Page 37 of Hot to Trot

She sidled closer. She tired of flashbulbs and microphones. Sure, she knew it was her fault. She'd brought all of their attention upon herself when she'd picked up the picket sign and joined the protest. But, still, she needed a bit of peace. Shepurposely overthrew the ball. It sailed over Henry's head and smacked the siding of his new grandparent's house.

"Jeez, Aunt Scarlet. You suck."

She clamped down the strange impulse to fuss at him for his colorful language and darted toward the shrub.

"Get out of there!" she hollered, tugging the arm of the Peeping Tom.

Harvey Primm stumbled from the bushes.

"You!" she said.

He glowered at her but said nothing.

"What do you think you're doing sneaking around, spying on me?" Scarlet felt her limbs shake with adrenaline. The good deacon was beyond creepy. Most thought him harmless, but there was something a little unhinged about the man. Something about the passion he brought to unearthing dirt on the people who lived in this sleepy community.

"You think you can turn people against me? You can't, missy. What you've done is a mortal sin. You oppose God. You support the devil's work." He virtually spat the words at her.

"You have a lot of nerve coming on my family's property, lurking in bushes, and throwing accusations at me. Accusations you know nothing about. For the second time, this is not about religion. This is about taking away people's right to decide for themselves. Stop judging me. It's hypocritical."

Scarlet crossed her arms and glared at the stooped older man. She might have felt sorry for him if he had not been so bitter.

"I'm no hypocrite. I stand on my principles and oppose presenting innocent children with filth."

He held up a newspaper. Looked like a Dallas one. The Local/State section showed a picture of the protest. "You're trying to make me look crazy. Trying to turn people against me, using your fame. Well, it won't work. God is on my side."

"I doubt it.”

Harvey lurched toward her. "You better think twice about who you go up against, girl. You may have the liberal media on your side, but good people know what is right."

"What is right? Trespassing? Harassment? Bullying? Is that what you preach? Is that your example of good living?" Scarlet stepped closer. She could smell his breath, see the spidering of red veins rimming his cold eyes. "I'm not scared of you, Mr. Primm. I know plenty of good people who don't agree with you. Isn't there a saying about throwing stones when you live in a glass house? Or removing a plank from your eye?”

"You better watch yourself, girl."

"Are you threatening me?" Scarlet felt the slightest tremor of fear mingle with the anger inside her. She'd lived in New York City long enough to build strong self-preservation instincts.

"No, I'm warning you."

As Scarlet studied the embittered man in front of her, something poked her psyche, and suddenly she could see what had caused Harvey to hit the warpath. She'd known his late wife. Mary had smiled often, loved theater, the arts, and wearing flowers on her hats. She would not have approved of her husband's crusade. "What would Mrs. Mary say about what you're doing, Mr. Primm?"

Harvey paused, seeming momentarily taken aback. "I'm doing what's right."

"Maybe in your mind, but I knew your wife. I'm not sure she'd approve of yanking a children's book off the shelf the way you have. And hiding in the bushes?"

He took a step away. "I wasn't hiding. I was..." His words trailed off.

Scarlet didn't retreat. He needed to hear her words. Someone needed to show him he'd colored his beliefs and shaded his world with grief. "Maybe you should take a hard look at whatyou're doing. At your intentions. You can't fix the world. That won't bring Mrs. Mary back."

"Don't say her name. You don't know anything about her. A redheaded Jezebel like you couldn't hold a candle to my wife. No matter how you cut it, witchcraft, wizards, and magic is wrong."

"So quick to judge. Those books are make believe. Fiction. Maybe you should do some reading of your own. Either of the books you held up in that photo would do.”

Anger caused the man's face to redden. "Watch the way-"

“Aunt Scarlet?"

Scarlet turned her head. Henry stood, holding his glove and ball. He'd been listening to their conversation and he looked worried.

"Mr. Primm was just leaving, Henry."

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