Page 31 of Promise Keeper

"Not when that man is you and your waving around a stick on fire! Give that back to her!"

"Roy, you old coot!" Johnna called, hustling up to help. "If you were fifty years younger that wouldn't be a good idea."

"You're just jealous," Roy said.

Ginger backed up and barked at the fire. She was afraid.

"Don't be scared, Gingie," he told her. "Daddy's learning a new trick."

"Daddy?" Johnna snorted. "More like grandpappy."

Ginger barked and whined.

"Okay, okay," Roy said, handing the fire stick back to the fire eater. "I don't want to upset my best girl."

He thanked the fire eater and approached Ginger. "All right now, it's okay." He bent down and cupped her face between his hands. "You want to go home and have some ice cream and watch Mash reruns?" She licked his cheek and he kissed her nose.

“First,” I said, pulling him aside so Johnna didn’t overhear, “you tell me what you know.”

Roy frowned and stuck his hands in his pockets. "So I talked to them fellas at the Cornerstone, and it wasn't what you and me wanted to hear."

My stomach sank. "What did they say?"

"There were a couple bones scattered on the ground and the one guy picked them up and tossed them in the dumpster. You know, he though they were bones from baby back ribs that got thrown away with dinner and the coons got into them."

"Maybe it was the raccoons. The body had some ribs missing."

"That don't explain what Soapy was doing out in the middle of the night cleaning out his shed, though, does it?" He shook his head and called to Johnna, "Take us home, Jeeves."

She pressed her lips together. "One of these days I'm going to dump your old bones in my trunk and accidentally forget you're back there."

"Cameron, you heard that," Roy called to me. "If I go missing, here's your first suspect."

Johnna chuckled. "Suspects would be lined up around the block if you went missing."

I watched them bicker all the way to Johnna's car, their dogs nipping and teasing each other as much as their owners.

14

Islept in the next morning having stayed up all night the one before. I'd painted faces until almost ten o'clock and Cass juggled her heart out. She was good, too. I knew she could play any string instrument she got her hands on, but her talents seemed to be many and varied. Andy came out when he got off work and was so surprised to see her performing alongside the fire eater, he got out his camera and started filming. I wasn't sure what direction his documentary was taking these days, but Metamora was filled with, well...as Steve would put it, odd and strange things to get on film.

Cass seemed to have renewed faith in his interest in her after that. Anyone could look good in a tight dress and heels, but Alexis Hartline didn't juggle on air.

"Look who's finally awake," Ben said, as I strolled into the kitchen.

"Yeah, what are you doing home?" I sniffed. "Wait. Is that coffee I smell?"

"I knew you'd want a cup when you got up."

I threw my arms around him. "You're the best."

He sniffed. "I know, I know. And the news will go better with coffee, anyway."

"News?" I didn't want news that had to be delivered with coffee.

"My mom and dad are coming home today."

"Today? They're supposed to be gone all week!"

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