Page 34 of Good Enough
“She’s a strong woman who clearly handles him just fine. Why the hypervigilance with him?”
“The guy’s a prick.”
Steel tilted his head at Waters' response.
Waters confessed. “I don’t trust him with her.”
Steel sat silent.
“He’s vicious to her, Steel. Tries to undermine her every way possible, not to mention he just plain hates women. And besides all that, the way he goes after her, it’s personal. I don’t know what he’s got against her, but she is unsafe around him.”
“None of this is a reason to be so overprotective of someone who’s ‘not your woman,’” Steel reminded him, putting the last part in air quotes.
Scrubbing his face with his hands, Waters attempted to redirect the conversation again. “Tell me about Ka-Bar.”
Steel shifted his gaze out the windshield. He took another bite of the candy bar and waited to speak until he swallowed, which Waters knew was a stalling technique to put together what he wanted to share. “Not much to tell. We were friends while we were in the teams.”
“And you gave him your marker?”
Steel nodded. “There was a bar fight in South America that I needed some assistance with. Ka-Bar was nice enough to oblige.”
“That tells me nothing.”
“I know you’ve read my file. Hell, you gathered most of it.”
“I know about the fight. I don’t need a recap of the event because I’m looking for what’s not in the file. What I don’t know is why a Middle Eastern operative and a worldwide operative were in South America on their liberty, one of whom apparently took a barrage of shots to the chest and almost died. Get a little lost?”
Looking out the front window, Steel answered in a low voice. “He helped me ship a package I couldn’t get out of the country by myself. I owe him far more than a single favor. He has unlimited markers from me.”
Waters shook his head and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel in exasperation. “Ka-Bar wouldn’t need protection for her from a verbally abusive boss. She shreds him on a regular basis, so whatever’s going on, God and I are relatively certain it’s connected to Ka-Bar.”
“And now Midas can’t find him.”
“It’s like he’s been erased.”
“Yes, Midas has been agitated. That one does not suffer failure well.”
Waters snorted. “That’s because he’s never failed. He’s worried about his perfect record.”
Nodding, Steel added, “That and I think he’s developed a tendre for Kubrick. He has created a whiteboard worthy of a shrine to the woman. Very obsessed with her language skills.” He grinned. “And he’s developed a taste for these candy bars, so he is under a constant sugar rush. Cherry’s already under orders to supply the office with God’s disgusting suckers and Nemo’s bubblegum. Now she’s been told to supply the office with Snickers as well.”
“Kill me now,” Waters groaned. “Why is everyone so concerned about my lack of a sex life? I am NOT that grumpy over being celibate that I need candy like Betty White in that stupid commercial.”
Steel grinned. “They never get to tease you, man. You’ve turned so straitlaced. Let them enjoy it a little.”
“They’re all making way too much out of this.”
“Are they?” Steel’s tone was serious now instead of teasing, and Waters knew that he would be unable to pass it off as nothing.
“She’s… dangerous.”
Shaking his head, Steel reminded him, “She’s not Sarah, amigo.”
“Not going there,” Waters growled.
“But until you do, whatever this is with Kubrick will continue to confuse you.”
“Did you hear what I just said? I’m not going there.”