Resolution: Evan Warner Book 1 by Shawn Underhill, Nick Adams Page B

said. “Have a beer.”
    “Just water. Please.”
    She got me a water and put up the order and then had to tend to a few other customers. I was sitting there with my forearms on the bar. I had on a fresh pair of gloves, which I regarded for a moment before rolling my hands in toward my chest, to keep them out of view.
    Within a few seconds I got the definite feeling that I was being stared at. From the corner of my eye I saw a guy down the bar looking steadily at me.
    I stared straight back at him. My aim being to embarrass him. Thus get him to look away.
    It didn’t work.
    He got off his stool and came over and took the empty one beside me. I stared straight at Kendra, hoping she would return and save me from a conversation I didn’t wish to have.
    “Germs?” the guy finally asked.
    “Evan,” I said.
    “You have gloves on.”
    “Do I?”
    He laughed. He wasn’t terribly drunk. But definitely buzzed and happy. Looking for someone to chat with. Barking up the wrong tree.
    I said, “I like pizza.”
    “So do I, friend. I’ll drink to that.”
    I said, “My house is made of pizza.”
    He laughed again and asked, “You her boyfriend?”
    “No.”
    “Friend?”
    “Yoga instructor.”
    “She’s happy to see you. I know that much.”
    I took a sip of water, said, “That’s because I just saved her a bundle on her car insurance.”
    He laughed out loud. So loud that people were looking at us. Much louder than the weak joke deserved. His breath smelled like beer and peanuts.
    Then he hit my shoulder. It was only a friendly pat. But still very unwelcomed contact. I get very edgy around drunk people. Experience has taught me not to trust them. On my own turf, I can simply toss them out at my own discretion. Get rid of the problem. But in public it’s different. I’m not the law. And no one has ever accused me of being a great diplomat.
    Up the bar I saw Kendra looking over at us. I made strong eye contact with her. I’m not sure that I believe in telekinesis. But I was definitely trying to employ it. To will her to come over and get this guy away from me.
    Instead she turned and disappeared into the kitchen. Then reappeared with a stout man in a nice suit following her. He was around her height and at least twice as wide. At first I couldn’t tell if he was old with a young face, or young with an old face.
    “Here she comes,” the drunk guy said. “I’ll put in a good word for you.”
    “Troy,” Kendra said with a smile. “You’re getting a little silly, my friend. That’s your last drink for the night.”
    The stout man said, “I’ll call you a cab, Troy.”
    “Aw, Neil, you’re no fun,” Troy said. But he was still smiling.
    I said to Kendra, “Do you need this guy tossed or what?”
    She frowned and leaned over close and said, “He’s harmless. Just a lonely guy who comes in here some nights for company.”
    “Maybe if he drank less people would want to hang out with him.”
    The stout man, Neil, made a quick phone call. Then he leaned on the bar and spoke quietly with Troy. I could just hear him saying something like, “Fun is okay. But not too much fun.”
    Kendra said to me, “Chill out. Okay?”
    I nodded and sipped my water. Apparently her experiences with drunks were a little different than my own. Maybe I’d jumped the gun a little. I’m always waiting for some kind of a brawl to erupt. Because they usually do.
    After a minute Neil came over and stood across from me. Kendra moved away again, and with a strong Boston accent, Neil said, “So you’re after the bastards, eh.”
    “After who?”
    “You know. She told me all about it. The girl has been miserable since they stole that silly dog of hers.”
    “She tell you my name?”
    He shook his head. The overhead lights moved on his shiny bald head. His stout arms were extended straight out. His palms were pressed to the inner edge or the bar. He appeared settled in for a lengthy discourse.
    I said, “Yeah, I’m after