Page 51 of The Woman Who Couldn't Scream
“Sienna and I have a casual relationship.”
“That’s great, as long as it’s okay for the two of you.” Kateri thought Sienna would be surprised to hear her relationship with Luis was casual; that young woman was beautiful, spoiled and determined to have him. “As long as I’m not involved.”
Luis must have decided he was losing this argument, because he went on the attack. “After putting me off for weeks, you slept with another man. As soon as you got the chance!”
You started it!Kateri bit her tongue. Pretty soon they were going to be slapping at each other like two squabbling toddlers. “Sienna thought she was pregnant. You thought you were the father. I considered that infidelity. You got engaged. I was therefore free to do what I wished.”
Bertha had her back to them, her elbow on the bar, but by the way her head was cocked, Kateri knew she was listening with all her might.
“You wanted to do… him? You slept with him after one night! Stag Denali. For fuck’s sake. A gambler. Ishea casual relationship?” Heedless of Kateri’s rising temper, Luis charged on in a voice that carried across the bar. “Because if you’re into casual relationships, count me in!”
She didn’t hesitate, she most definitely didn’t think and she answered just as loudly. “I don’tdocasual relationships.”
Bertha gasped.
Luis looked as if he’d been slapped.
Kateri couldn’t look either of them in the eyes, so she glanced around the bar.
The customers sat, mouths agape.
She whispered, “Most definitely not with, um, two men.”
Oh, shit.What had she said? What had she admitted?
Kateri picked up her hat, eased off the bar stool. “If you’ll excuse me, I, um, have to go check on my friend at the Good Knight Manor Bed and Breakfast. Early this morning she, um, got a threatening call and I put her off because… you know. The murder.”
Everyone was staring. Everyone was whispering.
“Luis—I wish you the best of luck in your next significant relationship, whoever it is with.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Kateri stood on the street corner outside the Gem Lounge.
Rainbow lay in a hospital room dying.
The criminal John Terrance was still free.
A female tourist had been gruesomely murdered by persons unknown.
Her best friend of years past had been threatened by persons unknown.
Kateri’s ribs burned like sonsabitches. And within the hour, half the town would hear that Sheriff Kwinault had declared she didn’t do casual relationships—and would be told, in case they had forgotten, that she was in a relationship with Stag Denali. Might as well brazen it out and hope to hell Stag wasn’t among the half of the town who heard the story.
Yep. Being sheriff was as much fun as she had imagined.
Better get moving before the bar patrons got done texting their friends and they descended on the Gem Lounge to catch sight of crazy-in-love Kateri Kwinault.
She winced at the thought, got in the patrol car and headed toward Mrs. Golobovitch’s apartment. While she drove, she called Bergen, who said everything was quiet. Then in an ominous tone, he added, “Too quiet.”
He was quoting the oft-used movie line, and she said, “Very funny.”
“I’m serious. Where is that goddamned sonofabitch John Terrance?”
She hung up carefully… because Bergen never swore.
She checked in with Mike Sun, who told her in a tone of intense annoyance he would call when he knew something about Carolyn Abner’s murder.
