The real cool killers

She had sloe eyes with long black lashes that looked secretive. She threw a quick defiant look at Sissie and said, "Don't include me in that."

"Did you tell Granny?" Sheik asked.

"Of course not."

"It was your lover, Caleb," Sheik said brutally. She gave a shriek and charged at Sheik, clawing and kicking. "You dirty bastard!" she cried. "You're always picking at me." Sissie pulled her off. "Shut up and keep your mouth shut," she said tightly. "You tell her," Sheik said. "It was Caleb, all right," Sissie said. "Caleb!" Sugartit screamed and flung herself face down across the bed. She was up in a flash, hurling accusations at Sheik. "You did it. You got him killed. On account of me. 'Cause he had the best go and you couldn't get me to do what you made Sissie do." "That's a lie," Sissie said. "Caleb!" Sugartit screamed at the top of her voice. "Shut up, Granny will hear you," Choo-Choo said. "Granny! Caleb's dead! Sheik killed him!" she screamed again. "Stop her," Sheik commanded Sissie. "She's getting hysterical and I don't want to have to hurt her." Sissie clutched her from behind, put one hand over her mouth and twisted her arm behind her back with the other. Sugartit looked furiously at Sheik over the top of Sissie's hand. "Granny can't hear," Inky said. "The hell she can't," Choo-Choo said. "She can hear when she wants to." "Let me go!" Sugartit mumbled and bit Sissie's hand. "Stop that!" Sissie said. "I'm going to him," Sugartit mumbled. "I love him. You can't stop me. I'm going to find out who shot him." "Your old man shot him," Sheik said brutally. "The monster, Coffin Ed." "Did I hear someone calling Caleb?" Granny asked from the other side of the door. Sheik closed his hands quickly about Sugartit's throat and choked her into silence. "Naw, Granny," he called. "It's just these silly girls arguing about their cubebs." "Hannh?" "Cubebs!" Sheik shouted. "You chillen make so much racket a body can't hear herself think," she muttered. They heard her shuffling back to the kitchen. "Jesus, she's sitting up waiting for him," Sissie said. Sheik and Choo-Choo exchanged glances. "She don't even know what's happening in the street," Choo-Choo said. Sheik took his hands away from Sugartit's throat.

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