Free A Marked Man by Stella Cameron

said. “And checking with friends. The usual procedure, I guess.”
    “How about that coffee?” Bobby said with a forced laugh. “Guess you aren’t in so much of a hurry to leave after all.”
    She continued to look at Max and said, “Bobby’s right. I’d better get on. ’Bye.”
    Max turned his head to see where Annie went. She got into the Volvo and drove out of sight, but didn’t appear to head back down Main Street. Out of sight from the shop windows, one small street cut to and from the square. Annie might have taken that but she could just as well have used the alley that led to parking places behind this building. He wanted Annie to have gone home rather than set off to drive aimlessly.
    He didn’t want to look at Bobby and even more, he didn’t want to talk to him. The sensation that he’d like to slam him against a wall and demand to know why he was bothering Annie unsettled him. Max got up and went to the counter. Wazoo stood opposite him at once and kept her voice way down. “There’s really big trouble,” she said. “That Annie, she is in danger.”
    “What kind of danger?” Max leaned to bring their heads closer.
    “I get these notions. Folks laugh at me, but they not thinkin’. Too many times I see things that’s goin’ to happen. Sorta see ’em.”
    Max waited for her to continue.
    Wazoo took her time before she said, “It’s just I see somethin’ happenin’, or feel things. My mama was the same. And her mama. This time it’s worse—stronger. Makin’ me weary tryin’ to sort it all out. I don’t know what’s goin’ on, or what’s goin’ to happen, but it’s somethin’ terrible. And your Annie’s in the middle of it.” She paused and moved far enough back to see his face. “You, too, maybe. But what I’m pickin’ up is comin’ from her.”
    He was a surgeon, a scientist, and he didn’t buy into this drivel. “Thanks,” he said and smiled at Wazoo. Your Annie, that’s what she had said. She had no reason to link them as a couple unless Annie had said something to her, and Annie seemed as eager as he was to keep their association quiet.
    “You and Annie got something going?” Bobby said.
    Max looked at the other man who stared right back. “What?” Max said. “No, you don’t have to say any more. I don’t know who you are and I don’t want to know.” The guy was looking for trouble.
    “Of course you don’t. You’re afraid I’m competition and I reckon you’re right.”
    The tingle down Max’s spine was a natural reaction to confronting a clearly unhinged man. He composed himself. “Good night to you,” he said.
    “I plan for it to be a great night.” The innocent look slipped into a leer.
    Max glanced at Wazoo, and thought of Annie. She might or might not be alone upstairs but he wasn’t comfortable leaving while this guy was here. “It’s later than I thought,” he said, checking his watch. “Are you about to close up?”
    “In another hour,” Wazoo said.
    He looked down into the bakery case and pretended to be deep in thought. “Guess I should eat something before I go. I may not get time later. I’ll have a piece of spinach pie.”
    “That pie is collard greens with onions, red beans and boudin sausage.”
    Max didn’t like the sound of it, but he didn’t care that much, either. “Fine,” he said. “And I’ll have some iced tea, if you’ve got it. Does everything feel kind of still to you?”
    “Uh-huh,” Wazoo said. “Me, I won’t be shocked if there’s another storm.”
    “I hope you’re wrong,” Max said and returned to his table.
    Wazoo came to clean away the dirty dishes. This time she didn’t have anything to say.
    He sensed the man, Bobby, staring at him and looked back. He hadn’t expected to see a smile, but the guy smiled broadly at him.
    Max nodded, but wished Roche was with him. His psychiatrist brother’s reaction to this man might be interesting.
    “Annie doesn’t talk much about herself these days, I