Free The Deep End (A Saints & Strangers Cozy Mystery Book 2) by Keeley Bates

pleased that he’d agreed to come. Admittedly, she was disappointed that he’d still been at Oak Lodge but hadn’t called or arranged to see her again. She wondered how much he knew about the investigation, if he’d heard that she was also a suspect.
    “When are you heading back to Connecticut?” Kit asked, cutting into Rebecca’s thoughts. Kit always seemed willing to ask what other people were thinking. She liked that about her.
    Jake circled the rim of his pint glass with his thumb. “Tomorrow, actually.”
    Rebecca’s heart skipped a beat. Tomorrow? If she hadn’t invited him out tonight, would he have called before he left?
    “That’s too bad,” she said.
    “The police had requested that I stick around, but I need to get back to my job before they fire me.”
    “And you’re free to leave?” Kit asked. She knew that he had no alibi at the time of Jasmine’s murder.
    “They said they’d call me if they had more questions,” he replied. “I’ve told them everything I know so I’m not sure how much more help I can offer.”
    The server came around and dropped off the song list, along with another pitcher. As Rebecca attempted to wave away the list, Jake intercepted it.
    “I think we should take a look, just for fun,” he said. “God knows we can all use a bit of that.”
    “My kind of guy,” Kit surmised.
    “You would never sing karaoke,” Rebecca said.
    He nodded in agreement. “You’re right. I didn’t mean me.”
    Kit paged through the list. “You should sing, Jake. You just lost your sister. This will be a great outlet for your pain.”
    Jake raised an eyebrow. “I tend not to emote through the medium of song.”
    “You only live once, Jake,” Kit said, handing him back the list. “Don’t waste it being afraid to get out of your comfort zone.”
    Jake drained his pint of beer. “Fine, I’ll do it. But you choose the song.”
    Kit clapped her hands. “A man who lives dangerously. I like it. Do you think they have anything by Air Supply?”
    Rebecca widened her eyes. “Please don’t. I have to live in this area long after he leaves it.”
    Two minutes later, Jake stepped onto the stage and the deejay handed him the microphone.
    “What did you choose?” Charlotte asked Kit.
    “You’ll see.”
    The music began and Rebecca winced. “Elvis Presley?”
    “He doesn’t have the hip action required for the King,” Francie complained.
    As if to prove her point, Jake began moving awkwardly to the opening beats of Jailhouse Rock . The crowd fell silent, as though sensing a disaster in the making. He warbled the words, trying to read along as the music continued.
    “It’s not a speech!” someone yelled from the back of the room.
    Jake gave an apologetic smile and picked up the tempo. The drunken students rooted him on, pumping their fists in the air and cheering.
    Rebecca couldn’t believe her eyes. Jake seemed to transform as the song continued. He swiveled and jerked like Elvis reincarnated. The crowd clapped wildly and he even bowed before jumping off the stage. By the time he rejoined his table, his cheeks were flushed and his hair was damp with sweat.
    “You really worked it, Jake,” Kit said admiringly.
    “Thank you.” He patted his forehead with a cloth napkin from the table. “That was more of a performance than I bargained for.”
    Rebecca’s cheeks hurt from smiling. She still couldn’t believe that was the same Jake she’d gotten to know these past couple of weeks. He seemed a different person entirely, like Clark Kent morphing into Superman. This Jake swaggered .
    Two of the women Charlotte recognized from Jasmine’s funeral took the stage, swaying into each other and knocking heads while their companions hurled insults. Charlotte was relieved that they didn’t come back to Oak Lodge after the service.
    “I think that’s our cue to leave,” Kit announced. “But first I need the ladies room.”
    “Us too,” Francie said and jumped to her