Free Checkered Crime: A Laurel London Mystery by tonya kappes Page B

was reading me my Miranda Rights about my apparent bad decision of picking up a stranger and how I could have been killed, left for dead, and not found in years.
    In the background, I took pleasure when I saw Jax had a split in order to get a spare. Newbie.
    “He is the one who needed a ride and I wasn’t going to do it for free since I have no job. Gas is expensive and I swear that Baxter Thacker is charging me more than other customers.” I jabbed his bicep. “That is who you need to investigate first when you get your badge, or whatever it is that you get. Highway robbery I tell you!”
    I had to get the heat off me.
    Ugh . I inwardly groaned when I saw Jax’s ball spin and whirl, hitting the ten pin and whipping it to the other side, knocking down the seven pin.
    “Oh! I’m next.” I shrugged and jumped up avoiding any more scolding from Derek.
    Along the way I passed Jax who was strutting back to the group because of his little fake “I’m not a good bowler” act.
    “Lucky bowl I guess.” He shrugged. He smiled when I glared at him. The power of his gaze sent my heart into a twirly whirl — like those little helicopters that fell from trees. I swallowed hard. “Get another strike,” he said.
    “She will.” Derek stood up. His legs were planted in a cop stance. His arms crossed.
    Jax stopped. I bit my lip and didn’t look back at them. Derek was going to have my back no matter what. I bet he was using his cop instincts to detect Jax Jackson’s shit, just like I had.
    Yep…Derek and I were cut from the same cloth, which was going to make him a great cop.
    As the evening progressed the night got a little better. Antonio left when he figured out I wasn’t going to do him any favors. I told Carmine and Gia to butt out of my love life. Henrietta was all I needed.
    “Who’s the hottie mctotty?” Norma Allen, the cranker for the Holy Rollers, was eyeing Jax up and down.
    “Just a fill in,” I mumbled over the seats.
    The Holy Rollers were the old blue-haired women who made up the bible group that met in the undercroft of the Friendship Baptist Church and the same women in charge of preparing all the food that was consumed after a funeral.
    They were spry and good bowlers. They were first in the league while we were in second. In fact, they spent any and all of their free time at Lucky Strikes. They were the league champs two years in a row.
    “It doesn’t matter who you have because we are going for the three-peat.” Sharon Fasa held up three fingers in the air.
    All the Holy Rollers chanted three-peat right along with her.
    “So how did your lunch date with the hippie go the other day?” Gia popped down next to me when the twins took their turn to bowl. “I totally forgot to ask.”
    “Just because he drove a VW didn’t make him a hippie.” I jerked back toward Gia.
    “He’s never going to be happy with anyone you date.” Gia raised a brow and glanced over my shoulder at Derek.
    She was right. Any time I suggested a possible boyfriend, Derek always had something negative to say.
    “It didn’t work out.” I turned my lip up. “On an upswing, I do have a cocktail date with Bob sometime this week.”
    Jax came over and sat down next to us. I did my best to ignore him.
    “What happened to lunch?” Gia never liked me using the dating sites either.
    She said that you never could be too sure about people and she was afraid I was going to get what she called “Laurel-napped.”
    “We are meeting up at Benny’s. I’m sure I’ll be fine.” I took a swig of my beer. I nudged her with my elbow. “You’re up.”
    Perfect timing too. I didn’t want to have to explain why I decided to do cocktails instead of lunch.
    The night went along just fine. Derek sat on one side, Jax on the other and I bounced all over the place trying to keep the peace with everyone, even the Holy Rollers when things started to heat up after they won the game. . .again.
    “See y’all next week,” I said after