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hadn’t worked from the first and he’d blamed her.
    â€œHey, pretty lady, you going to crumble or fight?”
    Lora looked up at Billy Hatcher. He didn’t seem nearly as threatening with a bandage across his forehead. “Leave me alone. I’m busy having a nervous breakdown.”
    â€œThought you had more grit, Whitman. Where’s that ‘Fight! Fight! Fight!’ cheerleader spirit?” He leaned closer and whispered, “You mad at me for slamming you to the floor?”
    â€œWhat do you want? If it’s a thanks, you got it.” Much as she hated admitting it, she might very well owe this thug her life.
    He shook his head and winked. “Wish I’d had time to enjoy climbing on top of you, but in truth, I’ll settle for one thing.”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    He offered his hand. “Friendship. Looks as if all the committee members may need someone to cover our backs. When my probation officer told me to do some community service, I had no idea it would be so exciting.”
    Hesitantly, Lora took his hand, convinced that the kid bordered on insane. “Thanks,” she answered honestly. “For what you did.”
    He pulled her away from the wall. “Friends?”
    â€œOne condition.” She smiled. “Drop the cracks about having the hots for me.”
    â€œMind if I still think them?”
    â€œNot as long as you keep them to yourself.”
    â€œFair enough, Whitman.” He lifted his bandaged hand. “How about giving me a ride to Wichita Falls? I’d like tocheck on the professor.” He picked up Sidney Dickerson’s glasses. “And take her these.”
    â€œThe hospital’s an hour away. It’ll be afternoon before we can get back.”
    â€œI know. I figured I’d offer to buy you lunch on the way back. Just lunch, no date or anything like that.”
    â€œI don’t have a car.” Lora watched the preacher fold up the contents of the professor’s case, carefully shaking glass from each piece.
    Billy dug into his right pocket. “Then you can drive my car, but that means you buy lunch.”
    Lora thought about what it would mean to go home and listen to her mother, or go back to work and have to recount what happened to every customer who walked in the door. Going to Wichita Falls with Billy Hatcher suddenly seemed like a good idea. “Want to come along, Reverend Parker?” she asked over Billy’s shoulder.
    â€œNo, thanks. I’ll see that the sisters get home. Tell Dr. Dickerson I’ll be there this evening.”
    Lora lifted her purse and glanced outside. Her mother poked a manicured finger into the chest of a campus cop blocking anyone from entering the house. Lora couldn’t hear what Isadore said but guessed the cop wouldn’t hold the line for long under such an assault.
    Turning back to Billy, Lora raised her eyebrow in question.
    â€œMy car’s out back,” he said, taking the cue. “Give me a minute to talk to the sheriff and I’ll be right there.”
    Lora nodded and slipped out of the room. The house grew cooler as she walked into the shadows but, as she’d guessed, a hallway to the back porch lay just behind the stairs.
    When she stepped outside, the wind greeted her. Leaning over the railing, Lora let her hair shake free. Tiny bitsof glass hit the broken brick walk below. She straightened, quickly wiggled out of her torn panty hose and tossed them atop a pile of windblown trash at the edge of the porch.
    As she slipped back into her shoes, Lora noticed Billy standing in the shadows behind her.
    When she turned on him, he raised both hands. “I didn’t see a thing.”
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œAnd I’m not saying a word, Whitman.”
    â€œDon’t call me that.”
    â€œYou got it, only slow down on the rules, I can only remember so many.”

CHAPTER SIX
    M icah Parker quickly found that seeing the