Page 66 of Chasing Kaylee Kringle

Colin protested, “I can’t do moonshine.”

“I’ll take it,” Rick said.

“Fine.” Kaylee handed him a shot and one to Josie, holding her glass aloft. “To dirty rotten liars who like to ruin lives and won’t go away even when they’re not wanted.”

Her words struck a nerve, and he wished they didn’t sting so much. To cover his upset, he clinked his plastic glass to hers.

“Well, that was a little on the nose,” Rick said before downing the shot. The burn didn’t even faze him since he had grown up drinking cheap shit in high school.

“Good, that was the point,” she said.

Rick took the cups from her and Josie, tossing them into the trash before trying to speak to her again. “Listen, Kaylee—”

Kaylee turned to Colin, shutting Rick out again. “How are you doing, Colin? How’s the store?”

“It’s good, but I expected you to come in to see for yourself. Did you have enough books this week?”

“No, but I saw him staking the place out, so I’m making do with what I’ve got.”

“I was just trying to see you so we could talk.” Rick took a step closer, crowding her so she would have to acknowledge him. “You know, that thing grown adults do when they have conflict?”

“Oh, so you want to call me immature?”

“If the glass slipper fits, princess.”

Her face turned molten, and he half expected steam to come shooting out of her ears. “Maybe I wasn’t clear when I told you to get out of my house, but I don’t wanna talk to you.”

“Fine, will you at least acknowledge me?”

Kaylee flipped him off.

“That’s something,” he muttered.

A disgusted garble escaped Kaylee, and she handed Josie a black bag. “I’m going to go find the bathroom. Please hold my gummy.”

Josie took it without question, and Kaylee shoulder-checked Rick as she passed.

He rubbed the injured area, glaring at her retreating back. “I guess she’s not in a forgiving mood.”

“Can you blame her?” Josie asked, her voice firm, but it didn’t sound as accusatory as Kaylee’s. “You come into town and tell her that you’re here to bring her back to testify. You wear her down until she agrees, and then you drop the bomb on her that no one actually asked you to come down here and do any of that. You did it on your own.”

“I didn’t tell anyone in case someone in the department leaked her whereabouts. We haven’t been able to find anything on the people that we’re looking for, and we’re pretty sure that is why the fed who was dating her friend got killed. Someone leaked his real identity.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Colin asked.

Rick realized that Josie and he had been talking freely in front of Colin, who had absolutely no idea about Kaylee and her past.

They stared at each other silently communicating, and finally Rick said, “I’m here because Kaylee witnessed a crime and the cops want her to testify.”

“But we can’t say anything,” Josie said.

“Got it. I need to be a vault. Go on. I’m not even here.” Colin walked a few steps away and picked up a bottle of something, acting as if they weren’t there.

Rick leaned in, speaking so low that Josie had to crane her head closer. “I wasn’t trying to blow up her life. I really came down here because we need her, and I wanted to protect her.”

“Then maybe you should explain that better because she thinks that you were so pissed about what happened two years ago, you came down here to get revenge on her.”

Colin spun their way, frowning with a bottle of moonshine in his hand. “Whoa, what happened two years ago, and why are you seeking revenge?”