hung in the air,

dare you speak to me like that?" she shrieked, pointing a tremb

a rabid dog and a rattlesnake. "Erin, please," he mumbl

redator's focus. "Why wouldn't I dare? Should I remind you how y

or drained from both Cletus's and Brenda's

slightly agape. This was clearly a chap

you were there every day, weren't you, Brenda? Not to offer comfort. To se

da stammered, her lips trem

ll me, Cletus Price. Swear to God that you didn't m

stared at the floor, his s

ather's bowed head. The confusion in her expression was sl

oftening slightly, but losing none of its edge. "It was the last thing my mother gave me. After she died,

room for argument. It made Tiffany's

klace from her throat and threw it on the floor.

e silver locket lying on the

ce returning to its flat, hard tone. "

recovered from the shock, and now she saw an opening,

inted nail. "I think Patty was cleaning out the storage closet a whi

cleaning lady. The insul

s. A palpable chill radiated from her, so intense that even

point. "Don't what? Tell the truth? Who keeps a box of dead person's du

own venom. "Yeah, 'sister'," she sneered. "It's probably

the breakdown. For the satisfyi

ever

. It was a quiet, un

roll up the sleeve

hite, and jagged, a long, ugly line running from her wrist almost to t

h the fingers of her other hand

w I got this?"

smerized and confused

d, you got drunk, Cletus. You were angry I hadn't heated up your dinner. Yo

He looked like he was going to be sick. The m

stood there. You said I deserved it. You said

any. "And you were peeking fro

e. When she looked up, the smile was gone. In its p

ou gave me. Now I'm back to sett

bored i

with my mot