Page 43 of Dark Side of the Cloth (The Righteous 1)
“Like I said, I think that whatever you’re doing is good for this town. The thing is the boy that robbed me and stabbed me, I know him, and he’s not a bad egg. He is one of my regulars at the soup kitchen and doesn’t have a good life.” She held up her hand to stop his mounting protest. “I know that doesn’t give him the right to do what he did, but he needs a chance to get his life straightened out. I’ve seen the good in him, and he doesn’t deserve to meet the kind of end I fear you’d deliver for doing this to me.”
Dean sat quietly and took in what Mabel was asking.
“Alright, if I am who you say I am and if I happen to locate him, I won’t do what you think I will, but only because you asked.”
Mabel giggled and then held her side as she winced in pain. “Don’t make me laugh. That hurts.”
“I really should wake up Yasmine now,” Dean said.
“Just hold your hot-blooded horses one more second. That girl right there, she is a precious gem, rarest as they come. The poor thing has not had a good ride so far on this train of life, and she certainly hasn’t deserved it. If you’re going to drag her into whatever it is you have going on, just be sure it’s going to be because you plan on sticking around.”
Mabel poked him in the arm with her other hand.
“It’s obvious to see how much you two care for one another. Yasmine has tried to hide it from me, but these old eyes don’t miss a thing.”
“I see that.”
Mabel poked him again. “Consider this a warning. Don’t break her heart, or my wooden spoon is going to find a dark place to be stuck.”
He laughed hard, the visual strong in his mind, and he had no doubt that Mabel would give it the good old college try. When he first got to town, he would’ve killed Mabel for her confession just now, but that was before he met Yasmine and got to know Mabel. His secret was in her hands, and he was shocked that he felt okay with that.
“Mabel?” Yasmine rubbed her eyes and, when she saw that the older woman was awake, she leapt like a gazelle from the seat to grip Mabel in a hug.
“Geez, girl, are you trying to snuff the life out of me?” Mabel said but gripped Yasmine tight.
“I have a few things to take care of, but then I will be back,” Dean said. “Yasmine, would you like me to bring you anything from your house?”
“There will be no need for that. You are not staying here overnight. I will not have it!”
“Don’t you get all saucy with me. If I want to stay here and pamper you, then I’m darn well going to do it,” Yasmine placed her hands on her waist as the two women squared off.
“Fine! Stay if you want to be stubborn. It just means you’ll have to endure my snoring,” Mabel said.
“How about this?” Dean started. “You text me what you need if you decide to stay. Either way, I will be back later.”
“Thanks, Dea—Father O’Sullivan.” Yasmine blushed, the pink spreading across her cheeks as she looked up at him from under her thick lashes.
It was the single prettiest thing he’d ever witnessed.
Dean slipped out of the door, leaving the two women while he went on the hunt. Mabel had asked him not to kill this kid, Jeremy, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t teach him a valuable life lesson.
