Nobody Can Say It's You

55

"Floyd Carlisle says that Button's will is a fake," Bill said to Hadley and Maury over dinner.

"A fake," said Maury. "Law, what's Estill gonna do?"

"I don't know," said Bill.

"Floyd just wants that property to build those luxury homes for retirees," said Hadley. "He's had his eye on Button's land for years."

"Yeah," said Bill. "The jobs would help the people in the county, but it's the people that move into those homes I worry about."

"I know," said Hadley. "Change is hard."

"You said it," said Maury. "Them Northerners flock down here like birds on migration. Build their fancy homes. Prices go sky high, and pretty soon the locals can't afford to live here no more."

Bill just shook his head. It was the way of the world. He was only one man.

It was at that moment that Onus decided to pounce right in the middle of the table and help himself to the leftover pot roast Hadley had placed on her best serving dish.

"Onus!" Hadley screamed.

"I sure am glad I already had seconds," Bill said.

"Well," said Maury, trying to hide the fact that she was mortified to see a four-legged beast scarfing down meat she'd forked into her mouth minutes ago, "it was about the best pot roast I ever had in my life."

"He's never done that before," said Hadley.

"Is it a full moon?" Maury said. "They always say the full moon brings out the crazy in everything."

"Crazy or not," said Hadley, "he knows better than that."

"I gotta run," Bill said. "Thanks for the dinner, Hadley. Me 'n' Onus thought it was scrumptious."

"Sorry 'bout that, Bill."

"Don't worry about it. When Skip was little Maury caught him playing in the toilet with her best cooking pans."

"Oh, Bill!" Maury screeched. "You promised you wouldn't tell a soul."

"It's your sister, dear," Bill said. "She doesn't count."

Onus had scampered into some back corner of the house. The small piece of roast he'd stolen had long been chewed and swallowed.

"He's never, ever done anything like that before," Hadley said. "I really don't understand it. It was like he was possessed or something."

"I tell you what's the truth, I think there are a lot of mighty strange goings on around here. A man as old as dirt running down Main Street. Lou Edna suffering the plagues of Egypt. I tell you, Hadley," Maury said, "I'd swear it was Halloween if it hadn't already passed."

"I know what you mean," said Hadley. "I've been wondering if Button wasn't involved in something. Oh, I don't mean illegal. I mean old."

"Old like what?" Maury asked.

"Old like sin-eating," said Hadley.