Page 61 of Property of Sugar
“What?” I shouted. “Not again!”
“She didn’t kill her. But she did cut her arm off and dance around with it.”
“She didn’t?”
“She did,” Biscuit confirmed. “The Hokey Cokey.”
“The what?”
“It’s the British version of the same song.”
“Why would she choose that?” Coochie wondered.
“What other song would you sing while you danced with a body part?” I answered. “Don’t judge me. I know how my granddaughter thinks.”
“You and Sugar … y’all are some brave sons of bitches,” Biscuit said.
“Your momma said I could thump you for that.”
“We’ll be there soon,” Coochie interjected and motioned for me to end the call.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he chuckled. “I just enjoy your personality.”
“Oh gross. Don’t make me have feelings in a moving vehicle.”
“My apologies.”
As he drove, I tried not to think about what was going on at the house in too much detail, but I couldn’t help it. How in the hell did Kalani cut off Ashley’s arm?
When Coochie turned into the driveway, I expected chaos. Other than the presence of an extra vehicle and a few motorcycles, it didn’t look like anything was going on. “Are we too late?” I whispered, hesitantly getting out of the truck.
“No, we’re not,” Coochie assured me as Whisker stepped out of the house.
“Is she okay?”
“Seems to be. She’s sedated, but Slit’s monitoring her upstairs.”
“What? Why?” I shouted and hurried for the door.
“No!” Whisker yelled and moved in front of me. “You can’t go in that way.”
“My granddaughter is in there. I’ll be damned if I let you or anybody else keep me from her,” I spat.
Whisker raised his hands in a placating manner. “I’m not keeping you from her, but you need to use the front door.”
I ran for the front door and sprinted up the stairs, coming to an abrupt halt when I saw a little girl in Kalani’s bed with Slit by her side. “Where is Kalani?” I asked frantically.
“Downstairs, but I don’t think you should go down there. Hold on, I’ll call Whisker.”
I didn’t know why they weren’t letting me see Kalani, and I didn’t care. I was the one who found Hokulani’s body in that very house, and that’s where my mind went. “Kalani!” I screamed as loud as I could. “Kalani!” When Coochie’s arms came around me from behind, I collapsed into him. “Where is she?”
“Right here,” my beautiful, blood-covered granddaughter said when she materialized at the top of the stairs.
If Coochie hadn’t been holding me, I would’ve hit the floor at the sight of her. She looked just like she did the day she murdered Chet.
“I’m sorry,” she said genuinely. “I had to do it.”
