Deep Waters

Everyone was saying this morning that Winters could take care of himself."
    "Yeah, well, it looks like he needs a little help this time," Ted huffed. "That's why I went and got you. Personally, I'm not the physical type and neither are you. Figured it was going to take both of us to stop this dude."
    "Hey, what's happenin'?" Newlin called from the far end of the shop.
    "Stop him." Charity's voice rang out through the cavernous old wharf building. It carried the authority of a woman who had once commanded a CEO suite. "Stop that man. He's trying to kill Elias. Somebody do something. Call Chief Tybern."
    Bemused, Elias listened to the sounds of approaching rescue. The voices and footsteps had a surreal quality, not unlike the blood on his fingers. He thought about telling everyone to go away so that Justin Keyworth could finish beating him to a pulp, but somehow he didn't think Charity would allow him that option.
    "Get away from him," Charity shouted. "I'll have you arrested." She had almost reached the counter. "Back off," Yappy growled. Ted's breathing was labored. "You heard him, back off, whoever you are."
    Justin seemed to finally become aware of the fact that he and Elias were no longer alone in the shop. He swung around to face the first rescuers as they reached the counter.
    Elias looked up at the faces gathered around the cash register. Newlin, Yappy, and Ted confronted Justin with belligerent expressions. Justin glowered at them with the nothing-to-lose air of a wild animal brought to bay. He looked prepared to take on all three.
    Elias roused himself from the waking dream. It was time to get control of the situation before someone besides himself got hurt.
    "It's okay." He propped himself up against the counter. "It's over. Keyworth was just about to leave, weren't you, Keyworth?"
    Justin said nothing. He stood, tense and grim, as if he expected to be brought down and ripped apart by the newcomers.
    "Elias." Charity rounded the end of the counter. She ignored Justin to fall to her knees. Her fingers fluttered anxiously over Elias. "You're bleeding. Where else are you hurt?"
    "It's all right, Charity." Elias watched Keyworth. "Like I said, it's over. Isn't that right, Keyworth?"
    Justin jerked his gaze from the group facing him and looked down at Elias. "No, it's not over. Not by a long shot. But I'll finish it some other time." He started toward the door.
    Yappy, Newlin, and Ted blocked his path. Justin halted.
    "Let him go," Elias said quietly.
    The three hesitated briefly and then reluctantly stepped aside. There was strained silence until the front door closed behind Justin Keyworth.
    Charity looked at Yappy, Newlin, and Ted with deep gratitude in her eyes. "I can't thank you enough for saving him. It was very brave of you."
    Elias watched as all three men blushed furiously and looked ridiculously pleased with themselves. There was nothing quite as satisfying as a woman's admiration of one's manly prowess, he thought wryly. He had a fleeting regret that he had not given a better account of himself.
    Would he have acted to change the outcome of the fight if he had known Charity would be a witness? he wondered. Maybe. Then, again, maybe not. It was hard to decide because everything about the scene still felt unreal. It was as if he were walking on the bottom of the sea. Everything moved in slow motion.
    "We didn't do much," Ted said modestly.
    "Nonsense." Charity plucked a tissue from a box on a shelf beneath the counter and carefully dabbed at the blood that was trickling down Elias's chin. "You drove that man off before he could do any more damage. I'm sure Elias will want to thank you as soon as I've got him cleaned up. Isn't that right, Elias?"
    Elias had to work to think of a response. "I'll buy 'em all a beer tonight after we close."
    The three rescuers exchanged glances, and then they looked down at Elias.
    "Want one of us to call Tybern and report that guy?" Ted asked.
    "No. This was personal. But thanks for the help."
    Yappy leaned over the counter to peer at him. "Word is, you didn't need any help last night."
    Elias looked at Charity. "This was different."
    "Uh-huh." She took him by the hand. "Come with me."
    He followed her obediently out the door and down the pier to the small public rest rooms in the center. She pushed open a door and led him inside the door marked ladies.
    He glanced around the confines of the small, functional room as Charity turned on the faucet over the sink. It occurred