Page 43 of Fall Into Temptation
“Yeah.” He sighed heavily. “She’s beautiful isn’t she? She told me she could do better, and I know she’s right.”
“Crap,” Eva breathed. She straightened her shoulders. “Mr. Burke. This is for you and your band and your marriage.” She grabbed him by the face and pulled him in for a loud, smacking kiss. Some smart ass in the drum section gave her a riff.
“Hey! That’s my husband!” Ms. Friendly fumed.
“We good?” Eva asked.
No noise came out of Mr. Burke’s open mouth, but his eyes were wider than Frisbees.
“The kids can play what they want?” she confirmed.
He nodded again and made a gurgling noise.
Eva dodged the purse that Ms. Friendly swung at her. “Okay, kids. You get to play whatever you want tonight at the game.”
They gave her a blaring crescendo… all except for the tuba kid who was making a beeline for the restroom.
“Get out of the street and get ready for the game,” she said, shooing them in the direction of the school.
Ms. Friendly, her arm locked through Mr. Burke’s, dragged him back into the building, promising that she was calling Beckett tonight to cancel the divorce papers.
“All in a day’s work,” Eva sighed. She turned to look for her exhausted sheriff, but another police cruiser pulled to a stop in front of her.
“Evening,” Deputy Layla called through the open window. “Looks like the situation is under control.” She got out of the car and watched the kids file into the school.
“It was just a misunderstanding. No harm, no blood,” Eva assured her.
Layla cracked her gum. “Good. Good. We’re seeing a little too much action around here these days.”
“Donovan looks exhausted,” Eva said.
Layla rolled her eyes. “Guy’s been on for seventy-two hours straight. I think he’s worried me and Colby are going to end up joining the rest of these Mooner zombies and burning down the super market or something. Where is he anyway?”
Eva bit her lip and pointed. Donovan was leaning against a mailbox, his long legs stretched out in front of him, the container of ziti in his lap. He was sound asleep.
“Ah, hell. Knew that was coming.”
Layla pulled out her phone.
“Are you calling for backup?” Eva asked.
Layla snorted. “Nope. I’m taking video. This is the last time he makes fun of me for falling down the bleachers doing security at the field hockey game.”
Donovan let out a soft snore and Eva clamped a hand over her mouth to hold back the laughter.
Layla pocketed her phone. “Okay, Sheriff. Rise and shine,” she said, kicking his shoe.
He shot to attention. “Huh? Oh. Hey, Layla.”
“You’re officially relieved of duty,” she said.
“Huh? Oh, right. Yeah. I’ll take off as soon as I figure out how to get these kids out of the crosswalk.”
Layla peered over her shoulder. “You mean the kids that are warming up for the big game?”
Donovan rubbed his eyes and then looked at Eva. “How’d you do that?”
“Made out with the band director. I hope you don’t mind.”
