A Missing Mom and Mutt Munchies by Aleksa Baxter

Author:Aleksa Baxter [Baxter, Aleksa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Google: x1enDwAAQBAJ
Amazon: 1950902633
Publisher: Aleksa Baxter
Published: 2019-08-04T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

The man leaned against the end of the bar as he waited for Abe to pour him a shot of Jack Daniels. He sized up the room with a narrow-eyed look that put my teeth on edge. This was not a nice man, that was clear. Physically he didn't look like he could do harm to anyone, but there was something about the way he stood and the way he looked at people that made me think he'd play dirty and vicious if it came to a fight.

Reminded me of that Jim Croce song about how you don't mess around with Slim.

I didn't see any obvious weapons, but his belt buckle was big enough to do in a pinch.

(A little trick my grandpa had told me about once.)

"You sure you want me to come with you?" I whispered to Matt as we approached.

"Absolutely. Easier to keep you safe that way. But stay behind me."

The man focused in on Matt as we came closer, but didn't move from his not-so-casual slouch.

Matt held out a hand. "Matt Barnes. I'm local police around here. And you are?"

The man looked down at Matt's hand and back up at his face, but didn't take the hand. "Ted Little."

Matt crossed his arms but braced his feet shoulder-width apart. I stayed behind Matt's shoulder, ready to move out of his way if things became physical, which I honestly believed was possible.

"So, Ted. What brings you to Creek?"

"Grew up around here."

"Really. I don't recall seeing you before."

Ted smiled. It was not a nice smile. "Been away a while. You know how it goes."

Matt nodded. "And what brings you here tonight? If you don't mind my saying, the Creek Inn doesn't exactly seem like your type of place."

"It's not. But I ran into a friend here last night. Thought I'd come back and see if she was here again. You have a problem with that?" His voice dropped at the end, threatening.

"Nope. Free country. Who's the friend?"

Ted tensed up even though he was still slouched against the wall. "I don't have to tell you."

"True. You don't. But you'd be helping me out a lot if you would. Turns out a friend of ours was in here last night, too. Trish Mullens?"

He grunted. "Huh. Same friend." He flicked a glance back and forth between us. "But you don't look like the type to be friends with a girl like Trish, if you don't mind my saying."

"I coached her son in baseball. Trish made every game. She may have her faults, but she's a good mom. I respect that."

Ted's eyes went flat and hard. "Not so sure I agree about her being a good mom. She's shacked up with Vick Kline, isn't she?"

Matt shrugged his shoulders. "Bad taste in men, but she loves her kid. As far as I can see, she's doing the best she can."

"Except she took off again, didn't she? Kid's birthday's tomorrow and where is she?"

I leaned around Matt. "How did you know that? How did

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