Watson - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,28

Or maybe I would have just taken you out and been done with you.”

“You aren’t my son’s anything, you cunt. I’ll say when he can marry and to whom. And when he marries, it will be someone like me.” Rayne laughed, and he and his dad leaned back and let Rayne take over. “What the hell is so funny now?”

“You and the other women. Thinking that you’re going to get out. You’re not. Not unless it’s in a black body bag and you’re no longer breathing.” Mother said she lied. “No. Again, that would be you. Because of your stupidity in deciding that you all should have the same trial, did you know that you’ve been charged with the murder of Eita Wilkerson, as well as Holly Wilkerson? Yeah, when you lumped all the stupid people into one trial, you get them all. Here, let me read it to you.”

“I did nothing to murder our dear Eita. Sure, I had a hand in a couple of the things around town, but I had nothing to do with Eita being dead.” Rayne picked up the paperwork from the attorney’s office. “Give that to me. You have no rights to anything with my name on it. You probably can’t read anyway. I heard that your kind is as stupid as they come.”

“I can read this just fine.” The other two women came into the room then and were chained to their places too. But they were far apart, Wats noticed. He wondered if that was by plan or necessity. “Fourteen counts of murder in the first degree. Twelve counts of murder in the second degree. Intent to do harm to a federal officer. Murder of a federal sitting judge. You guys sure do like to kill off people, don’t you? Robbery. Manslaughter. Prostitution. Selling of a minor. Well, I’m sure you guys know the rest of this list. I mean, they did tell you this, like fifty times when you got here. By the way, do you have memory issues? That’s the only reason I can think of that you’d be thinking you’ve done nothing wrong. I mean, seriously, there isn’t any way you can think you’re getting out of here unless you have some sort of dementia or have had a stroke.” Rayne turned to him. “Did your mother dearest have a stroke, Wats?”

“His name is Watson, and no, I have not had a stroke. I can remember things very well, and you can bet that I’m going to get you when I—”

“Yes, yes, I know. When you get out of here. You’re not, so I’m not worried about you any more than I am the other two women you’re locked up with. You’re just lucky that Ohio is no longer using lethal injection to kill off dirtbags like you.” Rayne got close to his mother, and he stood up. If she so much as harmed Rayne, he’d kill his mother without a second thought. They all watched as Mother leapt at Rayne, gnashing her teeth at her like a wild animal. “Yes, it really is too bad. I mean, if they would allow it, I’d take you out right now so that no one has to fuck with you and the other two. I just had a thought. You went from being the bitches five to only three of you. To me, that’s good. Perhaps you guys will continue to kill each other off or yourself, and the state will save a good deal of money.”

“I loathe you.” Rayne smiled at his mother. “When I get out of here—”

Rayne slapped his mother hard enough to jerk her head around. Blood poured from a split on her lip, and her cheek bore the print of her hand. When Mother started to speak again, Rayne hit her twice more.

No one moved in the room, not the guards nor any of the family that had come up here. Mother seemed as shocked as he’d ever seen her. It wasn’t until his dad started applauding that Wats knew this was about the best way to deal with someone like his mother.

“You’ve been told quite enough that you’re not getting out of here. None of you are. If I have to stand here and slap you around until you understand, I will. Say it after me, Tina, I’m not getting out of here.” Mother said she was and that she was going to kill her—another slap to her face, more blood on her nose and