Ginny almost swooned and felt foolish as he danced her on around the floor. Magic seemed to be all around Ginny and Damien. It was just a cowboy bar, but Ginny felt she was whirling through a magic dream.
Lacey watched them with a smile. She wondered what an astoundingly gorgeous man saw in shy Ginny, but she was thrilled that this was happening for her friend. This guy would be gone, but maybe the next one would be nice and please Ginny.
Eventually, they called the last dance and Damien's arms were still around Ginny. Lacey and a cowboy who had latched onto her made their way over to Ginny and introductions were made.
Lacey noticed that Damien was very proprietary toward Ginny...a red flag to her when her friend had just met the man.
Eric suggested they get breakfast in the restaurant and Ginny looked at Damien expectantly. He hummed and hawed, but finally agreed.
As they waited for their orders Lacey noticed that Damien crowded Ginny into the corner of the booth and kept her hand in a tight grip. He did nothing inappropriate exactly,
"I can take you home, little one..."
As if they were a chorus, the three all said, "No..." very loudly and firmly.
Ginny, never wanting to hurt anyone's feelings said, "We made a pact that we would always go home in the car we came in."
"But, thank you, Damien, I had a wonderful time..."
Again, the man put his lips close to her ear so the others could not hear and whispered. "I will never leave you, little one."
"Well, that was quite an evening, huh, Gin?"
Both girls burst out laughing.
Lacey said, "He was really a looker, I will say that - but such drama! Did you like him?"
"Yeah, especially at first...but then he was a little spooky - especially with that "little one" stuff, but I think he might be from another country and maybe there it is what they say."
"I think he may be from another planet..." Lacey laughed.
"Did he ask for your phone number? And, oh, god I hope you didn't give it to him."
Ginny assured her friend that he had not asked, and then they talked about Eric until Lacey pulled up in front of Ginny's door.
"Wait, what was that Damien whispered to you at the last...I am dying to know."
"Oh, he said, 'I will never leave you.'
Both girls shuddered - then laughed as Ginny danced up the sidewalk, opened the door, flicked the lights in their secret signal that everything was okay.
Saturday morning the phone rang at 5:30, startling Ginny and waking up Piewackit, her cranky cat.
Ginny grumbled and searched for the cell phone. "What is it, Lacey - do you have any idea what time it is?" As soon as Ginny was quiet she could hear crying and said quickly, "What is it - Lacey, what's wrong?"
"Oh, God, Gin, I am in trouble. I am in the Sheriff's office and...and..."
Ginny nearly shrieked, "Lacey why are you there - has something happened?
talk to me, girl."
"Eric...Eric..." Lacey choked.
"What about Eric?"
A different voice came on the line..."Miss, this is Sheriff Tom Matthews...we can't get a straight story from your friend, she is too hysterical. Could you please come down here and help us?"
"Of course, Sir, I can be there in less than a half-hour, okay?"
The sheriff thanked her and warned her to drive carefully.
Ginny was confused and upset but kept her cool as she jumped in the shower and dressed quickly after. She has never heard Lacey so upset and her own stomach jumped with jitters.
It was a short drive and Ginny found a parking place easily, as it was early Sunday morning.
When she found the right place she could hear sobs from Lacey and hurried her steps.
Ginny shyly peeked in the door and it was pulled open by a good-looking man in a uniform. Must be Sheriff Matthews, she thought to herself.
He told her his name and then let her comfort Lacey. Finally, the sobs quieted down and Ginny asked her friend what was going on.
"Oh, Gin, he's dead and they think I had something to do with it!"
"Is it Eric who is dead?"
"Yes, they found him really early this morning in that ditch a block from your house."
Ginny shuddered. That ditch was a real danger and she had always worried someone would drown in there.
As the three talked, the Sheriff explained to Ginny that no one had drowned.
Lacey broke in and said, "Oh, Gin, they made me make an identification even though he had his wallet and stuff..."
Lacey burst into more tears, and more hysteria this time. "Sheriff Matthews said it was a horrible death and they were sure it was murder."
"Murder? But we were with him at The Corral, a cowboy bar, until midnight - no later because we went to the restaurant for breakfast."
"The wounds were pretty fresh Miss, and could have happened around 2:00 or 3:00 am the Medical Examiner said."
"Please, call me Ginny - what do you want from me, Sherrif?"
"Lacey tells me there was another guy with you - somebody named Damien...who seemed to stick to you. Can you tell me his last name or where we might find him?"
"No, Sherrif...I didn't ask him any personal stuff...it was a tense situation." "I just remember he said, I will never leave you..."
"The Great Teen Fruit War, A 1960 Novel" involves conflict between the Blues (sons of blueberry farmers) and the Reds (sons of peach growers) in a southern New Jersey agricultural community.
A new client talks attorney Stan Turner into acting as his executor and trustee of his estate if he should die. Stan reluctantly accepts, but when the client is murdered before the ink is dry on the paperwork, Stan realizes he has been set up and mus
