Page 7 of All Mine

“We’re the ones asking questions,” Goon one snapped, whirling around to face Adrian.

“Well, she’s not here,” I added. “So why don’t you move on and stop interrupting everyone’s night?”

Goon one jerked around, cocked an eyebrow, and leaned closer. “Because I don’t think you’re telling the truth. She came in here. I know it.”

“Did you see her?” I asked.

“Her car’s in the lot.”

“You’re basing this on a car? Is it a one-of-a-kind make and model?”

Goon one’s incredulous expression grew. “No, dumbass, but I know her car when I see it.”

“Okay, we’ll ignore that there are probably a number of the same type of cars on the road and move onto that the parking lot also serves the Marina and the nearby businesses.”

Adrian, who flanked the guys on the other side, nodded.

“You sound like you know something.” Goon one was far too close for comfort, but I wouldn’t back down.

“The only thing I know is that it sounds like you’re stalking some woman.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Goon one yelled, his hot, whisky-soaked breath in my face.

It wasn’t a good idea to get this guy too riled up. “All right, maybe it’s a misunderstanding,” I said, switching tactics.

“Yeah, the misunderstanding is that we’re here for our friend, and you’re not gonna stop us.”

I’d grown tired of the whole thing.

“Guys, it’s past time to go,” Adrian said.

“We need to have a look around your establishment.”

“The lady’s not here,” Adrian replied, “and as we’ve discussed, you’re not going into my staff areas.”

“Which is why I think he’s hiding something,” Goon two said.

“Yeah, me too,” Good one agreed, nodding.

“No one’s hiding anything,” I said.

“We’ll see about that.” Goon one reached behind him and brandished a Glock 19, waving it around.

Everything went stone still. Holy shit. My heart stopped. I should have seen that coming.

“Now, we’re gonna get to the bottom of what you two are hiding,” Goon one said, leveling the weapon in my direction. “Where is she?”

My mind raced to come up with an answer that wouldn’t end up with getting shot in a bar in some Podunk shithole town. The whack and cracking of wood caught me off guard. I jerked to the side as Finn came from nowhere and brought a chair crashing down on the Goon’s head. He yelped and collapsed like a brick. A popping sound blasted through the air.

The bang reverberated off the floors and ceiling. Instinctively I grabbed my ears, but that didn’t stop the loud ringing in my head. People rushed around, fleeing the building, but it all came through with a muffled clatter in my ears. Finn beat on the former gun-wielding Goon with a broken chair leg.

“Are you okay?” Adrian stood in front of me with concern etched across his bushy face. “Did you get hit?”

I shook my head, and the cobwebs cleared a fraction more. “No, the bullet must have gone off through the building.”

“Shit, I hope no one got hit,” Adrian said through what sounded like layers of cotton.

“I’ll look around,” I yelled over the ringing in my ears.

---