The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires - Grady Hendrix Page 0,33

her and Carter’s bank account. She knew she should have but instead it sat in her closet, tucked inside a pair of white gloves. She liked having it in her hands too much to let it go.

“Don’t let the air conditioning out,” she said.

She led James Harris into the living room and when she saw everyone’s faces she realized she really should have made those phone calls and prepared them.

“Everyone, this is James Harris,” Patricia said, putting on a smile. “I hope y’all don’t mind if our new neighbor sits in tonight.”

The room got quiet.

“Thank you all so much for letting me join you,” James Harris said.

Grace coughed softly into a Kleenex.

“Well,” Kitty said. “Having a man around will certainly liven things up. Welcome, tall dark stranger.”

James Harris sat down on the sofa beside Maryellen, across from Kitty and Grace, and everyone pulled their legs together, tucked their skirts beneath their thighs, and straightened their spines. Kitty reached for the cheese tray, then pulled her hand back and held it in her lap. James Harris cleared his throat.

“Did you read this month’s book, James?” Slick asked. She showed him the cover of her copy of The Bridges of Madison County. “We read Helter Skelter last month, and we’re reading Ann Rule’s The Stranger Beside Me next month, so this felt like a nice break.”

“You ladies read a strange assortment of books,” James Harris said.

“We’re a strange assortment of broads,” Kitty replied. “Patricia says you’ve decided to live here even after what your aunt did to her.”

Patricia brushed her hair over her left ear and opened her mouth to say something nice.

“Great-aunt,” James Harris said before Patricia could speak.

“That’s cutting it a bit fine,” Maryellen said.

“I’m surprised you don’t mind the notoriety,” Kitty said.

“I’ve been looking a long time for a community like this,” James said with a smile. “Not a neighborhood, but a real community, away from all the chaos and change in the world, where people still have old-fashioned values, and kids can play outside all day until they’re called in for supper. And just when I’d given up on ever finding someplace like that, I came to take care of my great-aunt and found what I’d been looking for all along. I’m a very lucky man.”

“Did you already join a church?” Slick asked.

“And there’s no Mrs. Harris joining you?” Kitty asked over her.

“No,” James Harris said, addressing Kitty. “No children. No family, besides my great-aunt.”

“That’s peculiar,” Maryellen said.

“What church do you belong to?” Slick asked again.

“Who do you read?” Kitty asked.

“Camus, Ayn Rand, Herman Hesse,” James Harris said. “I’m a student of philosophy.” He smiled at Slick. “I’m afraid I don’t belong to any organized religion.”

“Then you haven’t really thought it through,” Slick said.

“Herman Hesse,” Kitty said. “Pony read Steppenwolf in his English class. It sounded like the kind of thing boys like.”

James Harris turned the full force of his smile on Kitty.

“And Pony is your…?” he asked.

“My oldest boy,” Kitty said. “Everyone calls his father Horse, so we call him Pony. Then there’s Honey, who’s a year older, and Parish, who turns thirteen this summer and is driving all of us crazy. And Lacy and Merit, who can’t stand to be in the same room together.”

“What does Horse do?” James asked.

“Do?” Kitty said, and sputtered out a laugh. “I mean, he doesn’t do anything. We live on Seewee, so he has to clear scrub, and do burns, and there’s always something to fix. I mean, when you live at a place like that it’s a full-time job just to keep the roof from falling in.”

“I used to do property management out in Montana,” James said. “I expect he could teach me a lot.”

Montana? Patricia wondered.

“Horse? Teach someone?” Kitty laughed and turned to the rest of the room. “Did I tell y’all about Horse’s pirate treasure? Someone came along looking for investors to hunt underwater pirate treasure, or Confederate