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Ty had no sooner shut off the engine when Scooter appeared next to his“Fill ’er up?” he asked, bending down to look in

“Yes,” Ty answered

Scooter as pump Instead he leaned down farther to look past Ty He stared at her with an unmistakably shocked expression on his face “Norma Rose?”

“Hey, Scooter,” she answered, hoping her cheeks weren’t as red as they felt

“Hey,” he repeated rather slowly, his tone questioning

Ty rubbed a hand over his itching lips He’d never had so rins hidden To say this man was surprised to see Norma Rose was the understatement of the year “Go ahead and fill it up,” he said “And wash the windshield if you wouldn’t mind”

“Sure,” Scooter said, still staring at Norh he didn’t speak aloud, his lips forain

Cheeks rosy red, she fluttered her gloved fingers in a little wave Ty pinched his lips again as Scooter, still looking like he’d seen a ghost, waved back

“The gas,” Ty reminded him

“Yeah, sure, right away,” Scooter said, inching away fro his eyes off Norma Rose

Ty waited until the otheron the pump Over the noise, he said, “You don’t leave the resort often, either, do you?”

She rubbed the end of her nose “Not with someone”

“Not with someone, or not with a man?” He couldn’t help but ask

Her silence h the back here Scooter was still staring as if Norroo heads

She glanced through the , too, and let out a heavy sigh “Fine, not with a e one”

“You think I’e?”

“No, that’s not—” She stopped, noticing his grin

She sle that told him she’d embarrassed herself

A thud at the back of the truck said Scooter had heard her giggle, too

Ty turned to look out the driver’s , to as tank He seeas all over the ground

“Scooter, is it?” Ty asked when the man noticed him

“Yeah, Scooter Wilson”

“I’ht at the resort”

“Scooter, Dac Lester and Jimmy Sonny were the last to leave,” Norma Rose whispered

“Along with Dac Lester and Jimmy Sonny,” Ty added “The three of you closed down the bar”

Scooter’s brows, as dark as the black slicked-back hair on his head, knitted together

Ty ell aware that no one said such things Joints were called speakeasies because you had to talk softly to gain entrance, and because you neverin one, or who you’d seen there Yet, he kept his eyes on thefor an answer

“We did” Shifting, Scooter slid his free hand into the pocket of his overalls “I can’t say I recall seeing you”

“It was dark,” Ty said

The glass bubble atop the tall pump emptied, and with barely a nod, Scooter removed the nozzle and hooked it back on the side of the puet your windshield now”

“Appreciate it,” Ty said, trying to sound friendly Instinct told hih He never questioned his gut “You didn’t by chance see Ginger last night, did you?”

“Sure,” Scooter answered

Before Ty could respond, Nor herself between hi wheel to stick her head out of his“You did?” she asked “You saw Ginger?”