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  I hoped she couldn’t see my heart beating, but with my push-up bra in place, I imagine my bosom was trembling almost as much as Sarina Blyss’s did whenever she thought of Trey Barineau.

  “Umm,” I managed.

  “Bobby or Ross?” she persisted, and again pointed to the table where Ross, a semi-regular, was racking.

  I took a step backward and landed on Kevin’s toe. He yelped loudly and I jumped again. Smooth, let me tell you. I mumbled an apology and forced myself to speak to Melissa.

  “I think I’m done for the night,” I said. “I, umm, have that early flight tomorrow. You know, back to Hawaii?”

  I turned and walked away, and hoped those weren’t Melissa’s eyes I felt on my back as I wended my way across the dance floor. My own eyes were firmly planted on Goldilocks, which is probably why I bumped into the Drunken Dancer. We both went down.

  Karen must have noticed. She hopped over and grabbed me before I stumbled again.

  “You know, Jess?” she asked as we locked eyes.

  I blinked, and Karen nodded. “Yep, you know,” she said. She picked up my cue case, got a firm grip on my arm and practically carried me off the dance floor.

  “Who?” she asked as I regained my footing.

  “Goldilocks,” I whispered.

  “Huh?”

  “She’s a cop.” I jerked my head toward the blond at the bar. “We need Goldilocks.”

  Karen still looked confused, but she helped me along anyway, and we finally reached our destination.

  “It’s Melissa,” I whispered.

  Goldilocks looked up from her beer. “Huh?”

  I whispered a bit louder. “It’s Melissa Purcell. You know, the tall woman with frizzy hair at the pool table? What do we do now?”

  “Do about what? Who’s Melissa?”

  I closed my eyes and prayed for strength.

  Even if Wilson hadn’t instructed me on how to confront a killer, surely this cop had gotten some training? I opened my eyes and silently appealed to Karen.

  She patted my shoulder and repeated my claim. “It’s Melissa,” she told Goldilocks. “Trust me, girlfriend. Jess is never wrong about these things.”

  “What things?” Goldilocks the Einstein asked.

  At least Candy had caught on. She spotted us from across the bar and came over to add her support.

  “Who is it?” she whispered.

  “Melissa,” Karen whispered back and tilted her head toward Goldilocks. “And she’s a cop.”

  Candy looked at me for verification. When I nodded, she put her hands on her hips and whispered orders to Goldilocks. “Well then, go arrest Melissa,” she demanded. “What are you waiting for?”

  “Huh?”

  “It’s Melissa, you idiot!” I was about to pounce and start shaking some brains into her extremely thick skull, but Candy distracted me.

  “Umm, Jessie?” she said.

  I twirled around. “What?”

  She and Karen slowly rolled their heads toward the other end of the bar, and I froze in stunned horror as Melissa took the barstool Candy had just vacated.

  The one next to Mackenzie.

  Melissa whispered something in her ear, and Mackenzie jumped. A couple of seconds passed, and then the girl slowly and methodically closed her books. She stood up at the same time as Melissa, and the two of them started backing up together.

  What the hell was going on?

  Elsa noticed, too. “What is this?” she asked. “Where do you two think you’re going?”

  “She’s got a gun, Mama.”

  Chapter 31

  Elsa let out a scream that drowned out Isabelle Eakes.

  That got everyone’s attention. Someone had the decency to stop the music, and all eyes watched as Melissa and Mackenzie took two more steps backward into the corner. Then Melissa revealed the gun she was hiding behind Mackenzie’s back by pointing it at her beautiful young head.

  The Drunken Dancer fainted. As did Goldilocks. She toppled off her barstool and landed at my feet.

  Other people sprang into action, however. The Redheaded Ogler knocked over the two empty barstools next to him and pulled out a gun of his own. Bless his heart, the Ogler was a cop! And Mr. Leather and Chains hopped up on one of the tables at the edge of the dance floor. He, too, had a gun pointed at Melissa.

  “Don’t shoot!” Elsa shrieked.

  She flapped her arms, and her head darted back and forth between the three guns. “Oh, please God! Don’t anyone shoot.”

  She dropped her arms and started sobbing, and Henry startled us all when he literally leaped over the bar from halfway across the room to stand with her.

