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“Stop!” she squeals “Thethe police”

“No need,” Alex says cal We’re all just leaving”

Brad and his friends leave, o Brad looks back at us over his shoulder and I see the rage and huht not be the end of it We head off in the other direction, back to the house Alex is quiet, his face set and hard and I walk next to him quietly

“I’m sorry,” he says suddenly “I wanted to take you for a nice brunch, instead I got us kicked out”

“It’s hardly your fault,” I protest, wondering why he’s beating hiet the impression that he’s disappointed with himself

“I thought he was going to hurt you”

“Yeah, me too,” I say and show him my are again

“The bastard”

“You scared hi…you protected me”

He nods but doesn’t reply and alk back in silence He see and I don’t want to pry

Inside, he sits at the kitchen table and puts his head in his hands I watch him for a moment then pull up a chair next to him and sit down

“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask He sighs and looks up

“It’sI wouldn’t have to…it’s in the past and I’ ago”

My jaw drops He’s a cri to know at all Has he committed some kind of fraud at work?

“Okay,” I say slowly “For what?”

“Violence,” he says “I’ out of trouble If that had happened a few o I would be hauled off by now”