Rachel yanked on Nick’s arm. “You’re kidding. Someone said that?”
“Yep. A couple of times. It was hilarious, especially with Gus making gagging noises in the background. You should have heard him when the girl I saved from the rapist/killer in the park wanted me to do a ‘selfie’ with her. I thought Gus was going to stream out of my com unit to choke me when I agreed.”
Rachel enjoyed that word picture. “Oh… I can picture that.”
Deke growled. “Uh oh.” Nick hurried ahead to where Jean held Deke away from a gang of five mixed race thugs with his leash near the side of a very high end cabin cruiser. Sonny knelt near Deke holding on to his collar too. Nick did a sharp two toned whistle. Deke backed toward Jean and sat down. “Sorry about that, guys. We were doing the Harbor Walk for the first time with our dog Deke.”
“They were-”
“Jean! It is always the dog owner’s responsibility to watch out for people.” Jean had quieted as Nick gave her a quick head shake. Rachel caught up with her stun gun and pepper spray in her hands at her sides.
“Move along then, Homer,” the lead guy with tattoos over his eyes and forehead gestured at Deke. “Keep the fuckin’ dog movin’ too.”
“No problem, Sir,” Nick said. “C’mon kids, let’s keep going down the dock. Goodnight, guys. Sorry for the disturbance.”
Jean and Sonny started along the walkway again with a very nervous Deke. Nick put an arm around Rachel’s shoulders and guided her along to follow the kids. They only took a few steps on their way when the five moved to follow.
“So much for the quiet beautiful walk, huh Rach?”
“Let me tune them up, Nick. You go watch the kids.”
Nick laughed and hugged Rachel. “I love you, baby.”
“I love you too. I hope they’re smart enough to walk away. I’ll keep the kids moving.”
“That would be best.”
“Hey Homer! We decided you have to pay reparations for your fuckin’ dog.”
Nick turned to face the five. “I already called 911, boys. The police will be here any minute.”
“Fuckin’ tourist,” one of the others said. He sported a black Bowler hat with matching scarf. “By the time five-o gets here in Boston, you’ll be dead and we’ll be takin’ the wife and kids on a special tour. Ever hear ‘bout the ‘Polar Bear’ game, Homer?”
Nick kept backing a half step at a time to give Rachel a chance to get the kids around a couple of the weaving curves along the harbor walk. “Sure. I saw that commercial. The polar bear gives a seal a Coke and they’re besties from then on. You guys want me to buy you a Coke?”
His adversaries enjoyed Nick’s remembrance of an old Coca-Cola commercial with the usual hand jivin’ gestures. Then Eye-Tats took a step to the side, turning at a slant to Nick almost as if he were thinking of walking away and actually looking back in the opposite direction. Instead he charged, fist readying to sucker punch Nick. Waiting until the last second, hands at his sides, Nick pretended being stunned at the assault. At the same time Eye-Tats swung a roundhouse at Nick’s head, Nick ducked down and shot a right uppercut to the man’s ball-sack, sliding sideways away from his victim’s plunge to the walkway. The sharp, ear piercing, staccato screams emanating from their writhing leader halted the rest of his cohorts.
“You do know that in real life polar bears eat seals like tater-tots, right boys?” Nick grinned, feeling the heat rise while uncovering his Colt in its Blackhawk holster. “Anyone interested in living through the night?”
The other talker of the night, Bowler hat, saw what Nick packed and stared into his eyes. In those eyes death stared back. As his friends made disparaging noises and hand actions as if reaching for their own weapons, Bowler hat spoke in harsh tones to the crew. “Don’t reach! We done here! Get Ray on his feet. Drag him if you have to. Go on, man! Get the fuck out of here!”
“I’m not going anywhere, boys, not until I see you all safely on your way… or dead. Choose quickly. Time is short. If you go, don’t stop for anything.”
Bowler hat didn’t wait any longer for his contemporaries. He dragged on the injured Ray in the opposite direction of where Nick stood. His companions, sensing something deeper at play they didn’t understand, finally started helping with Ray. Moments later, the five men stumbled back from where they came from with Ray openly sobbing as he was half dragged and half carried. Nick didn’t move until the men could be seen far down the walkway. Gee, I am so sweet to have let those banditos live. El Muerto… you pussy.
“C’mon, Nick. They’re gone,” Rachel called out.
Nick sighed as he turned toward his wife’s voice, where he saw Rachel, Jean, Sonny, and Deke all watching him from about twenty yards down the walkway. “You were supposed to continue with the kids and Deke, dear.”