Sampson still hadn't stopped smiling.

Late in the afternoon, Damon and Jannie each grabbed one of my arms and escorted me out into the yard. “I'll be right back,” I said to Jamilla. “I hope.”

Billie was seated on a wooden chair with her back to half a dozen woeful-looking, even terrorized single males.

“You don't have to actually catch the garter,” she said turning and winking. “The first one who touches it is the lucky winner.”

I stood on one side of the rag-tag boys club, winking and making ridiculous faces at Damon and Jannie, and, of course, Jamilla. Suddenly, they all pointed toward the sky.

I looked up and the purple garter was spinning and spiraling down toward me. I couldn't get out of the way if I wanted to.

So I caught it and I twirled it around my outstretched finger. “Doesn't scare me,” I said.

I looked to my left and there was Jamilla with Nana. Jam was laughing and clapping her hands, and her smile said, doesn't scare me either.

I looked away and by God, there was Dr. Kayla Coles. And she wasn't clapping, just smiling coyly. Then she winked at me. Now what did that mean?

I shook my head, still laughing, but then I saw one more face. Director Ron Burns of the FBI.

My new boss was motioning for me to come over and see him. He had some kind of thick folder under his arm, which I had absolutely no plans of reading that Saturday.

But I did.

The End