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“Exactly,” Mimi said, trying to comfort Wendy (without seeming too happy about the rain). “We certainly don’t want anyone to get hurt. I’m afraid we might have to think about canceling all our acts. ”
“Canceling? Are you serious?” Bettina said. Instead of her usual spot in Bettina’s handbag, Tofu was being carted around in a little pink sequined pet carrier strapped around Bettina’s chest. Between that and the miniature doggie raincoat, all you could see were her beady eyes. And her sharp little white teeth, which were presently being bared at Mimi. Too bad she didn’t have any more of those bacon biscuits. “We can’t cancel Fatback Bubba!”
“What choice do we have?” Wendy said. “It’s pouring out there.”
“This is a disaster,” Doreen said. “It’s like someone or something is against us.”
Someone was against them, all right. Two someones as a matter of fact. Only Mimi couldn’t prove that Bruce and Doug had conspired to make her look bad. Plus, there was her own involvement to be considered. She wondered if Bettina knew the check Doug had promised her had fallen through. If she did, she wasn’t letting on in any way that Mimi could see.
“I say we relax and not get too worked up yet,” Viola said. “It’s only ten in the morning and this is Florida, which means the rain will more than likely blow over by this afternoon and all will be well.”
“True,” Doreen said.
They all turned to look at Bettina. “Viola’s right. The rain is definitely going to let up.”
“I agree!” Sherry said.
“Yes! I agree as well,” Wendy added hastily.
Good grief. It was the Pollyanna brigade at work.
They all set their watches to meet back up in two hours, then scattered to the ends of the festival to take care of their respective responsibilities.
Mimi was on her way to make another phone call to Harry Tuba to ask him to reconsider performing tonight (yes, she had no pride left whatsoever), when she ran into Zeke. Normally, he would have participated in this morning’s run, but he was part of the pro-bono security team, for which Mimi was grateful. She’d only seen him once since that night she’d gone to the cabin. He’d come over to pick up Cameron for a game and had been chillingly polite. It had taken everything Mimi had to not throw herself in his arms.
Today he seemed all business. Dressed in his police uniform and looking every inch the cop. He smiled at everyone he came across and if you didn’t know any better, you’d think he hadn’t a care in the world.
“Hey,” he said. “How’s everything going?”
By everything, she knew he meant the festival. “All right.”
He frowned. “What’s wrong?”
The temptation to tell him exactly what was wrong was overwhelming. But there was nothing Zeke could do about the band. If she told him now he would only get angry at Doug and think she was foolish. He’d find out tonight, along with the rest of the town, what a loser she was.
“Nothing,” she said.
“Well, if it isn’t Whispering Bay’s number one power couple,” came an unwelcome voice from behind. Mimi whipped around to find Doug grinning (or rather sneering) at them. Zeke hadn’t trusted Doug from the start. Why hadn’t she listened to him?
“Wentworth,” Zeke said tightly.
“Wow. This weather sure is something. I really hope it doesn’t interfere with the concert tonight,” Doug said.
He sounded innocent enough, but Mimi knew better. Good thing she didn’t have a weapon handy…
“The rain will probably blow over by this afternoon,” Zeke said. “After all, this is Florida.”
“So true!” Doug said with false cheerfulness. “I know I’m looking forward to hearing Fatback Bubba tonight.” He turned to Mimi. “How about you?”
Mimi grit her teeth. “Of course. Isn’t everyone?”
Zeke waited till Doug walked away to mutter under his breath. “What a dick.”
“Yeah.”
He snapped his head around to look at her. “I thought you liked the guy.”
Mimi didn’t trust herself to say anything without raising Zeke’s suspicions, so she just shrugged. She wanted to stay to talk to him but she really needed to make that call to Harry Tuba.