  Melissa was shrieking by then also. She shouted for everyone to shut up. “Let me think,” she screamed. “Everyone just back off!”

  Everyone backed up a step except for Mr. Leather up on the table. Mackenzie was starting to unravel, as was her mother. Henry held Elsa up. And unfortunately, Melissa held Mackenzie up. I believe it’s called a human shield.

  “Talk to her.” Karen kept her eyes on Melissa, but nudged me.

  “Good idea.” Oh, good Lord, Candy had actually started walking toward the action-packed end of the bar. And she actually made it half way there before Melissa told her to stop.

  “Shut up and stay away!” she warned.

  Candy did stop. But she did not shut up. In fact, it appeared she wasn’t paying any attention to Melissa at all.

  She spoke to her friend. “It’s gonna be okay, Mackenzie.” Candy’s voice was remarkably steady. “I know these people,” she lied, and pointed to the cops who had their guns at the ready. “I know Captain Rye, too. You’ve talked to Captain Rye, right?”

  Mackenzie let out a tiny squeak.

  “They won’t let anything bad happen to you,” Candy promised, and I swear the girl did stand up a bit straighter, even as Melissa tapped her temple with the gun.

  “Help her, Jess,” Karen insisted, and I took a small step forward.

  Melissa noticed. “Stay away from me, Tessie. You stay way back.”

  She aimed her gun at me, and all hell broke loose.

  The Redheaded Ogler started shooting, as did Mr. Leather and Chains. As did Melissa.

  Once the gunfire ceased everyone stood up on wobbly knees to assess the damage. Make that, almost everyone. Goldilocks was still huddled beneath her barstool and the Drunken Dancer was still passed out on the dance floor.

  Mr. Leather and Chains had joined her. He hadn’t passed out, but was instead writhing around. He was holding onto his leg, which if you haven’t guessed, was bleeding. The Redheaded Ogler was also bleeding. But he held onto his arm.

  So much for the cops.

  ***

  At least Mackenzie wasn’t bleeding. But then again, neither was Melissa.

  “They must have worried about hitting the wrong person,” Karen whispered.

  Meanwhile Melissa was issuing orders about how she and Mackenzie were going to leave the bar together.

  “Y’all back up and give us some room to get up those stairs.” She jerked her head towards the entrance. “And no one else gets shot. Get it?”

  I guess we didn’t, since no one made a move to back up.

  “Now!” she barked, and everyone jumped.

  I bumped into Karen as we all took one baby step backwards. “Talk to her, Jess,” she hissed at me.

  Why me?

  I didn’t know, but clearly someone had to do something.

  “Where did that gun come from, Melissa?” I spoke as if I were enquiring as to where she had bought that lovely green blouse she was wearing. “It’s not from Fritz?”

  “Stuart Hastie keeps a gun hidden. I stole it.” Melissa snickered. “He hasn’t even noticed it’s missing.”

  What was it with these damn hidden guns?

  “Oh?” I continued. “So, it’s from Hastie’s Diner, then?”

  “I’m a good shot,” Melissa mentioned in case anyone hadn’t noticed. “I might suck at pool,
but I took Angela out from across the parking lot,” she bragged.

  “And Fritz?” I’m sure I sounded even stupider than Goldilocks, but Melissa and Mackenzie had yet to start moving. “Did you shoot Fritz, too?” I asked.

  “You’re just like him.”

  “Oh?”

  “Nosy as hell and play pool like a fiend.”

  That reminded me. I glanced over at my pool table buddies.

  Even from across the room, they weren’t missing a thing. Poor Avis Sage looked like he might collapse, but Bobby was standing with him, as was Spencer. Thank God, Ethel and Doreen were already sitting down. I caught Kevin’s eye, and he sent some positive vibes in my direction.

  I turned back to Melissa. “Fritz figured out you killed Angela, and so you killed him, too? Is that right?”

  “He was nosy.” She shoved Mackenzie forward and they started moving.

  “How could you do it, Mel?” Avis broke free from Bobby and Spencer, and stumbled out to the dance floor. “How could you kill the Fox? He was your friend.”

