Page 40 of Bad to the Bone
Chapter Twenty
THEbells on the store’s front door jangled fiercely, making Alex look up from the register where he’d just finished ringing up a sale. Alanna stormed past him and slammed her wallet onto the shelf beneath the checkout counter.
“Can you believe the stupidity of some people?” she raged, whirling on Alex.
“Thank you for coming in,” he told the customer, handing him his bag and receipt, then waited until he’d walked away—with a troubled glance back to Alanna—before turning his attention to his fuming sister. “What set you off?”
“Justin and I were getting sandwiches for lunch at the Sub Station, and Stephanie Keyes and Melissa Scott were ahead of us in line. I overheard Stephanie say that she heard the police were getting ready to arrest Ricky Lee. I asked her what he was supposed to have done, and she said she heard he was some kind of drug lord. That’s supposed to be where he got the cash to pay for the car he stole from Tillman Motors after the police stopped him.”
“Oh good Lord,” Alex groaned. “I thought that rumor about his stealing the car had died down, and instead it’s getting even worse.”
“I told her it was absolute bullshit, and she insisted it was true because last night her cousin’s boyfriend’s sister saw two police cars outside the hotel where Ricky Lee’s staying—a Freeman squad car and a Comanche tribal patrol car.”
“That’s because Sam was having dinner with us and Ricky Lee’s cousin, who happens to work for the Comanche Nation police force, stopped by to introduce himself.”
“I’m so glad you never hooked up with Stephanie. I told her she was an idiot for believing things without proof, much less passing them along as gospel.”
“I’m sure that won her over.” Alex pulled Alanna into a hug. “Thank you for standing up for him, Lan, but I’m not sure how much it will help. Ricky Lee told me people were determined to believe the worst about him, and I didn’t believe him. But I’m beginning to think he was right after all.”
“I know this is your night to close, but maybe you should call Ricky Lee and let him know what people are saying about him,” Alanna suggested. “At least it would be better coming from you than from anyone else.”
Alex doubted whether telling Ricky Lee the latest rumors would change his mind about continuing to keep his wealth a secret. Knowing Ricky Lee, it might just spur him on to even more outrageous behavior.
“I don’t think there’s any good way to pass along a ridiculous slur like that.” Alex sighed. “I need to go check in with Father John. Since I missed the Habitat build on Saturday, I want to be sure they still have enough tile to finish all the floors.”
“I should have called to let him know you weren’t going to make it,” Alanna said. “Sorry, Xan.”
“I didn’t think about it myself until we were on the way home Sunday night.” The same time he realized he’d also missed church services. Alex wasn’t looking forward to having to explain to Father John where he’d been all weekend.
ALEXpulled the Morrison Hardware truck into a parking space in front of St. Michael’s small parish rectory and tried to talk himself into getting out.Putting this off won’t make it any easier. You’re almost thirty years old, not thirteen. Suck it up and take responsibility for your actions.
He was still giving himself an internal pep talk when someone tapped on his window. He looked up to find Father John smiling at him. Alex powered the window down, hoping he wasn’t blushing.
“Would you like to come inside to talk, or would you rather I join you in there?” When Alex didn’t answer, the priest opened the truck door. “Why don’t you come inside where I can offer you a cup of coffee? I have a feeling we both may need some.”
Feeling a bit like an altar boy again, Alex climbed out of the truck and followed Father John inside to the kitchen. The priest poured them each a cup of coffee from a thermal carafe and motioned for Alex to join him at the table.
The silence stretched out as Alex searched for the right words to begin. Finally Father John laughed and patted him on the shoulder.
“For heaven’s sake, Alex, whatever you’re worrying over can’t be as bad as you imagine. Just say it.”
“I feel like I should start out with ‘Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.’”
“You know very well reconciliation is much less formal now. Is that what this is?”
“I’m not sure if I can be forgiven if I don’t regret the sin,” Alex admitted quietly.
“Are you sure it is a sin, then?”
“According to the church, yes.”
“Ah well,” Father John sighed. “There are sins, and then there are sins. Would this have anything to do with your friend Ricky Lee?”
Alex nodded, sure he was blushing this time. “The reason I missed mass and the Habitat build is that I spent the weekend with him in Oklahoma City.”
“I only met him once, but I got the impression he’s someone special to you.”
“He always has been. I didn’t realize how much until he came back.”
