Page 73 of Off the Hook

I spotted Coulter with his older brother Spence away from the crowd, their backs to me. As I approached, I heard Spencer say, “Don’t go getting crazy ideas that will open old wounds,” sounding annoyed. “If dad and Waylan have secrets, that’s their business. Let it lie, Coulter.”

“Hey babe,” I said, touching Coulter’s back. He jumped, head swiveling with a start.

“Sorry, you scared me,” he said, eyes wide.

“That’s okay,” I said, cupping his elbow with my palm. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine, babe,” he pulled me into his side, kissing my cheek. “You wanna go dance?”

“Actually, that’s why I was looking for you. Adam wants you to play a song with the band.”

“Oh,” Coulter said, eyes lighting up with his smile. “Hell yeah!”

“Knock ‘em dead, Jimi,” Spence said, patting him on the back.

“I hope he doesn’t want me to pull off a Hendrix cover,” Coulter grinned.

Coulter made no mention of what I’d overheard, and I didn’t ask. Now wasn’t the time.

The band was winding down a song when we made it to the makeshift plywood stage. Coulter stepped up, looking sexy as could be when he slipped the strap of the electric guitar over his shoulder.

“Thanks for letting me play a tune,” Coulter said into the mic, staring me in the eyes. “I wanted to play a variation on a classic. Since, much like my brother, Trouble, it wasn’t a brown-eyed girl who stole my heart.”

I was dancing like a groupie on the front row to the band’s Blue Eyed Girl when I felt someone touch my elbow.

“Fancy meeting you here.” I met Louis’s smiling eyes.

“Sorry I missed your birthday party,” I leaned in, almost shouting into Louis’s ear. “I had already committed.”

“I figured. Thanks for the invite though,” Louis said, raising his voice over the altered lyrics.

“Of course! Happy birthday, Louis!” I threw my arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug.

“Oh, well,” Louis stammered, awkwardly patting my shoulder. “Thanks, Detective.” His face was beet red.

Just as Coulter was singing about making love in the green grass behind the stadium with his blue eyed girl, staring directly at me, Oscar appeared.

“Looks like you’re being serenaded,” Ramirez quipped. “You wouldn’t be fraternizing with a former suspect would you?”

I planted my fists on my hips, puffing out my chest. “I’ll have you know, that innocent man is my boyfriend.”

Oscar’s lips spread in a grin. “Good job, partner. Now that he’s off the hook, don’t let him get away.”

I looked up at Coulter singing to me like I was the only woman on the planet, and told Oscar what I knew in my heart to be true. “Not a chance. I’m reeling this one in.”

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THE END

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