Page 49 of Midnight Creed

The guy had already telegraphed his technique: right, then left. When the right fist came again, Creed was ready. He leaned just out of reach, then kicked out and swept the man’s legs completely out from under him. Bearded guy landed hard on his back. The thud made his friend wince.

“Who the hell are you?” the flip-flop guy asked. His eyes were wide now, and he stayed back rather than attempting to help his buddies.

Creed glanced behind him. The muscle-head might have broken his nose. He sat with his hands cupping his face and blood dripping through his fingers. The bearded guy still hadn’t moved. He stayed flat on his back. He started coughing, trying to catch his breath.

From the corner of his eye, Creed could see a couple of customers coming out of the Waffle House to see what was going on.

To the ringleader, Creed said, “You might want to help your friends.” It looked like they both slipped and fell.”

He left them to go help Sully.

33

“I wasn’t stealing a thing,” Sully said before Creed had a chance to ask if he was okay.

“I know you didn’t.”

“Sometimes people toss takeout containers from the waffle place. Full meals. Gunner gets hungry, you know.”

“Is she okay? They didn’t hurt her, did they?”

“No, no, she’s okay. A little scared is all.” His eyes darted over Creed’s shoulder, checking on the bullies, and Creed knew it wasn’t just Gunner who was a little scared. “She thinks she’s a lot bigger dog. She thinks she’s the size of your search dog.”

“Actually, I have a smaller one I use, too. Grace is about Gunner’s size. A Jack Russell terrier. But she thinks she’s bigger, too. She got hurt a couple months ago on a job, so I’ve been letting her heal.”

“We protect them, don’t we? They’re our children.”

“Yes, they are.” Creed sat down on the curb beside him.

“Don’t know what I’d do without this girl.” He pulled the dog closer. “You got any real children?”

“No. How about you?”

“A daughter. Beautiful, young woman.” He shook his head. “She don’t want anything to do with me.”

Creed kept quiet. Waited for more.

“She doesn’t understand. Thinks she knows everything. When my wife passed, she said she lost a mother and a father ’cause I was...oh, you know. Not myself, I guess. She got herself a husband, a good job. Probably a baby by now. She never did understand what I lost. I didn’t just lose a wife, you know. I lost my best friend. My partner. My whole life, really.” When he rubbed a hand over his face this time, his thumb and forefinger swiped at the eyes, too.

“I’ve got a place where you two can sleep if you want,” Creed offered without giving it a second thought. “Get something to eat, too.”

“Aw no. Thanks though. Got to get back. You know, get back to my stuff or somebody’ll snatch it up. We respect each other’s things, but if you’re gone for long, it’s up for grabs. Besides, it looks like your evening got interrupted. Some fine lady must be waiting for you.” He gestured to the tuxedo.

“I escorted my partner to an event downtown. She was one of the hosts. Remember, I told you about her? We own a K9 business together.” He left out the part about the fundraiser. It felt wrong to talk about people in ballroom dresses and tuxedoes with jewelry and luxury cars, collecting money for people like Sully, without bothering to get to know them. “She knows I’m not a fancy event guy, so she let me go home early.”

“That’s a good woman.”

“Yes, she is.”

“A keeper.”

“It’s not like that.”

“No?”

“We’re each other’s family. More like brother and sister. Maybe closer. She knows me better than anybody else.”

Sully nodded. “That was my Caroline.”