Poisoned Pin: A Cozy Mystery (Brenna Battle Book 2) (20 page)

“It’s okay, Brenna. You pulled him to the surface just before you went down. The chief pulled him out, but you saved his life. The Fire Department are putting him in the ambulance right now. They’re sending another one for you.”

That’s right. I’d heard the sirens. I could see the ambulance parked nearby. Next to it, I saw Avery’s face pressed to the glass of a police car. She was in the backseat, no doubt in handcuffs.
 

For Blythe’s sake, I didn’t protest the ambulance this time. I just wanted to rest. And then I’d tell the police everything I knew, try to make sure the just thing was done for Avery and—

“Jacinda?” I asked.

“The Coast Guard is searching for her. I think she’s gone, Bren.”

I nodded, not knowing how to feel about that.

***

I just stood there in my tiny apartment with the door open, and stared at Will Riggins in his dark button-up shirt and jeans. With his smile that lit up his eyes under his thick lashes and his dimple that made me melt. And then I realized he was staring at me, too. At my new jeans and the silky sleeveless top I’d settled on after Blythe finally accepted the fact that I was
not
going to wear a dress. I’d let Blythe curl my hair a little, and of course, as we agreed, I’d let her do my makeup—a much lighter application this time.

I finally broke the silence with a question. “Not too dainty?”

He gave my bicep a squeeze. “I think you can stop worrying about that. You look great, as usual.”
 

I swatted his arm playfully, and he grabbed my hand and tucked my arm under his. “So, is this officially a date?”

“Yes.” I looked over my shoulder at my sister, who stood back, in the open kitchen, beaming victoriously. “This is a date.”

It had been two weeks since Will pulled me out of the waters of Bonney Bay, just days since the media frenzy had died down to a murmur. Will and I had fended off Dan Deering from Seattle Channel Three as well as numerous other TV, web, and print reporters, side by side.

Jacinda’s body had been found the next morning. Just as she’d predicted, her story went viral all over the web. I guess we all really want to be known in some way. Jacinda wanted her
stories
to be known. To be widespread.

As for me, I never wanted fame. I never wanted the world knowing all about me. I wanted that Olympic gold medal because I wanted the people who already knew me to know that I could do it.
I
wanted to know that I could do it.

And now I wanted to know whether there was something even better. I wanted to know how to let that old question go. That’s why I’d left it all behind. That’s why I’d come here, to Bonney Bay. I wanted to know something else about myself. And now, I had my own little Battlers. Sammi and Katie and my little purple fairy, Grace, and nose-picking Ellie.

And Harvey, my very odd new friend. After her parents posted bail, Riggins had Avery slip into the house one more time. She wanted to make things right. She told Harvey Moira was at peace. That she’d left the house to him and she wanted it filled with happiness again, whatever that meant for him. It turned out Harvey had a grand-niece who lived in Eastern Washington. She’d come out to stay with him for a while and figure out what kind of help he needed.

Of course, I also had this guy, walking me down the steps to his car. This cop who took a beating for me. This “puffed-up jock” who loved this town and its people as much as I was beginning to. I knew I didn’t want to let him go, not yet. I wanted to get to know Will Riggins a little better.
 

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Thanks for reading
Poisoned Pin
. If you enjoyed it, please consider taking a moment to leave a review. More Brenna Battle mysteries are coming soon! Subscribe to my
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Taking the Fall
? You can get a copy
here
.

***

About the Author

Laney Monday is the bestselling author of a dozen books under different pen names. She never came close to making an Olympic team, but she loves teaching judo to kids, and dreams of living in a scenic small town like Bonney Bay.

She’s busy drinking lots of very strong coffee and ignoring the dust bunnies while dreaming up new adventures for her characters. Visit her at
laneymonday.com
.