Page 29 of Stone Coast (Tyson Wild Thriller)

O livia glanced over her shoulder to the door. “You know him?”

“Sort of,” I said. “We just met.”

“He’s cute!”

“Not interested.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Positive.”

“So, he’s fair game?”

“He’s all yours, honey.”

Cooper spotted us and ambled in our direction. He smiled and waved, and I forced a smile and waved back.

He pulled up to the bar beside me and leaned in with that charming grin. “Are you stalking me?”

“I think maybe you’re stalking me.”

"This is my regular bar. I'm here all the time.”

The bartender pulled a long neck from the tub of ice, popped the top with a hiss, and slid the amber bottle across the counter. “Hey, Coop!”

Cooper smiled as he took the beer. "See.” He took a swig. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?”

"Cooper, this is Olivia. Olivia, Cooper.”

Olivia smiled and batted her lashes, doing that thing she does that makes her irresistible to men. And by that thing, I mean breathe. That's all she had to do.

The two exchanged pleasantries.

"Girls’ night out?” Cooper said.

"Something like that.”

"I saw you on the news. Pretty impressive.”

"I told her she's a superhero,” Olivia said.

"I think you might be right,” Coop said. “Have you seen this girl shoot?”

“No.”

“She doesn't miss.” Cooper paused, then said to me, “That guy you captured. They think he’s responsible for at least six liquor store robberies and two murders. Looks like you did a helluva thing today.”

I lifted a curious brow. "Where did you get that information?”

Cooper shrugged. "I heard it on one of the news outlets. ”

“Oh,” I whispered almost involuntarily.

Cooper lifted his beer. "To superheroes!”

Olivia lifted her glass and so did I. We all clinked and sipped.

"I'm telling you, somebody's gotta fight back. This place is going to hell in a handbasket, and the PD around here are so corrupt or inept or both.” Cooper stopped himself. "Don't get me started on local politics.”

"And what is it that you do?" Olivia asked with hopeful eyes.

Cooper smiled. "I'm just riding the wave of life. Going wherever it takes me."

"That sounds a lot like unemployed," I said.

Olivia giggled.

Cooper scowled at me playfully. “I can assure you, I'm very much employed, and I love my job.”

"So, what is it exactly that you do?”

"I thought you weren’t interested,” he teased.

“I’m not. But Olivia might be."

She shot me an embarrassed look. "Don't mind my friend. She's in a period of readjustment.”

"Readjustment is good,” Cooper said. “Sometimes we need to realign priorities. Reevaluate purpose.”

“What’s your purpose?”

Cooper thought about it. “To make the journey worthwhile.”

"Somewhat vague, don't you think?” I said .

Cooper smiled. "We're all going to the same place. It's how you get there that counts.”

“Right now, I’m just trying to figure out where the hell I’m going.”

“You don’t look lost to me.”

I scoffed.

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” Cooper said, staring at me with those sparkling eyes.

“I’m not lost,” Olivia said with a smile, not one to be left out of a conversation. “I know exactly where I’m going.”

“Where is that?” Cooper asked.

“Wherever the heart takes me.”

“And where does your heart want to go?”

She leaned in and whispered in my ear, “Are you sure you don’t want him?”

“That’s all you, kid.”

She hopped off her barstool with a smile, grabbed his hand, and pulled him onto the dance floor. They were the only ones.

Olivia didn’t waste any time showing off her moves.

I got the bartender’s attention. “Is my friend safe with that guy?”

“Coop?” He looked to the dance floor as he wiped the bar down. “He’s a good guy. He’s in here all the time.”

“I’m sure he rarely goes home alone. ”

The bartender chuckled. “Coop does okay.”

The two cut it up on the dance floor for a few songs, then returned, out of breath.

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. Like interested questions. You know, like what'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 not into anybody. 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 the Intrepid , 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.