Page 29 of June 7

"What are you doing, man?" The guy dropped his food and held his hands up, making fists. "What's your problem?"

He poked the guy in the chest. "You have a big mouth."

"Fuck off."

Bane hauled back and punched the man in the jaw, sending him sprawling on the sidewalk. Behind him, his friends came running out.

Bane turned to the others. "Get him out of here before I hit him harder the next time."

"Shit, man. What did he do?"

"Come on, Holtner." Someone grabbed the guy by his shirt and hauled him to his feet. "Let's get out of here."

Dio stepped out onto the sidewalk. "A Havlin Grand Opening isn't complete before someone starts a fight. Good thing the guy from the newspaper wasn't here with his camera."

He growled.

"What did they do?"

"They opened their mouth." He stepped away from Dio. "I'll be back later."

Walking to the pool, he tried to understand what was said and why it would upset Daisy. All he could figure out was that the men confused her with another woman. A woman whose dad had killed her mother.

He had a sinking feeling that Daisy would know what was going on. But first, he wanted to make sure she was okay.

Having only stepped into the pool house once before, he stopped in front of the window, looking into the office, and searched for Daisy. A young man was throwing a rubber ball against the concrete wall, talking to someone out of sight.

"Hey." He leaned forward against the counter. "Where's Daisy?"

"Uh..." The ball bounced across the room, ignored by the boy. "I think Miss Hill is out at the pool. Do you want me to get her for you?"

"No, I'll find her." He looked left and right, not knowing how to get to the pool.

"Go through the boys' locker room and out the back door. It opens up to the pool area." The kid pointed. "Just make sure you stay in the spectator's area, so you don't have to pay to swim."

He'd go where he damn well pleased, and he would take it up with the pool manager if there were a problem. He walked through a bunch of naked little boys running between the shower and the benches lining the wall. Spotting the door, he pushed his way into the pool enclosure.

For a few seconds, he took in the enormous blue pool. The tall glass enclosure amplified all the noise. Shit. It was louder than hell inside with all the kids screaming and talking at the same time.

He picked out the two lifeguards on duty. Neither one was Daisy.

Finally, he spotted her in a red swimsuit swimming in the deep end, away from the kids, barely raising her head above the water as she swam laps.

There was something wrong. Minutes ago, he was with her. No one could tell him that she suddenly remembered she wanted to swim and hustled her ass back to the pool.

He moved over to a set of bleachers behind a Cyclone fenced area, which he assumed was the spectator area, and sat down. There was nothing he could do until he spoke with Daisy.

She'd come over to the shop on her lunch break. In a good mood. She was always in a good mood.

Something had scared her.

His phone vibrated. He dug it out of his vest pocket. Jagger.

He answered. "What's up?"

"The rep from Strokes Unlimited is here, and I want you to see what he's offering," said Jagger.

"Be there in two." He disconnected the call and stood.

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