BEAST
Life was good.
Suspiciously good.
The kind of good that usually meant trouble was coming.
Sadie sat beside me at the diner.
Close enough that her shoulder brushed mine.
The Magnolia Ladies occupied the next booth.
Pretending not to watch us.
Terrible actors.
Every one of them.
Across the room, Wolf and Trigger were taking turns making fun of me.
Because apparently getting kissed meant I'd never hear the end of it.
I was considering homicide.
Then Sheriff Cooper walked through the door.
One look at his face.
And every good feeling vanished.
The sheriff looked angry.
Not annoyed.
Not frustrated.
Angry.
The diner gradually quieted.
People noticed.
Eagle River noticed everything.
Mason stopped beside our table.
Removed his hat.
Looked directly at me.
And immediately wished he hadn't.
Because he already knew how this conversation was going to end.
"What happened?"
The question came out flat.
