Las Cruces: An Adventure Suspense Novel with a Dash of the Supernatural (Kane Montgomery Book 2) by Bart Hopkins

Author:Bart Hopkins [Hopkins, Bart]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Human Ingenuity Press
Published: 2023-08-05T16:00:00+00:00

17. Kane and JJ

“How’s life over at that rock climbing place?”

“Pretty good,” Kane said, then looked sideways at JJ and added, “Señor.”

JJ choked on a mouthful of beer, laughing.

They had drifted into The Taproom, a bar near the campus, and right off University Boulevard, in fact. Kane liked it right away when he saw the substantial beer selection. There were a couple of classics like Guinness and Rolling Rock. Craft Brews. Stouts, IPAs, porters, and lagers. Light beer, dark beer. Hoppy beer and some that weren’t so hoppy.

Kane enjoyed the taste of good beer.

He didn’t notice any of the crap-brands. For years, he watched guys pound bad beer at every opportunity. Friday night, the convenience store on the base—the “shoppette”—had a never-shortening line of grunts, each holding a rack of beer and Marlboros.

“How’s that hotty?”

Kane looked at JJ.

“Are you referring to my female co-worker, Tammie?”

JJ flicked his eyebrows up and down and grinned.

“Yep.”

Kane shook his head.

“She’s pretty good,” he said and paused with his glass at his mouth. “Señor.”

JJ lost it again and almost sprayed beer from his mouth. Kane sipped his own beer and tried not to smile.

“Jackass.”

“Birds of a feather.”

Kane surveyed the room. Most of the customers were college kids, but there were also a healthy number of those early-thirties career types. They were wearing slacks or khakis with button-up shirts, sleeves rolled up to the forearm. It seemed to be the civilian equivalent of a uniform, for the upwardly mobile.

“Seriously, this Tammie … she is very easy on the eyes.”

“Yes,” Kane agreed.

JJ stared at him.

“So…”

“So?”

“Why not make something happen?”

Kane shrugged. JJ waited.

“I don’t know. I’m not even sure how long I’m going to be here.”

JJ nodded.

“Well, however long you’re here is long enough.”

Kane shrugged again.

“Okay, well, how about hookin’ a brother up then, huh?”

Kane laughed.

“What about your girlfriend?”

“Ah, we broke up again. We do that every so often. Keeps things fresh.”

Kane was taking another sip of his beer when he got this itchy feeling along the right side of his neck, like he was being watched. He’d been blessed, or maybe cursed, with razor-sharp senses. Without moving much, he used his far-peripheral vision—or side vision—to check it out.

It was a habit he’d had most of his life, but one that he refined in the Army, and indirectly with his martial arts training. Peripheral vision may not provide details, but it was essential to situational awareness and spotting movement.

“Girl in a black dress is staring at us.”

“Oh, yeah?”

JJ sounded excited, and his head jackknifed back and forth as he looked around the room.

“Ah, shit,” he said.

“What’s up?”

“That’s my ex-girlfriend.” JJ shook his head.

“That you just broke up with?”

“Nah, the ex before her.”

Kane chuckled.

“It isn’t funny, man. The girl has issues.”

“Is this the one that liked to hike?”

“Yep.”

Kane glanced around the room, allowing himself a peek at JJ’s old flame.

“Wow!”

“Yep.”

Kane shook his head and took another glance. “That’s your ex-ex-girlfriend?”

“Don’t sound so surprised.”

“She knew she was your girlfriend?”

“Ha ha. Yuck it up, wise guy.”

Kane grinned. Sipped. Glanced that way again.

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