Page 20 of Dangerous Secrets
The door to the bar opened with anaccompanying blast of music.A moment later Mateo strolled underthe halo of light and stopped next to Delaney.He tilted his headand studied Vance.No-Neck pushed himself to his feet.
“Looks like I missed thefun.”
Vance brushed off his clothes andjammed a hand into his pocket to pull out keys.“Fuck you.Fuck youall.”He pointed at Mateo.“Don’t bother calling me for a job.Noway in fuck I’d hire you now.Or you.”He turned to point atWalker.“We don’t hire ex-cons.”
“Damn, and I was solooking forward to ditching my firefighter career to work for adipshit.”Mateo sighed heavily, then grinned.“Not.”
Vance swayed and Walker snatched thekeys from his grip.“You’re not driving.”He eyed No-Neck.“Howmany you had?”
“None,” the man growled,glaring at Delaney.
She held up her hands.“Hey, Iwouldn’t have tripped you if you weren’t going after my friend.”She could already feel the bruise forming on her shin where he’dconnected to match the one Vance had given her on her wrist.Buttaking him down was well worth a sore leg.
He turned to Walker.“I’msober.”
Walker studied him.“Give me yourname.”
The man glowered, but muttered, “FrankDicarlo.”
Walker handed over the keys.“This isnot the place for you or Norris to hang out, Frank.”
“I’ll hang out whereverthe fuck I want to hang out,” Vance sneered.He reached for thekeys, but Frank held them out of reach.
“No way, man.You’rewasted.I’m driving.”
“You’ve been warned,Norris,” Walker said.
Delaney stood flanked by Walker andMateo, watching the taillights of Vance’s car disappear.
“You doing okay, Laney?”Mateo asked.
She rubbed her hands over her arms,suddenly chilled.Vance could be petty, and she didn’t trust himnot to retaliate against her or Walker.“Yeah, I’m fine.I’ve got alittle adrenaline buzz going on, but I’m okay.”She bumpedshoulders with Mateo.“Thanks, pal.”
“Sure thing.”He cockedhis head at Walker.“You beat the shit out of thatdude?”
“He got in myway.”
Delaney frowned.“How’d he get in yourway?”
“Norris came out after youleft so I followed.Dicarlo must have left the bar then too, ormaybe he was already outside.Anyway, I didn’t see him.Hesucker-punched me as soon as I came through the door.”He nodded toMateo.“Thanks for coming out.Things could’ve gotten dicey forLaney if they’d both decided to take me on.”
“No problem.Bulliessuck.”
“Wait.Wait just a damnminute.”Delaney pointed at Walker.“Are you hurt?Where’d he hityou?”
“I’m fine.Bruisedknuckles, that’s all.”
“If you’re all good, I’mgoing.”Mateo lifted his hand in a wave.“Glad you’re home, Walker.We need you here.Later.”Mateo hunched his shoulders against thecool breeze and took off down the sidewalk.
“What the hell does thatmean?”Walker shrugged out of his jacket and draped it aroundDelaney’s shoulders.
“What are youdoing?”
“You’re cold.I’m makingyou not cold.”
“If I didn’t bring asweater, it’s my problem.I don’t want you to take care ofme.”
“Wearing my jacket doesn’tmean we’re going steady.”
