Page 2 of Turning Tides
“Who?”
Sometimes I forgot that Kieran didn’t know half the people I knew. One of the virtues of being a bar owner, you ended up knowing just about everyone.
“He’s a teacher at the high school. He and his boyfriend are. Maybe there’s a kid who needs a scholarship, or maybe one of their programs could use a boost.” I scratched my neck and gave the number one final look before closing the email and putting my phone away. “I haven’t decided yet. Do you have any ideas?”
“Nope. Just advice. If you donate to a registered charity, get a receipt and I can claim it on your taxes.”
“Such a good man. So full of heart.” I shoved him playfully. “Come downstairs with me. I’ll buy you a drink.”
Tucking my phone away, I ushered Kieran out of the apartment and down into the bar.
We were supposed to be closed and empty, but when we walked into the kitchen, I saw Cyrus already hard at work. He had earbuds in and a bandana tied around his head, hiding a hair net. When he saw Kieran and me, he popped an earbud out.
“You’re here early.”
“I didn’t clock in. I just needed to cut things before I cut a bitch.” Cyrus made a slashing motion with the knife he held.
Kieran made a beeline for the front of the bar, leaving me to deal with Cyrus.
“How about you put the sharp object down and tell me who shit in your cornflakes.”
“My brother Archer is staying with Marshall and me. Which is fine. It’s great. I love having Archer around; he’s been through some shit lately and I’m happy to help him out. But our place has one bedroom, so he’s on our couch, making my sex life take a nose dive. I try not to let it bother me, you know, ‘cause family is family and all that shit, right? But…” Cyrus set the knife down and braced himself against the counter. “I haven’t gotten laid in weeks, Shane. Weeks.”
Unable to stop myself, I laughed. Cyrus cut me a dirty look, but I walked over and clapped him on the shoulder. “Why don’t you and Marshall rent a hotel for a night or two? Order room service.”
“Archer will feel guilty that he’s running us out of our own home.”
“So tell him it’s the anniversary of your first date or tell him you won it in a raffle.”
Cyrus turned his head and looked at me. “You want me to lie?”
“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
“I’d feel bad about lying to him, though. He just needs to get back on his feet. He’s looking into loans to get a new tattoo shop open.”
“He does tattoos?”
“He did all mine. He’s been drawing since he could hold a crayon. He did the roses on my leg.”
“Those are his work? Shit, maybe I’ll get some new ink once he’s up and running.”
I’d been getting tattoos since I was sixteen and had saved enough for a cheap flash piece. There was a reason why sixteen year-olds weren’t allowed to get tattoos, but I’d had an impressive beard for a kid my age. For my eighteenth birthday, I’d gotten the tattoo covered up.
“He’s talented.”
“Yeah, too bad his business partner took him for all he was worth. Archer woke up one day and Clayton had cleaned out his half of the shop and left. No forwarding address, no nothing. Archer went to the cops after a few days when no one had heard from him and filed a missing person’s report. But nothing nefarious had gone on, unless you count the fact that Clayton had cleaned out the business account and skipped town.” Cyrus clenched his fists.
“Come have a drink with Kieran and me. I need input on something.” Picking Cyrus’s brain about people or organizations in need was a good excuse to get him out of the kitchen. Steering him out of there to get him away from sharp things, I sat him down at the bar and poured him a beer.
Drinking on the clock wasn’t something I condoned, but he wasn’t on the clock yet and it was only one beer.
“Can the cops do anything?” I asked.
Kieran turned his attention to the conversation, tucking his phone away. To Kieran I said, “Cyrus’s little brother’s business partner took off with their cash.”
Kieran let out a low whistle. “That sucks.”
“The cops said to get the courts involved in sorting the mess out. Because it was a joint business account, so technically…” Cyrus sighed. “He’s stressed and depressed, and I can’t do shit to help him. He lost the lease on the building, which means he lost his apartment. Everything he owns is in storage and he’s trying to start over, but he keeps hitting brick walls.”
