“You fucking bitch.” That’s from my right.
There’s quite a bit of agreement to that second one, by the way.
“Citizens.” Kitty hits the hammer multiple times, but it’s too late.
Put a fork in it. This thing is done.
I feel a hand wrap around my wrist, then a tug. “Let’s go before it turns violent.” I stand and lead Bella and me out of our row and down the main aisle toward the door. By the time we’re outside, the room has become what my dad would describe as bedlam.
“Jesus.” I mutter. “What a—”
“Shit show.”
“Yeah.”
Sighing, Bella runs her hand over her dark hair. “I need a drink.”
“Me too.”
Without another word, the pair of us turn left and walk toward Brother’s Place. Inside, the room is empty except for a couple of older men that seem to be permanently planted on one of Brother’s barstools. We wave at the pair and move to a booth near the wall. We both reach out and take a swipe at our side of the booth with our hands. I’ve sat in mystery liquids too many times here. When my side is dry, I slide in. Bella follows right after.
“What’ll you two lovely ladies have tonight?”
I look up at Joe. “When did you leave the meeting?”
“Right after I spoke. Had to get back here since my new bartender called in.” He rolled his eyes.
“You weren’t there for Mona’s announcement?”
“Do I want to know?”
“She’s evicting her tenants so she can use her rentals for the tourists.”
“Christ. What is wrong with her? How can anyone be that heartless?”
“No idea,” Bella says, shaking her head. “Sad, really.”
Joe shocks us. “One of these days, someone’s going to poison that old bag.”
“That’s what she said.” I point to Bella. “Except she thinks they’ll run her over with a car.”
“That’s too good for her.” Joe frowns. “Her death needs to be slow. And painful.”
The conversation turned dark, fast. Joe claps his hands together and smiles. “What’ll it be, ladies?”
Since Brother’s Place is really a beer kind of place, I order a light domestic beer from the tap and Bella orders an import in a bottle. “Be right back.”
By the time we’ve had a few sips, people have started to filter in from the meeting. There’s a lot of grumbling and complaining about Mona’s announcement. I don’t blame people for being upset. I mean, who displaces people just to make a buck?
Desdemona Keres does. That’s who.
CHAPTERSIX
LOU
When I feela tap on my shoulder, I do what any woman alone in a huge house would do. I scream. Not only that, I release whatever is in my hands. In this case, it’s a pint of stain I’m testing out on a piece of oak along with a brush, and I run. But since I don’t have a plan of action after such a start, I trip on the pile of trim that I removed from the walls of the office.
Looking up from my new place on the floor, my heart is beating so hard and fast I’ve got to place my hand over it to make sure it doesn’t jump out. That’s when I see him. A stranger. His lips are moving but I can’t hear him. “What?” I say loudly. That’s when I remember I’ve got my earphones over my ears. The ones I started wearing after the noise complaint from Mona.
