Page 42 of Inside Silence

Sort of.

Mostly, I’m not sure if I want to commit to something that requires me to show up at The Kerrigan on a weekly basis. It would only be a matter of time before I’d be forced into a confrontation with some of the town’s old guard. I’d rather that not be in front of this group of likable guys who—other than Roy, of course—didn’t know me back then.

“You gonna stick around?” Roy asks.

I glance at my watch and shake my head. “I told your wife I’d swing by to pick up Tate. Another time.”

He claps me on the shoulder and starts heading toward a dart board at the rear of the bar. Omar and Tim follow him, but Larry hangs back.

“Nice meeting you,” he says, holding out his hand.

“You too,” I return.

“Whenever you’re ready, you know where to find us.”

“Appreciate it.”

When he heads after the others, I pull my wallet and toss a few bills on the table, before turning toward the exit.

That’s when I notice Savvy sitting at the bar by herself, picking at the fries on a plate in front of her. Her back is turned to me, but her head swivels around when I walk up to her.

“Hey.”

She sounds surprised. I guess she hadn’t noticed me either.

“We’ve gotta stop bumping into each other in bars,” I observe.

She flashes a tiny smile. I can read the strain and fatigue on her face.

“I know. Did you just come in?”

I shake my head. “No, I was sitting over there with Roy and his buddies. I’m actually on my way out. I need to go pick up Tate from a friend’s house. What brought you here?”

“Work. My latest victim was a frequent visitor here.”

“I see. Guess when it rains, it pours.”

She chuckles. “You can say that again. It’s disturbing.”

Without thinking I brush a strand of hair that slipped from her stubby ponytail behind her ear. When she turns her eyes on me, I try to read the message in those deep, dark pools.

“You should get some rest,” I suggest gently.

“I should,” she agrees. “And you should go and pick up your daughter.”

Shit. Tate, that’s right.

“Yeah. Hey, call me when you have a chance or need an ear or something. Okay?”

“Sure.”

She turns back to her half-empty plate.

It may be my imagination, but I’m almost positive that’s disappointment I hear in her voice. I brace my hands on the bar on either side of her and lean in, my mouth brushing the shell of her small ear.

“Day or night, Savvy.”

Then I kiss the sensitive spot behind her ear, my lips lingering against her skin to feel the slight tremble, before I tear myself away and walk out the door.