Page 18 of Keel

“Scared, big man? What are you going to do? I’ve got the only⁠—”

Keel didn’t let him finish the sentence. He took advantage of the fact that Forest had moved closer. Keel might have twisted a little too hard as he disarmed the idiot, breaking one of Forest’s fingers.

Forest was on his knees, crying. His screams filled the area, attracting attention. Keel dropped the clip and checked the chamber, then tossed the gun into the parking lot.

He almost laughed when Forest looked at the gun longingly. The man was an idiot.

“You should pack it up and go home. Leave Frankie alone.”

Forest spat on the ground. “She’s a fucking bitch.”

Keel wanted to hit the idiot, but he knew that with the number of people watching from the lot, someone was recording. He wouldn’t hit Forest, even if he came at him. He would disable him, maybe put him on the ground, but he wouldn’t beat the shit out of him, even if the man deserved it.

“You need to learn some manners,” Keel said just as a police car pulled into the lot. The officer wasn’t the one who’d arrested Forest earlier in the week, but he hoped the officer read the reports and knew this guy was bad news.

“He stole my property again!” Forest yelled as he stumbled toward the officer.

Keel saw the officer put his hand on his gun, his gaze scanning the area quickly.

“Stop walking,” the officer said. “Don’t move any closer.”

“He just ripped it from my hand and⁠—”

“Was it that gun in the parking lot?” the officer asked.

“Yeah. I have a right to carry it.”

The officer shook his head. “Put your hands up.”

“No. I’m not doing that.” Forest moved closer to the officer, who looked like he was done with being nice.

Keel would help the officer if he needed the help, but the guy seemed fit, and it looked like he could handle himself. The officer proved it when he took Forest to the ground.

Of course, Forest started yelling, and complaining, asking if he knew who he was. Keel wanted to tell Forest that no one cared who he was. Not one person cared who his father was or how much money they had.

Frankie would be lying to say it wasn’t nice to see Forest taken to the ground before the police put the cuffs on him. She also liked watching him being shoved into the back of the police car.

The officer turned back to them, shaking his head. “So I saw the video and read the report of some idiot who pulled a gun on a military guy who disarmed him the other night. I’m guessing that’s you.”

“Yes, sir. Same guy, same situation.”

The officer looked away, then back to Keel. “Sorry that keeps happening to you. We’re going to run him in and hold him for longer. The judge isn’t going to be as willing to let him go for the same stuff a second time in less than a week. And yes, we all know who the idiot’s father is.”

“I’m sorry,” Frankie said.

“No need to apologize for that trash, ma’am. He needs to go back north and leave us alone.”

“Yes, he does,” Keel said.

The officer glanced over his shoulder at his patrol vehicle. “I’ll see if we can’t hold him for the week, maybe longer. I know where you live, so if I need more of a statement, I’ll contact you.”

Keel shook the man’s hand. “Thank you, Officer.”

“Yes, thank you,” she said.

The crowd seemed to have dispersed. They walked around Forest’s car and saw a tow truck lumbering down the street toward them.

Keel chuckled. “His car is getting towed again. Kind of funny.”