I
recently had the lovely Danielle Zwissler on Dellani's Tea Time. We
were talking about naming characters and she said she'd never named
one after her husband, because he claimed that Earl wasn't a sexy
name and all characters named Earl were always dumb, rednecks. So, of
course, to refute that, I told her about my character, Earl Duchamps.
He calls himself Big Earl – and he is both physically and in
personality. He's also very intelligent, though he likes to act
like a dumb redneck when it suits him. He's also dead sexy.
Gina
is involved with Earl's cousin, Zane. When Earl finds out that Zane
is a suspect in his ex-wife's murder, he drops everything and flies
down with a lawyer in tow.
Even
if she hadn't known, she'd have been able to tell that Earl was kin
to Zane. Slightly shorter and stockier, he was nearly identical in
looks. He had the same dark, wavy hair, penetrating eyes and smokin'
hot good looks of his cousin. Had she not already fallen for Zane,
she would have found him completely irresistible.
The
man with him was considerably older. Tall, lean and tanned, he looked
more like a rancher than a lawyer. His close cropped hair was steely
gray, his eyes virtually the same color. Whereas Earl was dressed in
relaxed fit blue jeans, boots and a T-shirt, the older man was
dressed in a dark three piece suit and tie. He looked like he had
just stepped out of Neiman – Marcus.
Gina
waved when she got to the top of the escalator, smiling as she walked
over. Earl was up in a flash, trotting over to her. He took her in a
huge bear hug, kissing her cheek.
"Hey,
Gina. Well, you didn't say you were beautiful over the phone! Dad
blame, girl, my cousin is one lucky some-bitch! Set down,
baby. Let's have some breakfast."
"I
know a better place and they don't charge for parking. Do you have
bags?"
"Just
what's with us. I didn't give Bobby time to pack much. Auntie had all
my uncle's clothing still. It's a tad outta date, but it'll fit Bobby
pretty well. That's if he don't wanna go shoppin'." He laughed,
punching Bobby in the shoulder.
"Robert
Coulton." The older man came forward, extending his hand to
Gina.
When
she took it, he kissed her fingers delicately, smiling past her
knuckles. "Please call me Robert. Delighted to meet you, Miss
Gina." He didn't sound Southern, he sounded British.
"And
I am delighted to make your acquaintance. Thank you for coming on
such short notice. Zane could be in a lot of trouble."
"So
I hear. Tell me all you know about the situation."
She
led them out of the airport to the parking lot. Gina realized she
didn't have her sunglasses, but Zane had a pair in the car which fit
her fairly well. Slipping them on, she backed out of the parking
place and headed to the gate. As they drove to International Speedway
Boulevard, she told Robert and Earl what she knew.
"That's
all I overheard," she concluded. "Not much at all, I'm
afraid."
"And
Zane didn't come back or call last night?"
"No.
They can hold him for awhile, right?" she glanced at Robert.
"Yes.
They can hold him for questioning for up to twenty-four hours before
they charge him. Then they either book him or let him go. Depending
upon circumstances, it could go either way."
"I
think they are liking him way too much for this murder," Gina
said quietly. "Don't they always look at the spouse first? Or
ex-spouse in this case?"
"Indeed,"
Robert nodded. "Often the cliché is the right answer. Other
times, it's not. I can't believe Zane capable of killing. Not even
after what she did to him."
"Nope,"
Earl agreed. "Zane's got a temper to him, but he ain't a violent
man. He'd more likely put his fist through the wall than he would
hurt another person, particularly a woman."
They
pulled up at Biscuits. Gina had driven there without really intending
to, but she needed someplace familiar and welcoming. The three of
them got a table in Kitty's section and waited for her to bring
coffee. Kitty was much more subdued than she had been yesterday. Gina
could tell she was curious about the men, but didn't want to seem too
nosy.
"Where's
tall, dark and sexy?" Kitty asked as she poured their coffee.
"Ran
into some trouble," Gina said quietly. "This is Earl,
Zane's cousin. And Robert, his lawyer. Gentlemen, my friend Kitty."
Both
men stood when they were introduced. Kitty smiled, blushing
slightly."Delighted to meet you, little lady. Big Earl Du
Champs. Zane's cousin on his mama's side." He took her hand,
holding it gently in both of his as he gazed into her eyes.
Gina
could see that Earl might be louder and less polished than Zane, but
he was no less handsome, delicious and charming. Kitty virtually
melted. Robert kissed her hand and she almost fainted. Fanning
herself, she took their order to the kitchen.
"She's
a pretty thing," Earl said, staring after her.
"She's
got a boyfriend."
"Hell,
that don't make a difference unless he's got a ring on her finger and
a foot in the door."
"He's
got the foot in the door." Gina grinned at him over her coffee
cup. "And other parts of him—other places."
Earl
chuckled as Robert smirked. Gina's giggle made them both laugh.
"Well,
can't win 'em all, huh?"
"I
don't imagine you're hurting for female companionship," Gina
teased.
"Well
now, you'd be right there. I'm not. But it don't hurt none to spread
the joy does it?"
"Depends
upon what you use to spread it," Robert remarked candidly.
Earl's
laugh was contagious. The three of them were still laughing when
Kitty came back out with their food. She plopped in the booth next to
Robert.
©
2017 Dellani Oakes
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