Gin Fling (Bootleg Springs, #5)(103)

“My wallet was stolen last night,” he said. Something seemed to pass between the two of them.

“One crisis at a time,” Jayme insisted. “Let’s start at the top with the abduction and assault.”

“Actually there’s a bigger crisis,” Shelby said. “You’re definitely going to want liquor.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Bodine are here for breakfast,” Cassidy chirped from the doorway. She strolled in hand-in-hand with Bowie, both beaming in newlywed bliss.

“Well, what in the hell happened to all of you?” Bowie asked, gaping at us.

We were quite a sight to take in. Shelby looked exactly like an attempted murder victim. I was bruised and bloody. Jameson and Gibs were still in the rumpled pants and shirts from last night. The girls had last night’s makeup on and what was left of their hairdos.

“Y’all either had one hell of a fight or one hell of a party without us,” Cassidy pouted.

Shelby was the first one to start laughing, and the rest of us fell in behind her.

“Would someone please tell us what the hell happened?” Bowie said, drawing his wife into the room.

“Imma get us a round of Bloody Marys,” Scarlett decided.

We waited until we had our drinks and our meals before dishing the dirt.

“I missed a Misty Lynn meltdown?” Cassidy complained.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure someone got video,” Scarlett promised.

“Okay, so, Misty Lynn throws herself at you, gets rejected for the millionth time, and flips out?” Bowie clarified.

Jayme rolled her eyes. “This is the weirdest fucking town.”

“So she storms out, and Shelby follows her,” Leah Mae said, picking up the thread. “This was after she and Jonah had sex in your parents’ shed, by the way.”

“Wedding reception sex, nice,” Cassidy said approvingly.

“Anyway, Shelby went after Misty Lynn and caught her breaking into Gibson’s truck,” Jameson continued.

“About that—” Gibson said. But nobody paid him any attention.

“The next thing we know, Misty Lynn is screaming her head off, sayin’ someone took Shelby,” Scarlett said.

The retelling, now that all the parties were safe, was mildly entertaining… to everyone except me.

“I remember trying to pull Misty Lynn out of your truck,” Shelby said to Gibson. “And she was crying and yelling about teaching you a lesson. Then it all just goes black.”

“According to Misty Lynn’s statement, a man appeared out of the shadows and pushed her down. She struck her forehead on Gibson’s truck. He grabbed you and knocked you unconscious,” Jayme said, reading off her phone.

“How did you get your hands on the report already?” Devlin asked.

Her painted lips curved. “I have my ways.”

They told Bowie and Cassidy the rest of the story in fits and starts.

“I can’t believe we were so busy having hot newlywed sex that we had no idea any of this was going on,” Cassidy said, pushing her plate away. “I need to get into the station and get the scoop.”

“Before you go,” I said, eyeing Shelby. “There’s something else you guys need to know.”

Mom straightened her shoulders and took a fortifying gulp of her Bloody Mary. Gibson’s foot was jiggling where it crossed his knee at the ankle.

“What the hell are you all up to?” Scarlett demanded. She wasn’t a fan of being left out.

“This doesn’t leave this room,” I insisted.

“You’re starting to make me nervous, Jonah,” Devlin admitted.

Shelby squeezed my hand. “I got this,” she said. “Okay, it all started when I asked June to take a road trip with me…”





*



Ten minutes later, the room was dead silent except for the slurp of Bloody Mary glasses emptying.

“So Callie’s alive?” Scarlett asked finally in an uncharacteristically soft voice.

“As of last year, yes,” Mom said carefully. “And I told Sheriff Tucker all of this after they found you this morning, Shelby.”

“What about the report? The dental records matched?” Leah Mae asked, leaning in.

“We suspect the report was doctored,” June spoke up.

“This is a lot to take in,” Devlin said.

“I’m gonna need like six more Bloody Marys,” Jameson said.

“So Dad didn’t… hurt her.” Scarlett stared down at her plate of forgotten waffles.

“Your father saved her life,” Mom said softly.

“You think it was the judge that did that to her?” Cassidy asked. I could see the cop in her warring with the girl who’d lost a summer friend.

“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Shelby said. “Callie was adamant about not going home. He’s in a position of power. He had access to Christian’s sealed file. I’m sure he’s got people willing to do dirty work for him. And he loses big if Callie comes strolling back into town telling the truth. He could kiss that federal judgeship goodbye. It’s better for him if she stays dead.”

“The important thing to remember is, everything is circumstantial right now. We have to be patient and let law enforcement do their job,” I insisted, remembering the sheriff’s warning.