Shine (Kentucky Outlaw Book 1) (14 page)

“Sorry, mom.
 
I guess I been a little preoccupied.”

In a low voice so no one could overhear, Vera said, “I know, sweetie, but tonight is a chance for you to get your mind off things.
 
Head on upstairs and get yourself ready.
 
I laid out your black dress, so just take a shower and get your hair up.”

Julie headed up to her room and shut the door.
 
The dress was on the bed, just as her mother said.
 
Julie picked it up and had a look, but put it back in the closet and selected another, still black to match the occasion, but something that would attract a little more attention.
 

She took off her clothes and stepped into her large shower.
 
The three shower heads hit her and she adjusted the temperature, getting the water as hot as she could stand it.
 
Standing under the spray, she tilted her head back and her mind wandered.
 
It had already been a long day and there was still so much more to do.
 
She’d have to play the part of the good Prescott girl, shaking hands and smiling adoringly at her father, but she was tired of the whole act.
 

She felt most like herself when she was chasing the story of Nick’s murder, she wasn’t putting on a show for someone.
 
She had a clear goal, find his killer and discover the truth behind the whole thing.
 

Then there was Ethan.
 
A Dalton of all people, and everyone in town knew they were bad news, but – and, God, she hated to admit this – but she felt at ease with him, as though he wasn’t expecting her to be anything but herself.
 
He might be the most genuine person she’d ever met.
 
They only spent a couple hours with each other today, but never once did she think he was saying something just because he was supposed to or because he thought she wanted to hear it.
 

As she shut off the water and stepped out of the shower she wondered why exactly he’d left town, and if he would tell her if she asked.
 
He had a dignity about him, but there was something else there too, a sadness behind his eyes.
 
It wasn’t obvious, but she could see it, just barely, when he didn’t think she was looking at him.
 
That dignity, combined with his sad air of mystery, made him, well, really attractive.
 

“Julie Mae, that is not the dress I laid out for you.”

She was coming down the main stairs of the house and her mother had stopped ordering a cook around when she looked up and saw her daughter.
 
Julie was wearing the new dress she’d picked out, one that was much shorter and scantier.

Vera came in close and said, “Do I need to remind you that you are supposed to be in mourning?”

Julie smiled at her mother and said, “No one’s going to let me forget it.”

The entire family gathered in the great room.
 
Madison was dressed much more conservatively than her sister and, Julie noted, still very angry about what happened that afternoon.
 
Austin was in his dress uniform and her father was his tuxedo.

“So what’s this shindig all about?” asked Julie.

“For the love of God, I wish you’d pay attention,” said her mother.

Julie stared blankly and her father said gently, “Tonight we are hosting Senator Mark Alexander as he announces his bid for re-election.”
 

Julie was stunned.
 
“Senator Alexander is coming here?”

“That’s right.
 
We’re all honored that Lexie has decided to throw his party here, as it shows the world that the Prescotts are the premier family in all of Remington, and soon all of Kentucky.” Her father said this in such a way that indicated that he was expecting Julie to be on her best behavior that evening.
 
“There are going to be over a hundred guests here tonight and the entire family will be on hand to receive them as they enter.
 
Understood?”
 
Walter looked directly at Julie now, with a raised eyebrow.
 
Julie nodded, and the family was dismissed.

This was the kind of night Julie hated most, a house full of stuffy people talking about things she either didn’t know or didn’t care about.
 
She did as she was told and received each guest as they entered.
 
As the youngest, she was last in line and when the Senator entered Julie got a closer look than before.
 
He shook hands and smiled broadly when Walter greeted him, but he didn’t seem to notice Julie.
 
They briefly shook hands, and he quickly moved on to those who were contributing to his campaign.
 

Once Senator Alexander passed by, Essing wasn’t too far behind.
 
He came through the door and shook hands with each member of the family.
 
Unlike the senator, Essing paused when he saw Julie.
 
There was a flash of recognition in his eyes and he looked her up and down as she prayed he didn’t notice the chills he sent through her body.
 
Up close, she realized how muscular he was.
 
Essing was short, but solidly built, and the seams of his Brooks Brothers suit were stretched to the limit.
 
When they shook hands he gripped her tighter than necessary, as if wordlessly telling her how easily he could crush her.
 

Since this was a campaign booster, the house was full of moneyed old men and their wives, little women who barely spoke and never voiced any kind of real opinion.
 
The men drank, smoked cigars, and talked at length about the poor, minorities, and what could be done about them during the next election.
 
Julie made her way through the room, a fake smile plastered to her face, making nice small talk with several of the guests.
 
The night went as almost all of these types of events did, pleasant enough at first, but as more time passed and more alcohol was consumed, and the men became bolder with her.

She was talking to Reginald Bell, a former owner of a Kentucky coal mine who had sold to an energy company some years ago and, as far as Julie knew, had more money than God.
 

“Just look at you,” he said, the gin on his breath almost knocking Julie over.
 
“You’re just a spitting image of your mother when she was younger.”
 

“That’s what the folks tell me,” said Julie.
 
She knew trouble when she saw it, and in this case she could smell it. Enough old drunk men had propositioned her for her to know how to handle it.
 
She turned to leave, but his beefy hand was on her arm.

