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Aida slipped over to them and gawked at the coin before she turned her wide-eyed attention to Ben. “You must be something else to be trading barons like they were pennies.”
The barkeep quickly pocketed the coin and smiled at Ben. “Whatever ya want, Aida and I will be glad to help. The name’s Sid, by the way. I own the place, if ya haven’t already guessed.”
Ben leaned one arm on the bar and inclined his head to the proprietor. “A pleasure to meet you, Sid, and if I may be forthcoming, I’d like to ask you a favor.”
Sid lifted an eyebrow. “That depends on what it is.”
Ben nodded at the table recently vacated by the pair. “As the proprietor, I’m sure you overheard your customers and their conversation.”
Sid bobbed his head. “I did. What of it?”
“I was curious where the Gebur farm is located.”
Sid shrugged and resumed his glass cleaning. “Oh, is that all? You go through town and take the north fork for about a mile and it’s the one on the right. There’s a great big oak tree out front. You can’t miss it.”
Ben smiled and pushed off the bar. “Thanks. You’ve been a great help.”
Ben returned to the table and resumed his seat. I leaned toward him and lowered my voice so the proprietor wouldn’t also overhear our conversation. “I’m guessing we’re going for a scenic drive northward.”
Ben clasped his hands together on the table and nodded. “I’d like to know what had Dugal so interested that he frequented this place long enough to run up that high a tab.”
I snorted. “Just hope this is the only place he’s staked out or that purse will be drained by the end of the day.”
“Food’s up!” Aida shouted as she swept out of the kitchen with two hot platters in her hand. She set one down in front of each of us and stepped back where she folded her arms over her chest. “Eat up!”
A fresh aroma rose from the thick, heavy slice of pie. Chunks of meat and vegetables tumbled out, all swimming in a pool of thick gravy and crumbling crust. Though breakfast hadn’t been that long ago, I picked up my fork and dug in.
Ben, too, took a large bite and grinned. He swallowed the mouthful and nodded. “Give our compliments to the chef. He cooks his pies to perfection.”
Aida smiled and nodded. “I’ll tell him just that. Enjoy.”
She scooted away to attend to other chores. We dug into the meal, but our joy was interrupted by the arrival of three incredibly burly men. They wore v-neck and short-sleeved shirts that showed off their hairy and muscled chests and arms. Their pants were worn at the bottom hems and they walked with a strange sort of stumble, as though the shoes didn’t quite fit.
They swaggered over to the bar where the barkeep set down the glass he was cleaning and glared at them. “I told you not to come in here again.”
One of the men, the burliest among them, draped his arm over the bar and grinned at the proprietor. “We only want a drink.”
“And to make trouble,” the barkeep snapped back as he stabbed a finger at the door. “Now get out.”
The leader shrugged and pushed off from the bar. “Suit yourself, but we’ll be back. I can promise you that.”
The trio sauntered toward the door, but one of the men caught sight of me. His eyes lit up with a gleam I didn’t like and he veered off course toward our table. “Hello there, pretty girl. What’s your-”
His ‘wooing’ was cut short when Ben stood and stepped between us. Ben may not have been as broad-chested, but he was taller and his build was better put together. The man hesitated before a crooked grin slipped onto his lips.
He took a step back and held up his hands. “Easy there. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Ben didn’t so much as blink as he stared down the man. “Prove it by leaving.”
The man shrugged and followed his companions to the door, though with a quicker step than before. The leader glared at Ben before they slipped out into the street. Ben resumed his seat, though with a fouler mood hovering over his head and his attention on the entrance.
I leaned toward Ben. “What was that about?”
His narrowed eyes didn’t leave the door. “Werewolves.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Those guys?” I thought about it for a second and my face drooped. “I guess that makes sense. They did act like animals.”
Ben turned away from the door, though he kept one eye on the entrance. “We had better finish our meal.”
