“But –” Jet pushed.
“No lip. Get to work,” Tex ordered even though, freakishly, considering the crush of people Fortnum’s had seen the last several days due to al the newspaper coverage the Rock Chicks and Hot Bunch were getting, they were in a lul and only had a few people hanging out at tables.
Jet glared at Uncle Tex.
Uncle Tex glared back.
Jet had a quiet attitude that usual y worked real y wel .
But no one had enough attitude to out-attitude Uncle Tex.
He was a crazy man.
He was a crazy man.
“Oh al right. But he’s got one more day,” Jet gave in.
“Jet, darlin’ –” Duke’s started his soft warning.
“One. Day,” Jet finished and flounced behind the espresso counter.
I caught Duke giving Uncle Tex a look and I figured Mace was going to get a head’s up cal but I was worried Mace wouldn’t care.
I went to my bag to get my phone, flipped it open, hit the side button, put it to my ear and said Hank’s name. It rang once before he answered.
“How’s it goin’, Sunshine?” His deep voice said in my ear and, like always, I got a ful body shiver.
I set the shiver aside and answered, “Not good. We just had a scene. Stel a got to Fortnum’s a little while ago tel ing us she cal ed Mace and asked for her keys back and he told her to meet him here. Mace came in, gave Stel a her keys, barely looked at her, didn’t say word one and took off.
Al y went nuts, caught him before he left and started yel ing at him. Mace didn’t even blink. Stel a got upset and ran into the books. That Eric guy just left. Told me to let you know he went.” I paused and then went on, my voice dropping to a whisper, “I can’t believe it Whisky, but it looks like it’s over.
Mace isn’t giving her anything. I don’t know what’s happened and she’s slid back to wherever she was yesterday during the gig. It isn’t a good place for her to be and I’m worried.”
“He gave her keys back?” Hank asked.
“Yes, without a word. He’s not a demonstrative guy but he’s pretty big on PDA with her. He didn’t touch her. He didn’t even get near her. It’s so un-Hot-Bunch-like, it’s unreal,” I replied.
“Don’t worry about it,” Hank told me, sounding supremely unconcerned.
I tried to get through to him, why, I didn’t know. Probably because I thought he could get through to Mace. I thought Hank could do just about anything.
“You don’t get it, Whisky. Something bad happened.
Stel a told us that –”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Hank!”
“Sunshine, don’t worry about it and don’t tel anyone, especial y f**kin’ Al y, what I’m gonna tel you right now.” I went silent.
Hank correctly assessed this as my agreement and went on, “I spent the morning with Mace. He’s got the ful picture about Stel a. When he left Lee’s office this morning he told Lee and me that he was goin’ to get some keys cut.
Everything’s fine.”
I let out a relieved breath.
Mace didn’t give her back her keys.