Free Molly Dox - Annie Addison 03 - High Anxiety Dye Job by Molly Dox

Chapter 1
     
    Why Annie let Charlotte talk her into coming to a stupid awards dinner was beyond her. It’s not like anything else was going on in town that weekend, but this had to be the most boring, suck-up dinner she’d ever been to. It wasn’t even a real award. They just made some excuse up so the mayor could make a few bucks for his next campaign. It was also a chance for photo-ops with some big- names that stayed on the island year round. He collaborated with the police chief to put something together.
    Charlotte went more for the entertainment of watching people act phony with each other, all while giving blow-by-blow analysis to Annie, and amusing herself.
    Old -lady-bingo sounded better to Annie at this point. There was one just off the island that started at five on Saturdays. It was at the firehouse hall and went until nine. If you got there early, there was cake for fifty cents a slice. Not too shabby. That was Annie’s idea of a good way to spend Saturday night. She realized how sad that sounded, but quiet and uncomplicated were good in her book.
    After Charlotte’s last play-by-play, Annie got up to stretch. “I’m going outside for some fresh air.”
    “I ’ll join you,” Charlotte said, admitting the night wasn’t as fun as she’d hoped. There were no bad manners on display, no drunken brawls, and nothing good to gossip about. She was hoping to keep things lively, but the dinner was a dud.
    Heading into the night air, they went to the side of the building to get out of the gust of wind that was picking up. From behind them, they heard giggling. Annie and Charlotte turned around just in time to see the police chief and the mayor’s wife locked in an embrace. The kiss that followed was hardly friendly. It screamed intimacy. They were completely oblivious to the women standing against the side of the building watching them.
    Annie’s eyes went wide. She turned back to look at Charlotte who already had her phone out and had snapped a picture. Annie whispered, “Charlotte!”
    “What? How often does that happen?” She slipped her phone back into her purse. “You never know when something like that will help come in handy,” she said with a shrug.
    “Like blackmail?” Annie clasped her hand over her mouth.
    “ Oh goodness, no, I just meant…” Charlotte looked at Annie. “Fine, I’ll delete it. Are you happy now?”
    “ Yes. And you should be too. The last thing you need to get involved is something scandalous.”
    “Uh oh, this isn’t good,” Charlotte stared at her phone. “I must have hit the wrong button when I slid it into my purse.”
    “ What did you do?” Annie almost didn’t want to know.
    Charlotte cringed. “Right, umm, you don’t want to know.”
    Annie groaned and rolled her eyes. The last she needed to be involved in was trouble. She’d had enough excitement to last her a lifetime. She didn’t need any more.
      ***
    It was no secret that Mayor Jeff Millbourne and his wife Sharon weren’t the most stable of couples, but Annie doubted he knew about her dalliance with the police chief. And she for one had no interest in churning the rumor mill. Turning a blind eye, she went back inside, urging Charlotte to join her. “We saw nothing!” Annie whispered, urging her friend to agree.
    “Speak for yourself; I saw it with my own two eyes.” Charlotte gave her a devilish grin, but on seeing Annie’s reaction, she reeled in her fun. “Oh fine, I saw nothing.”
    “And the picture? What happened to it?” Annie was on edge.
    “Oh that? I deleted it. I was just teasing you earlier. It’s gone, okay?” What she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.
    Annie sighed with relief. Sandy Beach Island didn’t need any more trouble. With a bumpy off-season, things were finally settling down again.
    “I knew Sharon and Jeff had issues; they’ve had more than a few public squabbles, but the police chief? I’m pretty sure Gretchen would be surprised what her husband was up to.