Silver Linings

telling you, I was getting a little nervous. Artists are usually somewhat eccentric, but I've never had anything like this happen before when I've approached one.”
    Hugh wrapped a hand around the nape of her neck and hauled her toward the door. “I suppose you started this?”
    Mattie was outraged. “Me? What a nasty thing to say. I had nothing to do with this stupid brawl. I was just trying to conduct a little business.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “Yep. She started it all right, Abbott,” Bernard the bartender announced. “Walked right in and sat right down at Silk's table. Silk being Silk, you know what happened next. And we both know Miles is going to expect someone to pay for it.”
    “Send the bill to Silk,” Hugh suggested.
    “Can't do that. He'll try to pay for it with another painting. We already got enough of his pictures stashed away in the back room. Don't need another one.”
    “All right, all right. Bill me for whatever you can't get out of the Navy.”
    “You got it.” The bartender went back to polishing glasses as the bar fight raged across the floor of the Hellfire.
    “Now, hold on just one hot minute,” Mattie said. “You shouldn't pay for any of the damage being done in here. It's not your fault, Hugh.”
    “We all know whose fault it is.” Hugh yanked her toward the door. “But don't worry. I intend to get reimbursed. I'll just take it out of your soft little hide.”
    “Don't you dare talk like that,” Mattie retorted indignantly. “I am a totally innocent victim.”
    Before Hugh could respond to that statement, a familiar voice boomed out across the sounds of thudding fists and flying chairs.
    “Now, just a dadblamed minute, Abbott. What d'ya think you're doing? You can't go running off with that little gal. I already got dibs on her. You just leave her be. I'll be through here right quick.”
    Hugh halted and turned around to confront Silk, who had emerged from the center of the brawl to reclaim his departing victim.
    “Sorry, Silk. A slight misunderstanding here. Mattie belongs to me. Brought her with me from Purgatory.”
    Silk's eyes widened in outrage as he glared at Mattie. “The hell you say.”
    “Afraid so. Now, if you'll excuse us, we're out of here.”
    “Now, see here, this just ain't fair, Abbott.”
    “I know, Silk, but that's the way it goes. Finders keepers.”
    Mattie was incensed. “Will you two kindly stop discussing me as if I were a side of beef?” A glass whizzed past her head and she ducked instinctively. A split second later it shattered against the wall behind her.
    Silk's massive hand closed around Mattie's free wrist. “Don't you worry none, Mattie Sharpe. I'll be glad to teach Abbott here some manners. He gets kinda uppity at times.”
    “Oh, my God,” Mattie said.
    “Let her go, Silk. You've got business to attend to.” Hugh sidestepped a chair as it went skidding past his booted foot.
    “But the whole point of this here business is so me and Mattie Sharpe can go screw…umph.”
    Silk lost his balance and toppled to the floor like a felled oak as Hugh did something very fast and very efficient with his foot and one hand.
    “I said, let her go, Silk.” Hugh spoke with surprising gentleness. “You know I always mean what I say.”
    Silk propped himself up on his elbows and eyed Mattie through slitted eyes. “You said you brought her with you from Purgatory?”
    “Yeah. I'm going to marry her as soon as I can get things arranged.”
    Silk looked up at him in open astonishment. “No fooling? Hey, can I come to the party? I haven't been to a real live wedding party in years.”
    Mattie sighed.
    “Sure,” Hugh said easily. “You can come to the party.”
    Silk staggered to his feet, dusted himself off, and gave Mattie a huge grin. “Don't you worry none, Mattie Sharpe. I'll make sure it's a real wingding of a party. It'll be a party to remember, that's for sure. We'll invite the whole damn island.”
    He turned and waded back into the fray.
    “Let's just hope he doesn't do any damage to his hands,” Mattie said as Hugh hauled her out the door and into the street.
    “Damn it to hell.” Hugh shoved her into the passenger seat of the Jeep and got in beside her. “Is that all you can think about?”
    “Talent is where you find it. I'd hate to see his artistic career ruined because his hands got injured in a barroom brawl.”
    “Silk hasn't got an artistic career. He works for me when he works at all, and the rest of the time he