“Where’s he plan to land that thing?”
Bree shrugs. “Wherever he wants, I guess.”
“Ladies,” says Rash, setting down his camera. “It’s Gary time.”
By the time we get outside, Gary’s descending chopper is wreaking all kinds of havoc. The chickens are flapping and trying to escape the coop. Spencer shouts an obscenity and starts jogging toward the barn to soothe the horses. Cate Camp stands rooted to a spot that looks destined to be covered by a helicopter in less than a minute. Her brassy hair whips around in seventeen directions and she’s holding her arms out.
Monty and Oz have stopped whatever they’re doing and are just watching everything. Mercifully, Oz has pulled his shirt back on, covering most of that tempting tanned muscle.
Just as I walk over to stand between them, Monty hisses and points to where Cate Camp stands with arms outstretched.
“Does she think she’s going to catch the fucking thing?”
“Maybe.” I have an uneasy feeling that we’re about to witness what happens when woman and helicopter collide.
“Goddamn idiot,” Monty mutters and jogs over to forcibly remove Cate Camp from a bloody fate.
Oz stands so close to me I can feel his body heat. I look up at him and find that he’s already watching me. He gives me an amused little wink that sets all kinds of things in motion that I can’t think about right now.
To my surprise, Gary Vogel himself is the one piloting the chopper. He lands seamlessly, without causing any damage. As soon as he climbs out of the helicopter, all spray tanned and combed over, he only wastes a split second glancing around at the barren view of Atlantis Star before heading right over to us. Cate Camp is full of whines and protests but he brushes her off.
Something touches my leg and I look down to see my nephew grinning up at me.
“Hugs?” he lisps and I hoist him up into my arms.
Brigitte and Ava are standing on the porch looking a little anxious so I offer them a smile. It will be all right. Whatever Gary came here to say or do, we will be all right.
Gary Vogel is a man who gets right to the point. He greets us all without much fuss and beckons for us to follow him inside the big house. By the time we’re all indoors he’s made himself comfortable on Rex Savage’s morally abhorrent chair of elephant tusks. He’s not smiling. He watches us file in with a very grave expression.
“Apologies for the short notice, my friends. I’m afraid I have some bad news. Your mother is dead.”
Someone gasps. I think it was Ava. I’m trying to let the words sink in.
“Lita is dead?”
“Quite.” He snaps his fingers and Cate Camp scurries over with a magically procured bottle of water. “Early this morning her maid found her. No signs of a struggle. A brain aneurysm is suspected although the autopsy will tell more. She was found stiff and naked on a velvet settee in the pool house.” He grimaces. “Forgive me. That detail was unnecessary.”
I have to wonder how in the hell Gary came by this information before we did but considering how connected Gary is, the fact that he would hear the news first is not exactly far fetched.
My hands are clasped in front of me and I stare down at them, trying to feel something about the death of the woman who gave me both life and misery. Each of my siblings seems to be processing the news separately and none of us say a word. Oz is closest to me. It’s Oz’s strong hand on my shoulder, squeezing lightly for comfort. I cover his hand with my own and squeeze back.
When I look up I notice Gary Vogel is watching us. Not all of us. Just me and Oz.
“There’s more,” he says.
A bad feeling is born somewhere deep inside my gut. It starts to grow. My sisters glance at me with confusion and I shrug. Monty crosses his arms and scowls. Spence appears bored.
Oz is the one who asks the question. “So what else is there?”
Gary seems slightly uneasy for the first time. “Due to your stipulations, your mother was not invited to participate in the show. However, Lita gave us an exclusive interview right before filming started. She had a lot to say. Particularly when she found out you were joining the cast.”
He points to Oz. Oz doesn’t react. I have a feeling I know what’s coming next.
Gary licks his lips and begins to speak again but Brigitte steps forward and cuts him off.
“My mother,” she announces, “was a fucking evil witch.” She struts in front of Gary, flings her red hair over her shoulder and gives him an icy glare. “If I were you I would pay no attention to whatever she garbage she spewed in that so-called interview you’re so proud of because it’s bound to be the sickest of lies. And we will contradict every damn one of them.”
Gary Vogel is amused. His mouth twitches and he taps a finger to his lips before answering. “I have no doubt. Nonetheless, you are aware that I am here for the same reason you are all here. To capitalize on a story. And Lita had a quite a story to tell us. In some cases the truth is, shall we say, immaterial.”
I hear Oz let out a slow hiss. I feel him stiffen with anger. I’m afraid in another few seconds the ‘story’ will evolve to include Gary Vogel being choked half to death.
“But this is not one of those cases,” Gary says quietly, his muddy eyes focused on Oz. “Did you know that my crew sends me highlight reels once a week? It’s enough to get a pretty solid idea what’s going on here. I know a good story when I see one. And Lita Savage has no role in it. At least not a role she would approve of.”
Gary grunts and heaves himself out of the chair. He takes a long drink from the bottle of water and then holds the half empty bottle out. Cate Camp silently appears and takes it from him.
“So that is all I have to share. I wanted to deliver the unfortunate news of your mother’s passing before the press comes calling. And I wanted to let you know that her last interview will never reach the public, not if I have anything to say about it. And of course I do. Naturally I could have delivered all this information to you remotely, but my new ride was begging for some sky.”
Gary strolls right past us and out the door without saying goodbye. The rest of us stand around with puzzled looks for a few seconds and then we follow him outside. He has paused about ten yards away and is squinting at the Harquehala Mountains.
“My god it’s fucking hot here,” he announces loudly and then returns to his gleaming personal helicopter. A few short minutes and one cheery wave of his fat hand later, he is back up in the sky. Gary and his machinery quickly disappear into the west while we stand on the ground and stare.
Montgomery shades his eyes and grunts. “You think a word of that bullshit is true?”
“Yes,” I answer because I’m sure all of it is true.
Spencer had removed his cowboy hat but now that he’s back under the sun he sticks it back on his head. “Well I’ll bet we’ll be hearing about it real soon. Place was a circus after Dad died. Parasites will crawl out of the woodwork and beg for a statement.”
Oz is still at my side. “You okay?”
I blink. I try to smile. “I am absolutely fine.”
I’m not, but it has nothing to do with Lita. I just want to crawl into his arms and rest against his warm chest for a little while. Only a little while. A mere decade or two.
Despite the fact that Lita was far from beloved by any of us, hearing that your mother is dead kind of turns the mood a little somber. We all just wander around, ignoring Cate Camp’s suggestions to visit the Blue Room and ‘unburden the grief”.
My brothers decide to make this a special occasion and take a trip to town together in Spence’s truck. It’s good to see them like that. Not about to kill each other and stuff.
Ava seems the most affected by the news. She retreats quietly to her bedroom and lays down in the dark. Brigitte hangs around the kitchen and tries to eat every bit of raw chocolate chip cookie dough that I mix together. She’s looking out the window, keeping an eye on Alden and Oz, who are apparently scouring the ground for interesting rocks.