Cold Shadow (Cold Country #2)(47)

       
         
       
        

Drew nodded with a small smile toward the side of the building where Quinn and Natalie had emerged from the shadows to join the party. Quinn met both of their eyes with a sad smile and a thumbs up.

Nathan nodded to Quinn and went back to the game. "Okay, take it out."

Deputy Caswell, Randy or Caz as he was called, was one of the four other guys on Drew's team. As they played, it became apparent that for one, he didn't recognize Drew as the punk he'd arrested a couple of days back, and two, that he held a grudge for the suspension. He played dirty. His sole focus became getting in Nathan's face. His elbow shot out often, but just as often, Nathan avoided it.

For a big man, Nathan was incredibly light on his feet Drew had to admit after watching him break for a lay-up while Drew was busy trying to catch his breath midcourt. Fifty to forty-two. Damn. Nathan spun as he landed, the triumph at the win faded from his eyes as his head snapped back. Blood spewing from his nose, he staggered and went down.

Drew saw two things at once, Caz's elbow connecting with Nathan's face and Quinn Anders coming off the hood of his sports car. Shit! Not good.

"Quinn, see to Nathan!" he shouted, drawing the singer's attention. Quinn's eyes cut from Caz to where Nathan lay on the court trying to shake off the stars he was seeing.

Once Quinn's attention was diverted, Drew caught up with Caz. Grabbing him by the collar of his sweat-soaked t-shirt, he pushed him into the side of the nearest solid surface, one of the department SUVs. "Hey there, Deputy Dawg, remember me?"

"What the hell? Get your fucking hands off me, perv." Caswell sneered but when Marcus added his weight to Drew's, real fear formed in his eyes. "What the fuck is this?"

"What? Do you think we're blind? You gunned for him the whole game. Did you think that final elbow to the face would go unnoticed?" This from Marcus.

Drew looked over to find one of the investigators on his other side-Castle, that was his name. "What the hell is your problem, Caswell? First you piss him off by hassling that punk. Then you spread rumors about him. Now you break his fucking nose. Shit, man, once he gets his head on straight, he's going to tear you a new one."

"I wouldn't worry about Nathan kicking your ass." Drew sneered into his face when he tried to struggle free. "You'd better be glad I diverted Quinn."

"Shit, what the hell is that fairy going to do, sing me to death? And Nathan had it coming. I ought to file sexual harassment charges against his queer ass. And you, another faggot just like them." His gaze bore into Drew's. "Is that it, feeb? You are all up in Nathan's business. Is he your fuck buddy? I bet he is." 

Drew lifted him off the ground, not as high as Nathan had but enough to get the man's attention. He let his accent slip into his voice as he spoke. "First it was spic, now it's faggot. Man, I think you need to pick one slur and stick to it." Drew smiled as recognition formed in the man's eyes. "Yeah, that was me you slammed against the hood of your car. Why do you think it pissed Nathan off? What was it you were spreading around town?"

"That Nathan was hitting on him and suspended him because Caz here turned him down," Marcus said, laughing under his breath. "Stupid shit, all he has to do is look over there to know Nathan doesn't even know he exists."

Drew turned to see what Marcus was nodding to. Nathan's head lay in Quinn's lap, his hand holding Quinn's as he wiped the blood away. Drew turned Caz's face in their direction. "You see that, Deputy Dawg? Nathan isn't the slightest bit interested in your skinny ass. And you had better be fucking glad I stopped Quinn Anders from tearing your ass apart. If I were you, I'd make sure those rumors about him come to an end, or I'll sic Quinn on you."

"Yeah, and I'm supposed to be afraid of a goddamned-"

"Quinn took down Brody Harper while he was holding a knife on Nathan. His daddy was the best sheriff this county has ever had. I wouldn't discount him because he knows how to play guitar."

"Shit," Marcus said, looking to where Quinn and Nathan were laughing. Drew followed his gaze in time to meet Quinn's. The cold gleam in his blue eyes fried Caz to the spot, doing more to convince the man to let it go than anything Drew had said.

"Yeah," Castle agreed. "Caz, you're a messed-up fuck. Get your act together, man, before Nathan has you fired. We do not tolerate bigots in this department. If you can't get that straight, you transfer out."

"What the hell is going on out here, Agent Walker?" Drew dropped Caz and smoothed his shirt as Morgan came out the back door looking pissed. "Explain yourself."