Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris Page A

but it did save her face, to some extent. “That would be wonderful,” she said, giving me the barest glance. “I’ll see you at six at the Ozark Valley Inn.”
    I had no idea where that was, but I said, “See you then,” and Nell walked away to her car very quickly, her head held high. Just as quickly, Tolliver and I got in our car and drove away, stopping at the next light to buckle our seat belts.
    Tolliver looked angry and embarrassed. “Too bad you don’t want to be in a boy band,” I said, after a minute of riding in silence. “You’ve obviously got the charisma.”
    â€œOh, shut up!” he said. “How about you? You gonna be one of the Babes of Law Enforcement?”
    â€œWell, at least Hollis is legal age. . . .” I began, but then I couldn’t help smiling.
    Tolliver managed a small upcurve of the lips. “Where the hell is the Ozark Valley Inn?” he said.
    â€œI have no idea, but we better find it by six o’clock. Gosh, I have a headache. I sure hope it doesn’t get so bad that I have to bow out of the dinner. . . .”
    â€œYou do and you die.”
    We picked up salads for lunch, and took them back to the motel. The phone rang just as we were settling down to read. We were in my room, so I answered.
    â€œThis is Hollis. Do you want to go to supper with me?”
    We could double-date with Mary Nell and Tolliver! Wouldn’t that be fun? I bit my lip to suppress the idea. “I’m busy for supper,” I said hesitantly, knowing I should turn him down flat, but tempted nonetheless.
    â€œA drink afterward?”
    â€œYes,” I said cautiously, after I’d thought about it.
    â€œI’ll pick you up at the motel. Eight o’clock?”
    â€œOkay, see you then.”
    â€œAll right. Goodbye.”
    I said goodbye, too, and hung up. Tolliver was eyeing me sardonically. “Let me guess, Cop Boy?”
    I nodded. “We’re going to have a drink together tonight at eight, so we’ll have to cut short our romantic rendezvous with Mary Nell. I’m sure you don’t want to be unchaperoned.”
    â€œIf there’s anywhere here it would take two hours to eat, I’d be very astonished,” Tolliver said, at his driest.
    I agreed, and re-opened my book. But for a few minutes, I read the same page over and over.
    When we stopped by the motel office to ask for directions to the Ozark Valley Inn, we noticed that the older man who ran the place was not too happy about helping us. We’d learned his name was Vernon, and he wore overalls and had the worn and wrinkled face of a basset. Vernon had been pleasant enough up to now, though we hadn’t seen much of him. But tonight he was distant, his gaze disapproving. “You planning on moving your bags over there?” he asked, almost hopefully.
    â€œNo,” I said, surprised. “We’re just meeting someone for dinner in the restaurant at the inn.”
    â€œÂ â€™Cause I been meaning to tell you, I’m going to need those rooms pretty soon. Hope you two wasn’t planning on staying very long.”
    â€œI’m sure you have tons of business coming in,” I agreed, maybe a little coldly. “And we won’t stay a minute longer than we have to.”
    â€œGlad to hear it.”
    â€œI guess no one’s going to ask us to judge the floats in the homecoming parade,” I said to Tolliver when we were in the car.
    He smiled, but it was a small smile. “The sooner we can get out of Sarne, the better,” he said.
    Mary Nell came in seven minutes after we were seated at a table in the inn, which was on the southern side of the town. Her face was flushed and her cell phone was in her hand. I was willing to bet she’d lied to her mother about where she was going and whom she was going to be with. I almost hated the girl at that moment, for the trouble she might get us