Chapter 8

The hall was crowded with people of all ages, meeting their dear ones, friends and colleques.

Quite country music was played for the audience and Lilly got a close look to the stage.

There was a special guest, Lilly recognized as she and Scotty entered the room, at the other end,

on a stage which might be the plattform for the decoration later, now filled with him and his band,

and she waved at him lightly.

It was Ty Sugar, the brother of her victim that time they had been here the first time, to close the cold case of his younger brother Truck Sugar, who had been a country singer, too.

Ty Sugar tipped the brim of his cowboy hat to greet her in silence and concentrated on his play again.

The guitar gave away a long tone and the song sounded sad to her.

Maybe a hommage to Truck she thought and deepend her grip around Scottys arm.

He gave her an irritated smile and she nodded to the stage and he followed her gaze.

Understanding was written on his handsome face and he squeezed her hand

carefully careful not to give away anything for the others around them to notice.

But she knew that he completly agreed to her suddenly sad emotions.

And she loved him even more for that.

If that was even possible.

A tall man in uniform made his way through the crowd to greet them and Lilly smiled a great smile as he apporched them.

„Big Daddy! What a pleasure!" she shouted out loud.

„It was far too much time since we met last time!"

He was wearing uniform, too and Lilly noticed the eagerniss he had polished his brand and was glad for Scottys advice earlier that day to give her own a look over.

„Little Sister! And i see, ya have brought yar' cowboy with ya!"

the old Lieutenant Wayne Brown returned and embraced her in some kind of bear hug.

He turned to Scotty.

„'Get the chance to do exercises in line dance once more, Detective Valens?!"

Big Daddy teased him and shook Scottys offered hand.

Scotty chuckled at that statement.

„No, Sir, but i'm looking forward doing it with Little Sister here this time!" Scotty answered and Lilly felt her cheeks suddenly burning and she suppressed the urge to kick his shinbone or to elbow him until his breath came out in a hush.

„Come on, Lil, i knaw' you're not that bad- don't have to blush ya know!" Scotty gave her his lopesided grin and winked at her with that puppy look in his deep brown eyes.

„Forget it, Valens. Look out for Charlene, will ya!" she couldn't help but elbow him slightly and saw a grin spread on Big Daddys face.

„My girl." The Lieutenant said proudly and offered her his arm in case of stealing her away from her partner.

„Mind if i cast her away, Detective?"

Scotty frowned but before he could answer a wave of brunette hair and bright shining teeth took him in a bear hug himself. „Scotty Valens!"

„Hi, uh.. hmh..Charlene!"

Scotty threw her an apologetic shrug and Lil took the arm which was offered to her.

She couldn't help herself feeling slightly jealous and wondered the instant where that feeling came from. Because... she really had no reason to be jealous of that woman or any woman in Scottys past and she knew it, but... damn!

„Lilly... i'm allowed to call ya that, don't i?! Lilly, what a beautiful name, by the way, i want ya to meet someone special to me.."

Big Daddy swayed with her around the room like she was a trophy he had won and although she was wearing uniform she couldn't help but felt as if she was wearing a gown like a princess in a ballroom on the arm of her father, the king.

And this had to be his queen, Lilly assumed.

She was dressed in deep red, her hair flaxen blond but the few grey strands that were in it only matched the wrinkles around her eyes, telling from a wiseness nobody could know about, her eyes emerald green and sharply intelligent.

All about her told Lilly that this woman had seen things and knew things way better than herself and she nearly had to stop herself from bowing as they reached her side.

„Misses Brown, it is a great pleasure to meet you!"

Lilly added before Lieutenant Brown could make the officials.

„See, Barbara, i told ya she's a smart girl!" Big Daddy laughed and bowed his head to Lilly.

Big Daddys wife nodded and shook Lillys hand.

„I like to get my opionion all by myself, ya know, Honey. But i have to agree this time..."

she stated and gave Lilly a look over from head to toe.

„And she is beautiful, too. That's one ya didn't tell me all those years you're speaking of her in the skies, !" she blamed him cynical but offered Lilly a sympathic smile.

„It is my pleasure, Detective Rush. As you may expect, i heard a lot about you!"

„And where's that cooky little boy who never left your side, as my husband told me?!"

Barbara asked curiosisly and her green eyes sparkeled with intrest.

