There's a storm moving in but there are still several hours before you'll have to unmoor and ride things out at sea. As soon as you enter your regular watering hole, 'The Beacon,' you're greeted by the barkeep.
You've known Finn just about a decade, ever since you retired and moved to the gulf coast. Which is why he doesn't even have to ask...you sit, he slides you a generous pour of your favorite bourbon then gets to making your bacon cheeseburgers--always cheddar with just fried onions & pickles on a toasted bun.
It's a ghost town since the locals are mostly busy with their boats. The last place you want to be is lashed to a pier when the wind & waves come calling.
A young couple at a nearby table catches your attention...definitely not lovebirds, she won't barely raise her head up to look at him. You study his face and instantly recognize 'contempt' is his most prominent feature.
You: "What's up with them?"
Finn: "Not sure exactly. Though Connie says they rented out one of her rooms beginning of the week, supposedly they are scouting out honeymoon destinations but all they seem to do is fight. She told me she came pretty close to calling the cops the other night."
If 30 years on the force has taught you anything, it's how to read people. Her body language is definitely defensive in nature... then she tilts her face and a beam of light from overhead hits her just right...and you see a bad bruise that's being concealed with make-up.
You and your wife were never blessed with kids...still you know this girl's parents would want you to intervene right now.
You: "I should pop over...welcome them and what not."
You don't wait for a reply, just carry your glass over to their table and sit down. She about jumps out of her skin; he just eyes you trying to get a bead.
You: (acting more than just a tad drunk) "I hear congratulations are in order... Captain Drake at your service."
You ask where they are from...he answers for the both of them, 'New York' and you know there's an unsaid 'what's it to you, mister?' cuz this guy's lips are curled, he's clearly not enthused by your interruption.
You to him: "Let's start with the bachelor party; I'd be happy to take you and your lads out deep-sea fishing."
You to her: "Or, maybe you girls want to go on a nice sightseeing excursion. Then, of course, your honeymoon...you'll want to spend a night out on my deck under the stars--so romantic."
She is definitely fidgeting with her hands. You can't exactly focus on her lap though...still you're relatively sure you know what you saw.
Him: "Okay, well if you have a brochure or a website...then we'll be sure to check it out."
You know he's trying to give you the shake-off but luck is on your side because Lindi (named after the great American Aviator) is now on her way over to deliver your food.
You explain that this fine couple is to be married soon and couldn't Finn bring over a nice bottle? She gushes out a sincere congratulations but before she has time to leave...
You: "Oh, do let us see the ring..."
The bride-to-be is embarrassed at the attention, so doesn't actually bring her hand up from below the table. She does, however, look up into Lindi's face as she holds her palm up, tucks her thumb, then folds her fingers down to envelope her thumb.
Lindi: "That's a beautiful ring...wow!"
You reach over and give the waitress a playful swat on the butt then slur, "If I were a younger man, I wouldn't be able to resist a knockout like you."
Lindi laughs then says that the next time you slap her on the ass, you better be pulling her hair. Then she scurries off.
You: "Where are my manners?"
You cut one of your burgers in half then place on napkins, which you then slide in front of each of your tablemates.
You: "You can't go wrong with the seafood, but trust me when I say that that burger might be the best you've ever had."
Your ploy works, the guy actually can't resist. He takes a bite then another. She sits quietly.
Finn arrives carrying a bottle and 3 glasses.
Finn: "This is the best rotgut in the house! Just kidding, it's actually very smooth and quite mellow." (he fills the glasses a third of the way up)
You: "A toast to your pending nuptials...and may children soon bless your home and hearth." (yeah, you are winging it.)
They both actually raise their glasses so the three of you can clink them together, then you each take a sip. You're pleasantly surprised by the fact that there's no burn at all, it really is a well-made whiskey.
Then Finn takes his swing and the bottle strikes the young man on the back of his head. It doesn't shatter, but the sound produced is 'solid thwack' and the guy topples from his chair and lands ungracefully on the hardwood floor.
As she jumps up in shock, you are already reaching out and pulling her tightly to your chest. Words are useless at a time like this, so you just allow her torrent of emotions to spill out all over you.
Eventually, her crying ebbs...plus Lindi is now back helping to comfort her. You get her back into the chair. Finn is kneeling and checking for a pulse, he nods at you.
Her: "I can't believe...that you spotted my distress signal. Is he...dead?"
You: "No, just knocked out. I'm a former police detective. You're safe now...I promise. But you need to tell us what's going on."
She cries for a while...then gets up the courage to say...
Her: "It's hard to put into words...we just met at a party, then he asked me out. He was so sweet initially then he just turned aggressive and... and violent."
You reach up to touch the bruise on her face, she winces then explains that she had earned that the other night.
You: "Okay, how do you want to play this? I'm guessing the engagement is off?"
At that remark, she visibly recoils then pulls the ring from her finger and tosses it onto her plate.
Her: "He forced me to accept...said it belonged to his grandmother and that if I didn't wear it, he would take that as a personal attack. Since we got here...he's being telling everyone I'm his fiancé."
All of your experience tells you, there's something seriously wrong with this young man. Might not be his fault entirely...could be all the result of some childhood trauma or how his brain is wired.
You flash back to one of your arrests...you had testified in court then been cross-examined by an expert who had cast doubt on your assertions that the young man in question posed a very real danger to society.
He had gone free...might not have been your fault...but you still have occasional nightmares because it turned out you had been right all along.
