her degree.”
“She is studying to be a nurse. I might be able to hire her for that too when she’s finished up.” Mars said that was what he’d been thinking too. He also pointed out that he’d not answered his question. “I like her. Very much. I’ve been working up to asking her on a date. Don’t tell the others.”
“Why do you have to work up to it?” Wats explained it to him. “I can see where that might be an issue. You told her no strings until the house was finished when she moved into your condo. But that should be soon, right?”
“Yes. North said they were out today to inspect the place before they could hook it up to the power or water. I’m not sure which one, but you get it.” Mars told him he understood as he stood up to go. “I need to talk to you about something. It’s important to me, anyway. What would you do if you and I were to switch situations with my mother? I’ve been bothered by it for a few nights, and I’m kind of losing some sleep over it. She wants me to go there and speak to her. Actually, she would be speaking at me—that’s the way it has always been with her. Mother wants me to get her an attorney that will get her out of prison. I don’t want that. Ever.”
“Then I think you have your answer. As for going to see her, do you remember how she spoke to you this morning? How she told you she was gunning for you when she got out? Not that she is ever getting out, but you do remember that, don’t you?” Wats said he did. “What more would you say to her if you were face to face that you need to say to her? Anything at all? I’m not telling you not to go. I’m just pointing out a few things for you to think about if you do go.”
“Closure? Tell her how much I dislike her? I don’t know. Nothing comes to mind that I know she’ll hear when I say it to her.” Mars nodded and asked him again if he thought he had his answer. “I do. Thanks, buddy. I knew you’d be the one to tell me to go or not. I just needed to see if I was being—I don’t know, stupid
