Page 31 of The Mermaid Murder

“I’m her coach. Though given what I just saw, she’s forgotten everything I ever taught her.”

Christy stepped out from behind me and dropped what she probably thought was a calming hand onto my shoulder. “I’m sorry, coach,” she said in Misty voice. “I tweaked my back somehow and I’m stiff as hell. I’ll do better, I promise.” And then with a meaningful look my way, “This job means a lot to me.”

The coach’s face was no longer angry, but it wasn’t friendly either, as it slid my way. “You know this area is staff only.”

“Coach Hannah, this is my aunt, Rachel de Luca, and her fiancé, Detective Mason Brown.” Was she trying to intimidate the coach using my full name and Mason’s cop status?

I nodded hello, offering neither a smile nor a hand.

“Good to meet you,” she said, then sent her full attention back to Christy. “I’ll go over your routine with you. We can swap in some simplified moves you’ll be able to handle.” Then she frowned. “You should see a doctor, make sure?—"

“It’s not that bad,” she said quickly. “And thanks, I’d appreciate some easier?—”

“You two,” the coach said. She’d said what she’d wanted to Christy (who she thought was really Misty) and turned her entire focus to Jasmine and Echo. “Where the hell is Toby?”

“Running late,” Jasmine said. “Again.”

“Well, he’d better get here soon. Who the hell closed the pool? We have work to do!” She clapped her hands twice so sharply I jumped. Then she walked over to the wall and pulled the lever. The cover growled open. “Let’s go, next show’s in an hour!”

Jasmine and Echo ran into the locker room with the coach right on their heels. “I’ll be right in,” Christy called. Then her voice dropped an octave, and her innocent round eyes went cat as she turned to Mason and me. “I’ll call her friends after my shift. Promise.”

“Or you can just give me their contact info, and Mace and I can?—”

“Invade my sister’s privacy,” she finished. “She’s not missing. She just wants a weekend alone. You guys staying in town?”

“Yeah,” Mason said. “I got us a place.” His eyes shifted to mine, and there was a sparkle in there. He had something up his sleeve, something he was a little bit excited about.

I said to Christy, “Okay. Do it your way. Call us the minute you find out anything.”

“I’ll call you in the morning,” she said.

I rolled my eyes. “I’ll be up at six.”

“I’ll be up at ten,” she countered. But then she smiled a little. “Just kidding. I’ll call you at eight."

“Good visit.”

She hugged me goodbye, the brat. “You can go out this door.” She walked as she talked, pushed the big exit door open and held it. Beyond was a two-level metal stairway with a landing in between. It only had a railing on one side.

“Be careful, you guys. It’s a long way down.”

“Did she just call us old?” I asked as I stepped through the door she held.

“She would never,” Mason replied, sending a wink back at Christy. “Now hold onto the railing, dear. I don’t want you to break a hip.”

Christy backed inside and let the door close, and we continued to descend. The staircase rattled like metallic hell with every step, but it felt solid enough. “That one side being open has to be some kind of code violation, doesn’t it?” I asked.

Mason nodded. “Probably. You want me to go back in and arrest someone for it?”

“No,” I said, and I laughed. Then I stopped laughing. “Not yet.”

Chapter 6

RACHEL

“You didn’t book us a hotel room, did you?” I asked as Mason drove through the countryside. I could tell he was up to something by the poorly contained excitement on his handsome face, despite the concern in his eyes. He hadn’t shaved this morning, and his scruff was at that perfect point that made it all but impossible for me to keep my hands off him.

“Nope.”

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