Gates of Paradise (Casteel 4)

up agin, and make ya the best meal this side of

paradise."

"I'll take you up on that, Rye."

His face grew serious again.

"Them spirits didn't stay away neither, did they,

Miss Annie?"

"I guess not, Rye."

He nodded and looked at Aunt Fanny. "What's he been drinkin'? Lawd, what a place." "Only drinks to prevent snakebite, miss." "Is that so?"

Rye's eyes twinkled.

"Yes, ma'am, and it works cause I never been

bit." "Let's go, Luke," Aunt Fanny said and nodded

toward the front door. Luke opened it, but just as he

came back to push me out, we heard Tony's scream.

All of us turn to look up the stairway. He was

standing at the top, holding his fist high.

"You take that girl out of this house and you're

responsible for whatever happens. I've already called

her doctor. He's enraged."

"Well, you jist tell him ta go see a doctor

himself, then," Aunt Fanny said, and chuckled at her

own reply. Without further hesitation, she waved

Luke forward and he started to wheel me out of the

house.

"Stop!" Tony shouted. He came charging down

the stairway.

"That man's loco," Aunt Fanny muttered. "Stop," he repeated, approaching us. "You can't

take her from here. She's mine."

"Yours?" Aunt Fanny started to laugh

disdainfully.

"She is mine! She is!" He took a deep breath