Part I here

Alice felt like a shy teenager when Adam had looked at her and amid blustered blushes she suddenly found something of pressing interest in the barber shop window. That was until she realised what she was doing and turned back.

The two men were no longer looking at her and were crossing the street to the diner like extras from Reservoir Dogs. They probably have rotten teeth and hunt ‘coons for a hobby, she thought wistfully, as if the running them down might make them more obtainable. Then she remembered who they were. Damn, I have to quit acting like this.

A woman was looking at her with a look of irritated puzzlement on her face. Alice realised that she was obvious enough without lollygagging on street corners and looking into men’s barbers.

“Oh ma’am,” Alice said smoothly as she touched her hair, “Do you know where I might get a coffee?”

The woman relaxed as if the request restored normality. “The barber hands out coffee to the menfolk sometimes, but you would get a better cup at Red’s across the way,” she said and pointed to the diner.

Alice smiled and nodded with her thanks and as nonchalantly as she could, she strolled across the road to where she had seen the two Stone brothers heading.

I just need a coffee and I have legitimate business with their father, what could be more natural than that? Alice rehearsed her motives in her head, all the time unaccountable butterflies danced in her tummy.

*

Stacy Dane made no show of noticing, but she watched the two men enter the diner like a hawk. She had been in town over a month now and had realised right away that playing it cool was the way to go. Once people got used to her hanging around they began to relax and Stacy got to learn more.

The stone brothers were sex on legs, and what legs, she inwardly whistled. Nevertheless, apart from that there was nothing at all unusual about them. She watched as they took a seat in the window, noting that Nancy almost broke off from refilling a customer in her eagerness to attend to them. Was it fear or deference? Stacy pondered. Perhaps she just fancied her chances?

The two men ordered black coffee, declining the offer of pie and a Danish, Stacy noted. Looking at their physique, there was nothing unusual about that either. Not for the first time she wondered if she were crazy and if the rumours could be remotely true.

As she mulled this over she made doodles of crosses and coffins in the margins of her newspaper, extending one with a shadow to form an outline of a man. Then realising it was way too close for comfort, she scribbled over it and changed the pattern into a cobweb.

The woman who followed the Stone brothers in was a stranger and it didn’t take Hawkeye to know that she was totally focussed on the same quarry. She was tall and smartly dressed with a green business skirt-suit that suggested money. The hair was a little uptight, devoid of split ends and a healthy red-brown; it was immaculately poised on her head like a helmet as if she were dressed for battle. She had a nice ass too, Stacy noted, money and looks, she thought bitterly.

Stacy watched as the woman picked an empty central booth directly across from brothers while she so obviously ignored them.

“With you in a moment ma’am,” Nancy said without looking.

Alice acknowledged the waitress with a nod and pretended to peruse the laminated menu on the table. She couldn’t help notice that a handful of diners were more interested in the Stone men rather than a stranger. Not getting noticed was something she wasn’t used to, not even in the city. It wasn’t just the women either; most of the men were casting uneasy glances at the brothers.

The only exception was a young woman sitting in the corner who was engrossed in her newspaper. Beneath the eyeglasses and an ill-fitting grey beret she appeared quite pretty. Although it was obvious to Alice that non-descript dark blonde hair was not used to being pampered and the large blue sweater and jeans had both been patched.

Alice and Stacy weren’t the only ones people-watching. John had perked up the minute the lawyer had walked in the room and if it hadn’t been for his brother he might have shown an interest. Who was she, he thought, as he surreptitiously looked her over? His instincts were good and he was pretty sure that the woman was sizing them up too, just like the other newcomer in town who always took a corner seat. Only she was much less obvious.

“Is that grungy girl in the corner still checking us out?” Adam said once Nancy had gone to get their order.

His brother’s instincts were better than his when it came to outsider folk, but any strangers were always a potential threat.

“Oh yeah,” John drawled without looking at her. “So is the new girl.”

“Any fool could see that,” Adam snorted, “She doesn’t worry me, she is way too obvious.”

“A looker though,” John said with a smirk. That was an understatement, he thought, amazed that his brother wasn’t more interested himself.

“Not bad for a spoiled city girl I suppose,” Adam shrugged. “It is the other one that worries me.”

John refrained from risking a glance, but his senses told him his brother might be right. The train of thought was interrupted by the redhead in the smart clothes.

“Did I hear someone say that you are Garrick Stone’s sons?” Alice said pleasantly, her lips formed a light pout before showed the two men a measure of her perfect teeth.

“I have no idea what you heard someone say,” Adam said sharply without even looking at her.

John gave his brother a look of irritation and then slipped into a boyish smile, “It is a small town,” he said as he turned to take a closer look at the woman, “How is it you know our father?”

“Oh I don’t,” Alice said smoothly and smiled back. “I am from out of town, but I have business with… sorry, actually I have to be discreet, but it involves your father,” but showered most of her attention on John.

“The old devil,” John joshed her, “And what business is that?” He moved up a seat so that he sat next to the aisle closer to Alice. “I’m John Stone by the way,” he added, offering his hand.

Alice took it, but her attention remained on Adam. “Alice… Alice Eden,” she purred.

Adam shot her a sideways glare. “We aren’t buying and we are not selling,” he growled.

“My brother is Adam, ignore him, he isn’t used to beautiful women,” John said quickly.

Alice made a professional laugh and reluctantly gave John her attention.

“I don’t think Ms Eden is so easily flattered,” Adam grunted.

“No, but I appreciate good manners,” Alice snapped back and forced a warm smile in John’s direction.

“Hey, why don’t I show you the town?” John said brightly.

“She can look out of the window can’t she?” Adam muttered.

“What about a drink later down at the Shack?” John pressed her, now ignoring his brother.

“Maybe… after I meet your father,” Alice said carefully.

“Lady, I told you we are not buying what you’re selling so move on,” Adam’s voice was hard with menace now and despite his rudeness Alice felt an odd pang in her belly. Always the bad boys with you isn’t it, she chided herself?

John made another attempt to interject, but his marginally older brother silenced him with a hand.

“Look, I only want…” Alice began.

“Tell me Ms Eden,” Adam cut her off, his reluctant attention had swivelled itself on to her now and she felt uneasy. “Has any one ever turned your precious pretty tail across their knee and spanked your spoiled little bottom for you?”

There was some laughter in the room, but Alice could only gape at the man as her jaw hit the floor.

“Ma’am,” Nancy had come back with a tray of coffee for the men, but she had moved between the Stone’s and her newest customer now. “Maybe you had better sit over in back?”

“Hey, she’s cool,” John protested.

A red-faced Alice was still bristling and ready to give as good as she got.

“I mean ma’am, in this town there ain’t no one who’s gonna see nothing or say nothing where Mr Stone is concerned…” Nancy said as she made eye contact.

“Fine,” Alice angrily snapped and snatching up her purse moved away.

“Why did you have to go and do that?” John hissed.

“It is full moon in less than a week and now we have two strangers in town,” his brother replied. It was answer enough and they both knew it.

To be continued…