Dirty South Drug Wars (44 page)

“Nana, what’s in these files?” I asked, even though I had an inkling of the answer.

Nana paused at the doorway, turned, and rested her free hand on the frame. Her face was thoughtful, relaxed, then turned wistful.

“Phone records, photos, any sort of evidence you can imagine to put away the rest of my living children for the duration of their lives,” she said. “A mother knows her children. I knew my boys were up to no good when it came to Jeb. And thanks to Tanner’s grandfather, I know some powerful people. I love all my children, but Jeb, he was my pride and joy. He never raised a hand to anyone. He didn’t deserve to die any more than Tanner’s father did. Jeb deserved more. But the rest of my kids? They can rot in hell.”

With that, she stepped into the hallway, stumbled once, then straightened and never looked back.

***

To Ashley, Shika, Ali, Rach, for all your assistance and advice. To the readers who encouraged me to continue writing even when my husband grew jealous of my keyboard, and when my kids begged for my attention, and when life seemed to need me more than the dreamland I created inside my head. And to my family for letting my mind wander and my fingers tap away when I should have been cleaning, cooking, or performing some other menial task that’s not as wonderful as creating another world.

Jae Hood is a full-time wife, mother, and geriatric nurse. And sometimes she sleeps. When she’s not spending her time caring for others, you can find her daydreaming, painting her nails, decorating cakes, crocheting, or investing herself in whatever hobby she’s discovered this week on Pinterest. Jae lives in a small, rural town in northeast Mississippi with her husband, three children, and more pets than she can afford. Jae fell in love with books as a child when her mother entrusted Judy Blume to explain life’s woes, and she fell in love with writing during an English assignment in junior high. Dirty South Drug Wars is Jae’s debut novel.