Page 48 of Deadly Designs

“We have a clear picture of your face.”

“You couldn’t have one. I wore a ski mask!”

Too late, Junior realized he’d confessed. The way hiseyes widened to comical proportions would’ve been amusing underother circumstances.

“I misspoke. I meant a clear shot of the tattoos onyour hand.”

Mrs. Zikes smacked her son on the back of his head,causing him to jerk forward.

“Ow.” He rubbed the spot. “Mom!”

“Byron Maurice Zikes, what did you do?”

“Nothing, Mom, I swear. I don’t know these people.You can’t believe them over your own son.”

“Byron.”

Even Christian jumped from the tone of her voice.

“Mom, the guy is an abomination. Isn’t that what youtaught me? You made me sit through sermons spouting the same thingfor years. It’s what Pastor Chet at the Church of the Enlightenedpreaches every week. The guy is a freak. He wears women’s dressesand heels and makeup and stuff.”

Mrs. Zikes’s gaze swung to Christian, and her eyesbugged. “Him?”

Junior huffed. “No, Mother. Not him. Some homo whoflaunts himself, or should I say herself, in television ads and onsocial media. Who knows what the politically correct term is? Whocares, anyway?”

Christian could feel the steam pouring from Aja Blue.She was about to blow. He didn’t blame her. He was too. Juniorneeded to be taught a lesson about acceptance.

Mrs. Zikes sniffed. “Well, the Bible does forbidit.”

“It also mentions tattoos,” Aja Blue looked pointedlyat the ink on Junior’s fist. “It is a convenient religion that letsyou pick and choose what you want to believe.”

No, the Bible didn’t directly prohibit them, butthere was a quote from Leviticus that said, “You shall not make anycuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks onyourselves.” Some people believed it forbade tattoos. Christianremembered that from a long-ago Sunday school class, and even theteacher had said they weren’t banned. Still, it was enough torattle Mrs. Zikes, who scowled at Aja Blue.

“Who are you working with, Junior?” Christiandemanded. “Or should I say, working for?” He had a feeling allJunior’s friends were on the computer.

Junior puffed out his chest. “No one.”

“This is a waste of time,” Mrs. Zikes announced. “Idon’t believe Junior has done anything wrong.”

Christian narrowed his eyes. “You’re okay withharassment? Threatening messages and disturbing packages?”

“It sounds like this thing deserved it.”

What a bitch.

“So, you twist the Bible however you want?” Aja Bluegrowled. “‘Treat others as you want to be treated. As you wishothers would do to you, do so to them.’ You want someone to do thesame to Junior?”

“That’s uncalled for,” Mrs. Zikes protested.

“You condone the destruction of property?”

She looked skeptical. “Like what?”

“Thousands of dollars of damage,” Aja Blue told her.“To my shop. Yes, I will be pressing charges.”

She might’ve been inflating the amount, but it didthe job. Mrs. Zikes swallowed heavily. She didn’t sound convincingwhen she said, “He was doing God’s work.”

“So, breaking one of the ten commandments is okay?‘Thou shall not kill.’ You think murder is acceptable?”

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