  Melissa stopped. “Yeah, right,” she snapped. “If Fritz was such a good friend why’d he decide to teach Angela to play instead of me? I’ve been begging him for years. Years!” she screamed, and Mackenzie flinched. “And he was about to take her away!” She appealed to the rest of us. “It should have been me!” she shrieked, and we all nodded in agreement.

  She jerked herself and Mackenzie around to face the bar again. “Fritz was supposed to die all those years ago, anyway. Right, Henry?”

  “No one was supposed to die all those years ago,” Elsa whined. “Please, let’s stop this.”

  “Screw you, Elsa.” Melissa’s contempt was palpable. “Why’d you have to give her a job? I’ve been here, like, forever. But noooo. It’s Aaangela you hire.”

  Karen nudged me again, and I remembered to keep talking. “Umm.” I spoke up. “Spencer was at fault, too. Wasn’t he, Melissa?”

  “Oh great!” That was Spencer. He threw up his hands and shook his head at me. “Thanks so much for reminding her, Tessie! Next thing you know, she’ll be shooting at me.”

  “No, Spencer,” Melissa assured him. “I’d never hurt you.” She turned to me. “But you?” She shoved Mackenzie out of the way and took aim.

  I ducked. Karen must have joined me. And we both landed on top of Goldilocks. I heard a bullet or two ricochet off the stone wall behind us while Goldilocks screamed at me to get off of her.

  I rolled sideways in time to see the Drunken Dancer rise up from the dance floor. She had a gun.

  And she shot Melissa Purcell between the eyes.

  Chapter 32

  By the time I remembered to breathe again, the Drunken Dancer was kicking Mr. Leather and Chains in his good leg. “Call Rye, you stupid idiot,” she demanded. “Call 911!”

  He rolled back and forth to avoid her foot. “Hold your horses, Kim. I’m on it.”

  Kim?

  “It’s already done, Kim.” Still sitting on our duffs, Karen and I twirled around to watch Tiffany Sass leap over the stairway railing and nail a perfect landing on the stiletto points of her silver high heels.

  “Impressive,” Karen mumbled.

  “Darned impressive,” I agreed.

  “Thanks.” Tiffany offered a brief curtsey before stepping over us and making her way to Melissa’s gun. The woman was indeed steady on her stilettos. She kicked that gun, and it skidded clear across the dance floor and landed underneath the pool table.

  I let out a loud groan, but no one was paying the slightest attention to me. How could they, when Tiffany Sass, resplendent in her hot pink mini-skirt, was bending over to help Mackenzie to her feet? After making sure the girl was all right, she knelt over Melissa and announced the perp dead.

  Russell Densmore had also arrived somewhere in there. He checked that Karen and I weren’t hurt, waited until our eyes adjusted to his hot pink suit, and went to help Tiffany.

  Amidst commotion that was rowdy even by Wade On Inn standards, Goldilocks, Karen, and I pulled each other to our feet. By the time we were standing, Elsa, Mackenzie, Henry, and Candy had one heck of a group hug going. Karen went to join them, as did Bobby Decker.

  I watched the Drunken Dancer, a.k.a. Kim, put away her gun and kneel down to help her wounded partner. Surrealistically weird.

  Speaking of weird, Goldilocks had a compact out and was reapplying her lipstick.

  “You’re not a cop?” I asked her.

  She torn herself away from her task. “Do I look like a cop?”

  I shrugged and explained why I had been so sure of it. I told her who I was, and what I was doing at the Wade On Inn.

  “But if you aren’t a cop, then who are you?” I asked. “I recognize you from somewhere.”

  “Charlotte’s Webb,” she said and closed her compact.

  Oh, for Lord’s sake. Of course! Goldilocks was the woman getting blond highlights the day Sally Caperton had made me a brunette. Goldilocks was the woman in foils.

  She dropped her lipstick into her purse. “I figured out who you reminded me of after I got home that day.”

  “Eddie Munster,” we said in unison.

  I took my leave and approached Kim.

  She and the Redheaded Ogler were sitting cross-legged in the middle of the dance floor with the Leather and Chains cop. He was still lying down.

  I joined the group on the floor. “Is everyone okay?” I asked stupidly and cringed at Mr. Leather.

  “Just a flesh wound,” the Ogler assured me with a brave smile. “Jeff Fogle,” he said and reached his out right hand.

