So Damn Lucky by Deborah Coonts

Author:Deborah Coonts [Coonts, Deborah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mysteries & Thrillers
Publisher: Cool Gus Publishing
Published: 2014-07-27T00:00:00+00:00

***

The kitchen staff had all placed wagers on the outcome, at least half the patrons of the restaurant stood at the window watching the show, and blood splattered the floor in interesting patterns reminiscent of a Jackson Pollock painting when, finally, I grudgingly called Security.

“Jerry?” I said into my push-to-talk.

“Yo,” he answered. “I just got a call about a fight in the new burger joint. They said you were there, so I didn’t go to battle stations, although a couple of my guys are headed your way.”

“Tell them to hold off a few minutes. I have a front-row seat, and things are getting interesting.”

“Wilco,” Jerry said. I heard the question in his voice, but didn’t feel the need to elaborate.

A few minutes passed as the battle raged, the combatants rolling on the floor like two children engulfed in the fire of rage. With the wall on one side and the table on the other, they couldn’t roll far, or do too much damage to anything other than one another. Frankly, the two of them deserved what they were getting and, swine that I am, I enjoyed watching the show.

Too soon, two beefy security guys pushed through the crowd and managed to pry our two “gentlemen” apart. Fire still in their bellies, our two combatants struggled against their restraint, swinging in futility at the other. The guards held them back, but not before Milt got one of them in the jaw.

Milt had a broken nose and the beginnings of two black eyes. Teddie didn’t look much better—although his nose bled, it still looked straight, but his eyes were going to be swollen shut soon, and his lip was split. Painted in blood, which now dripped onto their shirts, their faces looked like raw meat, their knuckles bruised from impact with bone. Heads bowed, panting, anger unabated, they both glared at me.

I held out my glass for a refill. Crossing my legs, I leaned back and assessed the situation. If I didn’t know these people, if I’d been called in cold to solve the problem, what would I do?

“Take the old guy with the mouth to the infirmary. After the Doc signs off, put him in the holding cell.”

“You can’t be serious!” Milt growled at me.

“You assaulted a security guard, not to mention the mess you’ve made in here. One more word out of you and I’ll let the police handle it—photos of you bloodied, in cuffs, being dragged away by the local authorities, a drunk and disorderly charge to enhance your résumé. What do you say?”

He glared at me as blood oozed down his chin.

“A night in the drunk tank here or notoriety in the morning paper?” I saw his fight ebb, and motioned for the security guy to lead him away. “Tell Jerry to handle this as he sees fit,” I called to the retreating guard who waved in response.

“And this one?” the remaining guard asked.

I shook my head. “Unfortunately, he’s mine. You, come with me,” I said to Teddie as I took his arm.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.