Before she could answer a commotion broke out as one of the customers started to get handsy and rude with the barmaid.
Vera stood up and he placed an arm on her shoulder in warning. "We shouldn't get directly involved," he said thinking they could call the kitchen staff for help as the bartender seemed to be absent. She nodded then her hand disappeared into a pocket and flung out with too much speed for him to stop from across the table.
His head spun to see where the blade landed and his search was helped by the scream of the man who had pined the barmaid to the wall. The knife was embedded into the wall between the man's thumb and forefinger. The man quickly drew back his hand to cover the side of his face. Blood belatedly began to flow through the man's fingers, a slice across the side of the man's face likely threw the man's ear as it was hidden under the man's hand.
