Tag, You're It! by Penny McCall

won't waste the effort of looking for the treabut they're more than willing to take advantage of the nutcases who will."
    The nutcases, Tag decided, were the ones approaching Alex. They came to the table in ones or twos, to ask her about the Lost Spaniard.
    Tag recovered his coffee and sat back, feeling pretty smug until Alex stood up, raised her hands, and said into the sudden hush, "I don't know anything about the Lost Spaniard, and I don't want anything to do with it."
    "C'mon, Alex," somebody called out, "Trankey said you and that fella you're with was talking about some new clue—"
    She stood up again, meeting the speaker's eyes, then doing a slow visual survey of the room. "This fella is Tag Donovan. Neither of us has eaten or slept in thirty-six hours. We'd appreciate being left alone to have our breakfast—if we can ever order it," she added, glancing at the counter where the lone waitress stood glaring at her, arms crossed. "After that, feel free to ask him your questions." More grum"Or maybe you'd like him to announce what he knows to the room at large."
    That did it. The crowd went completely silent. Then the whispering began, people huddled together over their tables, wanting to pick Tag's brain but not in front of everyelse. Alex knew it was only a matter of time before someone worked up the gumption to approach him. The waitress broke the ice by sashaying over, steaming coffeepot in one hand, order pad in the other.
    "I'll have a ham and cheese omelet, hash browns, wheat toast, and orange juice," Alex said before she could ask Tag what he wanted, "and coffee."
    The waitress gave her a dirty look, so Alex stood up and yelled her order to the cook. She looked at Tag, he shrugged, and she added, "make that two of everything," then sat down, pulling Tag's freshly refilled coffee over in front of her.
    "Let me guess," he said as the waitress flounced off, "that's Annabelle, the sheriff's new girlfriend."
    "You're smarter than you look."
    "I generally like conversation with my meals, but if you're going to be nasty…"
    Alex smiled and tipped her head toward the line that was forming. "I don't think you're going to lack for conversation."
    Tag retrieved his coffee cup. "I don't know if you can call it a conversation when I'm expected to do all the talking."
    "Don't worry, they'll be asking questions. Lots of questions."
    "I have a feeling there's going to be a common theme."
    Alex laughed. It was almost worth the ordeal ahead to see her guard drop. Almost.
    "I don't suppose there's any chance they'll believe me if I deny it," Tag wondered. "It's just a rumor anyway."
    "Rumors are gospel in this town," Alex said, waiting until Annabelle set their plates on the table with a cranky litsnap and walked away before she continued.
    "That leaves me with two choices, misdirection or silence."
    "Lie," Alex said. "You're good at that."
    "Thanks. What do you suggest I tell them?"
    "You'll figure it out," she said around a bite of omelet. "You seem to be very resourceful."
    Okay, she was challenging him to handle this without her running interference. It should have ticked him off, but he was still smiling. "I'm sure you understand why I'm keeping what I know to myself," he said loud enough for the whole room to hear.
    Alex's gaze lifted from her plate, her eyes narrowing on his face.
    "I will tell you that I'm hoping Alex will be my guide," Tag finished.
    "Her?" one old man scoffed. "She's from Boston." Which might as well be Mars, judging by his tone. "Hell, Harp Santiago knows these valleys like the back of his hand."
    "Really?" Tag said. "Where can I find Mr. Santiago?"
    "In the cemetery," someone called out, and the whole restaurant erupted in laughter.
    Tag joined in, but he was thinking, great, I finally found people who don't laugh about the treasure and they're all as crazy as a three-dollar bill. And apparently he was one of them. It didn't say much for his chances of success. "Anyone else who could help?"
    Names were