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billy t. slanted caroline a leer, letting his gaze crawl up her legs, slide over her belly and breasts. "leave her be, tuck. maybe after i've finished smearing you over the road, she'd like to come on and have a peer with a real man."

that brought her chin up. "the only thing i see out here are a couple of sulky schoolboys. tucker, i don't know what's gotten into you, but i'd like you to drive me home. right now."

billy t. grinned and flipped away the toothpick. "got you pussy-whipped already? getting your plookie regular, tuck?"

outraged, caroline stepped forward, only to be brought up short by the arm tucker shot out.

"now, that's no way to talk about a lady, billy t., but we'll get to that in a minute. i figured we should have a word about my car."

"heard your car was down in jackson getting the pleats ironed out of it."

"you heard correctly. you and me, we never got along too well. and i don't figure we'll get along in the future, but i just can't let what you did to my car go by."

billy t. snorted and spat. "way i heard it, you wrecked that car."

"yeah, after you snuck into sweetwater like a polecat and diddled with it." tucker knew billy t.'s brain wasn't his strong point, and lied with clear eyes. "darleen let on how you poked those holes in the lines. guess that wasn't very loyal of her, after you gave her josie's lipstick."

"she's nothing but a lying slut."

"that may be, but i reckon she's telling the truth about this."

billy t. swung back the hair that fell across his forehead. "and what if she is? you can't prove it." his lips stretched over his teeth in a sneer. "i can stand right here and tell you that i done it. i walked right down your fancy lane and poked holes in your fancy car. darleen was feeling blue about your breaking edda lou's heart, so i did it to make her feel better. and because i hate your ever-fucking guts. but you ain't going to prove it."

as if considering, tucker took out a cigarette. "you may have a point there, but that doesn't mean you're going to get off clean." he broke off the tip of the cigarette, lighted it. caroline took a step back. she recognized that tone, and that look. "it occurred to me that maybe somebody in my family might have taken my car out that morning. maybe one of them who doesn't handle the wheel as well as i do. you know, billy t., that just pisses me off."

"you want to do something about it?"

tucker studied the tip of his cigarette. "i guess i do. i gotta say i don't care for the idea of getting my face pounded on again."

"you always was a chickenshit." grinning, billy t. spread his arms. "go ahead, take your best shot."

"well, since you put it that way." tucker kicked him squarely in the crotch.

billy t. doubled over and a sound escaped him like air coming out of a pressure cooker. still clutching himself, he went down on the side of the road. when tucker crouched down and took a firm hold on his bruised genitals, billy t.'s eyes rolled back in his head.

"don't pass out, boy, not until i finish what i've got to say. you may start thinking again once your nuts slide down from your throat, and i want you to think about this. listening?"

"ga" was about the only sound billy t. could make.

"good. you know who holds the note on your family's land? payment's been late three months running. i'd sure feel bad if i had to foreclose. and that cotton gin where you occasionally find the time to put in a few hours a week? by coincidence, it so happens i own that, too. now, you want to have a reprisal against me, i guess i can't stop you. but you'll lose your land, and your job, and as god is my witness, i'll do my best to turn you into a soprano while i'm at it." he bore down with his fingers to make his point. all billy t. could do was moan and roll into a ball. "i was mighty fond of that car," tucker said with a sigh. "and as it turns out, i'm fond of this lady here that you insulted. so, don't mess with me again, billy t. i'm not a skinny ten-year-old anymore."

"leave me alone," billy t. managed to get out. "you broke something. you broke my works."

"don't worry, they'll bounce back. that's why they call them balls." when he rose, tucker noticed that caroline had dropped the pup, who was now relieving himself on billy t.'s shoes. he grinned, but gathered the dog up. "now, that's adding insult to injury."

he turned to where caroline was standing on the edge of the road, mouth agape, eyes wide. tucker hitched the pup under his arm. "come on, sugar. i'll give you that ride home now."

"you're just going to leave him there?" she craned her neck as tucker pulled her to the oldsmobile.

"that's the plan. i was thinking we could go take in a movie tonight."

"a movie," she said blankly. "tucker, i just stood there and watched you kick that man in the..."

"we call them privates in polite company. scoot on over, unless you want to drive."

rubbing a hand to her temple, she did. "but that's fighting dirty, isn't it?"

"all fighting's dirty, caroline, which is why i dearly love to avoid it." he leaned over to give her a quick kiss before starting the engine. in an absent move, he tossed billy t.'s keys across the road. "now, about that movie?"

caroline let out a long breath. "what's playing?"