“Just being friendly.”
“Actually what you are is an asshole, but I’ve found that every place has one,” Cubby said. “We all know the type. Big mouths, small....” He let the words trail off.
Kurt had a short fuse, and Cubby had just lit it. “Go home to your little town, country boy, and let us city men do the real work. And take this gutless bitch with you!”
Katie watched Cubby step closer to Kurt, suddenly his easy smile had gone, replaced by anger. It clenched his jaw and made him look fierce.
“Cubby,” Katie cautioned him. He was an expert in martial arts and kept himself in top physical condition; she knew that because she’d watched him work out when he didn’t know she was looking. Right now, he looked angry enough to break one of Kurt’s limbs.
“You listen to me, city boy,” Cubby said, as the two men glared at each other. “You say one more word about Katie being a coward and I’ll break both your arms. We both know what she did was in fact courageous, that she fired off several rounds and left herself exposed before help arrived. So whatever is fueling your anger, you better find a release for it, bud, before I find it for you.”
“I’ll have you up on charges for threatening an officer!” Kurt snarled.
“It’d be worth it,” Cubby replied.
“Katie, bring your friend into my office once the boys are done playing.”
Katie managed a jerky nod at E.J.’s words, then followed him back to his office with Cubby on her heels.
“Fuck, Cubby. You had no right to do that!” she said so only he could hear. “I could have handled it.”
“Your language has deteriorated, princess, and here’s me without my soap.”
“Is that all you can say?” She looked up at him before entering E.J.’s office. “That kind of shit doesn’t work here, that macho BS, so save it for Howling.”
He leaned forward until his eyes were inches from hers, and she saw the anger then.
“That kind of BS works anywhere, and when a friend is being insulted I will always react, especially when that friend is hurting and vulnerable,” he said, straightening again.
“McBride!”
“Coming, E.J.,” she said, then swallowed because her throat was suddenly dry. “I’m not vulnerable,” Katie muttered. “And I know you got rid of my bourbon, you asshole.”
His smile made her fists clench.
E.J. was standing behind his desk, as she’d seen him do too many times to count. His office was neat, everything in its place, basketball hoop directly opposite his chair attached to the wall, waste basket beneath.
“Sit, both of you.” He waved them to the two hard chairs before his desk. Katie had spent many hours in those chairs.
“Sergeant Elijah Johns.” E.J. shook Cubby’s hand.
“Sheriff James Hawker.”
“I’m going to dismiss that shit out there,” E.J. said, waving to his door. “We both know where it came from and off the record, I’m not unhappy to see that dickhead pulled in to line, but you both keep that to yourselves.”
“E.J.—”
“He did what needed to be done, Katie.” E.J. nodded to Cubby. “Kurt was gunning for you and has been since he lost his girl. Someone needed to put him in line; now it’s done, hopefully we can move on.”
Katie doubted that. Kurt had already had it in for Katie since she broke things off with him years ago, and the shooting had just fueled that.
“I’m heading home in a couple of days, E.J.,” Katie said. “You’re right, I need a break, and I’ll keep in touch and let you know when I’m ready to return.”
“Good. I’m glad you got your head out of the bottle long enough to work that out.”
Katie said nothing to that as she felt Cubby’s eyes on her. She’d had a few drinks; who wouldn’t in her situation? It was no big deal, so why the hell was everyone making it one?
“Before you leave, I need to give you some intel that’s come to light in the last few days.” E.J. looked even more serious than normal so Katie braced herself for what was to come.
