Did the deputy have any idea?”
“If he did, he didn’t share it.”
“And you never asked?”
“I tried, but Winston showed up and the
deputy clammed up.”
I didn’t know what to make of this story.
“Where is Winston now?” I asked.
“He works at Hank’s Tool and Die now.”
“Since when?” Margarita asked.
“A few months now.”
“Oh, you blew through all the money Winston
won in the divorce?”
“That was five years ago. You really need
to let go, Margarita.”
“I’ve moved on just fine.”
“From the sounds of it, you’re barely
hanging on to that restaurant of yours. It wouldn’t surprise me if you close
your doors before spring.”
Margarita leapt to her feet and shouted,
“And it wouldn’t surprise me if you had a black eye come sundown.”
Dixie interceded before Margarita could
make good on her threat, and we shuffled her back outside.
When were back in the SUV and I had pulled
away from the curb, I couldn’t help but notice two cop cars skidding to a stop
in front of Hank’s Hotspot. “I bet that woman from the hair salon called the
cops about the Hotspot’s nighttime stripper shows.”
Margarita hung her head. “I didn’t mean to
say anything. It just slipped out. I swear, my sister rubbed off on me. She’s
always getting herself into trouble on account of her mouth.”
“Hopefully, nobody will tell who leaked the
story. You might just get run out of town, but I thought it was legal. This
can’t be the only town with a strip bar.”
“Nope. They have one in Harrison, but it’s
out of town, not directly in town like Hank’s Hotspot.”
“Do you think we should hit up your friend
at the sheriff’s department, or do you think we can con information out of
Deputy Jackson?”
“You girls might be able to, but I doubt
he’d talk to an old bird like me. He has a way with the ladies, but I think I’m
too old for him.”
“And just how are we gonna do that?”
“He likes to hang out at the Whitetail Inn
after work,” Margarita hinted.
Chapter Nine
When we entered the Whitetail Inn, it was
quite packed. Tonight’s winter festival activities were snowmobile races and
ice skating, so most of the customers wore snowmobile suits that had been
opened up, the jacket hanging around their waists.
We made our way to the bar and ordered
drinks, waiting to be served. When they came, I glanced at Margarita’s orange
drink and had to ask, “Sex on the Beach, really?”
Dixie erupted into fit of giggles. “Isn’t
that drink too stiff for you?
“I need all the liquid courage I can get.
Questioning Deputy Jackson isn’t going to be easy. That’s why I think you girls
should question him, but remember to call him Cody when he introduces himself.
Act like you don’t know he’s a deputy. Perhaps he’s had enough drinks to be
loose-lipped.”
I nodded. There was a commotion on the
other side of the room and Dixie and I wandered over there to check it out. An electronic
dartboard was affixed to the wall, and right next to it was a mounted deer
head.
A man approached us and my smile faded when
I saw it was my opponent, Daniel.
“Hello there, again. How about a game of
darts?”
I stepped back. “Not me.”
His green eyes lit up. “Oh, really? Are you
trying to tell me that you can shoot a bow, but can’t play darts?”
I swallowed hard. “Of course not, but I’d
prefer to play pool. I’ve never played before, but I’ve heard it’s fun.”
“After darts.” He thrust the darts into my
hands, but I insisted, “You first.” With any luck, he was worse than me. I
might be able to get out of this yet. He took the darts from me, and with his
tongue in the corner of his mouth, he filled the dartboard with a precise aim
that lit up a winning score.
“Looks like you won already,” I said.
“I’m not letting you off the hook that
easy.”
He walked to the dartboard and pulled out
the darts, once again pressing them into my hands. What on earth was
“If he did, he didn’t share it.”
“And you never asked?”
“I tried, but Winston showed up and the
deputy clammed up.”
I didn’t know what to make of this story.
“Where is Winston now?” I asked.
“He works at Hank’s Tool and Die now.”
“Since when?” Margarita asked.
“A few months now.”
“Oh, you blew through all the money Winston
won in the divorce?”
“That was five years ago. You really need
to let go, Margarita.”
“I’ve moved on just fine.”
“From the sounds of it, you’re barely
hanging on to that restaurant of yours. It wouldn’t surprise me if you close
your doors before spring.”
Margarita leapt to her feet and shouted,
“And it wouldn’t surprise me if you had a black eye come sundown.”
Dixie interceded before Margarita could
make good on her threat, and we shuffled her back outside.
When were back in the SUV and I had pulled
away from the curb, I couldn’t help but notice two cop cars skidding to a stop
in front of Hank’s Hotspot. “I bet that woman from the hair salon called the
cops about the Hotspot’s nighttime stripper shows.”
Margarita hung her head. “I didn’t mean to
say anything. It just slipped out. I swear, my sister rubbed off on me. She’s
always getting herself into trouble on account of her mouth.”
“Hopefully, nobody will tell who leaked the
story. You might just get run out of town, but I thought it was legal. This
can’t be the only town with a strip bar.”
“Nope. They have one in Harrison, but it’s
out of town, not directly in town like Hank’s Hotspot.”
“Do you think we should hit up your friend
at the sheriff’s department, or do you think we can con information out of
Deputy Jackson?”
“You girls might be able to, but I doubt
he’d talk to an old bird like me. He has a way with the ladies, but I think I’m
too old for him.”
“And just how are we gonna do that?”
“He likes to hang out at the Whitetail Inn
after work,” Margarita hinted.
Chapter Nine
When we entered the Whitetail Inn, it was
quite packed. Tonight’s winter festival activities were snowmobile races and
ice skating, so most of the customers wore snowmobile suits that had been
opened up, the jacket hanging around their waists.
We made our way to the bar and ordered
drinks, waiting to be served. When they came, I glanced at Margarita’s orange
drink and had to ask, “Sex on the Beach, really?”
Dixie erupted into fit of giggles. “Isn’t
that drink too stiff for you?
“I need all the liquid courage I can get.
Questioning Deputy Jackson isn’t going to be easy. That’s why I think you girls
should question him, but remember to call him Cody when he introduces himself.
Act like you don’t know he’s a deputy. Perhaps he’s had enough drinks to be
loose-lipped.”
I nodded. There was a commotion on the
other side of the room and Dixie and I wandered over there to check it out. An electronic
dartboard was affixed to the wall, and right next to it was a mounted deer
head.
A man approached us and my smile faded when
I saw it was my opponent, Daniel.
“Hello there, again. How about a game of
darts?”
I stepped back. “Not me.”
His green eyes lit up. “Oh, really? Are you
trying to tell me that you can shoot a bow, but can’t play darts?”
I swallowed hard. “Of course not, but I’d
prefer to play pool. I’ve never played before, but I’ve heard it’s fun.”
“After darts.” He thrust the darts into my
hands, but I insisted, “You first.” With any luck, he was worse than me. I
might be able to get out of this yet. He took the darts from me, and with his
tongue in the corner of his mouth, he filled the dartboard with a precise aim
that lit up a winning score.
“Looks like you won already,” I said.
“I’m not letting you off the hook that
easy.”
He walked to the dartboard and pulled out
the darts, once again pressing them into my hands. What on earth was
Similar Books
