“Go on, Justus,” Mama said. “What’s it say?” Daddy cleared his throat. He looked first at Mama, then me, and finally at Ruby Day. “Did you know about this all the time, Ruby Day?” he asked. Ruby Day pouted and blinked. “What is it, Daddy? What’s it say?” “It says that Sapphire Whitaker is the owner of Ruby Day’s house.” That tore it. Ruby Day punched her head and wailed like a banshee. She wailed so loud that April and June and Jasper came running inside. “What’s wrong? Did someone else die?” Jasper called. Mama jumped up faster than a jack-in-the-box clown and shuttled my brother and sisters outside. “Get on now. Nobody died. But it does seem that little garter isn’t the only snake in town.” The twins pressed their noses against the porch window until Daddy saw them. All he had to do was pretend to stand up and those girls bolted a mile down the road. “So what?” I said. “So what if Aunt Sapphire owns the house? It’s still Ruby Day’s.” Daddy shook his head.
