I kept a straight face and nodded.
Craven couldn't help himself; relief mixed with a trace of condescension crossed his face. Must be tough to know you're so much smarter than everyone else in the world, like he did.
Maybe we'd have to help him out with a few facts before this was all over.
Craven jumped on the opening Tess had handed him, pointing at her and smiling. "Exactly right, young lady. It's hard to get good help, et cetera, et cetera, and so on."
Chuckles turned his head and pinned his boss with a stare that would have left more perceptive men shaking with fear. There was a lot ofyou're going to regret thatin that stare, combined with a pinch ofI could snap your neck like a twig.
The UltraShopMart advance man, though, let it slide off him like water off a particularly stupid duck's back.
I caught Tess shivering in her light jacket and suddenly just wanted to get her home and warm, but I really wanted to know what they'd been fighting about. "What was it?"
"What was what?" Craven's smile didn't falter.
"What did they get so wrong?"
Chuckles clenched his fists again and rolled his neck from side to side, like he was preparing to jump me.
I couldn't help it—I grinned at him.
"Nothing important," Craven said quickly, putting a hand on his thug's arm and shaking his head. "A trivial problem with the excavation equipment."
Chuckles again restrained himself, but just barely. "Not so trivial," he growled. "Some guy snooping around the dig site, and we caught him with spray paint. Probably getting ready to vandalize the place."
Tess inhaled sharply. "What guy? Did you get his name? What happened?"
Craven's smile reached his eyes this time. He was obviously happy that the topic had sidetracked Tess from whatever he was trying to hide.
"Yes, we got his name. We were completely within our rights to press charges for trespassing and intent to cause damage, but we were magnanimous and let him off with a stern warning."
Tess grabbed my arm, her fingers biting into my skin through my sleeve. "Sure, okay, butwho was it?"
Craven glanced at Chuckles. "What was his name, Merks?"
Chuckles—Merks—shrugged. "Some guy named Finn. Hunter Finn, I think? We got a copy of his driver's license."
Beside me, Tess gasped. "Phineas Hunter?"
"That's it." Chuckles eyed Tess. "You know him? If he's your friend, warn him to stay away."
Tess pulled on my arm. "Jack, we need to go. I have to open the shop early in the morning. Mr. Craven, Mr. Merks, happy holidays."
With that, she turned and started back toward the town square where we'd left the truck. I caught Merks leering after her and gave both of them a long, steady look. "I'll be very unhappy if anything or anyone disturbs Tess. Is that clear?"
Craven drew himself up, the picture of offended dignity.
I didn't give a crap if I'd offended him. I just wanted to get the message across.
"We certainly will not disturb Miss Callahan."
I ignored him and kept my gaze pinned to the muscle. "See that you don't."
Merks growled. "When this is over, I'm coming for you, Shepherd."
A slow smile spread across my face—friends in the past had described it as more of a baring of the teeth—and I leaned forward, rising to the balls of my feet in readiness.
"Name the time and place, Chuckles."
