“Forget it,” I said.
“Listen to this kid,” he said. “You got moxie, boy.”
“Not me,” I said.
“Does this kid have moxie or not?” Vickers said to his son.
“Yes, Daddy, he has,” Darrel said.
“See?” Mr. Vickers said. “I know when a boy’s got sand and when he doesn’t.” He grinned at Jo Anne. “How you doin’ tonight, little lady?”
“I’m not little, thank you,” she said. “Unless you mean my social status. Is that what you mean, Mr. Vickers? I belong to a lower social class?”
He coughed out a laugh. “Hey, what’s goin’ on here? I stopped by to be nice.”
“We’re all right here, Mr. Vickers,” I said.
“Yeah?” he said. “Then that’s good. The way to be. When a guy is having some ice cream with his lady. Isn’t that right, Darrel?”
“Yes, sir,” Darrel said.
“I think my boy might want to manage one of these. What do you say, Darrel?”
“Let’s order, Daddy.”
“What’s tasty in here, hon?” Mr. Vickers said to Jo Anne. “I mean finger-lickin’ good.”
“You’ve never been here before?” she said.
His face was licentious, like soft candy melting in front of a candle. “You’re smart. You know how to handle yourself. I like that. I like that uniform, too. The way it fits.”
“Why’d you hurt Aaron?” she said.
I touched the top of her hand. “It’s all right, Jo.”
“Aaron did nothing to you or your son, Mr. Vickers,” she said. “You beat him with a horsewhip. In the face.”
“I just told you I was sorry for that. I got a temper. What am I supposed to do?”
“We’re done, sir,” I said.
“Fine with me.” But he didn’t take his hand from my shoulder. In fact, he drummed his fingers on it. “I got a favor to ask you. You said I had a demon in me. An incubus or some stuff like that.”
“Daddy, don’t get into it,” Darrel said.
“What made you say a thing like that?” Mr. Vickers asked me.
“You’re cruel when you don’t have to be,” I said.
His tongue slid along his lips. “What do you mean when I don’t have to be? What kind of talk is that?”
“You’re pathological,” I said. “It’s not your fault.”
Mr. Vickers looked at his son. “What’s he talking about?”
“He gets it from her,” Darrel said. “She learned some intellectual words at the juco. She’s the cause of all of this. She made up those lies about us and called the cops.”
“You told Darrel I served the Prince of Darkness?” Mr. Vickers said.