“You’re not going to work,” Kade said.
“Watch me.” I grabbed my purse, stuffed my gun into it, and headed outside.
“Come on,” I heard Kade say to Blane, and I’ll be damned if I didn’t have both Blane and Kade following me in their separate cars into town.
I parked and got out, glancing around to see both Kade and Blane mirroring my actions. In a moment, they were trailing two or three steps behind me as I headed into the pub.
Yeah, this isn’t conspicuous or anything, I thought grumpily. So much for blending back into my hometown. Blane and Kade stuck out like they’d been dropped from another planet into Smalltown, Middle America—their planet being one filled with designer clothes, cars that cost six figures, and a surplus of incredibly hot men who accessorized with deadly weapons.
I went in back to clock in, grabbing a black apron to tie around my waist. The morning cook, Randy, was finishing up and he waved hello as I walked by. Danny would be in any minute. Carol was clocking in, too.
“Glad to see you survived your midnight visitor last night,” she said, falling into step with me as we headed out the kitchen door.
I sighed. “Survived, but didn’t ditch. He’s still here.” I nodded to where Blane and Kade now sat side by side at the bar. Sal, the other bartender, was just setting two bottles of beer in front of them.
“Wow,” Carol said. “Who’s the new guy?”
“My ex.” And I left it at that.
Carol looked at me, her eyebrows raised, but she didn’t ask anything further. Since she was someone who seemed to keep her business private, I appreciated that she didn’t want to pry into mine. I wouldn’t have known how to explain anyway.
I relieved Sal, a guy in his late fifties who poured drinks at the same speed he moved—turtle slow. He was fine during the early part of the day, but I was glad I didn’t have to work with him in the evenings. It would have driven me nuts.
There was barely a handful of customers, since it was still before the dinner rush, so it didn’t take me long to put the bar in order and make sure everything was set the way I liked it. When I was through, I walked over to Blane and Kade.
“So you two are just going to sit here all evening?” I asked.
“I’m not too thrilled with someone trying to kill you in your living room,” Blane replied.
“Then call your uncle and take care of it,” I retorted. “Hasn’t he done enough now? You know he was behind Summers taking me, that he tried to have Kade killed. I’m just trying to figure out why you’re sitting here instead of taking this right to his front door.”
“It’s not that easy,” Kade broke in.
“What would you have me do, Kat?” Blane asked. “Go kill my uncle?”
“So you’d rather he kill me?” I asked.
“No, of course not—” Blane replied angrily.
“Well, then you two better figure something out,” I interrupted, “because I’m not living this way, looking over my shoulder all the time and being afraid. Something’s gotta give.” I stalked away.
We got busier soon after that, and it was a while before I returned to Blane and Kade.
“You two want something to eat?” I asked, handing them each a menu. I waited while they looked it over. I couldn’t help it—even with what had happened this morning and the awkwardness of being with both of them, I was happier for their presence.
They both ordered the exact same thing, big surprise, and declined more beer. Instead, I gave Blane water and Kade a Coke.
“So did you come up with a plan?” I asked as I slid two plates of double cheeseburgers and waffle fries in front of them.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Kade asked.
“Hello—I’m working,” I said in an isn’t-it-obvious tone, resting my elbows on the bar, chin in hand, and eyeing his fries.
Kade must’ve read my mind, because he picked one up and offered it to me as he said to Blane, “Keaston’s gotten out of hand.”
I leaned forward and snagged the fry from his fingers with my teeth. Yum. Still hot and crispy.
“You said you’d found something linking him to Sheffield and the Waters trial,” Blane said, taking a bite of his cheeseburger. “What about that?”
Kade shook his head, chewing a fry before offering another to me. I let him feed me that one, too. “Won’t hold up,” he said. “A witness would be better. Someone who knows all Robert’s dirty little secrets.”
Blane chewed thoughtfully. “What about George?” he asked. “He’s his chief of staff. He’d know everything. Maybe he’d help us in return for something.”
Kade took a bite of cheeseburger, dutifully holding up another fry for me to eat. He swallowed, then said, “Yeah, George is dead.”
Blane paused mid-chew to glance at Kade, then rolled his eyes. “Let me guess,” he said, his irritation obvious. “He met up with you in a dark alley.”
“Mugging gone bad,” Kade replied. “Don’t you read the papers?” He shot Blane a look and I wasn’t sure who to believe, not that I cared much. My hatred for Keaston seemed to overshadow any qualms or ethics I had.
“Are you going to eat your pickle?” I interrupted, eyeing said pickle on Kade’s plate.
Kade looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “Really? Pickles?”
I ignored his sarcasm. “Are you or not?”
Kade picked up the pickle spear and handed it to me. “You’re such a cliché,” he said, but he said it in a fond sort of way and the corner of his mouth twitched upward, so I didn’t think he really minded.
I chewed on the pickle while they talked.
“If not George, then I don’t know who,” Blane said. He finished off his burger. “It’s not like Robert lets anyone else get close enough.”
They both fell silent, thinking. I finished off the pickle, which had made me thirsty, so I copped a sip of Kade’s Coke.
“What about the wife?” I asked.
They both looked at me.
“Whose wife?” Kade asked.
“George’s,” I explained. “If Keaston had George into all kinds of bad stuff, which ended up getting him killed, she’s going to be angry. Resentful. And chances are she knows what’s up with Keaston, or could point us in the direction of where to look.”
“Us?” Blane asked.
I raised my eyebrows. “Surely you don’t think you two can go after Keaston and leave me behind?”
“Thought we could stash her with Mona,” Kade said to Blane. “Or maybe Clarice.”
“Clarice might be better,” Blane replied. “There’s no tie between the two of them anymore. They won’t think to look there.”
“Huh-uh, no way,” I interrupted. They both turned to look at me. “I am not going to sit this one out, nor am I going to bring danger to a friend’s doorstep. I either stay in my home, by myself, or I’m coming with you.”
Neither man looked pleased by my assertion, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to be sidelined.
“If she comes, we gotta drive,” Kade said to Blane. “The flight lists will be tagged to alert for her name.”
“Could you please stop talking about me as though I weren’t standing right here?” I said, irritated. I went to take their plates away, but saw Blane hadn’t eaten his pickle. I hesitated, then snagged it, holding it in my teeth while I carried the plates away. A ghost of a smile flitted across Blane’s lips.
Kade and Blane’s continued presence didn’t go unnoticed. More than a few glances were sent their way as the evening progressed, though the brothers didn’t seem to notice or care. Or if they did, I couldn’t tell. They were deep in conversation while I worked, and it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside, especially since they didn’t seem to be arguing. I even caught Blane laughing once or twice and Kade grinned.
“Hey, Kathleen.”
I recognized Matt’s voice and turned to see that he and Steve had popped in and taken seats at the bar.