Page 47 of Midnight Creed

“Let’s get everyone settled,” he said. “Then how about we take Hank and Scout, get a couple of lounge chairs and some refreshments and set up in the backyard for a meteor shower?”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t think you were even listening to me.”

“I always listen to you.” He shot her a smile. “Asteroid debris, right? Not a comet. Sounds totally cool.”

Yes, it did. She wiped a strand of hair out of her face, and she was so excited she didn’t mind that she’d smeared dog food across her forehead.

32

Pensacola, Florida

Creed was grateful to Hannah for giving him an early out, releasing him like a caged animal into the wild. He was conversing, being polite, sipping champagne, and she could still see how miserable he was. How did she do that?

Hannah told him the new director had offered her a ride home, and they could use the time alone to assess the event. “Maybe,” she said, “bask in the glory and relief.” The two women had been working together on the fundraiser for the first time.

Creed didn’t question her. Simply nodded and tried to act nonchalant as his eyes searched for the nearest exit. He’d almost made it until a blond in a sapphire blue cocktail dress tapped him on the shoulder. He didn’t recognize her at first. To be fair, he was used to seeing her in an orange jumpsuit, what the Coast Guard crews simply called a “mustang.”

“Wow!” The word escaped his lips before he could stop it, and rescue swimmer, Liz Bailey laughed.

“You look pretty spiffy yourself,” she said. “Would you like to dance?”

“You’re asking me?”

“Don’t tell me the dog handler can’t dance?”

It was a fundraising ball with a full orchestra, including musicians from the local symphony.

“You don’t dance to this,” he told her. “I believe this is what you call a waltz.”

He raised his arm, elbow level with her shoulder and put up his other hand, fingers gesturing for her to do the same.

She raised an eyebrow at him before she followed his lead.

They waltzed. Creed couldn’t believe how easily it all came back to him. Step forward. Move to the right. Close left foot to right foot. Step back.

When his mother taught him at fifteen, she told him to envision his feet gliding around a box. She made him do it over and over again until the movements became instinctive. Until the music took over. It definitely helped to have a dance partner who could follow so smoothly along. They moved like synchronized swimmers through waves of other dancers.

It was actually quite nice. He didn’t hate it.

But now, as he escaped through the parking lot, he realized he had the top button of his shirt undone and his bowtie already in his pocket before he arrived at his Jeep. Evidently, as nice as it was, he didn’t want to dance all night.

Before he left, he texted Jason and Brodie. It was late, but they weren’t expecting him or Hannah until much later. He didn’t want to alarm them.

By the time Creed was pulling off I-10 and coming down the ramp, his phone lit up in the dashboard holder. Jason texted back that they were in the backyard watching the meteor shower.

Join us!

Meteor shower!

As he stopped to turn onto Avalon Boulevard, he looked up at the sky. Too many pines trees. His eyes swept back to the road and caught movement on the other side of the highway. It was back behind the Red Roof Inn. Close to where he and Norwich had started their search yesterday. Creed thought he saw someone running through the parking lot. Three others followed.

No, not followed. Chased.

Then Creed saw the dog running alongside the person being chased.