Free Dark Light by Randy Wayne White Page B

down, seized him in both hands, picked him up, and kissed him in the vicinity of the top of his furry head.
    â€œMy hero,” she said. “Oh, dear, you lost your sunglasses.”
    â€œJake can make him another pair,” Andy said.
    â€œI hope so. Elvis loves those dark glasses.” She plopped him on her shoulder and surveyed the four men. “Actually, you’re all my heroes today. On behalf of Elvis and myself, I’d just like to say thank you, thank you very much.”
    They grinned.
    â€œJust takin’ care of business, ma’am,” Simon said modestly. “Like the King here expects us to do.”
    She smiled at the four. Over the course of the past six months, she had come to know the small group of aging, retired hunters very well. They were regulars here at the Green Gate in the afternoons when they gathered to drink beer, play cards, and reminisce about their glory days down in the catacombs.
    Mitch and Jeff were life partners who had formalized their relationship with a Covenant Marriage shortly after leaving the guild. They operated a small antiquities shop at the end of Jade Street. Andy played a lot of cards and went to the races. Simon owned the Green Gate. At night the tavern was a favorite haunt for ex-hunters. One way or another, all of the stories she had done on the Guild were a result of her friends here at the Gate.
    â€œWhere in green hell did those guys come from?” Andy asked, reaching for his beer. “We haven’t had any problem with the Riders around here before.”
    â€œI don’t know,” she said. She was safe now, but the unease that had been making her restless for the past couple of days was as strong as ever. “It was as if they were waiting for me when I left my apartment.”
    Simon frowned. “Think it’s related to one of your stories in the Curtain ?”
    She shuddered. “I don’t see how. I’ve never done a piece on the Riders. All of my investigative reporting has been focused on the Guild and the disappearances.”
    â€œYou mentioned the damage that the ghost juice is causing here in the Quarter,” Mitch reminded her. “Word is the Riders are behind the dealing. Maybe they wanted to throw a scare into you. Tell you to keep your mouth shut.”
    â€œI’ve done pieces on the victims of juice but not on the Riders themselves,” Sierra said. “In fact, I’ve blamed the Guild for not doing more to take care of the hunters who become addicts.”
    â€œSpeaking of which,” Simon said, “how did your interview with the new boss go today?”
    A fresh wave of panic lanced through her. She leaped to her feet and nearly toppled over when she automatically put weight on the shoe with the broken heel. “Good grief, I almost forgot.”
    Mitch’s forehead wrinkled. “Forgot what?”
    â€œI’m supposed to meet Fontana at a quarter to five.” She checked her watch. “That’s less than fifteen minutes from now. Come on, Elvis, we have to hurry.”
    She limped toward the door.
    â€œHold on,” Simon said. “Why are you meeting the new Guild boss again this afternoon?”
    She opened the door. “I forgot to tell you that I’m marrying him.”
    There were a few seconds of stunned silence behind her. Then she heard a sudden scrambling and the scrape of bar-stool legs. Boots hit the old amberwood floors.
    She paused and looked back. Mitch, Jeff, Andy, and Simon were rushing to follow her out the door, practically tripping over each other in the process.
    â€œWhat?” she said.
    â€œYou’ll be needing witnesses,” Mitch said.
    â€œAnd a driver,” Simon added, snapping her keys out of her hand. “After that little incident with the Riders, you’re way too shaken up to drive.”
    She frowned. “I am?”
    â€œFor sure,” Jeff said, nodding wisely. “Simon hasn’t had