Flawless(40)

“He’s been behaving like a real bastard,” Kevin said.

It looked to Craig as if Kevin was staring at Julie distrustfully, as if he was worried what she might say.

But Julie didn’t seem to notice. She turned to Craig and said, “He nearly killed our dogs! Well, my dogs now. I have a pair of rescue greyhounds. Benji and Sally. They’re so sweet and so beautiful, and he locked them in their crates and left them without food or water.”

“You should have called animal control. It’s illegal to abuse animals,” Craig said.

“I didn’t want them taken away. I just wanted them to be okay. As soon as I got back I gave them food and water, bathed them and washed out their crates. But I was still so mad.”

“And since Kieran’s degree is in psychology,” Kevin said quickly, “she went to the store, hoping to see Gary and talk him into behaving like an adult.”

“You can’t even imagine everything he’s done,” Julie murmured.

Craig was afraid he was going to hear about all of it.

He was half listening to Julie go on about how badly Gary was behaving and watching Kieran at the same time. He wondered if she’d taken her bartending expertise and used it when working on her psychology degree or if she’d used her interest in psychology as a bartender. Whichever. She was good with the customers—many of them obviously regulars—friendly and efficient without disrupting their private conversations. She spent a fair amount of time talking with an older man at the bar who seemed to be drinking nothing but soda and lime.

But suddenly everything about her changed. She stiffened, and her smile froze.

She appeared to be reacting to a group who’d just approached the bar, two men and a young blonde with huge breasts and a very low-cut blouse that displayed them to their best advantage.

Silicone, he thought.

The younger of the two men was tall, but not overly so. He had wavy dark hair and wore a well-tailored dark blue suit. His arm was draped casually around the woman’s shoulders, his hand dangling near her breasts. The older man had slicked-back silver hair and looked like an aging athlete; he was equally well dressed in a designer suit. They were talking and laughing as they waited for their turn to order.

Suddenly the young man looked up and saw the way Kieran was looking at him. He jerked his head, as if to indicate that he was with the older man and had no choice but to be there.

Gary. That had to be the nasty almost-ex, Gary Benton.

His assumption was proved true when Julie looked up and let out a gasp. Kevin grasped her hand, either to comfort her or to keep her from leaping to her feet and attacking.

Kieran stepped around from behind the bar to speak directly to the trio.

He couldn’t hear their conversation over the music, but the older man was nodding, while the younger man had reddened and was clearly unhappy.

The blonde woman tossed her hair back petulantly.

“The nerve! How could he come in here?” Julie said, her voice thick with unshed tears. “And with his...bimbo!”

“Just calm down, Julie, please,” Kevin said. “We can’t throw him out—there are laws and all—though, believe me, we’d be happy to kick him out if we could.”

Danny, working the floor, had noticed the trio, too, and was moving in their direction.

“You stay here with Agent Frasier, Julie,” Kevin commanded as he rose, then hurried to cut off his brother.

“You really can’t give him a right jab to the jaw, Julie. You don’t want me to have to cart you off for assault, do you?” Craig said, trying to make her smile.

She stared at him with sad brown eyes. “Would you really arrest me?”

“I’m an agent, not a cop, but I’m still sworn to uphold the law,” he told her. He took her hand and held it tightly. “Look at me. Just...talk to me. Tell me, what do you do for a living?”

“Huh? What?” Julie asked.

He smiled. “What kind of work do you do?”

“Oh, I’m a game designer.”

“A game designer? That sounds exciting. What games?”

“I, uh, work with a team. I guess our most popular game is ‘Dargon the Dragon Slayer.’”

“One of my favorites,” he assured her.

“You play video games?”

“Love to play. When I can, that is.” While he’d been talking to Julie, he’d still been watching Kieran, her brothers and Gary and his friends.

Kevin had blocked Danny before he could reach the threesome and was talking animatedly to his younger brother.

Declan, oldest and clearly the master of the house, had just entered from the back room, rolling a keg. He stopped to watch what was going on.

Kieran was still talking earnestly to Gary and his companions.

And it seemed her strategy had been successful because the men were leaving. The older man was shaking his head, and now Gary looked angry as well as embarrassed. The woman tossed her hair petulantly again.

They were on their way to the door when Gary saw Julie. For a moment he looked at her with loathing. Then he noticed Craig, and his eyes widened, his mouth tightening. He shook his head and mouthed the word “Bitch.”

He didn’t actually say it to Julie, but it was said just loud enough for her to hear.

Craig rose, staring him in the eyes. “Friend, that kind of language isn’t appropriate.”