By a Thread by Jennifer Estep Read Free Book Online Page B

stopped what they were doing to stare at the two men, and the mood immediately changed from one of easygoing dining to tight, nervous tension.
    One of the men was a giant, topping out at seven feet tall. His skin, hair, and eyes were all the color of straight black coffee, and the loose white linen shirt and pants that he wore made him look even larger than he really was. The other guy was a much shorter human who was wearing a red shirt covered with green parrots over khaki cargo pants and plastic red flip-flops. His sandy blond hair, his sun-roasted complexion, and the small gold hoop glinting in his ear made him look like a wannabe pirate.
    I might not be in Ashland anymore, but I recognized their type—low-level muscle that someone had dispatched to deal with a certain kind of problem. From the way Callie’s face hardened at the sight of the two men, I was willing to bet she was that problem—and that things were about to get ugly.

4
    Callie slid off her stool,squared her shoulders, and marched over to the two men. The shorter guy, the pirate, opened his mouth, but Callie snapped up her hand, cutting him off.
    â€œI’ve told you before that you’re not welcome here, Pete—and that I have absolutely no interest in selling out to your boss like everyone else on the island has already.” Her voice was as cold and hard as mine had been earlier tonight. “Some of us happen to like Blue Marsh just the way it is.”
    Pete the pirate smiled at her, and I noticed that one of his teeth had a small diamond set into the middle of it. “Ah, now, I really hate to hear that, Ms. Reyes. Especially since you’ve been offered a very generous sum for your restaurant. Hasn’t she, Trent?”
    The giant, Trent, nodded back. His massive arms hung loose at his sides, and he was slowly flexing his long fingers like he was limbering up for a fight.
    â€œYou should sell now, while the offeris still on the table,” Pete continued in a deceptively friendly voice. “Before your property is devalued. Hurricane season is about to start up again. Not to mention all the other accidents that could happen in the meantime. A grease fire in the kitchen, an electrical short, vandalism. It wouldn’t take much to wipe this place completely off the map, if you know what I mean.”
    Wow. I think anyone who’d ever watched a bad mob movie knew exactly what he meant. Those were some clichéd and not-so-veiled threats if ever I’d heard them. It didn’t look like the bad guys in Blue Marsh were any more creative than the ones in Ashland.
    Bria slid off her stool. Her danger radar was pinging just as mine was, and she walked over to stand beside Callie. I got up as well, but I stayed at my spot by the bar. I’d come to Blue Marsh to get away from these kinds of confrontations for the weekend—not make a whole new bunch of enemies down here. Besides, this was Bria’s city, not mine. She knew the lay of the land and the players better than I did. I’d let her take the lead—for now.
    Pete leered at Bria and me behind her, before turning his attention back to Callie. “Who are your friends? The rest of Charlie’s Angels?” he snickered.
    â€œOnly if I get to be Farrah Fawcett,” Bria said in a sweet, syrupy tone. “Pete Procter. Long time, no see. Last I heard, you were awaiting trial on some small-time, check-cashing scheme.”
    He looked at her a little more closely, really studying her face. It took him a moment, but his pale blue eyes narrowed in recognition.“Detective Coolidge. I heard that you’d left Blue Marsh for greener pastures.”
    â€œWell, I’m back, and I think that you should leave—right now,” Bria said. “Before you annoy my friend any more than you already have.”
    â€œYeah?” Pete asked, his voice taking on a low, ugly tone. “And who’s going to kick me out? You, Detective? I