and large gestures.
Bacoj tried to reassure him. “Vax isn’t pretentious in the least, even if he does run a resort kitchen. I have to say, this rauger steak is as close to perfection as I’ve ever had.”
His compliment for the meal was more than justified, but Bacoj caught himself picking at it with less enjoyment than it deserved. He was still rattled over the encounter with Karil. By the ancestors, he’d almost been forced to watch the monster murder Vax. It might be weeks before he recovered his appetite again.
Vax returned. He beamed at Japohn. “This place is an incredible find. That cook studied with Chef Jhil Cuda, if you can believe it. He could work anywhere, but he’s here!”
“He’s paid well by the owner. Usually, it takes serious bribery to get in, even for an early lunch like this. He gets a big cut of that.” Japohn was obviously happy to have impressed Vax.
“How were we so lucky as to snag seats right away?” Vax glanced at the long line of those hoping to score a table.
The Nobek flushed. “In my work as a bounty hunter, I captured the creep who killed two of the restaurant owner’s wives. There’s always a table waiting for me.”
“You’re not just our hero, huh?” Vax winked at Bacoj when Japohn ducked his head, reddening at the praise.
What little appetite Bacoj had dwindled to nothing. Japohn was a hero. He was also self-assured, confident, and able to take control of a bad situation.
Especially a dangerous situation, which was certainly the type of condition a Nobek should be in charge of. However, it wasn’t only that which bothered Bacoj. Japohn was of the warrior caste, but he was also everything Bacoj wished he were as a Dramok. If he’d possessed a drop of Japohn’s assertive poise, he’d have handled the trouble with Karil better.
Vax almost died, and there was nothing I could do about it. Bacoj had never felt so inadequate in his life.
The experience of reporting the altercation to the less-than-impressive Dantovonian authorities had increased Bacoj’s insecurities. They’d been dismissive of his questions of how they’d make sure Karil didn’t get another chance to attack Vax. Nothing he’d said had affected what had been blatant indifference to the danger the Nobek stalker posed.
It had been humiliating to be disregarded as unimportant. Dramoks were supposed to command respect from the moment they walked into a place. Bacoj had the sense that the Dantovonian officers saw him as a joke.
He cut off a piece of steak and pushed it around his plate. Conversation had ebbed at the table. Both Vax and Japohn were on their coms, messaging with separate law enforcement entities on Kalquor.
As Japohn tapped on his device, Bacoj asked, “How much money would it have taken for the locals to be serious about tracking Karil down?”
The Nobek snorted. Fortunately, his derision wasn’t for Bacoj. “More than the three of us have, combined. The captain of that precinct is new, and he seemed eager to assert his authority. In Ler, that means lining his pockets with as much wealth as possible. Dantovonians believe all Kalquorians are rolling in wealth, and the greedy bastards are thrilled with any excuse to empty our accounts.”
“Did you know that before we went in?” It would have been nice to be warned. Maybe Bacoj wouldn’t have felt snubbed if he’d understood money made all the difference.
“Unfortunately, not in this case. I had no idea there was a new captain. If Jytvee were still in charge at the precinct, he’d have had his squads turning Ler upside down, bribes or not. He was a real cop. If you ask me, there are too few of his type on this credit-hungry planet.”
That made the situation—or at least Bacoj’s ability to impact it—not quite so humiliating. Nonetheless, he bet his father Rilb would have convinced those Dantovonians to get off their asses and arrest Karil.
“Hmm.” Japohn’s expression darkened, making him slightly less vid-star handsome, but no less striking.
“What is it?”
“My informants on Kalquor say Dramok Respel gave Karil the choice of leaving the planet or being executed. It seems he decided his Nobek is too much a problem to keep around. Karil arrived here the day before you did.”
Bacoj stared. “You mean, it was pure bad luck we ran into him?”
“That’s my guess. Which is actually a good thing. He’s probably not as well prepared to attack you as I initially thought.”
He had been prepared enough to almost succeed in killing Vax. Bacoj’s