Don’t say a word. Cheryl thought

__

It may have been 5 years since she was the lead detective of the Apple Valley PD, but her skills were as sharp as the day she was promoted. However, justice sat on the back burner of her fixed income these days, and none of her girlfriends seemed to have noticed the man slip the white substance into her Cosmo before he slid off to the bathroom toward the rear of restaurant..__

_‘Oh he’s good’ _she thought to herself. Definitely not a rookie.

When she saw him return and take a seat 4 booths down from theirs she opened her straw gracefully by tearing the end- not the obnoxious TAP TAP TAP motion that others did, portraying their thirst for strangers. Cheryl placed the straw in her drink, swirling it around, smiling, and slowly scanning around the booth, interacting with all of her galentines day guests with small gestures of giggles, smiles and shrugs while simultaneously scanning the other booths inquisitively, but paying close attention to the one of her would-be assassin. After about 15 minutes or so, just nearing the cusp of another order of nachos and cosmos for the gals, Bridgette yelped from across the table:

-Cher you haven’t touched your Cos?!

Yeah ..I don’t know if they ran out or what, but this is NOT Tito’s, and I just..can’t drink it.

-What?? The girls clambered at once_

Yeah I was just going to take a loss and wait for the next round..

__

When_ Bingo, their anticipated reaction began just as Cheryl hoped_

-No way Cher I mean, what if they use Karkov or whatever else they used in yours.. Jill said

-Yeah absolutely not; I’ll get a migraine. Merideth begrudged

__ Just as Bridgette was about to whistle the waiter over Cheryl stood up:

So true, I’m going to the bar, I’ll be right back ladies.

She shimmied her way towards the bar on the other end of the restaurant, gripping her large overcoat closed with one hand, drink in the other, and when the girls were distracted by selfie taking and laughter she slid into the bathroom that was just opposite of her destination.

After assuring there were no feet under the stalls she locked the door behind her, pulled her phone out of her clutch and dialed.

Burt, hey, sorry for the late call, can you grab the forensics kit and come to Margento’s, and please make sure you’re alone, call me when you’re in the parking lot. Cheryl had trained Burt for the new position as head detective and he was not about to ask too many questions. -Sure thing he said, do you want me to call.. Just you. Cheryl demanded

-See ya soon

Bye Burt.