Chapter 48: You Don’t Know Aunt RitaMr. Ledbetter’s younger brother, Carlson, was a tall, spare man. He was accompanied by his daughter, Freda.
“Is it bad, Jackie?” Freda asked straight off, hurrying forward and taking Jackson’s hand. She had short hair and a short, abrupt way about her that was all business. If I remembered correctly, she was an accountant or something.
“I think so,” Jackson said. “They’re still running tests…”
“Aunt Eunice must be a mess,” Freda observed.
“It was pretty sudden.”
“Can we see him?” Carlson asked.
“He’s in intensive care,” Jackson replied. “You both remember Wiley?”
“You haven’t changed,” Freda said, turning to me and holding out her hand. “I just read your new book. It was awful.”
“Well, I ain’t Shakespeare,” I admitted as we shook hands.
“I mean
