Page 6 of Trailer Trash

My car wascoughing and blowing out noxious fumes by the time I pulled into the parking lot of Skeeter’s pool hall. I prayed the stupid thing would start and get me back to the town square after I finished my task here. I might have to break down and ask Joe for help after all, and that stuck in my craw. I’d vowed never to ask my brother for money.

Dammit.I felt like my world was imploding.

I was taking plenty of risks by showing up here at ten thirty on a Tuesday morning, the biggest one being that he might not be here yet. The pool hall wasn’t his only business, but he spent most of his time here. Besides, it seemed more likely he’d be here on a weekday morning than at his strip club, the Bunny Ranch. Then again, rumor had it that Skeeter had spent several nights there last week, so maybe I should have started my search there after all. But I was here now, and I had serious doubts my car would make it to the Bunny Ranch, which was located about ten miles southwest of town, and then back to the town square. I was already here. I might as well check.

But Skeeter’s availability wasn’t my only concern. After our last encounter, I wasn’t sure how he’d receive my impromptu visit.

Last winter Skeeter and Rose had formed an unlikely symbiotic—yet secret—arrangement. She’d used her visions of the future to help him ferret out the turncoats in his newly acquired kingdom. In turn, he’d helped her protect her then-boyfriend Mason, the county’s assistant DA, from death threats. They’d saved Mason (who had, rather ungratefully, broken up with Rose and moved to Little Rock) and toppled a mutual enemy—my father, J.R. Simmons—thereby saving Skeeter’s kingdom.

Only, that hadn’t been the end of Rose’s relationship with Skeeter.

She’d taken to meeting him on Tuesday nights, even if she hadn’t told me. It fell under ourdon’t ask, don’t tellunspoken rule. I’d worried Skeeter would take advantage of her emotionally vulnerable state.

Everything came to a head a few weeks ago when Rose and I started looking for a necklace for a man I knew from high school. What had appeared to be a simple investigation had landed Rose and me smack-dab in the middle of Skeeter Malcolm’s crime world. Rose had helped avert a turf war by holding a parley between Skeeter and a new challenger, the real owner of the necklace.

The meeting might have saved the county plenty of trouble, but it had created a rift between Skeeter and Rose. She was angry because he hadn’t been truthful with her about how he’d planned to handle the situation; he was pissed because he’d wanted the necklace she’d returned to his challenger. As far as I knew, they hadn’t spoken to each other since the meeting two weeks ago. And since I was the one who’d stolen the necklace from Skeeter’s right-hand man, Jed, I was pretty sure he wasn’t too happy with me.

There was only one way to find out.

Lifting my chin, I marched inside the empty pool hall, a little surprised the door was unlocked since the sign said it was closed.

I stopped in the middle of the place, feeling on edge in the darkened room. The upended stools on the tables gave it a deserted and creepy look.

I headed toward the back, intending to make a beeline to the office, but a beefy guy appeared in the doorway to the hall, blocking my way. I recognized him as one of Skeeter’s trusted men, butIdidn’t trust him one iota.

“Get out of my way, Merv,” I said in a voice that suggested I wasn’t taking crap. “I need to speak to Skeeter.”

He crossed his arms over his bulky chest. “He’s not here. Now get the hell out.”

I narrowed my eyes and held my ground. “Then you won’t mind if I see for myself before I leave.” I tried to get around him, but he was quick for a man who could double as a prize-winning bull.

“Leave.Now.”

The look in his eyes told me he wasn’t playing, and I knew I had no right to even be here, but desperation was clawing at my insides. I needed help, and the fact that I was here in the first place meant I’d obviously resorted to begging for it, but I sure as shinola wasn’t begging for help fromhim.

My jaw clenched. “Get out of my way, Merv.”

“You need to leave.”

I took two steps back, pretending to retreat while I came up with a plan. Merv was big, but he was clumsy. If I managed to draw him out to the main room, I could bolt for the hall and make it to the office.

Backing up to a table close to the bar, I grinned as I shoved a stool to the floor. “Oops.”

“Pick it up,” he barked.

I moved sideways to another table, keeping my eyes on him as I pushed another stool to the floor. “Oops again.”

He took two steps into the room. That wasn’t enough. I need a clearer shot.

I turned my back to him, fully aware that he was hulking behind me. Choosing a table closer to the front door, I pushed all four stools to the floor in a big sweep. Then I turned to give him a defiant look. I knew he had a temper. I was counting on drawing it out.

I was a little too successful.

Merv charged for me on my left. I zigged right, skirting around the tables and aiming for the hall.

While I was running between the tables, Merv acted like the bull he resembled and plowed through tables, heading right for me. Apparently his problem wasn’t with the mess I’d made so much as the fact that I was the one who’d made it. Stools and tables went flying everywhere. I would have made it to the opening if a stool hadn’t flown into my path. It slowed me down enough to give Merv an advantage. He gave me a hard shove, slamming me with enough force the back of my head hit the wall, sending stars across my vision and momentarily stunning me.

The hall was mere feet away, but Merv stood at an equal distance, heading straight for me with dark, dangerous eyes. I bolted for the hall but barely made it a few inches before Merv’s meaty arm reached up. His fingers wrapped around my throat as he slammed me back against the wall.

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