“I owe your family more than I can ever hope to repay them, Katie McBride, so I need you to understand that and accept the keys in the spirit in which I handed them to you. I will never take payment from any McBride. I sure hope you understand that.”
Maybe she could look intimidating, Kate thought, eyeing the look in Macy’s eyes.
“Okay, sure, no payment, gotcha.”
A customer walked in, so Katie said, “I want the houseboat keys, please.”
“Thought you might; now you get on and I’ll see you soon.”
Macy turned to greet the customer, which was Katie’s signal to leave. Clenching the key tight in her palm, she walked out into the sunshine, hoping like hell everybody left her alone now, because she’d used up her goodwill quota for the day.
Chapter Eight
“You ever go near Katie McBride again, Mitch Finlay, I’ll make you a very sorry man, you got that?”
“You can’t tell me who I can talk to, Hawker. Katie McBride and me go way back, and we got unfinished business.”
Cubby didn’t lose control, couldn’t afford to in his line of work. He was a redhead, and it was fair to say he had the hot temper that many said came with it, courtesy of his father, who, unlike him, hadn’t shown any degree of restraint.
Looking at the surly face of Mitch Finlay and remembering what Declan had told him had occurred outside the Roar with Katie before he’d turned up, Cubby felt his control snap for the first time in a long while. He wanted to reach across his desk and grab the man and beat the shit out of him.
“She doesn’t like you, Finlay, and handed you your ass, if you remember. So if you don’t want her to do it again, stay away from her.”
“Like it a bit rough though, Sheriff, and I think I could break her.”
He moved so quickly, Mitch hadn’t even hauled in another breath. Eyeballing the man, he showed off his pearly whites.
“Try it, and see what happens, Finlay. Because if she doesn’t finish you off, you can be sure I will.”
“A man’s trying to sleep here.”
Cubby looked up as Jake wandered into his office, yawning. He wasn’t fooled; Jake had heard the conversation and knew what was what.
“The sheriff just threatened me, McBride. I want to press charges,” Finlay got out of his chair as Cubby released him, and backed toward the door.
“Sounded like you were just having a friendly chat, Mitch; not sure what you’re talking about. But let me put you straight on a few things before you leave.”
Cubby made himself walk back around his desk and take a seat as Jake approached. Not many people could make him react this way, but Katie McBride had always been one of them. Any threat to her was a threat to him.
“I’m leaving; you got no reason to keep me here, Hawker.” Mitch looked from him to Jake. He was nervous now, his swagger gone.
“Not yet, not until I’ve said a few things, Mitch.”
Cubby watched Jake lean closer to Finlay, stopping just inches away.
“You ever touch my sister, even breathe on her, Finlay, and it will be me you answer to, and I may be a doctor, Hippocratic oath and all that shit, but where Katie is concerned I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe from scum like you. So think about that, when you see her next, and take my advice: walk the other way real quick.”
Mitch left in a hurry and Jake fell into the chair across from Cubby.
“The sleep didn’t ease your foul mood any, then?”
“No, feel heaps better thanks, Sheriff.” Jake yawned again, then rubbed his face. “It’s nice to do a bit of mean now and again.”
“My mother grows flowers meaner than you, McBride.”
“Whatever; now tell me what’s the deal with Mitch.”
Cubby told him about the incident with Finlay and how Katie had taken care of herself.
