Shake Down Dead by Diane Morlan Read Free Book Online Page A

me. “Come on, Jennifer. You know I turn you on.”
    “You sure do. Except when you’re giving
me the third degree. Like now.” I was trying to lighten the mood,
which had gotten ‘way too serious for a country western bar.
Besides, with this scrumptious burger in front of me, I was more
hungry than romantic.
    “Okay. Now tell me, who was the guy
with his arm around you?”
    “Okay, Decker. If I tell you will you
let me eat my burger?”
    When Decker nodded, I said, “Pete’s
just an old boyfriend from high school. This was the first time
I’ve seen him since he broke up with me in a letter after my family
moved to Illinois. Are you really jealous of Pete?”
    “Well, no. But, he’s really tall. And
blond.”
    Decker was about 5’9.” I realized that
he was self-conscious about his height even though I thought he was
perfect since I was only five foot two.
    “He was a basketball star and the
quarterback on the football team. I think sports always came first
for him, even before girls and that’s something for a high school
kid. Besides, he was too tall. I like my man dark and uh, compact.
Does Pete really bother you?”
    “No, not really,” he lied.
    We ate our burgers in silence. The band
began to warm up and we couldn’t hear each other anymore s0
conversation was cut off.
    When the music slowed to Travis Tritt’s
“Can I Trust You with My Heart?” I said to Decker, “Let’s
dance.”
    “I’m not very good at dancing,” Decker
replied.
    “That’s okay. Let’s just go out on the
dance floor and hug each other.”
    We pushed back our chairs and weaved
our way through the tables to the minuscule dance floor. It was
very crowded, so no one was doing much more than hugging. We
cuddled through half of the song and then someone tapped Decker on
the shoulder.
    “May I cut in?” Pete asked.
    “No.” replied Decker.
    “Jerry!” I said.
    “Okay, okay, but not too close.” He
admonished Pete.
    Pete folded me into his arms and we
swayed to a little two-step. “So, you and the cop. You two an
item?”
    “Yes, we are,” I answered.
    “Damn, JJ! Maybe I can change your
mind.” He bent down to kiss me.
    I saw him coming, turned my head, and
stepped back. “No, Pete. I’m not your high school sweetheart
anymore.”
    “Okay,” he said and sighed. “Don’t
think I’m giving up. You’re even more delicious looking than you
were in high school.”
    “Whatever,” I replied hoping that he
would stop trying. He was a very tempting morsel himself. I
remembered how I had felt at the last time I danced with Pete. It
was a Homecoming Dance at Hermann High. I was his steady girl and
it was a dream date. He brought me a wrist corsage, two blue
carnations. He had even hired a limo. Pete sported a powder blue
tux with a ruffled shirt. Okay, it was hokey, but it was the style
then and he looked awesome. He even had a carnation boutonniere
that matched my flowers. I wore a strapless blue gown, just a shade
darker than his tuxedo.
    I shook my head. No! I told myself.
That was a long time ago in another lifetime. Thankfully, the music
ended and I stepped back. Pete insisted on walking me back to our
table. Decker was sitting there, his chocolate-brown eyebrows
knitted together.
    On the way, I passed a table with a
group sitting together. “Jennifer!” someone called. I turned my
head and saw Trudy and Ray. I waved and looked to see who else was
sitting with them. There was another couple who I recognized—Clara
and Vic Schmidt. They played in Ray’s Polka Band. Next to Clara, I
recognized Yvonne Jackson, Charlie’s mother. When I waved to her,
she just glowered at me. I wondered if I had offended her. Maybe
she just didn’t recognize me.
    I made my way back to the table only to
find Pete pulling up an empty chair from another table and sitting
down with us. He waved to Becky and made a circular motion over the
table with his finger to indicate that he wanted another round for
of drinks.
    “So,” he