'I ain't up to no traveling shit storms today, Mr Smothers. I got orders about—' Bunny began.
But Vernon was already walking away from him as though he were not there.
Jack and Sammy Mace and the man with the ponytail sat down at a plank table with Emma Vanzandt. None of them paid attention to Vernon Smothers until he was three feet from their table.
'How you doin', Vernon?' Jack said.
&nbs
p; 'Your boy and his friends vandalized my house and humiliated my son,' Vernon said.
'I don't think that's true,' Jack said.
'Go ask Bunny Vogel. He's the little Judas Iscariot hepped Darl do it.'
Jack blew out his breath.
'This isn't the place for it. Come to my office,' he said.
'I know you for the type man you are, Jack Vanzandt. That man next to you is a goddamn criminal,' Vernon said.
'Hey! This is a private club here. You watch your language,' Sammy Mace said.
'Get up, Jack,' Vernon said.
The man with the ponytail put his hand on top of Jack's forearm. 'It's all right. I'll walk this guy to his truck. Is that your truck there, big man?' he said.
'No,' Jack said. 'Listen, Vernon. Kids get into trouble. It doesn't make it any better if the parents fight. Now—'
Vernon reached out and, with the flat of his hand, popped Jack on one cheek.
'You ain't no war hero. You just a rich man bought all the right people,' he said.
'Jack, put an end to this,' Emma said.
But Bunny Vogel had already called the sheriff's department, and Mary Beth's cruiser had been only two hundred yards from the skeet club when the dispatcher's voice came over her radio.
She turned off the highway and drove onto the grass almost to the pavilion, got out of her cruiser and slipped her baton through the ring on her belt.
She went straight for the source of the problem, Vernon Smothers.
'You're trespassing, sir… No, there won't be any debate about it. You get in your truck and drive back on the highway,' she said.
'Hey, we got the marines here,' Sammy Mace said.
'You shut up,' Mary Beth said.
'What?' Sammy said.
'In your truck, Mr Smothers,' Mary Beth said.
'Hey, what'd you just say to me?' Sammy Mace asked.
'I said you stay out of this unless you want to go to jail,' she replied.
Sammy opened his hands and made a shocked expression to the man in the ponytail.
'You believe this broad?' he asked.