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"Organic"

"Yeah You know ‘How ’bout them Spurs? Nice weather Wanna help us find Frankie’s killer?’ "

"We’re so-o dead"

THE VAN BUMPED UP THE DRIVEWAY

I looked at Ralph and tried to gauge hoas doing

Before we hooked up with his cousin, Ralph had called his sister and asked about the baby His sister orried out of her , but the baby was fine She told Ralph all this, then demanded to speak to et hihter"

I could hear Lucia Jr in the background, banging on a pot and saying, Ab, ab, ab I said, "I’ll do my best"

"You’ll do it," the sister insisted "No accident Ralph came to you You’re the one he respects the otta keep hie"

I didn’t bother protesting that we’d grown pretty far apart I just pro I could

"You knohy he got involved with the Whites, don’t you? You understand why he had to help Frankie?"

Before I could ask what she otiate with ized Ralph He didn’t seem as depressed He talked more But there was also a new restlessness in his nized it, unfortunately It was the way Ralph acted when he was anticipating a fight

He looked at hts "My sister wanted you to hold ured I’d be the one with the wife and kid She always figured I’d live that shit through you You know?"

I wasn’t sure I wanted to know

The tamale truck slowed

I hazarded a look out the front windshield, but Ralph’s cousin ilih to shohy

Ahead of us, where the driveway divided, an angry-looking blond wo for us with all the seriousness of Nazis at a checkpoint

"YOU’RE NEW," THE WOMAN SNAPPED

"Y-yes,silence

I made myself small behind a column of tah the front," the woman said "Why do you look so nervous?"

Her voice didn’t otten of her

She’d looked young, like a pissed-off sorority girl, but she sounded like ray beehive and the paddle hanging from the chalkboard

"S-sorry, ma’am," Ralph’s cousin said "I just don’t want to ravel--the leather jacket goon, ot my spiel ready, should he open the doors I hoped I’d have time to smile and say "Would you like a free sample?" before he shot us

Finally, the woht The kitchen entrance is marked You can read?"

"Yes, ma’am," Ralph’s cousin exhaled "Thank you"

We lurched into drive

I tried not to worry about the woo so easily?

Ralph’s cousin rolled up his

"Good job, ese," Ralph told hi as much as ere "Did you see that lady’s eyes? I think she was going to gut e," I said

The cousin glanced back at e for what? Ax murderers?"

The back laas the size of a football field and just about as busy Workers were draping garlands on the bandstand gazebo, erecting a large white tent pavilion next to the swi thee of the property, where the ground sloped down to a stand of live oaks along the banks of Ol the entire forest with Christuessed

"For a thousand friends," I agreed

The cousin parked the van Seconds later, he opened our doors

"Clear," he reported unconvincingly

Ralph and I clirease Ralph’s jacket steamed in the cold air

"Two cans of pork" The cousin shoved canisters at one Don’t tell me how your visit turns out"

"Thanks, ese," Ralph said

"Relatives," the cousin grued our tamales to the service entrance, the cousin’s van had disappeared around the drive

Inside, Guy White’s kitchen was a cavern of white er than any apartours, vases of flowers I was too busy getting the crap burned out of s until I found a free space to park my tamales

"Damn" Ralph rubbed his red hands "Nohat?"

A female voice behind us said, "Now, you explain"

We turned

Standing in an interior doorway, the angry young blonde was pointing a nine-millimeter pistol at my head

SHE ESCORTED US INTO THE MAIN foyer, to the base of the presidential staircase, where her leather-jacketed friend aiting