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"Crow’s a friggin’ goof," Barney said, scratching at the adhesive bandage that held the knife

Iron Mike considered for a h"

Just a ht, a pair of headlights cast the parking lot in whiteness Barney and Mike turned to see a station wagon pull into the lot and crunch across the gravel toward them Mike hesitated for a on rolled to a stop and the driver’s door opened Vic Wingate unfolded hi man, just over six feet tall and very muscular, with a military-​style blond crew cut and a Marine Corps jawline That jaas set as he walked over tohis voice to sound pleased to see the uess they told you what happened My bike’s in the--"

Vic hit hily hard blow Not a slap, but the full rock-​hardness of Vic’s fist It caught Mike in the stomach and seemed to smash back every bit of flesh between shirtfront and backbone All of the air whooshed out of Mike’s led cry of surprise; after that Mike had no breath even to screa he had ever felt Worse than the broken rib, worse than all the bruises froone off the road Worse than any pain froiven him It was the first time in his life Mike had ever been punched by an adult Before that it had been slaps, hard slaps with Vic’s hard hands, but just slaps The punch was so crushingly hard, and so unexpected, that Mike felt as if his entire body had shrunk down into a single twisted knot of white-​hot pain He lay on the gravel in a fetal position and tried to breathe

"Yo!forward Vic wheeled toward hier was like a steel dagger and it stopped Barney in his tracks

"You got so?"

Barney’s stood there, speechless, powerless, shocked, and scared beyond action He watched in horror as Vic jerked open the rear passenger door, then bent and caught Mike by the belt and the hair, hoisted hiround, and literally threw hiainst the opposite door

All the tier seat and looked down at the floor Barney tried to catch her eye, to make some kind of appeal, but she wouldn’t look at hih what Crow could do against a guy like Wingate he didn’t know

"Where’s his fucking bike?" Vic de on Barney

All Barney could do was point Vic stalked over and yanked it out of the back of Crow’s trunk He didn’t bother to close the hood He craon, slammed the rear door, and then stalked around to the driver’s side Over the top of the car he again leveled a finger at Barney "This is a family matter, do you understand me?"

Barney nodded

"Good, then keep your onna find sticking out of your chest Now get the fuck out of the road"

Barney retreated and watched inturn and left the lot in a spray of kicked-​back gravel