She lifted up her head in search for Scottys presence and Big Daddy looked as if it was now his turn not to kick his wife on the shinbone.

„Barbara!"

She waved and wrinkled her nose in an amuse movement.

„Don't be offend, i was just curios. My husband told me that partner of yours, what's his name at least, Honey?, oh, Detective Valens, right, must be a feast for the eyes for every woman!"

„Oh... yes. I think...ya right about that." Lilly nearly stumbled over the sentence and luckily reached for a drink which a waitress brought around the room that moment.

It was far better to have something to hold onto when terms came to Scotty Valens.

It was the second time she felt herself blushing about her partner today.

Should that be a bad habit from now on? Did sleeping with him do that to her?!

To where should that lead?!

„Ah, i think i can see him... yeah, he's a handsome, my dear. It must be a pleasure to work with him!" Barbara spotted Scotty and Charlene who made their way to them.

Big Daddy rolled his eyes and got himself and his wife a round of drinks.

And damn- who had Scotty allowed to look that good in his uniform!

„Here, Darling. Leave Detective Rush alone, they're just partners."

he gave his wife the glass of champagne and waved over for Scotty and Charlene.

„She had to work with him for years now as if he was a big old scroundle like me!"

Lilly had to shut her mouth quickly because nobody should see her reaction of

Barbara Browns mention of Scotty and „pleasure" in the same sentence.

Barbara leanded suddenly nearer to her and the amusement in her voice was clear as she whispered:

„Gee, if i had a partner at work like that... i never could have had resist like ya do. Must be really hard. Police men are the best, ya know?!"

Lilly frowned.

I wish i wouldn't. she thought soure.

But Barbara giggled quitely and flashed Scotty a big smile.

„You must be Detective Valens! Nice to meet ya!"

„Mrs. Brown! My pleasure."

Scotty knew how to handle woman.

Or at least he followed his mothers lectures about it.

Lilly was sure Rosa Valens had teached him very well in that matter,

because he bowed and gave Barbara a perfect shaped hand kiss.

Now Lilly could get a clear view of Charlene and another man who came with them.

He seemed a little older, much bigger than Scotty and was wearing a flanell plaid dress shirt,

a big white cowboy hat, blue jeans and nice looking leather boots.

His short hair was red like his beard and he had a warm smile plastered on his handsome face.

He reminded her of a big nice teddy bear in some way, Lilly thought.

„Hi, Detective Rush!" Charlene said and Lilly nearly had a flashback of that night in the hotel.

But this time Charlene had wrapped her arm around that teddy and not...

not around Scotty anymore.

Lillys heart did a content flip at that thought.

„Charlene, nice to see ya again." Lilly nodded politley and flashed Scotty a small smile.

„See ya remember me and my partner."

„Ah, sure. I assume you haven't met my husband, Hank Butler.

We're newly parents of a sweet little boy and already had twin girls two years ago!

Our wedding was at summer after ya two left here and Big Daddy was his best man and it was so... stunning beautiful!"

Her face shined full of love when she hugged Hank tighter to her waist and tiptoed to kiss his cheek.

He proudly grinned but remained silent.

They fit perfectly together!

No wonder he didn't have to say a word...

Charlene could talk for both of them and he seemed to know that.

And man... was she enthusiastic!

„Ya knaw, i nearly laughed as i heard his lastname because i called him my „Rhett" from that day on to tease him! And now i'm Misses Butler, can ya imagine?! I always loved the book „Gone with the wind" and now i am Scarlett all over myself! We named our kids after the books characters!

Our boy's called Ashley and the girls names are Scarlet and Melanie!"

Lilly resisted to roll her eyes like Big Daddy had before and took a look at the pictures Hank showed them from his wallet.

„They are really nice kids, ya two have to be very happy 'bout such a lovely family."

Lilly said and hoped that nobody could hear the hidden feelings in her voice.

But she should have known that Scotty could almost sense it the second the words left her mouth.

He took a step to her side immediatly and took her hand in his behind their backs,

invicible for the others around them but she couldn't stand not to lean into his touch and the strength he was willingly given her.

He squeezed her fingers in try to reassure her that it was now at least possible for them to have a family on their own, too, with that deal of theirs...

As Lilly felt the smile on her face now, she already knew it was reaching her eyes,

because it's a true smile this time.