Page 19 of On The Beach

I raised my hands, trying for my best innocent smile. "Uh, hi there, Officer. Beautiful night, isn't it?"

His flashlight beam was unwavering, his expression stony.

He flicked his light up to where the ragged Reef Harbor flag, now fluttering haphazardly in my hand, which was raised.

"What's your name?"

"Dr. Isabelle Volnay," I told him and then hiccupped. It was such a loud sound that I followed it with a sputtering giggle.

"Would you mind explaining why you're holding an open bottle of tequila while illegally trespassing on public property? Or why you thought it was a good idea to steal the town's flag?" he asked, voice dripping with exaggerated politeness.

I glanced up at the flag, feeling my face flush. "Oh…this? Well, it wasn't my idea, exactly…"

"Sure, sure," the cop interrupted, folding his arms, unimpressed. "It's never anyone's idea until they're caught."

"It really wasn't my idea. It was Nita and Max."

I usually didn't throw people under the bus,butI was on the wrong side of tipsy now.

He sighed heavily like he was already exhausted with me and we'd talked for less than a minute. "Disturbing the peace, public intoxication, and attempted theft of Reef Harbor property," he muttered, snapping his cuffs off his belt. "That's a long list, Miss Volnay."

My jaw dropped. "Dr. Volnay," I corrected automatically and then his words registered. "Wait, theft? We were just…borrowingthe flag! Honest!"

"Nita and Max don't ever return stuff theyborrow,and you should know better than to hang out with those criminals."

"I didn't know any better," I pouted. "Please,please, please, don't arrest me."

He raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Tell it to the judge. Now let's go—you've got a night in the cell to think it over."

He took the flag from me and then the bottle of tequila. "This is evidence," he informed me.

"It was my drink," I said glumly. Somehow this night had gone from reckless fun to public spectacle in record time.

"It's not legal to drink on the public beach," he growled.

I looked around and licked my lips. "But, officer, everyone is drinking."

"It'sChiefand not officer. And you can drink at the Coral Cove 'cause it's a bar but not out on a public beach." He cuffed my hands, and I cried out.

"Hey, that hurts."

"No, it doesn't," he quipped and then asked softly, "Does it,really?"

"No," I told him honestly. "Hey, am I going to need bail money?"

"Do you have money?"

"Loads of it."

"You're going to be in jail and since you won't see a judge right away, no bail needed tonight."

"But officer…," I peered at his name plate, "Ray Jenkins. I'm friends with RiRi and Mick."

"It'sChiefRay Jenkins. And you think knowin' the riff-raff on the island is a badge of honor? Mick Bottom is a fuckin' asshole."

My eyes widened. So far, everyone on the island seemed to love Mick. "You don't like him?"

"No."

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