My Spy 6: Private Eye

Lover

I wanted to avoid the dancing that had already started, but Ryan had left his jacket on the table. Celia was supposed to take my mother home, while Hank was going to drive the four of us back. If I wanted to leave now, I would be pulling everyone away from the best part of Founder's Day. I had no interest in line dancing with the town, despite the competition Ryan and Austin had going, so I was going to have to find another way home. 

 Ryan was supposed to meet me back by the light pole after he had his jacket so we could call an Uber. While I'm standing under the beam of light, trying to shake off my anxious energy, I see Dash strolling over to me. He has his gray wool pants on with suspenders covering his cream linen shirt, which looks bright against his dark skin. I catch his smirk and his bright eyes and I know why he left the energy inside to come and find me. 

"Mrs. Hart, just the gal I was lookin' for," he tells me and I shake my head, "If you're here for the Herald I have no comment." 

"No comment on what?" 

"Anything you're about to ask me about," I tell him with a stern look. He laughs and then looks behind him before he says, "Well Annabeth Matthews sure had a lot to say after what happened in there." 

"Wow, she was quick. Better check her sources before going to print though," I mutter, hoping he'll take the hint and leave me alone. 

"Well apparently, she is the source because she's the one who took the pictures," he baits and this finally gets me to look at him. 

"Pictures?" I ask him, wondering what part of my life she decided to feed to Dash. His eyebrows bounce up and down and I see this is a fun game to him. He loves gossip, he flocks to it. He's Hollis's Perez Hilton. He loves knowing everything about this town and it started when he ran the newspaper for Hollis high. Back when he and my mother went to school together. My mother said he was a clucking hen even then. 

He nods his head, "Apparently she has some dirt on someone's husband and a familiar blonde that used to live in Hollis." I laugh out loud and I can tell from Dash's pinched brow that this is not what he was expecting my reaction to be.

"Dash, those photos outside the hotel were staged. She wanted blackmail for this very reason."

"What very reason?" 

I am unable to answer as Ryan finally jogs out of the back door. He sees me with Dash and picks up his feet. 

"She's not talking to anyone about anything," Ryan tells him and Dash looks back to me, "You don't want to comment on anything?" I am about to shake my head no when another thought comes to me. I quickly glance from Ryan to Dash and say, "You've been doing this gossip stuff for...like ever right?" 

Dash seems confused by my pivot but still nods and says, "Just about."

"You went to Hollis high with my mom and dad too right?" 

He nods again and even glances to Ryan before answering, "I was a year younger, but yes. I knew them back in the day." 

"Did you ever run stories on them or her? Back when she was still Delilah Liddle or before they were married?"

"Sawyer," Ryan warns but I wave him away. Dash has all the intel on everyone around Hollis. I wonder if there was a whiff of an affair before. 

Dash suddenly waves his hands around, "Oh is that what you're threatening me with like she did? Another defamation lawsuit? Well guess what, there is proof this time." 

"When did my mother threaten you with defamation?" I ask, genuinely in shock. Dash stares at me, realizing that wasn't what I was doing. He takes a step off the sidewalk before saying, "Not your mother. Your grandmother. Carolyn Sweeney."