Free Stranded by Brooksley Borne Page A

Hayhurst’s usually light and pleasant demeanor turned dark immediately.  Everyone looked like they wanted to say something, but didn’t. Naomi didn’t pay much attention.  She was enjoying the shot of bourbon that Crystal poured for her.
    “What the fuck are doing here?” growled Foley finally.
    Daryl laughed.  It was one of the most annoying things that he did, thought Naomi and there were many.  He had the ability to laugh hard on cue just to be obnoxious, and then he wouldn’t stop.  It solidified Naomi’s belief that the could fake emotion so believably that you’d never know it wasn’t real, unless you knew him.  As far as fake laughing went, it was a pretty good job.
    “I just came in out of the storm and here I find my wife --” he began laughing again unable to finish his sentence.
    Then without warning, he held his phone up and snapped a picture of Naomi and Foley.  Foley charged him but Daryl halted him in his tracks.
    “Touch me and you’ll be the one spending the night in jail.  Trust me.  You won’t be near as lucky as I was,” said Daryl coldly.
    “Then I better be the one who does it,” said Donny lazily.
    “Do what?” asked Daryl impatiently.
    Donny sauntered over to Naomi’s husband and yanked his phone from his hand.
    “This,” said Daryl.
    He dropped the phone to the floor and crushed it with his boot heel.
    “You going to do something, sheriff?” asked Daryl.
    “I am off duty.  And besides, the last time I did something, I caught shit for it.  I better not do it again,” said John.
    Daryl boiled as he looked to the ceiling. Naomi recognized his rage and his cowardice at the same time.  He wanted to lash out like he usually did but he wasn’t brave enough to do so when he was so outnumbered. He cut his eyes to Naomi with murder in them.  He shook his head ever so slightly.
    “Don’t look at her,” order Foley.
    “My lawyer is going to have all of you for lunch,” said Daryl.
    “Your lawyer? That shyster Steve Farmer? With whose money?” asked Naomi.
    “That would be mine, dear,” smiled Daryl cryptically. “You otta check the bank account once in a while.”
    Daryl began to fake laugh again. Everyone in Mario’s stared at his performance.  Naomi just wanted him to leave. She wanted to go home as quickly as she could and check her money.  She hadn’t been watching.  She hadn’t been smart about so many things.  Even today she fell asleep instead of going down to the court house to get a copy of the deed.  She just blew everything off.
    “We’re closed,” said Russ quietly. “We closed about an hour ago.”
    “Y’ar?” Daryl tilted his head.  “Now what would the State of Virginia have to say about all of your drinking after hours?  I am no liquor license expert but...”
    “That works out because I don’t need one,” said Russ. “Please leave so I can lock up.”
    “You’re not going to serve me?” asked Daryl.
    “That’s the general idea,” laughed Russ softly.
    “Russ serve him,” said Foley.
    Foley and the bartender exchanged glances.
    “Yeah what the hell,” said Russ. “What will you have?”
    “Now that’s okay,” said Daryl. “I’ll be on my way.”
    “That sounds like the smartest thing you’ve said all day,” muttered John coldly.
    Foley said something unintelligible to Donny.  It was a language Naomi didn’t even begin to recognize, but Donny understood it.
    “Guys,” John warned.
    “I knew it,” stomped Daryl with a laugh. “You’re one of them.  Jesus I wish Farmer was here.  I thought that was just urban folklore but he said so.  He was right.”
    “What are you getting at?” dared Paoli in a steely voice.
    But Foley ignored him.
    “Let’s go,” he sharply to Naomi.
    “Foley,” John warned again.
    Foley was completely disregarded the sheriff’s counsel about public displays. But Foley’s was not the sort of command that Naomi was about to argue with it.  She gathered her purse and