Bluegrass Undercover (Bluegrass Brothers)

you feel about September weddings?”
    “Father! I thought priests weren’t supposed to gamble.” Annie couldn’t believe it. That stupid pool the Rose sisters had going was growing by the minute.
    “Gambling on the h oly sacrament of marriage is, I’m sure, exempt. Plus, we really need a new roof for the church and winning the pot could help. Now, about September.”
    “Good night, Father.” Annie shook her head and walked back into her house, leaving the little man standing at the base of the stairs by the statue of the Virgin Mary.
     
    *     *     *
     
    Annie had the files of the boys she thought were using S2 pulled out and was looking over them for common connections. The files contained the school’s file plus the ones she could pull off the federal database. It seemed that everyone in Keeneston had common connections. They all went to school with each other or attended the same church, were in the same Boy Scout troop, and often playing the same sports.
    She was having a very hard time finding the type of illegal connections she was used to finding in Miami. There they shared a jail cell, same probation officer, etc. This was infinitely more difficult to connect. She was also getting frustrated. She felt as if she were missing something. She knew the soldiers, Larry, Moe and Curly and then the steroidasaurus triplets. She knew Devon Ross, the personal trainer, had to be the dealer, and Trevor Gaylen was upper management. So, who was the real boss? And why were they targeting high school boys? With Ross’s connection to the NFL, it just didn’t make sense. The pro’s had money and lots of it. High school boys didn’t have money, and they didn’t win Super Bowls, endorsements or anything else drug lords could use as blackmail for extra income.
    She leaned back in her chair to take a break and saw the clock on the far wall. It was already six o’clock! She gathered her files and slipped them into her black leather satchel before turning off the lights and locking her door.
    Annie looked down the long, dark hallway and decided something was wrong. The lights were normally not turned off until seven when the janitorial service got done with the cleaning. She stopped and listened and heard the faint sound of voices making their way to her. She couldn’t tell if they were male or female. She slipped her hand into her bag and grabbed her mace. She slowly made her way down the hall to the main intersection. The voices had stopped, and she was having trouble deciding which hallway they were coming from.
    She slowed her breathing to quiet her body so she could listen better. The hair on her arms stood on edge as the sound of high heels clicked down the hall to the right of her. They were coming towards her. Annie pressed herself against the small space on the wall with the intersection on her right and against the beginning of a row of lockers on her left.
    The click click click of the heels echoed around her. They grew louder with each step as the person neared her. Was this the boss? Was this a dealer? It just seemed too strange for the lights to be out and the school deserted for anything good to come from this meeting.
    Annie relaxed her body and listened in order to time her attack. There was only one person who fit that sound, and she knew she would be able to take her easily. The woman neared and Annie shifted her body slightly toward the hallway. She took in a deep steadying breath and on the exhale made her move.
    She rounded the corner, keeping her right shoulder against the wall for protection in case shots were fired and wished she had her gun instead of just the mace.
    “Freeze!” Annie was startled when the woman let out a high-pitched scream and flapped her arms up and down as if she were trying to fly away. “Jesus, Stephanie! It’s me, Annie.”
    “Oh my God! You scared me half to death. I heard someone down here and thought it might be kids getting into trouble. Then you jumped out, and I was sure I was going to die.” Stephanie had her perfectly manicured hand over her heart and managed to still look beautiful even though she was scared out of her mind.
    “I thought the same thing. I’m sorry I scared you.” Annie had slipped the mace up her sleeve as soon as she assessed that there was no threat and reached for her bag. “Are you leaving for the day? You sure are here late.”
    “I just finished grading papers. If I take them home, I get caught up watching