Sam’s lip curled. “I wasn’t charged. I didn’t do nothing.”
Brian couldn’t make out whether Nick reacted to that, beyond his slow, lazy smile. “Wasn’t charged yet.”
“Why are you in my face?” Sam asked. “What’s it to you?”
“Maybe I don’t like people who set fires.”
“I never.”
“Maybe I don’t like liars.”
Sam raised a hand to shove Nick, who slipped away from the push before it connected. Sam staggered a step. Before he could do anything else, a tall, bearded guy came over from behind a tower of beer cases. “Hey, Sam, cool it.” He grabbed Sam’s arm with one meaty hand and shook him lightly. “No fighting.”
Sam glanced up at the new guy. “He’s the creep who got me arrested in the first place.”
“Yeah?” The big man looked Nick up and down, then held out a hand to him. “Reggie Urban.”
Brian was surprised to see Nick offer a strong handshake. “Rugo.”
“Rugo. You’re the guy who tried to keep old Ike’s place from getting burned? That’s cool.”
Nick cocked his head, looking like a hunting cat facing an Irish wolfhound. “I caught your man Sam there, after he set a dumpster fire.”
“Now, now, Sam says he was chasing the real firebug. Sam’s my cousin. Who’m I gonna believe?”
“I don’t know,” Nick drawled. “Who?”
Brian held his breath, but Reggie laughed. “I like you. Sam says you were carrying a nice piece that night. He said Gannet busted you too. Aren’t you a cop?”
“Not anymore.”
“Military?”
“No.”
“Just a good ol’ boy like me now.” Reggie patted his hip, and Brian realized he had a gun holstered there, something bigger than Nick’s.
“Not so old,” Nick said, flashing a grin. “And maybe not so good.”
“Protecting local property? That’s a good thing.”
“Someone has to step up. If you see something, say something.”
“Damn straight. That sheriff isn’t doing much of a job.”
Brian could tell Nick’s attention shifted, although his tone was the same lazy drawl. “She did show up. Eventually. After we called her a couple times.”
“You know she’s mostly useless, right? She’s not cutting it. All kind of shit’s gone down around here lately.” Reggie looked Nick up and down, flicked a quick glance at Sam, then said, “A few of us are putting together a protection group. Kinda like a Neighborhood Watch, with a bit of militia thrown in, for Winrowd county.”
“Gonna stop your buddy’s arson?”
“You don’t give up, do you?” Reggie shook his head. “Sam’s not a firebug, just an idiot, sticking his head in where it’s not wanted. Not like he could have stopped the bastard, but you? Now you clearly know what you’re doing.”
Sam muttered something unhappy but subsided at a look from Reggie.
“We plan on keeping the peace. Watching for trouble. Me and some guys I know, guys I trust to keep a cool head. You? Well, you didn’t shoot my annoying cousin. That says something.”
“I’m an ex-cop,” Nick said. “If I shot annoying people, there’d be a trail of bodies.”
Reggie smiled, showing crooked teeth. “A couple of the other guys used to be deputies— good men. They’re with us.”
“What’s your plan? Drive around looking for shit happening?” Nick’s tone had dropped from sarcastic to interested.
“We’re still working it out, but yeah, patrols, probably. We’ll do a phone tree, too. Give the local property owners a choice of who to call, y’know. The sheriff, or some guys they trust with a much faster response time.”
“And if you catch someone?”
“Oh, we’ll turn ’em over to Miss Sheriff, for sure. We’re all law-abiding.” Reggie winked ponderously. “We won’t harm a hair on their heads, beyond what it takes for a citizen’s arrest.”
“Sounds like a decent plan.”
Reggie eyed Nick for a few seconds. Nick’s expression could’ve won the world poker tournament. Eventually, Reggie said, “We can’t elect a new sheriff for three more years yet, but we’re not going to just put up with lawless shit till then.”
Nick nodded and said, “Makes a lot of sense,” like he meant it. Brian thought Nick liked Sheriff Gannet. But then Reggie did have big muscles and a bigger gun, and Nick was maybe for once picking his battles.
Brian waited till Sam and Reggie bought their cases of beer and walked out before he joined Nick near the counter.
“Done?” Nick had a bright, insincere smile on his face. “Found what you want?”
Brian lifted the bottle in his hand. All he knew was the top was wrapped in foil like champagne but it had a price marked under ten dollars. “Okay?”