Chapter 37
Earl sat at the bar, drinking a beer and eating a burger.
Teagan nodded to him, but she didn't have to. I already knew he was the source of her concern.
I pulled up next to him and leaned on the counter. "What are you doing here, Earl?"
Earl looked at me and smiled. "Just enjoying a little dinner and a brew.”
"You should finish your meal and go.”
"Why is that? I got a right to be here just like anybody else.”
"You don't have the right to make lewd comments to me and treat me like dirt," Teagan said.
"Oh, honey, I didn't mean to offend you."
"I am not your honey!”
Earl grinned. "Give it time.”
The muscles in my jaw flexed. "I suggest you take your meal to go. Now!”
"And who are you to say what I should do?"
"I own this restaurant, and I reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. Especially someone who is being rude to my employees.”
"I'm not being rude," Earl said. "Maybe there's been some kind of misunderstanding. I promise I'll be on my best behavior. Scout’s honor," he said, raising his hand.
I stood there and stared at him, making the moment as uncomfortable as possible.
By that time, Jack stepped into the bar. He spotted the scumbag right away and was ready to go off on him.
I pulled Jack aside and said, "Let's let him finish, then escort him out."
Jack's face reddened. "He's got no business being here. He tracked you down. It's not hard to figure out who owns this place. He wants to play games, let's play games. It's not going to end well for him."
I shared Jack's sentiment, but I didn't want to escalate the situation.
JD and I flanked Earl at the bar.
He kept his head down and finished his burger, chewing his food and smacking in the most obnoxious way possible.
Harlan sat at the end of the bar, glaring at the guy. The old Marine looked like he was ready to put a bullet in Earl. He probably would have if I asked.
The scumbag finally finished his meal, and we escorted him out of the bar. He winked at Teagan. "See you later, sugar.”
"No, you won't," I said, grabbing his arm, escorting him out. "If I ever see you back here again, I'll arrest you on sight for trespassing. You've been warned. You're not welcome here."
"But it's such a good restaurant," Earl said. "The food was really good. You've outdone yourself.”
"Get off my property," I said.
Earl smiled. "Okay. Okay. I can see when I'm not wanted.” He spun around and marched across the parking lot to a beat-up, light blue imported pickup truck.
It was older and had a little rust where the quarter panels had been dented, and the paint was cracked.
He hopped in, started it up, and drove out of the lot.
I watched him go, then called the sheriff. "I found Earl," I said, then told him the story.
He said he'd send a patrol unit. With any luck, they’d spot him and follow.
I walked back into the bar and joined Jack and Teagan. "Are you okay?"
She nodded. "I'm fine. That guy just freaked me out. I just got weird vibes about him."
I told her who he was, and she shivered. A grave look played on her face. "That guy is a killer.”
"Your intuition serves you well. If he comes back, you call me. I'll handle it.”
"Believe me, he won't make it through the door. I'll let you know right away.”
JD and I ordered food to go, and we took it back to the Avventura. We chowed down on the sky deck with Madelyn and recapped the day.
Jack got a text, and the screen glowed his face as he responded. A sly grin curled his lips. After the exchange, he said to us, “If you two will excuse me, I have some business to attend to. Can you handle the night shift?”
“I think we’ll be just fine,” I replied.
“Don’t wait up for me,” he said.
I had no doubt he was off to frolic with Ginger and Cinnamon.
“Madelyn,” Jack said. “I enjoyed spending the day with you. I leave you in Deputy Wild’s capable hands.”
“Should I be worried?” she asked, lifting a sassy eyebrow.
“You should be reasonably safe,” Jack said.
He left us alone on the sky deck and trotted down to his stateroom.
“Do you need a refill?” I asked, noting her empty glass.
“I believe that would be in order,” she replied with a smile.
I grabbed the bottle of wine and filled her glass with Merlot.
“Thank you,” she said, the moonlight sparkling in her eyes. “A girl could get used to this, you know.”
“Merlot?”
She laughed. “No. Good food, good company, round-the-clock protection. Anything after this could be a letdown.”
“I’m sure you could buy a nice yacht and hire a security staff.”
“It wouldn’t be quite the same, would it?”
“No. I guess not.”
