Southern Poison Read Online Free PDF

mother, Louise, was awarded full-time custody after the divorce, Lindsey spends her summers with Ox and she and I are pretty tight. When she’d gotten out of school for the summer a few months back and informed us that she was staying in California with her mom, Ox was understandably upset. But he didn’t pressure her and although Lindsey never did tell us exactly why she’d decided to remain on the West Coast for her summer break, I suspected it had something to do with a boyfriend.
    “I didn’t tell him I was coming,” she said in a small voice, sniffled, and came through the door, dragging a wheeled piece of luggage behind her. She’d been crying, but even with red-rimmed eyes and slumped shoulders, she was a stunner. Anyone who didn’t know would assume her to be twenty instead of sixteen years old. Every time I see her, she looks more and more like Ox. Olive skin, the same cinnamon-speckled eyes, dimpled chin, and knockout smile—when she chooses to display it.
    Her gaze narrowed when she looked at my attire. “You realize an animal had to die to make that robe, right?”
    “It’s faux fur.”
    Her eyes moved to my boobs. “Well it suits you, then.”
    “Thanks,” I said, unsure if her comment was a compliment or a cut on my store-boughts. “You want a cold drink?”
    “You have anything diet?” Like she needed something diet.
    “No. How about a regular Coke?”
    She shrugged.
    I retrieved two cans of Coke from the fridge and we sat down. Lindsey knew that she could tell me anything. We’d been hiking,camping, kayaking, and seen tons of movies together. I’d gone on weeklong summer vacations with her and Ox, taught her how to shoot, and comforted her when she broke her arm and couldn’t play in the softball state finals. I have been her friend, guardian, and sometimes disciplinarian. But she was a well-adjusted kid and had never before just shown up unexpected.
    “What’s going on, Lindsey?”
    “I can’t live with my mom anymore and I came here to live with Dad. I thought he’d be happy, but when I told him, he was, like, shocked. He sort of went pale and that’s pretty tough for an Oxen-dine to do, you know? I guess he just doesn’t want to deal with me. Even though Mom probably wouldn’t fight him this time.” She shrugged. “So I left and came here.”
    “Wait a minute, let’s back up. First of all, does your mother know where you are?”
    Lindsey shook her head. “I told her I was staying over at a friend’s.”
    “How did you get here from the airport?”
    She popped the tab on her soda. “I’m not a
baby
, Jersey. I took a cab to Dad’s place. Then I walked here. It’s only a mile or so.”
    “Honey, your father loves you more than you’ll ever know. What you saw on his face was probably surprise. You did sort of blindside him.”
    Her wide-set eyes darkened, much like Ox’s do on occasion. “I won’t go back to California.”
    Cracker’s tail started wagging a second before Ox beeped in the security code and came through my door without knocking. Ox is not one to lose his cool, ever, but he was flustered to say the least. The two Oxendines stared at each other until he broke the silence.
    “Lindsey, what is going on?”
    She slumped lower in her seat. “You don’t want me, that’s what’s going on.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “I want to live with you, but it’s clear you don’t want me.”
    Ox pulled his daughter out of the chair and hugged her tight. “Never think I don’t want you,” he said in a low voice I almost didn’t recognize. “You just surprised me, is all.”
    Eyes downcast, Lindsey drank some soda. Ox looked at me, silently asking what was going on. I did a palms up. I was as clueless as he was.
    “Why don’t you guys go into the living room, where it’s more comfortable,” I said.
    At my urging, Lindsey moped her way out of the kitchen.
    “Go talk to her,” I whispered to Ox. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
    He caught my