Part EIGHT – continued from last week’s episode –
Full on panic mode ensued. Sally’s helicopter clambered down within spitting distance of the fish house. Lefty Van Clutterbuck, Rusty’s newest and now deceased fishing partner (introduced through Sally), lay slumped in the corner of the ice shack deader than the proverbial mackerel.
Certainly, a media circus would erupt. Not to mention the real potential for criminal charges.
Would this mystery out-flame present tabloid deceptions? Or simply add octane to the blaze…
The January issue of National Fish Rot printed a scandalous line baiting the public and casting Flathers – Squatsnfishes – Van Clutterbuck into a love triangle with Rusty coming out on the short end of the fishing rod. Maybe his father was right… Cats and Stevie Nicks. Ugh.
“Buck up” he told himself. “And stop with the damn negativity.” Deep in his core he believed Sally was faithful, and anything discounting his confidence could not be further from the truth.
Rusty and Lefty (odd first name now that he was missing his left arm) had hit it off marvelously from the get-go. Plus, he and Sally were of the few in Lefty’s inner circle that knew the actual truth.
Someone was out to ruin Sally’s career, and most certainly her association with Flathers. How hard would they push?
– To be continued –
