Fixing Perfect by Therese M. Travis Page B

talks to a kid he doesn’t know, and he’s going to get hauled in.”
    Sam shook his head. “Meaning?”
    “Meaning everyone has to go in to give an alibi. And whoever can’t clear himself is gonna be doing a lot of explaining.”
    Something hot and shocking flooded Sam’s chest. So this was what it meant to be under suspicion? “When’s it happening?”
    “Right now.” Bricker jerked his chin, and Sam followed him out of the ambulance bay and across the street to the police station.
    Detective Macias watched them as they walked in, nodded his thanks. “All I need to know is what you were doing at three forty yesterday afternoon.” He slid report pages to each of them.
    Sam studied his and wrote. I was on the beach with Robin Ingram, 2:30 to 4 PM . He signed his name, handed it to the detective, and waited to be dismissed.
    Detective Macias looked up. “She’ll corroborate?”
    “Yup. I walked her home. We probably got there a little after four-thirty. And Donovan Haggart can vouch for me as well. We talked to him.”
    “All right.” The man nodded approval. “I’ll give them both calls.”
    Robin would be all the alibi Sam needed, but let them get as much proof as they needed to clear him.
    Something nagged at Sam’s brain, knocking for attention, but when he tried to focus on it, the feeling slid away into a faint unease. Something about Donovan. Something about talking to him? But Sam had nothing to worry about. Donovan wouldn’t lie, and Robin knew where he’d been at that time. They would believe her, because she wanted the killer caught as badly as anybody else on the island.
    Because she was his target.
     
    
     
    The weather warmed before the next game. Saturday morning most of the players showed up without jackets or sweaters.
    Robin pulled her hair back into a band and made her way to the lineup.
    Danny smiled, wiped a hand over his grizzled face, and jerked his head toward Kerry. “He’s been waiting for you.”
    “We’re best friends now.”
    Danny laughed. “Robin, you’re everybody’s best friend.”
    A chuckle behind her made her turn. Donovan posed against the net of the backstop, his camera hung slack in his hand. He lifted his chin when he saw her looking.
    She smiled but saved her energy for the game rather than walking over to him.
    Danny touched her arm. “I’m putting you fourth, all right? Sam coming?”
    “Last I heard.” Not that she’d spoken to him lately. Not since the kiss. No. In her mind, it was The Kiss, the beginning of everything.
    Donovan pushed forward. “Can’t I be her runner?”
    Danny studied Donovan for a few moments and shrugged. “She’s an adult. She can make her own decisions.”
    “What about the kids?” Robin asked.
    “He’s not a stranger anymore. I’ve cleared him.” Danny grinned for half a second before he went on. “If I thought he was intending anything other than helping—well, he wouldn’t get past me. You’d better believe I’d protect any one of these kids with my life. I’d kill for one of them.”
    Donovan nodded, not at all fazed by Danny’s vehemence.
    Robin, on the other hand, was reeling. She’d never heard Danny threaten to kill a soul, never heard him use that kind of language. What stress did to people…She shook her head, looking around the park for any sign of Sam.
    “You’re right. We need to get rid of all the people who hurt our kids.” Donovan nodded and smiled at Robin. “Looks like I’m your runner today.”
    And just then, Sam loped onto the field. He wore his usual sloppy pants, a backwards hat, and a sleeveless gray t-shirt.
    Robin’s heart slammed against her chest, doing its own version of a happy dance that her legs could never join, and making breathing questionable. She tried to calm herself down. By the time Sam reached the backstop, her heart had quieted and let her smile, at least.
    He moved past her and grabbed Danny’s arm. “Another girl went missing last night.”
    Robin