Page 62 of Stone Coast

Olivia pulled me away from the bar. "Excuse us, we need to powder our noses," she said to Cooper as she dragged me toward the restroom.

He took a seat on a barstool, and we retreated to the sanctuary of the ladies’ room. As soon as we were inside, Olivia said, "Okay, he's totally into you.”

"Sucks for him.”

"He kept asking questions about you.”

"Like, what? Creepy questions?”

Olivia sneered at me. “No. Likeinterestedquestions. You know, likewhat's her story? Is she single? How long have you two known each other?”

"I have no doubt that you can steal his affection. And you have my complete and total permission.”

"I'm gonna take one for the team and give him to you. I think he’d be good for you. Like I said, you need to get right back on the horse. You let that thing sit for too long, you might forget how.”

I gave her a flat look. "I've been through a lot. And I'm not ready to get on any horse just yet.”

Olivia's eyes narrowed at me. "Are you into Tyson?”

"I'm notintoanybody. And I'm not having this discussion.”

Olivia raised her hands innocently. "I'm just looking out for you.”

We left the bathroom and returned to the bar, but Cooper was gone. I looked around the joint, but didn't see him anywhere.

Olivia and I exchanged curious glances, then took a seat on our barstools. I asked the bartender what happened to Coop. "Did he go to the restroom?"

"No. He paid his tab and yours, then left. Said something came up. Told me to tell you he was sorry.”

"Did he leave a number?" Olivia asked.

The bartender frowned and shook his head.

I exchanged another curious glance with Olivia. "That was weird.”

"His loss.”

We had a few more drinks, shot the shit, then decided to call it a night. I was a little tipsy at that point. Maybe more than a little. I really had nothing to compare it to, but I figured the head injury was influencing my ability to hold my liquor. It seemed that I was more of a lightweight than I had anticipated.

We called a rideshare back to Olivia's apartment, then I continued on to the marina. The driver dropped me off at the dock, and I stumbled toward theIntrepid, fumbling for my keys in my purse. It was stupid. I knew better than to keep my head down. That's when it happened. Another stabbing pain in my head. The ice pick had returned, only this time, it was more intense because of the alcohol.

Then a Taser hit me like a knife to the back, sending 50,000 volts down my spine. I twitched and convulsed. My legs buckled. Muscles involuntarily contracted. There was nothing I could do.

They pounced on me in no time.

My wrists and ankles were flex-cuffed, and a bag pulled over my head. The next thing I knew, they had tossed me into a van.

30

"You talk when you're nervous, don't you?" an ominous voice said.

I tried to act cocky. "I'm not nervous."

In a slow, deliberate voice, almost filled with glee, he said, "You should be."

It was unsettling.

I think this is pretty much where we started.