Page 43 of Necessary Evil

Chapter 10

Evil wanted to get this meeting with Meyers over with and go back to his apartment as soon as possible. But Lucy hadn’t eaten yet, and when she told him that all she’d had all day was coffee and a doughnut, any thoughts of skipping dinner fled. She was going to need her strength. They both would.

“Bye, Josh,” Jenny said with a little wave.

Evil wished Sentinel wouldn’t lead the cute little backwarmer on. Jenny said she had a new boyfriend, but Evil was pretty sure that if Sentinel crooked his finger, she’d jump on his bike.

Lucy had Jenny synch their calendars and gave Jenny some instructions on what she needed for her court case tomorrow. All the more reason for them to get this show on the road. If Lucy had to be up early tomorrow, he wanted her alone as soon as possible.

But his so-called friends decided to bust his balls instead, and they wound up at Mickey Flynn’s, one of the seediest biker joints on Long Island. They were trying to scare her away. They didn’t know Lucy very well.

Evil parked next to her and glared down anyone who looked like they might have a problem with his classy lady. Hooking an arm around her waist, he pulled her in close.

“If you’ve got to go to the bathroom,” he said, “hold it.”

Lucy laughed. “And you said we wouldn’t go out to dinner.”

In her business suit and sensible heels, she was too overdressed for this place. Evil worried there was going to be trouble. “Just don’t make eye contact with anyone,” he said.

Warden found them a table, and Ryder pulled up a chair so the five of them could sit comfortably. Lucy was wide-eyed but not bitching at all about what a dump this place was.

“The food’s really good here,” Sentinel said. Evil wanted to punch the innocent-looking grin off his face.

“What do you recommend?” Lucy asked him.

“Chicken salad on white toast with the fresh fruit salad,” Ryder said with a fake smile.

Evil glared at her, but the waitress showed up at that moment.

“What’ll it be?”

“Bacon double cheeseburger and gravy fries,” Lucy said, handing her the menu. “Diet Coke.”

Ryder’s jaw dropped. “Why a Diet Coke?”

“I’m watching my weight.” Lucy returned the fake smile.

That’s my girl.

“Cobb salad,” Ryder ordered. “Double bacon.”

Everyone else got burgers and fries.

“So, Lucy,” Sentinel said, “why aren’t you with the DA’s office?”

“Why didn’t you join the Navy?” she countered.

Sentinel’s jaw set. “I liked the Army.”

“I like what I do too.”

The waitress brought their drinks. Evil almost wished they didn’t have to work on Meyers. This conversation called for a beer. He could have warned his friends that she dealt with the most obnoxious cops on a daily basis and held her own, but it served them right.

“If you’re going to hang with us, we’ve got to get you a road name,” Warden said.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“It’s like a nickname,” Sentinel said.

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