Raylan_ A Novel - Elmore Leonard [45]
She said, “It’s tomorrow I’m coming, not today.”
“I know,” Pervis said, “I want to make sure I’m home from Cumberland and hear you come in the door sayin, ‘I’m ho-ome.’ I get that tug in my groin. What I’d like you to do, locate Dewey Crowe and let me know where he’s at.”
Rita said, “What is it you need fucked up?”
See how smart she was?
Rita was back in a minute. “He left word he’s in Harlan. Will be at the Dairy Queen from noon on, takin orders.”
“Oh yeah, he’s sellin whiskey.”
Noon on the dot Pervis called Dewey’s cell. Dewey, no life in his voice, said, “Yeah?”
Pervis said, “That’s how you answer a phone?”
There was a pause. Dewey came back on showing life.
“Is this Uncle Pervis I’m speakin to?”
“You recognize my voice.”
“Yes sir, and pleased to hear it.”
“You goin to Cumberland tomorrow for the meeting?”
“What meeting’s that?”
Pervis said to the nitwit, “The one at the high school. Am I gonna see you there?”
“Yes sir, I was thinkin of goin.”
“Boy, what’re you doin in Harlan?”
“Sellin hooch I get in Cumberland and mark up.”
“You doin all right?”
“I clear least two bucks a fifth.”
The boy needed help, bad.
Pervis said, “Since I lost my two sons, you’re the only Crowe left to carry on what I consider my life’s chore. You understand what that is?”
“Is that true? I’m your only kin?”
“I’m not leavin you my business,” Pervis said. “I’m referrin to my property, Big Black Mountain.”
There was a silence.
“Sir, you telling me you own Big Black?”
Pervis believed everybody in East Kentucky knew it but this moron. Pervis said, “I do, and when I’m gone the mountain’ll be entrusted to you.”
“I’m gonna own it?”
Nervous excitement in his voice.
“Do anything I want with it?”
Already close to selling it off.
“You have to promise me,” Pervis said, “you won’t ever part with it. Casper Mott finds out you’re gonna inherit my mountain, he’ll have me run over by a coal truck and work on you to get it. I’m gonna let him know today there’s no chance of his buyin it off me.”
Dewey said, “Casper Mott, he’s already rich as kings.”
“The day you sell Big Black you’d be richer. But I’m countin on you to preserve the highest peak in Kentucky for the enjoyment of the people livin here. You have to promise me, Dewey . . . you listenin?”
“Yes sir?”
“You won’t ever sell it. You’ll pass the mountain on to your heirs”—if the moron ever had any—“with their promise they won’t sell it either. You give me your word on it?”
“I get the mountain when you’re gone?”
“It’s how it works you inherit somethin.”
“But I can’t make any money off it?”
“You want your mountain stripped of its majesty?”
You bet he did.
“I’ll meet you tomorrow in Cumberland,” Pervis said, “in front of the high school. I want to see you wearin a clean shirt, a suit if you have one and no gator teeth. Boy, you’re heir to the richest mountain in the state of Kentucky. How’s that make you feel?”
Dewey said, “Well, yeah, Jesus.”
“You won’t say a word about it this evening.”
“No sir.”
Like hell he wouldn’t.
Noon there he was in a borrowed suit too big for him, no gator teeth showing, standing by the school doors checkin out girls’ asses.
Pervis got out of Casper’s limo and hung back, letting Casper go on ahead with Ms. Conlan and Raylan. He saw Raylan take her arm and she brushed his hand away. Casper had said before she got in the limo what he’d like to do to her. Suck her toes, play around with each little piggy with his tongue . . . Pervis asked him did he ever lick his way up to think of havin sexual intercourse with Ms. Conlan. He said Oh sure, lots of times. Pervis believed Casper would try to set him up for Ms. Conlan, who’d make the pitch for his mountain. Pervis wouldn’t mind hearin it even though he’d give the mountain to Rita when the time came and she’d hold on to it till she got tired of hearing offers pitched at her and finally pick the best one. She’d have dudes comin at her and she’d set one or two aside for fun, fun bein the girl’s nature. He’d like to see what Raylan’d do if Rita