“Don’t be running off just yet.
 
We were just getting to know each other.”

She looked past the gray hair and wide, lined face and directly into his eyes.
 
They stared at her hard, his mouth a tight line.
 
He wasn’t easing his grip off her.

“Well Reg, I’d love to stay and chat my but daddy wouldn’t want me hogging you all to myself.”

He pulled her close, the stink of his gin breath filled her face.
 
“Why don’t we just head off some place where your daddy won’t find us?”

The large reception hall was full of people, but none of them seemed to be paying her any mind.
 
She didn’t want to make a scene, but she’d punch him in his big, red nose before heading off to another room with him.

She dropped the act and said in a strong whisper, “Get your hand off me if you ever want to use those shriveled balls on anyone else ever again.”

A fire lit in his eyes and Julie braced herself to knee him right between the legs when a voice called out behind her.
 
“Why, hello there, Reg.
 
I say, it’s been awhile.”

Both Julie and Reginald turned to see Mark Alexander and Essing walking up to them.
 
Reginald immediately let go of Julie’s arm and a big smile broke out across his face.
 
“Hey there, Lex.”
 
He stuck out his hand and Alexander shook it.
 
Essing stood behind him, watching Julie.

“Always a pleasure, Reg.
 
Where is that beautiful wife of yours?”

“She’s around here somewhere.
 
I don’t mean to be rude, but the young Miss Prescott and I were just having a conversation.”

Alexander looked from Reginald to Julie and back again.
 
“I think that conversation is over, don’t you?”

Reginald gave a short, sarcastic laugh.
 
“No, Lex, I don’t think it was.”

The senator stepped in close to Reginald.
 
“Look here.
 
You donate a lot of money to my campaign, but I won’t sit here and have you molest this girl.
 
If the press found out that kind of thing happens at my parties, my career would be over, so take your drunken ass away from here.”

Reginald’s face turned a deep crimson, but he said nothing more and walked off in a huff.
 
Alexander turned to Julie, “As for you, Miss Prescott, we seem to be running into each other a lot lately.”

“How do you mean?”

“Wasn’t that you at the country club this afternoon?”

Julie lost her ability to speak.
 
Had he seen her in the parking lot or did he know that she was listening in on his conversation?
 
“I did stop there earlier, were you there?”

He had fixed a fake politician’s smile on his face.
 
“Oh yes, I was there earlier.
 
I have a standing tennis match there every Saturday.
 
I believe you saw Mr. Essing here with an unfortunate young man.”

“Kenny Salo,” said Julie.
 
“I’ve met him before.”

“Yes, that’s the one.
 
It’s sad really, but Mr. Salo has a bit of a drinking problem and seems to think,” he hesitated looking for the right word, “that he owes me a favor of some sort.
 
He’s mistaken of course, and I’m saddened to think of what the alcohol has done to his brain.
 
It’s quite a coincidence running into you twice in a single day.”
 
His smile got wider, but far more menacing.
 
He continued in a low voice, “I trust we won’t be running into each other again.”

“Say there, Lexie, trying to steal my daughter away?”
 
Walter came over, drink in in hand.

The mood shifted dramatically.
 
Alexander was back in pandering mode.
 
“Walter you throw one hell of a party.
 
Young Miss Julie and I were just talking about running into each other at the club today.”

Walter raised an eyebrow in his daughter’s direction.
 
“Is that so.
 
I didn’t think you’d been to the club in a long time.”

“I was in the area,” said Julie, “and had to use the facilities.”

Alexander said, “You really should take advantage of everything membership has to offer.
 
But, ah, be a dear and next time leave your friend at home.”

“Friend?” asked Walter.

Julie hesitated and Alexander made sure the question was answered, “Well I saw Julie here at the club, like I said, but she was with one of them Dalton boys.
 
I’m not sure which one, it’s hard to tell from the other with them.
 
Which one was it?
 
Jackie?”

“Ethan,” said Julie quietly.
 
She knew she was in trouble, but there was something she liked very much about the way his name sounded coming out of her mouth.

Walter looked to Julie again, this time the pleasantness gone from his face.
 
“Is that right?
 
Out of all them damn fools I thought he’d have the good sense to stay gone.
 
You mind telling me what you were doing with him?”

The senator turned to Essing and said, “Come now.
 
This is a conversation best left between family.”
 
They walked away and Walter and Julie were left alone together.
 

“Well?” asked Walter, firmly.

“Look, Daddy, it’s not what you think.”

“It better not be.
 
Out of everything you do that I tell you not to, running around with the Daltons is about the worst more irresponsible thing you can possibly do.”

“I wasn’t running around with him.
 
He’s just helping me with a story for the newspaper,” she said.
 
Bringing up her job would only make the issue worse, but it was the only thing she could think of at the moment.

Her father just said, “We’ll continue this conversation later.”

Walter went off to rejoin the party, but Julie had had enough.
 
When she was sure no one was looking she slipped away and headed upstairs.
 
Back in her room, she wriggled out of her dress and back into jeans and her leather jacket.
 
She was out the window and down the side of the house in record time, but found her car completely blocked in by the guests.
 
She pulled out her phone and dialed.

“Hey, it’s me.
 
Come pick me up.”