Free Energized by Mary Behre Page A

his arms. “Can one of y’all pretty ladies get the door?”
    At the same time, Sadie appeared in the opposite doorway, the scowl back on her face. “Karma, since you let Dawn go home early, I hope you plan on putting the new girl to work out here. I’m already working with a six-top. We just had two four-tops and an eight-top walk in. I can’t do them alone. Not that I’ve had time to teach her what those references mean.”
    â€œA four-top is a table with four customers and an eight-top is eight customers. Or guests, as I suppose you call them here. I told you, I have a background in the service industry.”
    Hannah glanced at Karma who opened the door with one hand and handed her a pad with the other. “Hannah, are you comfortable doing both of the four-tops? They might be easier than the eight for your first time here, since you don’t know the menu yet.”
    â€œSure. I got this.” Hannah tucked the pad into her apron, then tightened the strings out of habit. Nope, she might not work in the bar anymore, but food service was food service after all.
    Sadie huffed and pushed her way out of the kitchen again, that incredibly realistic smile plastered to her face.
    The door swung back before Hannah could reach it. She tossed up a hand to catch it before it hit her in the face. A sizzle of energy slapped her palm where she brushed the metal plate on the door.
    She shifted and used her shirt-covered elbow to push on the wooden part of the door. But her arm caught the edge of the metal hand plate and something dark seeped in. She didn’t have time for a vision and shoved it away. But couldn’t quite shake the quiver in her belly. And this time it had nothing to do with seeing Niall again.
    *   *   *
    â€œT HE C ONSTRUCTION S ITE Killer has struck again. A body of a man was discovered this morning on Arctic Avenue by four teens who had been using the homes under construction in the planned community as a hangout. Police are not releasing details pending notification of family members. But an unidentified source has confirmed that this is likely the fourth victim of Tidewater’s first serial killer. We’ll have more on this disturbing development on our sister station Channel Nine news tonight at eleven.”
    Niall rolled his truck into the parking lot behind the Boxing Cat and cut the engine, silencing the news bulletin on the radio.
    The Brunswick stew he’d eaten with his mother congealed in his stomach. And that seriously pissed him off. What the hell was this world coming to? A serial killer in Tidewater? It was bad enough he’d faced crazy-ass insurgents overseasdefending his country, but to have a psycho in his hometown picking off people like it was his own personal horror movie?
    Niall exited his Ford F-250, locking it out of habit and double-checking the lock with the news report still playing through his head. Barely through the door and he spotted a flurry of activity. So much for tonight being a light night as expected.
    Virgil loaded a large pizza into the oven while Paulie sautéed mushrooms and spinach in a sizzling garlic butter sauce. Five dinner tickets waited to be filled and six plates loaded and ready to be served littered the counter.
    â€œBoss, Dawn’s kid got sick. Sadie’s out there but she’s in the weeds,” Paulie called out over his shoulder. “I can’t leave the kitchen and Virgil’s not too steady with a trayful.”
    â€œBite your tongue, boy!” Virgil snapped, slamming the oven door closed. He turned to reach for the hot meals only to bang his side into the corner of the metal prep table. “Damn this old hip!”
    â€œYou hurt, Virgil?” Niall slid his backpack across the floor, sending it skidding into his office and checked on his oldest family friend.
    â€œNothing a little ice can’t fix.” Virgil waved away his concern. “I am old. The