“You should know you were born in this armpit of the world.”
“And I’m glad to be back in my Lil’ Ol’ armpit of the world.”
“I thought you loved the Blue Grass—”
“Don’t get me wrong, Vaughn. Working with Dr. Janopolis at Fort Campbell was great. The Blue-Grass state is a nice place, but there’s nothing that can beat my sweet home, Alabama,” Diana laughed.
“The guys at the base have a joke,” Vaughn King said, driving.
“Don’t tell me they’re making fun of my birthplace now?”
“Kind of.”
“Vaughn, you know I don’t like outsiders making fun of my hometown.”
“Stop being so defensive, or I won’t tell you.”
“Oh, tell me, tell me, Vaughn. I promise I won’t get mad.”
“They say, ‘Sir if I screw up here, how can the army punish me? I’m already here at Fort Rucker’,” Vaughn said, laughing.
“Aw, geez…the men don’t know Dixie. It certainly ain’t all that bad if nearly one-third of Americans live in the south,” Diana said. “Shish, they could easily be reassigned to a cold place like Alaska,” she said dryly. “And those ungrateful bastards would be colder than a witches tit even in the summer. My family’s been here since—”
“Okay! Okay, Diana. I got it. I know your people been here since General Edmund Rucker was a—”
“No, that was after the civil war eighteen sixty-one to eighteen sixty-five. And the department of the army named the fort after him. But my family has been here since eighteen forty-five I’ll let you know that my great, great, great pappy was here—”
“And they have streets named after them, right?” Vaughn said, completing his rankled wife’s rant.
“Damn right! And I’m very proud of that, Vaughn! They should’ve named that damn fort after my great grand-pappy! I know for sure that he fought right alongside General Rucker and protected the general’s ass a few times. So there!”
“We always tease each other about such things even while spending time with friends,” Diana King continued in a soft, but emotionally shaken voice.
“Do you know all the names of the friends you were with at the golf course?” Sharkey asked.
“I do know some of them, detective.”
“Can you also include the names of those friends you spent the day with while making out your statement?”
“I sure can. At least the names I know. While we were playing golf, other people were on the course, and I don’t think I know all their names.”
“That’s alright. Write down the names you know and any other information such as phone numbers, address etcetera,” Sharkey said, shoving Diana’s pad.
Under the intense scrutiny of Sharkey’s watchful eyes, Diana thought for a few beats. Then she started writing on the pad. She glanced at the writing pad before handing it to the detective.
“A rainstorm blew in, and we planned on meeting at the Ponderosa in Enterprise. Then we all ran to our cars. Vaughn and I took the shortcut through the base. Vaughn suggested we could stop at my office to get the file I needed.”
“Do you recall the name of the file?” McAlister asked.
“Yes, Gonzalez…”
“And your husband was supposed to pick up this file you needed?” Sharkey asked.
“Vaughn was supposed to get the file the day before…”
“You mean, on Saturday?”
“Yes, but I was delayed at the hairdresser, and couldn’t do it. So I had asked Vaughn to do it for me.”
“You planned to pick it up that same day?”
“Not really. I wanted to get it, but we spent the day, ah twelve ‘til a little after seven. Vaughn decided to make a quick stop so I could get the file. Then we’d make it to the restaurant, which wasn’t very far away, ” Diana said.
“What time did you get to the office?” McAlister asked.
“We got there around seven-thirty…” Diana said, reflecting.
“And what happened when you got there?” McAlister asked.
“Nothing. I ran upstairs because the rain was about to come down,” Diana said.
“And your husband was alone in the car?” Sharkey asked.
“Yes.”
“Did he look worried or angry?”
“No, he was hungry but still in a good mood.”
“You said you wouldn’t get mad, baby?” King said, pulling to a stop.
He looked at her eyes and saw the beautiful woman he married. Vaughn King reminded himself that the marriage counselor told him to do everything he could to make his wife happy. It was the only way his marriage wouldn’t end in a divorce. He knew Diana was unhappy, and he didn’t want to irritate her further. His smile was soft.
“Babe, I hope you’re not—”
“I’m not, dear. You know that ‘round here us folks—we don’t get mad—we just get even. So it doesn’t make me no never-mind,” Diana smiled.
While unbuckling her seatbelt, Diana’s lips touched Vaughn’s cheek with a soft kiss. Before she could exit the vehicle, Vaughn’s tongue teased her into a deep, long kiss. He hugged her and tried to hold her back. Diana wiggled free of his gasp then shoved a gift box at him.
“And to show you exactly what I mean. Here,” Diana said, closing her bag. “Smoke one of these cigars while you’re thinking of how to make up to me.”
“Oh, honey, my favorite Cuban cigar. Where did you get—”
“I got it for you at the gift shop.”
“That’s soo cool. Thanks, honey.”
“I won’t be long,” she said, getting out the car and slamming the door.
“I’m holding you to that. If I die of hunger…” Vaughn said, smiling. “It’ll be your fault…” his voice trailed when he saw Diana quickly disappeared upstairs to her office, overlooking the town square.
Shrugging, Vaughn opened the box of cigars. Romeo Y Juliet, he smiled, and immediately removed one from the pack. Sniffing the length of the cigar, Vaughn couldn’t resist the flavor and lit it. Then he took a long, deep puff with the thought of the lovemaking after the fight. He exhaled, relaxing in the smoke’s taste, wishing the spats with his wife never happened.
Vaughn’s eyes settled on a giant statue of a woman holding an insect pest. He wanted to make his marriage last because Diana deserved it. The thought stirred Vaughn’s mind.
“Even though I don’t like it. Vaughn was probably smoking a cigar.”
“What do you mean, ‘I don’t like it’?” Sharkey asked.
“I hate the smell of cigars. But it was what Vaughn did…”
“Smoking cigars?” Sharkey asked.
“Yes.”
“What happened next?” McAlister asked.
“I couldn’t have been upstairs for more than five minutes. Then I heard the commotion—”
“How long were you gone? Approximately…?” Sharkey asked, interrupting Diana.