Black Ghost Runner Read Free Page B

leaned over as she sat down and spoke in her ear so she could hear over the music. “Big Bull is the owner. He keeps things safe. He shuts down fights really fast. He gets drunks home safe. It ain’t the Ritz—still, they have good burgers, using real beef. None of that processed cheese.”
    Beth gave him a smile of thanks. As she took her seat, the waitress was there with a tray full of longnecks. They passed them around, and— surprise —she found one in front of her. Ev came in and found a seat next to her. Everyone had beers, so now, the talk got louder. She just sat, enjoying listening to men who had no real problems except paying their taxes, wives or the next pick-up.
    Beth didn’t have to join in with the noise this loud, so she could just relax not think about what she had lost. Sitting there, she thought maybe she would get a dog. Ev seemed like the type who would allow a dog in the office.
    One of the guys asked her to dance. Everyone on the floor was doing the two-step, but she preferred to stay at the table. Unfortunately, the whole gang thought it was a good idea they should dance. The more she shook her head in a negative manner, the more they pushed her upright, even Ev, until she was on her feet. The next thing she knew, she was facing the guy, hands on his shoulders, moving backwards in the easy traditional two-step done mostly in western bars.
    The floor was rough uneven old wood. It was filled with a lot of dancers, some not as competent as her partner who was weaving carefully around the crowd. Everyone seemed to be laughing at the mishaps.
    A fight did break out as one couple collided with someone else once too often. As usual, in such a situation in such a bar, when one person threw a punch, several others felt they should also join in.
    Beth and her partner got separated, as all the dancers not willing to be part of a free-for-all backed up into the customers who moved forward to watch the melee. She continued to try to push backwards, until she found herself against someone who didn’t move.
    Someone had hands on her upper arms. “It would be best if you didn’t raise an alarm, Beth.”
    She froze in place. She knew that voice, even after six months. The fact that she had only heard a few sentences still left the low rasp imbedded in her memory. Like hell, she would not raise an alarm.
    “Help, Ev, Help!”
    With the noise of the fight, the music still too loud, she wasn’t sure she was heard except by a couple of guys near her who didn’t respond, as a bearded guy with a ball bat was standing on the bar. Next, he was leaping down into the dance floor. Now, everyone was scattering in all directions to get away from the fight.
    The big man behind her flipped her fast, so that she faced him. He held her tightly into his chest, against his body. “Beth, besides my cock, which is reacting to you, you also can feel an automatic weapon that I will use on your friends. Be a good girl. We are leaving quietly. I need your help again. I promise it is temporary. You will then be able to go back to living your life.”
    Beth was having trouble breathing against the solid chest he was pulling her into, one hand on her head, one arm around her back, pushing with the hand against her lower spine. The whole time he was backing away from the ruckus on the dance floor toward a side entrance. She knew she didn’t want to go out that door, yet she couldn’t think of any choice. Maybe outside, she could get away or get help.
    Once out the door, he finally let her go, just holding one arm. Yep, she’d had bruises on that upper arm before, and she was going to have a matching set again. She wondered what he needed her help in robbing this time. The little construction office had no money at the site. No, wait, there was fifty dollars in the petty cash box in Ev’s locked desk.
    “Go to your car.”
    Actually, he was dragging her to her jeep. How long had he been watching her? When had he found her, and more