Page 101 of Shephard

I nodded and walked in first. When a chick appeared with two big guys by her side, the locals inside the bar took notice. Isuspected they all knew who the two burly men were. They even parted ways as if they sensed there was going to be trouble.

Cane wasn’t tough to spot. He was playing pool as badly as he did almost everything else. No, we would never be friends. He was the kind of guy that grated on my nerves.

“Cane,” I said while he still had his back turned. He was leaning over the table with a pool cue in his hand.

He shifted to a standing position, barely giving me a glance. “Why are you here? Don’t you get enough of hating on me at work?”

“I need to ask you some questions.”

“Unless you’re here to agree to go out with me, this is my time, Denise. My time,” Cane said. I noticed there was a distinct difference in his tone. He wasn’t nearly as arrogant as usual.

“Not in this lifetime,” I told him.

“Then leave me the fuck alone.”

Both Shephard and Jagger were obviously not patient men. I wasn’t shocked when Jagger had Cane by the throat, tossing him back against the wall. The thud was louder than the horrible music.

Cane at least had the good sense of throwing up his hands. “What do you want from me?”

I eyed Shephard. The big man had made it clear he wanted to be the muscle on this, but I wasn’t ready to give up the helm just yet.

“Who was the asshole you were talking to when I found you on that ridge?” I asked. I still had a plastic smile on my face. For now.

“I already told you. Family. He was asking for money.”

“You mean the guy by the name of Konstantin Obechov?”

Yes, I’d shocked him for once since the two of us had met. It wasn’t that tough to find out about him and his true family heritage. I also hadn’t been surprised when Shephard had told me.

“He’s family alright. Your cousin. I never knew you had such a colorful past.” I could feel the tension creeping up in the man. Good. If Shephard was right, he’d sold us out.

“Now, you’re going to explain exactly why your cousin, who is loyal to a man named Boris the Butcher, was really doing hassling you.” Jagger was very good at getting a man’s attention. He dug his fingers into Cane’s neck with a second’s worth of hesitation, also opening his leather jacket so the jerk could see his weapon.

Meanwhile, Shephard was entirely comfortable, standing with his arms folded just enjoying the moment.

Cane sputtered and pretended as if he was dying.

I walked closer, shaking my head. “You’re done in this town, Cane. I will make sure of it. Your days are numbered.”

“Fuck you.”

That was the wrong thing to sputter.

Shephard didn’t waste any time, getting in the man’s face. “You have ten seconds to tell me what Konstantin wanted. If you don’t, we’re going to take a long walk on the trail. Tonight.”

“You can’t do that,” Cane managed to huff out.

“Yes, we can, and we will. You have no understanding of what you likely did.”

Shephard was much calmer than I would have been or was for that matter. To think he might have shared any information on me or on Shephard was repulsive.

“I can’t talk to you. They’re watching.” Cane was obviously terrified. I could tell by the look in his eyes.

“Who’s watching?” Jagger asked.

I glanced around the bar, seeing only locals.

“A group of them.” Cane was now sweating.