Lil had the good grace to look slightly shamed. “I’ll get him a room,” she said. “For a month. In Kissimmee. A motel. I’ll pick up his network access. Is that fair?”
“It’s more than fair,” Rita said. Why did she hate me so much? I’d been there for her daughter while she was away—ah. That might do it, all right. “I don’t think it’s warranted. If you want to take care of him, sir, you can. It’s none of my family’s business.”
Lil’s eyes blazed. “Let me handle this,” she said. “All right?”
Rita stood up abruptly. “You do whatever you want,” she said, and stormed out of the room.
“Why are you coming here for help?” Tom said, ever the voice of reason. “You seem capable enough.”
“I’m going to be taking a lethal injection at the end of the week,” Dan said. “Three days. That’s personal, but you asked.”
Tom shook his head. Some friends you’ve got yourself, I could see him thinking it.
“That soon?” Lil asked, a throb in her voice.
Dan nodded.
In a dreamlike buzz, I stood and wandered out into the utilidor, out through the western castmember parking, and away.