Page 6 of Off the Hook

A shiver went up my spine. Who was this Coulter? Two possibilities immediately came to mind: an ex or a side piece. Who else would she need to tell she was engaged before they heard it elsewhere?

“Hey Louis!” I hollered.. “You ever heard of a Coulter…” I fumbled with the phone to open the contact info page to find his last name again, but Louis beat me to it. “Coulter Rodman?”

“That’s the one,” I yelled. “Can you get me an address for him please?” I scanned the last text from Coulter again.I want to talk to you in person, Kylie. When can we meet?

Definitely had jilted-ex, stalker vibes. “I need to pay him a visit.”

CHAPTER 4

COULTER

Ava threw herself into our dad’s arm, sobbing at the news. My heart ached in my chest as I forced another swig of beer. After a few minutes she wiped her eyes, struggling to compose herself. She turned toward the front door with the determined look I knew my sister for. “Kylie would have wanted us to try to find some joy today. We should go inside and open our gifts.”

“Yeah, she always put everyone else first,” I said with a sadness so heavy I thought it might swallow me. Another memory of Kylie flooded my mind, the first Christmas she was in college at UM and home on break. She’d surprised me with a dawn fishing trip, and we’d fought tarpon for hours. We’d laughed so much, and came home full of stories of the big ones that got away.

I’d been dreading our first Christmas without mom. I could never have imagined losing someone else so soon. We trailed inside after Ava, settling into our individual perches around the small living room.

Ava pulled a few brightly wrapped gifts from under the tree.

Dad shook a box and grinned at the rattle as we all pasted on smiles. “Did you put pea gravel in it to throw Trevor off?” He smirked at my sister.

“I would never do such a thing,” Ava said with false innocence. She was the queen of decoys. Last Christmas, she’d wrapped a watch for Dad in a giant box with a big hunk of driftwood.

Dad returned the package to the pile. “I suppose we’ll just leave his presents under the tree until he can get here to open them.”

Ava gave him a look that resembled my mother when she scolded him. “You know, now that Trouble’s getting married, you’re going to have to get used to him spending some holidays with Corinne’s family. They’ll be over later this afternoon.”

My father laughed. “I know. As long as they bring that grandbaby by here at least three times a week, I won’t complain.” My baby brother’s big surprise that his girlfriend was pregnant and they were planning to get hitched had taken some of the sting out of not having Mom with us last night. I was grateful now that Waylan had kept the news of Kylie to himself until this morning.

Dad handed Waylan a small box. “This one’s for you, Waylan.”

“You didn’t have to get me anything.”

“Ellie always did.” My dad winked at his best friend, who had held a special place in my mother’s heart.

“Makes you wonder why God takes the good ones and leaves scoundrels like us, doesn’t it?” Waylan said with sad eyes. He set the package down to fish his buzzing cell phone from his breast pocket. “Sheriff Bennett here,” Waylan held up a finger as he answered his cell, mouthingSorry. “Hey Louis, what’s up?” His brow crinkled. “I’m here with him now.” He nodded, one eye squinting. “Okay…. Can’t this wait until tomorrow? It’s Christmas for Christ's sake... Seriously? … Alright. Got it. Yeah, I’ll tell him. Thanks.” He ended the call and took a deep breath, his gaze turning to me. “That was the deputy down at the station. Seems like Detective Pierce wants to talk to you. Today.”

“What’s she want to talk to me for?” My heart pounded in my chest as I glanced around the room for support. “I mean, I haven’t talked to Kylie in months!” My father’s and brothers’ faces mirrored my concern. The Rodman bloodline was strong. Not only did we look alike, none of us could mask worry worth a damn.

Waylan was cool and collected though. “Then that’s what you tell her, son. She probably caught wind of your history with Kylie and wants to ask you about it.” He shook his head and scoffed, “I hate this on Christmas Day. We can wait until after you open gifts if you want.”

I shook my head, setting the gift I’d chosen to open first aside. My hand trembled. I didn’t want to have to relive my history with Kylie right now. It hurt too much. But I didn’t feel like I had much choice. “You guys can go ahead without me.”

“Don’t be silly,” Ava smiled. “We’ll wait.”

Reef echoed her encouragement. “Maybe Trouble will be finished with his fancy brunch out at Paradise Key by the time you get back and we can all be together.”

“Alright,” I nodded to Waylan. Let’s get this over with then.”

He stood up wearily, hitching up his belt and smoothed down the buttons of his shirt over his modest beer belly. “I’m sorry, Coulter, it shouldn’t take long.”

I followed him out to his cruiser, my heart filling with dread. I hadn’t dated anyone seriously since Kylie gave me the ring back almost six years ago, probably because the wounds of our breakup still festered. I had loved her completely. “You don’t have to be sorry, Waylan. I’ll do anything I can to help find out what happened to Kylie.”

Waylan held the door to the station open for me. “Come on back.” He waved me around the unmanned reception counter.

I followed him through the open office, past several empty cubicles toward a deputy who popped to his feet when he caught sight of us. “Merry Christmas, Louis,” Waylan said. “I have Coulter here to see Detective Pierce. Where is she?”

“Right here, Sheriff.” A pretty brunette appeared from the hallway, a serious look on her face. “I didn’t expect to see you here today.” Her deep blue gaze swung to me. “You must be Coulter Rodman?”

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