Page 34 of Shadow Of Sin

“But that’s not what we agreed⁠—”

“Agreements change.” Gold chain taps the bar twice with his knuckle. Same move as last time. Like he’s claiming the place. And Sal. Then he smiles at Sal like they’re old friends and leaves with No Neck.

The couple in the corner is gone. The basketball guys left ten minutes ago. It’s just me and Sal and whatever Marco’s doing in the kitchen.

Sal picks up the glass again and polishes it. Again.

It’s been clean for twenty minutes.

He catches me looking. “Business stuff,” he says with a shrug.

I nod. But I don’t ask any questions.

He turns away from the bar and slams his hands on the kitchen doors to open them. Through the small windows, he leans back against the wall with both hands flat on either side of him. His head hangs between his shoulders. I count ten seconds before he straightens up, scrubs a hand down the front of his face, and walks back out.

The glass is back in his hand before he’s fully through the door. He wipes down the end of the bar, leaving me to finish my food. Marco yells for Sal and he heads back into the kitchen.

The door chime rings and I look up.

Eva comes through the door the way she always does…eyes first. They scout the room as usual, which tracks considering the fact that she’s working for a Russian gangster. She sees me, gives me a nod, and drops onto her stool.

“Where’s Sal?”

“Kitchen.”

She looks at me and cocks her head. “You look weird.”

“That’s a new one.”

She rolls her eyes. “I just mean your expression is off. What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Wolfe.”

“Nothing happened.”

“Your thumb is doing the thing.”

I look down. She’s right. My thumb is tapping against my leg, same way it was when those guys were in here. I hold my thumb still.

“Something happened,” she says. “Tell me now.”

Sal comes out of the kitchen before I have to answer. He’s all smiles, like he wasn’t just threatened by two menacing assholes. But Eva’s eyes narrow the second she sees him.

“What’s wrong?” she says.

“Nothing, E. It’s just been a long day.”

“Liar.” She points a finger at her brother’s face. “Your jaw is doing the thing.”

“I don’t have a thing.”

“You absolutely have a thing. You’ve had the thing since we were twelve.” She leans forward. “What happened?”

“Some guys came in to talk about business. That’s all.”

Her jaw tenses and she grips the edge of the counter. “The same guys?”