“Well, it was quite a beard!”
Sam seemed to like Katie, which seemed equally natural. She spoke softly with a sweet voice, her eyes were like crystal and her scent was definitely compelling. She was a beautiful young woman.
If a little strange! She had almost appeared to be in some kind of a trance when she had walked out so suddenly.
Katie frowned, listening, and turned toward the doors. David realized there was some kind of disturbance going on in the street.
David didn’t say anything-he gave her a glance that told her he would check it out. He walked to the door. There was a bar fight going on. Pete Dryer was there, a big man, holding the battling drunks apart from one another. He saw David. “Get the little one, running down the street, David!”
David went after the man. He looked to be about twenty-one or twenty-two, and it wasn’t any problem getting him-he ducked and shrank, putting his hands up. “Hey, you got me, you got me, don’t hurt me!”
“I’m not going to hurt you. The cop down the street wants to talk to you, that’s all,” David said. “Turn around, and head on back.”
The kid did so. He looked younger, and terrified.
Two bigger fellows had been cowed. They stood on either side of Pete. “All right, what the hell is going on here?” Pete demanded.
“That little shit robbed me!” one fellow said.
“That’s my brother. He didn’t rob you,” the other big guy said.
Pete looked at the kid. “Did you rob him?”
“Hell, no! That stripper came out and started busing him all up-I didn’t take anything from him. Check my pockets!” the younger kid said.
Pete arched a brow. The kid pulled out his pockets. He had only his own wallet, which contained his ID. He was Lewis Agaro, age twenty-one, and he had ten bucks, an ATM card and one credit card, in his name.
“What are you three doing together?” Pete asked.
“We’re not together. That thug just suddenly started going after my little brother!” one man said explosively.
“Hey, sorry, man! So, now, come on, let’s go after the stripper!” the other man said.
“What stripper?” Pete asked.
“Well, what the hell, she’s gone now, what do you think?” the apparent robbery victim asked.
“All right, we’ll take a report from the robbery victim-the two of you need to get to your rooms for tonight, cause no more trouble, or I’ll see that you’re locked up for your vacation, and you’re not going to find any margaritas or hurricanes or any other such concoction when you’re in my custody!”
Pete looked at David. “Hell, I’m not even on duty!” he moaned. “I was going to join you guys for a drink. I got a car coming. I think I know which lovely little stripper is at her pocket-picking again. I’ll have to find her.”
David grinned. “Tomorrow, Pete,” he said. He had come halfway down the street. When he turned around and went back into the bar, Katie was gone.
He caught Clarinda by the arm, his touch far more forceful than he had intended. “Where’s Katie?”
“Gone, she went on home.”
There must have been a look of alarm on his face.
“I tell her all the time not to go alone!” Clarinda said.
“It’s all right, it’s all right,” David said. “Which way does she go?”
“Down Simonton,” Clarinda said. “Make her call me!”
David turned and headed out, running around the corner to the back. Almost two blocks ahead, he could see Katie.
Between them, he could see Sam Barnard. His heart leapt to his throat. Sam had to be watching out for her.
Why was Sam following her late at night, though?
“Katie!” He shouted her name.
Both Katie and Sam stopped, and turned back. Katie seemed surprised to see him; so did Sam.
“Sam, where are you heading?” he asked, moving up.
“My B and B is down the street,” Sam said. He blushed. “I’m staying at Artist House. We don’t have a place anymore.”
“Oh, well, it’s a beautiful place,” David said. They walked together on down to Katie where she waited.
“A couple of drunks got rowdy?” she asked.
“Yeah, Pete was there.”
She laughed. “Pete doesn’t have to deal with the drunks much these days. He must have been ticked that they acted up right in front of him.”
“Yep,” David said.
“Hey, a cop is a cop,” Sam said. He stood awkwardly for a moment. “Well, good night. See you all. Tomorrow, I imagine. Hey, Katie, you got your act up tomorrow night, too, right?”
“Sunday, yes,” she said. “Good night, Sam.”
Sam walked on. The streets were quiet. Katie waited, looking at David. “I was trying to walk you home,” he told her.
She smiled. “That’s nice.”
“Let me see you in.”
“Okay.”
They walked in silence for a minute. They reached her house and she opened the door. She seemed to hesitate, as if she was about to ask him in, but wasn’t sure.
He waited.
She didn’t.
“Thank you,” she said.