Page 73 of A Spell of Midlife Mayhem

‘There’s no need for you to pay. I’ll cover it.’ He sculled the last of his wine and put the glass down unsteadily. ‘It’s still early. How about we go back to my hotel for a while?’

Warning lights flashed in my brain. That’s what this was about. ‘To your hotel?’

‘To my room, of course. You said you wanted to get together.’ He reached under the table and tried to touch my leg, but I moved it swiftly to the side.

‘That’s not what I agreed to at all. We were going to discuss the investigation into what happened at Chirtlewood.’

‘Yes, but we can have a little fun as well, can’t we?’ There was an lustful gleam in his eye.

I got up and headed towards the exit. A waiter came up to meet up demurely.

‘He’s paying,’ I said, jerking my thumb over my shoulder.

I pushed open the door. Behind me, the cash register rang. Elvis told someone to get a move on. I hurried outside.

Where the hell was a taxi when I needed one?

They’d be in central Kingston. I’d walk there. It was only a few minutes.

I’d barely taken a few steps when someone grabbed my arm and spun me around.

Elvis glared at me. ‘Don’t leave,’ he said in a low voice.

I stared at him incredulously. ‘This is not going to happen.’

He resisted my efforts to break his grip and leaned closer. ‘I bought you an expensive dinner. You owe me.’

I took a step back. ‘No, you tricked me. I’m not interested in going to your hotel room.’ I tried to tug my arm away from him, but he clung on, his grip tightening.

A figure emerged from the darkness to stand beside me in a moment. ‘What’s going on here?’

It was Raven. With a streetlight directly on the other side of him, he stood in silhouette, but his voice—and the menace in it—was unmistakable. He stood determined, his jaw set.

‘This isn’t your business. Fuck off,’ Elvis snarled.

Raven grabbed his fingers and bent them backwards.

Elvis howled in pain and took his hand off me. I stepped forward and shoved him. He stumbled back, trying to keep from falling.

‘You tricked me,’ I repeated, shaking my fist at him. ‘You said you wanted to help with the investigation, but all you wanted to do was ply me with drink and get me into bed.’

‘Don’t come near her again,’ Raven said, his voice measured but authoritative, ‘or I’ll do worse than bend your fingers.’

Elvis turned and scampered towards his car. I glared after him.

‘Thanks, Raven.’ Then something occurred to me. ‘What brought you here? You weren’t following me, were you?’

‘No, I wasn’t. I came to apologise to the staff for disappearing the other night when I was here with you. I suppose you had to pay for the meals.’

‘Don’t worry about that.’

‘I’ll treat you next time.’ Raven gestured to Elvis’s hire car as he sped away and contemplated me ruefully. ‘Were you two on a date?’

‘No, he told me he had information for the investigation and wanted to help, but he was lying. He brought me here under false pretences.’

‘I see. You know, I could help you if you want.’

‘Thanks, Raven. I might take you up on that. Let’s talk about it tomorrow.’

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