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Hank ran across his mama’s yard, his arms pumping. Thebushes rustled some more and I caught a glimpse of a small man dressed in camo scurrying away. Hank leaped over his back fence then tackled the man to the ground.
“Holy shinola,” Winn muttered.
We made our way over to the fence.
“Sally,” Hank yelled. “Call the department for me. Illegal trespass.”
“Damnit,” I muttered.
“I better go,” said Iris. “Sorry, Sally.”
“I’ll go too. Cops will probably block the street.” Winn gave me a quick side hug. “Hang in there, Sal.”
I walked with them toward the front of the house, margarita glass still in my hand. My nose was stinging.
“Sally,” someone yelled. A mob of photographers jumped out of cars and gathered on the sidewalk in front of my parents’ narrow front lawn, all pointing cameras at me. “Sally, will you make a statement?”
I froze, the glass dangling from my hand. Iris yelped and covered her face with her sun hat, then ran for her car, Winn at her side.
Hank was yelling something at me, but my ears were ringing. I backtracked toward the side gate, kicking myself for not putting on a wrap. I had on a skimpy bikini with thong bottoms and they all got a good view.
“Shit on a stick.” Defeated, I turned off the music.
Later, with clothes on, I sank into a chair in the dim covered area of the back patio. My phone flashed with notifications from all kinds of people I didn’t know. Head in my hands, I wallowed. Not even my mama wanted to be in the same house as me.
“Sally,” called Hank from the side yard gate.
I stood up and let him in, a cap on my head and my face down as cameras pointed at us.
“Damn circus,” Hank grumbled. “I filed a nuisancecomplaint but there isn’t much that can be done yet. They’ll move on soon.”
“Grab a drink. Can I make you a cocktail?”
“Nah,” he said, rubbing his face. “I’m on duty tonight.”
“Well, thanks for coming over to speak to me. You might be the only one left in town that will.”
He sighed. “I know it’s hard but you have to lay low for a while. Parading around in that swimsuit today was like throwing kittens at a pack of wolves. Didn’t help, Sally.”
I stiffened up. “Wow, thank you for explaining that to me. I’m really gonna think twice before I flash my tits at them later.”
He groaned, glancing at my chest and then away. “Everyone else has seen them.”
“Fuck off.” I paced back and forth on the patio.
He put his face in his hands. “I think I know which asshole leaked that video and I want to kill him. Every dick in our department has seen it.”
My heart beat hard in my chest. “You too?”
“I reviewed it as evidence.”
I turned my back on him, arms folded against my chest. “I should sue all of you.”
“Yeah, you probably should. I’d like to see some heads roll. At least that video kept you from being charged. It made the difference between accidental manslaughter and self-defense. I’m glad you won’t have to face a court trial.”
“Yep. Instead, I’m locked up in this house.”
His footsteps came near me. My shoulders tightened. “I’m glad you killed him,” he said. “Saved me from a murder charge.”
