Bluegrass Undercover (Bluegrass Brothers)

Gaylen will most likely lie low for a while.”
    Annie paused for a second and listened to the background noise. It sounded like he was watching a British film. “Hurry up Vin . this is the best part,” she heard a woman shout.
    “Sir, are you watching Pride and Prejudice ?”
    “No!”
    “Really? ‘Cause it sounds like Lady Catherin de Bourgh just arrived at the Bennett house and that really is the best part, well, besides the whole Colin Firth in the pond scene.”
    “Shut up, Blake. It’s date night. Call the police, email me the recording, and don’t mention this again.” Before she could tease him more the line went dead.
     
    Just three minutes later a Keeneston County Sheriff’s cruiser pulled to a stop in front of the cottage where she sat on the steps waiting. Two men emerged from the cruiser. One was tall and lanky, probably early forties. The other was younger but much shorter and had the beginnings of a mustache.
    “Hiya, ma’am. What happened here?”
    “Hi, I don’t really know. I think the men were drunk and came here for some reason. Maybe they expected Father James and wanted to confess. Well, two are passed out up there, and this one looks like he tripped, and when he fell, hit the Virgin Mary.”
    They looked at her strangely, and she was worried for a minute they were going to question her further or ask why her cheek was swollen and starting to turn color.
    “You’re Annie Hill aren’t you? Cade’s girlfriend?” the short one asked. “Well, we’re right pleased to finally meet you! I’m Dinky, and this is my partner Noodle. We’ve heard so much about you.”
    “You have?” They wanted to talk to her about Cade and not about the three unconscious men? Maybe she had gotten hit harder than she thought and was hallucinating.
    “Can I ask you a serious question, ma’am?” Noodle asked in a slow voice full of twang.
    “Um, sure.” Okay, here was the interrogation she was expecting.
    “What do you think of March? It’s such a beautiful month to get married. Just the start of spring, new beginnings and all that stuff.” Annie stared at Noodle and could hardly blink. Apparently wedding pools were big business in Keeneston.
    “Um. What about these guys?” She gestured to the men who were starting to stir, their moans reaching their ears.
    “Oh, don’t worry about them, ma’am. Dinky, can you take care of them?”
    “Sure, just talk loud so I can hear ya'.” She watched Dinky head off to the men and start to cuff them as he read them their Miranda warning.
    “So, March is a nice month, isn’t it?”
    “Seriously? Why does anyone care who Cade’s dating?” This really was very puzzling to her.
    “Well, geez ma’am….”
    “For the love of God, stop calling me ma’am. It makes me feel old.”
    “Yes, ma’am. I mean, yes Miss Hill. Anyway, Cade has been chased after by ever girl in the county from the ages of sixteen to eighty. Probably half the ladies over in Lexington too.”
    “He’s what they call a catch,” Dinky yelled over. Annie rolled her eyes and sat back down on the step as Dinky started to load the barely conscious men into the cruiser.
    “See, he never dates seriously. In fact, he and his brothers usually run in the opposite direction of any single lady.” Noodle became serious, or at least she thought he did. He leaned closer to her and in a hushed tone asked, “So, how did you do it? How did you catch him?”
    “I don’t know. But, maybe it had to do with the fact that I was never chasing him to begin with.”
    “What she say?” Dinky yelled from placing a slightly bloody Moe into the cruiser.
    “She said it was because she wasn’t chasing him,” Noodle shouted.
    “That’s deep,” Dinky mumbled as he closed the fully loaded cruiser.
    “You know, that makes sense, ma’am. I mean Miss Hill. It’s just like noodling a catfish. You wiggle your finger, but it’s the fish that has to come to you.”
    “Dang, Noodle. That’s very philosophical.” Dinky came to stand next to Noodle, his hands resting on the big, black utility belt around his waist.
    “Excuse me? Noodle, fish, finger?” What the hell were these guys talking about? Whatever it was, they apparently thought it made perfect sense.
    “You know, noodling.” Noodle looked at her as if she were speaking a foreign language.
    “Yeah, noodling,” Dinky chimed in ever so helpfully.
    “I’m sorry, boys. It’s been a long night. Maybe you could tell me what noodling