“I know this face,” the man said. He was hovering behind Ted. “But not the hair. You are a pretty girl. With red hair, you would look like a model.” The air of menace oozed off the man, though his voice was gentle. The accent was British, but beneath lay a rougher, more guttural sound. He stepped forward into Ted’s field of vision. “You, I don’t know.”

Kenzie was frozen. Angry but frozen.

Ted stood slowly. “In my country it’s considered rude to chat up a man’s date without introducing yourself first.”

For what felt like minutes, the man examined Ted with flat black eyes. There was no feeling behind them, only cold depth. The man smiled with half his mouth. The smile was scarier than the stare. He tipped his head. “It is the same in my country. Good night.” He turned to leave.

Kenzie unfroze. “I don’t know you. Should I?” Her voice cut through the hubbub of dinner conversation at the nearby tables. A few diners shot her quick glances but looked away again when they read the ugly man’s angry face.

“You don’t know me?” He took a step toward them, daring one or the other to take the challenge. “You know nothing,” he sneered.

Ted held up both hands in a placating gesture, but he did not retreat. “Can we take it down a notch? You’re out of line.”

But Kenzie pushed past him. “I may not know you, but I know who you are. Trust me, I will see that the world knows who’s bribing politicians, pushing us aside, and destroying our communities. I’ll make you famous. If you aren’t afraid of me, you’re a fool. I’m coming for you.” She finished with an index finger point to his chest.

Ted always thought this was a bad move. A crazy person might grab the finger and do nasty things to it.

This guy ignored it and leaned in, using his height and bulk to intimidate. He was back in control and spoke softly, kindly, almost apologetically. “A man should choose his battles carefully. Life is both precious and fragile.” He walked away calmly but stopped at the entrance to the dining room and looked back at them. He took out a cell phone and spoke for a moment. Ted met his eyes across the long room but couldn’t read anything in them. Finally, the man left. The hottie followed like the pilot fish keeping up with the shark.

“Are you okay?” Ted asked.

“Well, I’d like my steak,” Kenzie said, attempting a laugh that failed to rise above a cough. She dropped into her seat and looked around for the waiter with a forced air of distraction.

“He didn’t scare you?”