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something. “Wouldn’t your friend call you if she were
in trouble and needed your help?”
    “She’s proud and doesn’t always ask for help. Just
like many people, she doesn’t recognize that she may be in deeper
than she first believed.”
    Turning to face Middle Man, Vance whipped back around
at the crash of glass. The small one had shoved over his display.
He reacted instantly, striking out as he whirled, he knocked the
small man down. Middle man jumped on Vance and began raining blows
on his face and shoulders. The other two jumped in, as well, and it
turned swiftly into a brawl.
    “I’m getting tired of this game,” Tall Man uttered,
rolling away and removing a weapon from his jacket.
    “Let’s not do that.”
    Vance smiled at the deep sound of another of his
employees. Dan was a man who’d done a few years in the NFL as a
linebacker. He still retained his size. He wrenched the Tall Man’s
arm away and confiscated the weapon.
    “Charlie, call Deputy Boshay and have them pick up
this scum that’s invaded my shop.” Vance glanced around. “And
destroyed it.” He stood, wiping blood from his nose as he stared at
the mess of his waiting room. It looked like a tornado had ripped
through. Broken glass, overturned chairs, not even the water
dispenser had escaped harm. It lay knocked on its side, water
spread out from it into a large pool while a few droplets dripped
from the opening.
    The other two men on the floor had been carrying
guns, as well. More men from his shop had come at the commotion and
took them before trussing them up. They’d not joined in the fight,
but Vance knew, had he needed help, they would have jumped in. Only
Dan retained his hold on the man he’d grabbed.
    “Cops are coming, boss.”
    Vance gave a nod and stepped up to the man Dan held.
“You can let him go, Dan.”
    “Nope, I like this. I think I’m hurting him. It’s
been a while since I’ve hurt people.”
    That was Dan. Vance got in the man’s face, holding
the angry gaze before opening his jacket and locating the cell
phone. The man’s attempt at struggling was meager at best. Dan
grunted and held him without any problems.
    “I crush you if you move,” he snapped.
    Vance took the phone, turning away to hide his smile.
Dan loved to revert to stilted words and grunting, using his size
to intimidate people. Vance scrolled through the numbers called
until he was confident of the one he was about to dial. Then, he
did so.
    “Where is she?” A heavy male voice posed the
question.
    “You must be Joe,” Vance said. He moved to the broken
front window.
    “Who the fuck are you?”
    “Doesn’t matter who I am. What matters is I know who
you are. Your boys fucked up by coming after me.”
    “Don’t do anything stupid.”
    “This is what we’re going to do. Your boys will be
leaving, and you will stay away from my Kendria.”
    “Yours?” Anger lined the question.
    “Yes, mine. She’s my wife, and if I see any of your
fucking goons around here again, I’m going to send them back to you
in pieces.”
    “Kendria is your wife?”
    “Not much gets by you, does it?” Sirens filled the
air, and he watched the two deputies cars squeal in the lot. “Your
boys will be needing some bail. Don’t forget what I said.” He ended
the call and crossed his arms as Tim and Vicki strode over the
graveled parking lot.
    “What the fuck happened here, Vance?” Tim asked even
though Vicki’s expression mirrored the man’s question.
    “You do know you’re bleeding, right?” Vicki pointed
at her nose.
    “Had some people who wanted to cause some trouble.
And, yes, I’m aware.”
    Vicki glanced at Dan. “Those are the ones from the
road.”
    “Yep.”
    They shook their heads as they entered. “You know
she’s with Sarah at the school working on floats.”
    Vicki’s words calmed him a bit. Around a large group
of people, she was probably doing just fine.
    “I’ll go check on her after we’re done here.”
    He was antsy