  I shook it while he mumbled something about how lucky it was that his left arm took the bullet, and not his right.

  I cringed again, and Kim pointed to Leather and Chains. “Simmons is a little more serious,” she said. “But he’ll be up and around and annoying me in no time.”

  Poor Mr. Leather and Chains managed to chuckle. “Gabe Simmons,” he informed me. “You should have danced with me when you had the chance, Jessie.” He tried to sit up, but Kim made him lay back down.

  She invited me to stand up, but kept a firm foot on Mr. Simmons’ chest so he couldn’t move. She also told Jeff Fogle she’d shoot his other arm if he tried to get up before the ambulance arrived.

  I caught Kim’s eye. “Thank you for saving the day.” I held out my hand and introduced myself unnecessarily. “Wilson’s been telling me how great you are. Now I see why.”

  She shrugged and shook my hand. “Kim Leary,” she said. “You really didn’t know who I was?”

  “Heck no. You could have knocked me over with a feather when you stood up and started shooting.”

  “You were already knocked over,” she reminded me.

  Tiffany joined us. I turned and gave her a hug, but she brushed off my thank you also. “You and your friends have been heroic all week,” she insisted. “That’s why Captain Rye added these two to the watch.” She pointed a hot pink fingernail at her colleagues on the floor, and I shook my head as it finally dawned on me.

  The Ogler and Mr. Leather had not even been at the Wade On Inn our first night out. Wilson must have added them to the mix once he understood Karen and Candy would be joining me each night.

  “We should be thanking you, Jessie,” Tiffany was saying. But when we heard sirens out in the parking lot, she and Kim quickly excused themselves to start getting statements from the crowd.

  “The Captain will kill us if he comes in and sees us dilly-dallying with you.” Tiffany winked, and the hot pink Sass ass skedaddled away.

  Karen and Candy were still surrounded by the Quinns and company, so I walked over to the pool table to see how everyone was holding up.

  Ethel and Doreen looked a bit shell-shocked, but the old ladies insisted that all they needed was a good night’s rest, and they’d be raring to go once again.

  “Kevin’s been telling us all about you, Jessie.” Doreen emphasized the J. “Are you really Adelé Nightingale? I love her stuff!”
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  I thanked her for her enthusiasm, and Ethel asked if I’d be willing to do a book signing at The Cotswald Estates. Of course, I said I would be delighted.

  I told Kevin he hadn’t gotten rid of me either. “I’ll be seeing you at the library.” I whispered that I planned on offering him my editorial and proofreading services when he was further along with Social Interactivity and Gambling Protocol Among Early Twenty-First Century Billiard Players.

  “An Urban Study,” he added. He tilted his head toward the other end of the pool table, where Spencer Erring was trying to get Avis Sage to sit down. “I think someone over there wants to say goodbye to you.”

  ***

  I stepped away and approached Spencer. “Sorry if I put you in danger back there.” I waved to where Melissa had been brandishing her gun.

  “It wasn’t your fault, Tes—I mean, Jessie.” Spencer looked up from Avis. “The Wiseman’s been talking about you. And he’s convinced me the pool table isn’t where I’m meant to be. So I think I’ll go home and try flirting with my wife for a change.” He shrugged. “Who knows?” he said. “Maybe Dixie will take me back.”

  I hugged him and wished him luck.

  “Bring some of those hugs over this way, Spencer honey,” Doreen called out. Spencer flashed me one last dimple and walked off.

  Ever the gentleman, Avis Sage stood up when I turned to him. He was looking very, very sad. I imagine I was, too.

  “Are you okay, Mr. Sage?”

  He reached for my hand and kissed it. Then he looked up and smiled. “I’d bet my Balabushka cue stick you’re Leon Hewitt’s daughter. Is the old man right?”

  I gave him a hug. “How’ve you been all these years, sir?”

  “I can’t complain, Miss Jessie.”

  “But how did you figure it out?”

  “The old man had his suspicions the first night you came in here.” He pointed to the pool table. “You remember that triple bank shot for the seven you made in our second game?”

  “Kind of brilliant?” I asked.

  “Oooo-eeee, little girl. That shot had Cue-It Hewitt written all over it.”

  He stopped smiling. “I was real sorry to hear about your Daddy, by the way. He was one of the greats.”