Point Blank

Chappy?”
    “Just some stupid blue bowl someone sent him from China.”
    Chappy said from the doorway, “The blue bowl was a very valuable ceramic fashioned during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, circa 1690.” He strolled in as if he hadn’t a worry in the world. “She shattered a three-hundred-year-old work of art that cost me more than a divorce from this viper would cost Tony.”
    “I suppose you’re going to tell him what I said,” Cynthia said, her expression a study of anger, frustration, and something Dix couldn’t pinpoint. He pictured the bowl in his mind, remembered how exquisite it was. If he were Chappy, he’d be cussing mad about it. He said only, “Was the bowl insured?”
    “Sure, but who cares about the money?”
    Cynthia jumped out of her seat, waving her fist at him. “That’s the only thing you do care about, Chappy
    —money and control over everyone you know. Don’t pretend to be a martyr and a victim.” She turned to Dix. “He wants me out of Tony’s life and away from here.”
    Dix shrugged. “So why don’t you and Tony leave? You have alternatives, Cynthia. Do you really want to raise a child here at Tara?”
    Cynthia shuddered as she said, “No, of course not, but what I want doesn’t matter. Tony won’t leave.”
    Chappy said, “No, my son isn’t going anywhere, Cynthia.” He turned to Dix and Ruth. “If this harpy won
    ’t give him a child, she can take off herself as far as I’m concerned, maybe screw Gordon’s brains out on her way out of town.”
    “I don’t think Gordon has the time,” Ruth said. “He’s pretty much occupied right now.”
    “Twister was never too busy for sex.” Chappy studied his fingernails. “Do you know Gordon can tell you the name of any perfume a woman wears, his nose is that sensitive? Always amazed me.” Chappy shook his head. “Tony’s going to attend that memorial at Stanislaus, said it wouldn’t look good if the local bankers didn’t pay their respects.”
    Dix said, “We’re going as well.”
    “Well, I’m not. Why should I? Twister will be there, some young sweetie sitting beside him, I’ll bet, holding his hand and squeezing it while he cries. He can cry on demand, which always pissed me off.”
    Cynthia said, venom as thick as cream in her voice, “You’ve got to have a heart to cry, Chappy.”
    Chappy ignored his daughter-in-law. He said to Dix, “Are you going to take Twister off to jail?”
    “We’ll see.”
    “If I thought you were serious, I’d get him a lawyer.” Chappy rubbed his hands together. “Twister wouldn’t mind having some deep pockets in the family then, would he? What do you think, Dix? One of those O.J. lawyers? What about that little Shrek guy from Boston? Hmm, I could start checking this out, tell Twister what I’m doing.” Chappy walked from the room whistling. He turned in the doorway and gave Ruth a little wave. “I’m going to find a new vase, maybe Japanese this time. Hey, Agent Ruth, I hear Twister asked you out to dinner. You going to go?”
    “Depends on the restaurant,” Ruth said easily.
    “Wear pants,” Chappy said. “It’s your best defense.” He strolled past the shards of the ceramic bowl without a glance.
    “He’s insane,” Cynthia said. “Really, Dix, the old fool is quite mad. Imagine claiming I’m taking birth control pills when Tony and I are trying to have a baby. Imagine me sleeping with Gordon. Hasn’t Chappy looked at his own son? Tony is very handsome, don’t you think?”
    “Handsome and weak?”
    “I guess I shouldn’t have said that, but Chappy makes me so mad and I mouth off just to get back at him. The reason he won’t let Tony go is that he’s Chappy’s only ticket to immortality now that Christie’s gone
    —” Cynthia shrugged, looked away from Dix.
    “She’s not merely gone, Cynthia, as in off finding herself or on an extended vacation. She’s dead. And you know it.”
    Cynthia nodded slowly. “Yes, I suppose she is.”
    “As I said, the two of you should move away from this house and from Chappy.”
    “The thing is, I really don’t want to leave Tara. Maybe Chappy will kick off soon and Tony will inherit all this.”
    “Don’t hold your breath. I’d give him another twenty years. You and Tony should move to Richmond. Tony could head the bank there, hire a manager for the bank here in Maestro, and let Chappy torment him. When Chappy’s out of the picture someday, you can move back to Tara, if you