Too Close to Home: A Scarecrow and Mrs. King Continuing Story - Book 2

Chapter 4

Seedy Bar

Lee walked into the dimly lit, smokey room and looked around. This time of day, staff were busy getting the place ready for the regular night crowd. A few favored customers had access even during the day, and it was one of these favored customers Lee was looking for.

Purposefully ignoring the scantily clad singer practicing on stage and trying to breathe through the sickeningly sweet, earthy smelling haze that floated through the room, he scoured the booths and dark corners. There. The man was in the far corner – a drink in his hand and a woman in short shorts and a low-cut and cropped shirt on his lap. Lee rolled his eyes; there was more than one reason he wouldn't want to bring Amanda here.

Lee strode purposefully toward the booth. Out of nowhere, two very large men in suits stepped into his path, arms crossed and biceps bulging. "Where do you think you're going?"

Lee looked at Goon #1 on the right and smiled a big, cheeky grin. "Oh, hey there! I need to see Marco."

"Marco isn't seeing anyone today." Lee looked toward Goon #2 on the left. Man, he was a big guy, and considering Lee's considerable stature, that was saying a lot.

"Look pal..." He kept his grin in place. "...would you just tell him Lee Stetson wants to talk to him?"

"Why should we?"

Lee didn't need to get official on them; money broke many barriers. "Hey man, I'm just here to pay him some money I owe him. You don't really want me to tell him you're the reason he didn't get his dough, do ya?" The two men looked at each other; Goon #1 jerked his head back toward the table, and Goon #2 nodded and turned to go talk to Marco. Lee smiled smugly. "That's what I'm talkin' about."

Lee looked around the giant of a man to see Marco nod his head while talking to the other guy. Goon #2 walked back toward them. "Marco said to frisk him first."

"Seriously?" Lee glanced at Marco again and caught the mocking smile on his face. He rolled his eyes and spread his arms out. "You should know I'm packin'."

Goon #1 looked at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"Man, you think I'm comin' to this part of town without something to defend myself with?"

Goon #1 looked back at Marco who nodded his head almost imperceptibly. "Alright, Marco says to let you through." He stuck a finger into Lee's face. "But if I even see a twitch toward that piece, you're history. You got that?"

"Yeah, I got it." Lee frowned and looked him up and down. The guy didn't need to know Lee could tear him apart with his bare hands, so he adopted a well-practiced peeved but discomforted expression. They stepped aside and let him through. As Lee walked toward Marco, he saw him summon a girl from the other side of the room. Great. Just what he needed.

"Lee, my man!" Marco didn't bother shoving the woman off his lap or offering his hand. Everything was about holding power and control and keeping other people off balance. "Have a seat." Lee slipped into the booth as Marco looked up and communicated something to the girl coming toward the table. "Tabby, my friend needs some company."

Tabby, dressed just like the other woman, came and slipped into the booth beside Lee; he'd left as little room as possible hoping she wouldn't try to slide in, but she didn't take the hint. He decided not to move, though. He knew if he scooted over toward the wall, she would just crowd him; that's what she got paid to do. Better that she had less room to sit and was uncomfortable.

She slipped her arm around Lee's shoulders, and he had to hide the disgust that slithered through him. It wasn't her fault – she was under the control of someone outside of herself. He was more disgusted at the blight on society that held her here. In the past he would have played along to keep up appearances, but it was something he could no longer bring himself to do.