establishments in town that still allowed smoking under some ridiculous city ordinance. Of course it wasn’t just the stench of stale cigarette smoke that gagged her. Keri had no doubt the flavors of fried catfish, chicken, and French Fries were indistinguishable once they came out of the oil in the Bayside’s deep fryer. She guessed the oil hadn’t been changed in a good six months. Or more.
But it was the reek of body odor that made her want to turn and leave. The closer she got to Zack, the worse it got. Evidently, his busy schedule didn’t allow for personal hygiene. She tried to breathe through her mouth. Either that or hurl on his filthy boots.
“Well, a whole heckuva lot better now that you stopped by.” He set down his near-empty mug of beer, and turned on the stool to give her his full attention. “What brings you here, missy? I thought you was off at some fancy college back east? Yet here you are, slumming with the boys back home.”
Most likely he thought his smile was appealing, but something about the stained teeth and dirty hair just ruined the whole magic for Keri. And there was that nasty “aroma” still wafting through the air.
“Zack, Bud tells me he talked to you about that fire out at the Blankenship place.”
He let out a loud whoop of a holler and slammed his palm flat on the bar. “Not you too, little missy? I told that stupid cop I wasn’t anywhere near that place that night!” He grabbed his beer, finishing it with a loud belch. “And that’s all I got to say about that.”
She tried to act nonchalant. “Well, sure, Zack. He told me that. I was just wondering if you’d heard anything. Like maybe somebody told you something or saw something. Being as how you weren’t anywhere near that place that night.”
His smile faded. “Nah, I didn’t hear nothin’. My guys was all with me at my place. We was playing poker.” A lewd expression flamed his face. “Course, if you’da been there, we’da played some strip poker.”
Keri rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m real sorry I missed that. But—”
“Not half as sorry as I am.”
She pinned him with a stare. “Zack, c’mon. Think. You had to hear something. You know people. Somebody in this town has talked about that fire and chances are you would’ve heard them say it. Work with me, here, would you?”
He tugged at a curl on her shoulder. “Oh I’ll work with you all night long, sweet thing.”
She batted his hand away. “Fine. You don’t know anything about the Blankenship fire. What about the fire at the newspaper office?”
He ordered another brew. “You want one?”
She tilted her head to one side. “No thank you. Ten o’clock is a little early for my taste buds. Now back to my question. Know anything about that fire? Hear anything?”
The bartender took his empty mug, replacing it with a frost-covered full one. He slurped a long swallow, then wiped the foam from his sad excuse for a mustache. “Nope. Don’t know nothin’ about that one either. How come you askin’ all these questions? You a cop now? Where’s your uniform?”
“I’m working for the paper.”
“Oh, that’s a real shame. You come back to town, go to work for the paper, and it goes up in smoke.” Another grin crawled up in face. “Wait, that cabin was your daddy’s, wasn’t it? He built that one, didn’t he? Whoa. That’s a real shame. You’re two for two. I’m thinking Bud oughta be asking you all these questions. Kinda coinky-dinky, don’t you think? You got a big ol’ lighter in that fancy bag of yours?”
What a waste of time.
“Maybe some matches and a little kerosene?”
She was sure of it. She quickly guarded her thoughts, masking her expression. “No, I’m afraid not. Only some lipstick and breath mints. Hey, what—” How could he know about the kerosene? Bill and Bud kept that information private. She and her dad knew about it. And Grant. But details like that hadn’t been shared in public.
“Here’s an
But it was the reek of body odor that made her want to turn and leave. The closer she got to Zack, the worse it got. Evidently, his busy schedule didn’t allow for personal hygiene. She tried to breathe through her mouth. Either that or hurl on his filthy boots.
“Well, a whole heckuva lot better now that you stopped by.” He set down his near-empty mug of beer, and turned on the stool to give her his full attention. “What brings you here, missy? I thought you was off at some fancy college back east? Yet here you are, slumming with the boys back home.”
Most likely he thought his smile was appealing, but something about the stained teeth and dirty hair just ruined the whole magic for Keri. And there was that nasty “aroma” still wafting through the air.
“Zack, Bud tells me he talked to you about that fire out at the Blankenship place.”
He let out a loud whoop of a holler and slammed his palm flat on the bar. “Not you too, little missy? I told that stupid cop I wasn’t anywhere near that place that night!” He grabbed his beer, finishing it with a loud belch. “And that’s all I got to say about that.”
She tried to act nonchalant. “Well, sure, Zack. He told me that. I was just wondering if you’d heard anything. Like maybe somebody told you something or saw something. Being as how you weren’t anywhere near that place that night.”
His smile faded. “Nah, I didn’t hear nothin’. My guys was all with me at my place. We was playing poker.” A lewd expression flamed his face. “Course, if you’da been there, we’da played some strip poker.”
Keri rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m real sorry I missed that. But—”
“Not half as sorry as I am.”
She pinned him with a stare. “Zack, c’mon. Think. You had to hear something. You know people. Somebody in this town has talked about that fire and chances are you would’ve heard them say it. Work with me, here, would you?”
He tugged at a curl on her shoulder. “Oh I’ll work with you all night long, sweet thing.”
She batted his hand away. “Fine. You don’t know anything about the Blankenship fire. What about the fire at the newspaper office?”
He ordered another brew. “You want one?”
She tilted her head to one side. “No thank you. Ten o’clock is a little early for my taste buds. Now back to my question. Know anything about that fire? Hear anything?”
The bartender took his empty mug, replacing it with a frost-covered full one. He slurped a long swallow, then wiped the foam from his sad excuse for a mustache. “Nope. Don’t know nothin’ about that one either. How come you askin’ all these questions? You a cop now? Where’s your uniform?”
“I’m working for the paper.”
“Oh, that’s a real shame. You come back to town, go to work for the paper, and it goes up in smoke.” Another grin crawled up in face. “Wait, that cabin was your daddy’s, wasn’t it? He built that one, didn’t he? Whoa. That’s a real shame. You’re two for two. I’m thinking Bud oughta be asking you all these questions. Kinda coinky-dinky, don’t you think? You got a big ol’ lighter in that fancy bag of yours?”
What a waste of time.
“Maybe some matches and a little kerosene?”
She was sure of it. She quickly guarded her thoughts, masking her expression. “No, I’m afraid not. Only some lipstick and breath mints. Hey, what—” How could he know about the kerosene? Bill and Bud kept that information private. She and her dad knew about it. And Grant. But details like that hadn’t been shared in public.
“Here’s an
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