“I really appreciate what you two have done for me. That was really kind of JD to run me around today. I know you both have lives.”
“This is what we do.”
“Protect rich tech types who get into international trouble?”
I chuckled. “The job description is broad and varied.”
“I bet.”
“Have you talked to your brother?”
“No,” she said. “And I don’t particularly want to. You haven’t told him I’m here, have you?”
“I haven’t told anyone.”
"I think that's for the best," she said.
"I don't mean to pry, but…”
"You know, when people say they don't mean to pry, they mean to pry.”
I chuckled again. "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to.”
"Trust me, you couldn't get anything out of me that I didn't want to share.”
I lifted a curious eyebrow. "Sounds like there are secrets in there.”
"Everyone's got secrets," she said. "I'm sure you have more than your fair share. I mean, this boat, the restaurant… You two aren’t your average deputies. And despite appearances, you both are disciplined, and I suspect well-trained.”
My eyes narrowed at her.
"I had a lot of time to kill at the station. I talked to the sheriff for a little while. He's a good guy. Speaks highly of you two. Says I couldn’t find better bodyguards on the island. Or anywhere for that matter.”
"That's mighty kind of him to say."
"I get the impression he's not the kind of guy who hands out compliments often.”
I laughed. "No. Not at all. The sheriff is a straight shooter. No bullshit.”
"That's what I figured.”
We stared at each other for a moment in the moonlight. Madelyn was easy to look at. Easy to talk to as well.
"I should apologize to you,” she said.
"What for?”
"At a fashion show. I was wrong, you were right. I was rude about it. You were in the right seat.”
I smiled. "It's all water under the bridge. Least of our concerns now.”
"I wasn't going to go. Then at the last minute, I thought, what the hell?
I know Giovanni was trying to get me and my brother in the same room.
He knew us both back when we got along. He tried to tell me the invitation was Sebastian's idea, but that was just bullshit.
It's okay. Extending the olive branch is not Sebastian's style.” She lost herself and thought for a moment. "How's Ava doing?”
"I don't know.”
Madelyn frowned. "The poor girl. He’s gonna leave her. Sticking around when things get tough is not Sebastian’s style either. Lord knows he wasn’t there for me when our parents died.”
"I'm sorry."
She shrugged. "It's part of life. Isn’t it?”
“A painful part.”
“You pack your own chute. It's a single-player game. You can't count on anybody.”
"That’s kind of a lonely way to go through life, don't you think?”
"All I can do is go by past experience. And experience tells me I am the only person I can count on.”
“Well, you can count on me and JD.”
Madelyn gave me a cautious look. “You know, most people talk a good game, but when you say it, I believe it.” She lifted her wine to toast. “To people you can count on.”
We clinked glasses and sipped our beverages.
Her full lips wrapped around the glass and left a stain of lip gloss. Madelyn looked at me with sparkly eyes, heady with a few glasses of wine.
The night was shaping up to be a nice evening and full of possibilities.
"So tell me, is there a Mrs. Deputy, or are you married to the job?”
I laughed. "I guess I'm married to the job.”
"Must be hard trying to hold down a relationship—late nights, odd hours, people constantly shooting at you, always looking over your shoulder.”
"That is a factor.”
“I guess the job doesn’t get jealous when you have a mistress,” she asked with more than a little interest.
“I wouldn’t know. I took a vow of celibacy.” I tried to keep a straight face.
Her skeptical eyes narrowed. “I call BS.”
“I’m serious.”
“That’s not what the sheriff says.”
“What does the sheriff say?”
“He says I need to watch out around you two. A girl could get her heart broken.”
“Under the advice of counsel, I’m going to assert my Fifth Amendment privilege.”
She sneered at me playfully. “How long have you been celibate?”
I looked at my watch.
She laughed. “Celibate my ass.”
“Scout’s honor,” I said, crossing my fingers.
She lifted a saucy eyebrow and bit her lip. “So, if we get in that Jacuzzi, you’re not going to try anything?”
“Absolutely not.”
“And you’ll resist no matter what I do?”
“I’m a monk.”
She scoffed, then glanced at the Jacuzzi. “I don’t have a swimsuit.”
“Neither do I.”