Skinny Dipping Season by Cynthia Tennent Read Free Book Online

magazines for him to see before tossing them in the cart with a touch of dramatic flair.
    â€œI was storing these under my arm so I could use both hands to reach this big box of . . .” she paused, looking around.
    â€œOf tampons!” I said with gusto as I grabbed a box on a nearby shelf. “I guess Officer Hardy doesn’t understand how cumbersome those bargain sizes can be,” I added, feeling ashamed at the amount of fun I was beginning to have duping the guy.
    The young girl lifted her chin in triumph as if she were the queen herself. “I thought you were going to wait for me. If you had, I would have put these in the cart and we wouldn’t be standing here with Officer Hard-ass!”
    I couldn’t quite hide my smile at the not-so-subtle dig at Officer Hardy. But when he glared at me, I wiped it off my face. I was about to cover for a juvenile delinquent. I should be furious with my lawlessness. But I figured if I was going to lie, I might as well make it convincing.
    â€œI was so busy browsing through”—I looked at the title of the vampire romance novel in my cart—“ Fifty Fangs of Grey that I completely forgot about your magazines, Cherry dear.” The girl’s eyes popped wide in surprise. The half-naked vampire cover was clearly displayed for all to see. I threw a bag of marshmallows over it. She was too young for that kind of smut.
    â€œLet’s you and me head over to the checkout counter right now and pay for everything,” I said.
    â€œOh definitely,” said Cherry. “Some people automatically suspect us teens of a crime no matter how innocent we are.”
    Officer Hardy stared down at his shoes. His lips moved, as if he was counting. Then, he turned and stomped off. I watched his back, feeling ever so slightly guilty for ruining his morning.
    I tossed my head to the side and signaled the girl to follow me to the front of the store. The checkout clerk and several customers stood at the checkout counter, craning their necks over the top of the candy displays as we approached. They must have heard everything. The large woman, who had been talking to J. D. earlier, sat at the front desk to the right of the automatic doors. She ran her hand up and down her neck and bit her lip as if she were having trouble deciding if this was a good or bad ending to the situation.
    Everyone scurried back to their places at the registers as my young accomplice and I corralled the grocery cart into the checkout line. This was not how I had envisioned my first encounter with the citizens of Truhart. Hoping they didn’t think I was the latest escapee from the insane asylum, I tucked my hair behind my ears and straightened my shoulders.
    I loaded the conveyer belt with my groceries and smiled at the greasy-looking girl behind me as if we had known each other for years. The sullen expression I received from her in return made me regret everything. What did I do to deserve that? I had just saved her from the wrath of the law. It wasn’t too late to yank the troublemaker by the arm and take her back to Officer Hardy.
    The checkout girl smacked her gum and scanned the first few items on the belt as I pulled forward to the digital card reader. Through the automatic glass doors I could see the sheriff’s SUV pulling out of the parking lot. I tamped down my guilt. The girl might be a shoplifter, but she didn’t deserve time in the county jail, or whatever punishment Hardy had planned.
    â€œPaper or plastic?” the checkout clerk asked, interrupting my thoughts.
    Reaching into my purse, I shoved aside the pack of cigarettes I had thrown in earlier, hoping no one saw them. Then I pulled out three perfectly folded green Mylar grocery sacks. Cherry let out a huff and rolled her eyes, but said nothing as she waited, impatiently tapping her foot.
    Several customers and the checkout ladies leaned in closer. They smiled at both of us, as if they were relieved