“He’s coming with me,’’ he said. “Is he a minor?’’

“He won’t be eighteen for two weeks,’’ she said.

“Then I suggest you find his parents or get him a lawyer.’’

“I’m an attorney as well as a manager,’’ she said. “I’m staying with him.’’

Carlos scowled at her. “Suit yourself.’’

Like a mother lion protecting a cub, Barbara bared her teeth at Carlos. She stalked along beside him as he took Toby by the arm and led him away.

_____

“You’re pretty good in an emergency, Jesse.’’

Jesse shrugged at me, popping her gum. It seemed she’d returned to her more typical demeanor: dumb, spoiled starlet.

“My father’s a doctor,’’ Jesse said. “I went with him every summer to work at a camp in upstate New York. You wouldn’t believe some of the scrapes those little brats can get into.’’

“Seen a lot of gunshots, have you?’’ I asked, amused.

Another shrug. “A few,’’ she said. “It looked to me like Toby’s shot only grazed Johnny. Didn’t hit anything vital.’’

When I raised my eyebrows, she explained. “My dad’s specialty is emergency medicine. I’ve also shadowed him in the ER. He’d love it if I followed in his footsteps.’’

“Did you have the grades?’’

She shrugged, implying that grades were, like, whatev. “I was better at acting. It’s more my thing.’’

The young star and I sat in two camp chairs outside her trailer. The set medic had stabilized Johnny, and transported him closer to the road to wait for the ambulance. Most of the onlookers, including my sisters, followed them. I’d bet Mama had found her way there, too. I hoped she wasn’t toting her autograph book with her.

Jesse chomped her gum and blew a big, pink bubble. “So, this town seems really boring. Isn’t there anything to do here?’’

“We’ve got a new library,’’ I said. “My sister Marty works there.’’

Jesse crinkled her nose, probably a sign her GPA wasn’t med school material.

“My mama works at Hair Today, Dyed Tomorrow beauty parlor. She does color consultations and aromatherapy.’’

Jesse’s face brightened; the chewing motions paused. “Do they do massage, too?’’

“Nope.’’

“Mud baths?’’

I shook my head.

“Cavitosonic chambers?’’

“Say what?’’

“How about hot stone treatments? Does the salon have those, at least?’’

“Nope. But you could go down and scoop up some of the gravel for the road project along State Road 70. It gets plenty hot sitting out in the sun.’’

She blew another bubble. “Are there any clubs here?’’

“Not unless you count the VFW hall. We’ve also got a bar at the Speckled Perch restaurant. Thursday is Ladies’ Night: Domestic draft beer is 2-for-1.’’

“Ohmigod!’’ Jesse rolled her eyes. “I am trapped in Hick City.’’

I was about to jump to the defense of my hometown when a siren sounded in the distance. It silenced me, and even seemed to affect Jesse. Her sneer faded, replaced with a sober expression. Soon, I spotted the ambulance on the highway, visible across an open, flat stretch of ranch land. I pointed it out to her as it slowed, preparing to turn down the dirt road that led to the movie set.

Within moments, Johnny would be loaded into the back. The doors would slam shut. I barely knew the man, but I still said a prayer he’d be okay.

I wondered whether Jesse did the same.

“There she is, Mace.’’

Marty nodded toward two people in the distance in dark blue directors’ chairs. Their backs were to us. Mama sat in one; Paul Watkins was in the other. Even if his name hadn’t been spelled out in blocky white letters on the back of the chair, I recognized his khaki bush jacket. His gray ponytail swung from shoulder to shoulder as he shook his head. I could only imagine the question Mama had asked him.

As we drew closer, I saw one of her library books on acting tucked beside her on the chair. I could hear the director chuckling, though, so maybe it wasn’t as bad as I feared.

“Well, there you are, girls!’’

“We’ve been looking for you for a half-hour, Mama,’’ I said. “Is your cell phone battery dead again? The gals from Hair Today called me to find out when you’d be there. They said you’re supposed to finish a color chart tonight for the woman from the Chamber of Commerce, Lori something.’’

“McCaskill. Lori McCaskill. Everybody knows her, Mace.”

She looked at her watch, clasped a hand to her chest. “My stars and garters, where did the time go? Why didn’t you girls come find me earlier?’’

Marty and I exchanged a look. “We left you with Maddie. We thought it was her turn to keep track of time for our fully grown mother,’’ I said.

“No, honey, Maddie had to go home early.’’ Sarcasm eludes Mama. “Tonight is her date night with Kenny, and it’s his turn to choose. They’re going to the tractor pull.’’

“Poor Maddie,’’ Marty said.

The sun was starting to sink in the sky. The energy on the set had already dropped with the exit of the ambulance carrying Johnny Jaybird. Now it seemed further diminished by the dying light. Carlos was with the other authorities, still examining the crime scene by the corral. He’d decided that moving the animals would be more disruptive than leaving them there overnight. Marty had helped me feed the half-dozen horses in the enclosure.

“Let me introduce you girls to Paul.’’ As Mama did the honors, it became clear why he’d been laughing.

“You see that beautiful gold cross in Paul’s earlobe? Now, wouldn’t you girls assume he’s a man of faith?’’

Considering I’d seen a drunken biker with the same gold earring toss a rival into a barroom mirror in Daytona, and then start making out with the guy’s teenaged hooker girlfriend, I wouldn’t assume anything. But I didn’t want to get Mama off track, so I didn’t say so.

“Your mother wondered whether I’d been saved,’’ Paul said dryly.

“I quoted Romans 10:9, girls: If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.’’

“And I told your mother I’d let her redeem me in a New York minute. I’m just not sure the Lord wants somebody as bad as me in his saved column.’’

His eyes sparkled. He aimed a purely devilish grin at Mama. He was flirting!

Mama didn’t notice, as she was too busy offering eternal life through salvation. “Of course the Lord wants you, Paul. He may hate sin, but he loves the sinner.’’

“Ah, yes, but do you love the sinner?’’

That come-on was so obvious, even Mama got it. She slapped him playfully on the wrist.

“I love the Lord,’’ she said. “And He knows when you’re being naughty.’’

“Okay,’’ Paul said. “I’m being serious now. You’re a beautiful woman. Have you ever thought about acting?’’

Mama’s eyelashes fluttered. One hand flew to her throat, while the other hid her paperback copy of “The Art of Acting’’ under her leg. “I’m much too modest, Paul. I hate the very thought of being in the spotlight.’’

Marty even rolled her eyes at that. Mama had been saying for weeks this movie could be her ticket to stardom.

“I mean it. You could be an actress. You should let me audition you.’’

Marty and I were transfixed. The man was a walking stereotype of a Hollywood director. Where did he keep his casting couch? We were so transfixed, in fact, we didn’t hear Barbara Sydney approach. But we did hear her screech: “Oh, for God’s sake, Paul. Why don’t you just ask her back to your trailer to see your etchings? Can’t you keep it in your pants, for a change?’’

Her glare took in both the director and Mama. Mama shrank a bit, but Barbara’s tirade bounced off Paul like water off a whirligig beetle.

“Is there something you need?’’ His tone was even.