Fortunately, Slammer was able to talk my mother into leaving town with me that evening.
“Just for a couple of days,” she said, still looking a little unsure. “I’ll drive separately, of course.”
“Right, and as I was saying in the restaurant – Tank will accompany the both of you to Minnesota,” added Slammer, turning to him. “You’ll skip church tonight.”
“I figured as much,” he said, glancing at me. “How much time do you need to get your stuff together?”
“Not long. I’ve already packed some of it, so maybe an hour at the most?” I replied, my eyes darting around as we walked out of the restaurant. There were hardly any cars around and it was still daylight, but I almost felt like we were being watched.
“How long will it take for you to pack, Frannie?” asked Slammer.
“Not long, although...
