Page 62 of Rest In Pink

“Why would that take patience?”

“Because I’d have to explain good music to them,” he said. “You’re really sold on this girl?”

“Let her in the course.”

He sighed. “What’s her name?”

“Crystal Lake,” I said, waiting for the joke.

“Lanny Smith’s daughter?”

I looked at Crystal. “Lanny Smith’s daughter?”

Crystal nodded.

“Yes,” I said into the phone. “But my recommendation should be enough. Come on, Mac, we go back a long way. I’m doing you a favor, which you will realize as soon as you see Crystal in action. She’ll be good for Burney.”

“Since when do you care about who’ll be good for Burney?”

“Since you live here, you jerk,” I said. “And Peri. And Vince. And my mother, who I intend to speak to again one day. Hell, forMolly—”

“Okay,” he said. “You don’t have to play the Molly card. Although, you could ask her to ask me this?”

“Mac.”

“Give this girl my number, have her call me, we’ll talk, I’ll see about the class.”

“Thank you,” I said and clicked off the phone.

Crystal had gone down to the deep end of the pool while I was talking, and was now crouched down there, the class lined up holding onto the edge, even Elliott. Then she stood up and blew her whistle, and they all turned and raced for the shallow end, Crystal watching until they were far enough away that she could dive in, make Elliott let go of his death grip on the edge, and swim with him to the end.

I watched her for the rest of the hour, setting up skillsets like games, pushing the kids that were better to do harder things, watching them all every minute.

When the time was up, she got them all out of the pool and then came over to me.

“That was really nice of you, calling Mr. Blake,” she said. “But—”

I’d taken my notebook out and written Mac’s number down. I tore out the page and handed it to her. “He’s expecting your call. He’s not making any promises, but once he sees your work ethic and how smart you are, he’ll introduce you to Captain Olson. You’re the kind of person they want working with them.”

“Thank you,” she said, taking the number, looking blindsided. “I really appreciate this. I won’t let you down.”

I looked in her eyes. “Crystal, they need people like you. I just didthema favor, not you. I’m just hoping they don’t letyoudown.”

She looked at the number again. “You can call me Crys.”

“Okay.” I smiled at her. “I’m Liz.”

She rolled her eyes. “I know.”

Peri came up to me, wrapped in her towel. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” I said. “You swam like a mermaid fish.”

“You and Crys looked serious.”

“That was about something else,” I said steering her through the door. “Everything is not about you, kid.”

“Yes it is,” Peri said and then she stopped when Faye stepped in front of us.

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