Blood Tears Read Free

my palms down on the counter, scaring them. “You can
just tell Maguire to enjoy his life and to butt out of mine.”
    I stormed into the back
office, ignoring the repeated dinging of the counter bell.
    Baz, returning from
doing his business sooner than normal, walked through the rear
door, shaking his head sadly. “It’s just not happening for me
today, Tezza. Geez, I’ve got to eat more fibre or give up those
tasty meat platters at the pub,” he said with great regret, patting
his stomach. “I sat there, giving it all I had, but –”
    “ Not
one more word! I really don’t want to know.”
    He stopped, listening
to the dinging. “Aren’t you going to get that?”
    “ Nope,” I replied, sitting and restarting my computer.
“Nothing but time wasters.”
    He went out to the
front counter. I heard much conversation, laughter and hearty
bonhomies between the men. It didn’t improve my mood.
    “ Keep it down out there! ” I shouted, opening a game of
solitaire on my screen. “Some of us are trying to work.”
    The conversation muted
slightly before Baz strolled back through the doorway.
    “ Tezza, lock up will you, love? I’m taking the lads for a spin
to show them all the town’s highlights.”
    “ Like
what?”
    He thought for a
moment. “I dunno. The lake. The pub. The Bycrafts.” His belly
wobbled again as he laughed at his own little joke.
    I smiled at him
sweetly, sensing a few minutes of freedom from his velvety iron
grip. “No need to lock up, Baz. I’ll keep an eye on the place while
you’re gone.”
    “ No
can do. You’re coming with me.”
    I groaned, my smile
instantly evaporating. “I’m getting really tired of this
stick-together-all-the-time business.”
    He dropped his
joviality. “I’m here to supervise you, and to do that I need to
know where you are, and what you’re doing. You’re coming with me.
Lock up.”
    He took the key to the
patrol car from its hook, swinging it around his finger, whistling
nonchalantly as he ushered the guys to the carpark.
    With a temper hovering
somewhere in the volcanic region, I shut windows with such force it
was a miracle they didn’t shatter. With both doors to the station
locked, I jammed on my sunglasses, and stomped down the front
stairs to the patrol car. Trig sat in the passenger seat with all
the enthusiasm of a five-year-old getting a ride in a fire
engine.
    “ Get
out,” I ordered.
    His face fell. “Aw, but
Baz said I could sit up front.”
    “ Get
out. Sergeant Chives should know better than to let civilians in
the front seat of a patrol car.” I stuck my head through the
doorway to glare at Baz. “I’ll let the Super know about this. I can
report on you too.”
    He threw his head back
and laughed. “Oh, Tezza, you’re such an ordeal for a man. Let the
lad have his ride.”
    “ No.
Get out.”
    A sullen Trig slunk
from the front seat to join Harley in the back.
    “ You’re not good at making friends,” he sulked.
    “ I
don’t want friends,” I said, adjusting the seat from his long
legs.
    “ No
shit,” he muttered, doing up his seatbelt.
    I moved the rear view
mirror so it reflected him. We locked eyes. He smiled, a sardonic
half lift of his mouth. He was cute. In different circumstances, he
seemed like someone I could like. But I stared back at him,
unsmiling, before I adjusted the mirror.
    We drove around for
ages showing ‘the lads’ all points of the town, until there was
nothing much left to show them.
    “ Where are you staying?” I asked our visitors
politely.
    They looked at each
other.
    “ I
guess we’ll just stay at the pub,” said Harley.
    “ Have
you booked?”
    “ No.
A place like this, there’s bound to be a free room.”
    Baz whistled under his
breath. “Lads, there’re only three rooms at the pub. I have one of
them. And it’s bushwalking season.”
    “ Do
you know the number of the pub?” asked Trig, his brow lowering. I
rattled it off. He dialled and we listened in on his half of