Cyrus: Swamp Heads by Esther E. Schmidt Page B

Now.”
    She stomps her red cowboy boot, that’s clearly seen better days, and points in the opposite direction of the house. My house .
    “Careful now, I could say the same thing… and that would mean your tight ass would be walking those hot boots away from my house .”
    There’s a low growl and her fists are clenching. I don’t know if she’s more offended by me addressing her tight ass, hot boots or the fact that I just told her that’s my house and not hers.
    Except, she turns back and groans. “Paaaaaa… What the hell did you do now?”
    The old man looks around him, as if he’s searching for the man she’s calling pa. Bertie turns her head back at me. “You got the paperwork to back this up?”
    I nod and open the car door to grab a copy of the papers. Handing them over she takes a look and her eyes find mine. Shit. Sadness and defeat. Such a huge effin difference from the fire that was blazing in those dark gray thunderous eyes a moment ago.
    She walks over to her dad and holds out the paper in front of his nose. “Why the hell did ya sign this, Pa? Why? You know we don’t need the cash and you guys sure as hell don’t have any place else to go.”
    The old man looks it over and points at his signature. He gives a smile and the only two teeth the man has are on display. “Wilbur gave me a bag of jelly beans if I signed. So I did.”
    Dropping the hand with the paper, she smacks her forehead with the other. She mutters. “Wilbur. Of course. Why the hell else would that sneaky little weasel disappear into thin air without leaving so much as a note?”
    Turning she takes a few steps toward me, stops and throws back, “Jelly beans, Pa? Really?”
    Shaking her head, she walks back to me. “Listen, this is all a big mistake. Clearly you can see my pa isn’t in his right mind. So I’ll just give you your money back and you can go back to your city life.”
    My eyes rove up and down that delightful body. “You got that kinda cash lyin’ around, Ma Poupée? ”
    Fury laces her voice. “Not your Poupée. Mudfoot.”
    “Tsk tsk. Now, that’s no way to speak when you’re doin’ business.”
    She glares at me until I give her the amount, then fear flashes for a moment before she controls her emotions.
    “What if I pay you half now and you loan me the other half? I’ll track down that weasel brother of mine and get you the cash as soon as I can. Deal?”
    My hand strokes my beard, pulling it slightly at the end while I think things over.
    “Well?” Her voice is demanding. Clearly this feisty girl doesn’t have much patience.
    My gaze zips in the direction of her father. “Sir. Do you have anything valuable to pawn or to sweeten the deal?”
    By the sound of his cracking voice he seems to think things over. “Valuable? I don’t think I have… Maybe my daughter...”
    Bingo.
    Not letting him finish that sentence, I jump in, “How about half of the money now and your daughter as leverage for the other half.”
    “Hell no! My pa meant to say, maybe I’d have somethin’, and you damn well know it. Not happening. I ain’t no darn lady of pleasure or servant for your sleazy ass. Go and buy yourself a hooker or two for all I care.”
    She’s cut off by her father shouting, “Hey mister…”
    My eyes stay on her while I answer, “Yeah?”
    “You got jelly beans?”
    My chuckle seems to spike her anger because right now she looks like she wants to murder me here on the spot.
    I answer her father truthfully. “I can get my hands on as many as you’d like.”
    The old man jumps out of his chair like a effin five-year-old and starts to run towards me with his hand out. “You got yourself a deal!”
    Before she can get one word out of that pretty mouth I take her father’s hand and shake on it. “Deal.”
    “No. Freaking. Way.” She fumes.
    Letting go of her dad’s hand, I step toward her. “Better believe it… Ma Poupée .” I groan out that little endearment and I can see her anger