“I’m pretty sure they think Keane’s the one who put thatstuff in her drink,” Miranda said as she walked through.“How would he even doit?I didn’t see him around the drink, and I was only in the bathroom for a fewminutes.It was surprisingly uncrowded.”
“I think they found some half-assed evidence and decided torailroad the new guy.”It was kind of how things worked in this town.“They’lldo it faster if my father is on their ass.If my dad is putting the pressureon, they’ll do anything to placate him.Does anyone know if Garrett is inthere?Keane needs a lawyer.”
Garrett wasn’t at the hospital, so she had to believe he washere trying to get Keane out.Which is exactly what he should do.After hecalled her.
Oh, she understood that asshole who drugged her also tookher phone and her purse, but he could have called Gigi or Miranda or Gabe.Shemade sure they all exchanged numbers days ago.
She had to wonder if they were going back into their shells.It was hard for her men to trust after everything they’d been through.
“I think he is, though I don’t know where they are in theprocess,” Gabe admitted.“I’ve already got a call to come in and give astatement.”
Why?Gabe hadn’t seen anything.He’d been on the dancefloor, though so had Keane.
She made it up the steps and through the glass doors.Shestepped up to the reception desk where Tanya Hallway sat.She was roughly threehundred years old and formed one of the hearts of the Willow Fork gossipcenter.Tanya didn’t mind spending half her work time calling and letting herfriends know who was being arrested and for what.
“Olivia.”Tanya stood.She was a tiny woman with big eyesand a steel helmet of hair on her head.“We thought you were in a coma afterall the drugs.You know those city boys always have the drugs.”
“I’m fine.It was one drug, and I’ve metabolized it.”Apparently she hadn’t gotten a full dose or she would be asleep for hours.“What do you know?”
It was always best to go to the center of the informationworld when one needed the story.Best to cut to the chase.
Tanya settled her glasses and nodded as though this was areport she’d known she would have to deliver at some point.“I know your daddyis mad as hell at your uncle.When he walked in he was spitting bile at Lucas.On the phone, of course.”
Why would her dad call Lucas?Maybe she should call Lucasherself.Garrett was a good lawyer, but he loved Keane.Lucas could makepractical decisions.“What was Keane Rollins brought in for?”
Tanya frowned.“Well, for attempted kidnapping, of course.And then there’s the drug violations.It’s a lot of serious stuff, Olivia.”
So she had her work cut out for her.“What kind of evidencedo they have?”
Tanya didn’t even hesitate.Her true loyalty was to gossip.If that woman had been born elsewhere, she might have joined the CIA.And thenprobably gotten fired for telling state secrets.“They have the surveillancefootage for the bar.I saw it.It shows that man of yours standing in front ofthe bar.It looks like he’s waiting but his arms move and I think the sheriffis saying that’s when he spiked the drink.”
“They have him on camera with the drugs?”She wouldn’tbelieve it until someone told her it wasn’t AI.Someone she trusted.RubyLockwood’s day might not be over yet.
“Not that I could see.I think he was just standing thereand then he looked at his phone, but the sheriff says criminals always docrimes, so it must be him.”Tanya leaned over.“He has a record.A nasty one.”
Well, she’d known it was coming.“Is that all they have onhim?Surveillance footage that doesn’t actually show him with drugs and hispast?”
“Well, I think they are talking to a witness,” Tanyareplied.“Pretty girl.She looks familiar.Jimmy is taking her statement rightnow and flirting like mad.That girl knows how to bat her eyelashes.I hopeBetsy Ann doesn’t hear about it.She is one jealous bitch, and she shouldn’t besurprised since Jimmy was cheating on his first wife with her when they gottogether.”
Gigi frowned.“Wait.Jimmy?That troll managed to get notone but two women to marry him?”
Tanya waved a hand.“There’s not a lot to work with aroundhere.Especially since some women get all kinds of greedy and take two of thebest.Though I don’t fault her for it.If I was younger… Hey, Sam, you arelooking good.Abby, we missed you at book club.How was the wedding?”
She did not have time for this.“Where is my dad?”
Then she heard the yelling.
She turned toward the office space behind the locked doorsand then stared at Tanya.“Are you going to let me through?I promise what isabout to happen will go down in Willow Fork gossip forever, and you will have afront row seat.”
“Tanya, maybe we should talk about this before Olivia goesin,” Papa said.
Tanya hit that button before he could get the last of thewords out.The light above the door went green and clicked open.“Sorry, Sam.You know I think you’re a beautiful angel of a man who should get everything hewants, but I’m going with Olivia on this one.And hey, Gigi, have you thoughtabout my great nephew?The last time you were in town I told you all about him.He’s got a degree and everything.”
Gabe stepped up.“She’s not dating right now.”
Gigi grinned as she walked through.“What he said.But thankyou so much for thinking of me.”
Olivia was already halfway down the hall.She could hearthem talking behind her.
