Patch blinked and lowered the rifle a few inches.
McGuire reappeared in the doorway. “Friend or problem?”
Patch exhaled, tension bleeding from his shoulders. “Neither. It’s just Rodney.”
McGuire stepped outside fully now, gun lowered. “Seriously?”
Patch rose from his crouch and stepped onto the dock as the boat drifted in closer. “Rodney, what the hell are you doing creeping around in the dark like that?”
The old man cut the engine and coasted the rest of the way in. He wore a battered fishing hat and overalls that looked older than the boat. His beard was thick, white, and tangled like river moss. “Didn’t mean to spook you boys,” Rodney said with a grin that showed two good teeth and a world of attitude. “Figured I’d drop off a sack of crawfish since I saw you make camp a little bit ago. Didn’t think you’d be jumpier than a cat in a gator pit.”
Patch set his rifle aside with a quiet sigh. “Appreciate it, but next time, maybe honk or yell before you float in like a damn ghost.”
Rodney chuckled, pulling a burlap sack from the bottom of his boat and tossing it toward the dock. “Fair enough. Y’all keeping quiet up here, and I haven’t seen you spend much time in this old place in a while.”
“Been busy with work,” Patch said. “Have you seen anything out of the ordinary around these parts lately? People who don’t belong? Or just something that got your hackles up?”
“That’s an odd question.” Rodney waved them off and turned the boat with a practiced hand. “But yeah. I saw two fellas earlier today, up by Miller's Bend. Out-of-towners by the look of 'em. Had a flat-bottom boat but didn’t handle it like they knew what the hell they were doing. Kept drifting too close to the tree line, like they were more interested in the shore than the water. Got too close to a gator hiding in the tall grass. Scared the hell out of those boys. I haven’t laughed so hard in a long while. It was funnier than watching Patch wrestle his first alligator… which was all of four feet long. My grandbaby could’ve done that in her sleep.”
Patch narrowed his eyes, ignoring the jab. He’d heard it a million times. “You get a look at those strangers?”
Rodney shrugged. “Ball caps, dark clothes, didn’t wave back. Saw a tarp covering something, but don’t know what. Just didn’t sit right with me. Of course, I don’t like strangers, but these men didn’t fit in the bayou. Not one bit.”
McGuire shot Patch a look.
“Appreciate the heads-up,” Patch said, jaw tightening.
“Well, don’t let me interrupt whatever you two boys are doing tonight.” Rodney nodded.
Patch watched the boat disappear into the mist again, the hum fading into the buzz of crickets.
He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
McGuire stepped back onto the porch, half smiling. “Rodney’s one interesting fella.”
Patch shook his head. “That man’s going to get himself shot one of these days.”
“Not by you.”
Patch’s gaze lingered on the river. “No. But one of these days he’s gonna sneak up on the wrong man.”
“Speaking of wrong men, what do you make of what he said?” McGuire asked.
“I’m thinking whoever ransacked my place, came upriver looking for me and Savvy.” Patch rolled his neck. “That means they’ll come back down the river eventually.” He turned toward McGuire. “I guess you and Riven will be houseguests for the night.”
“That cabin has a couch and a bed.” McGuire sighed.
“Well, you and I ain’t sleeping inside.”
“I didn’t think so.” McGuire picked up his beer and downed it. “So, the girls get to snuggle inside, and we’re stuck out leaning up against trees, hoping a gator or a snake bigger than us doesn’t eat us for breakfast.”
“Sounds like the good old days.”
CHAPTER 9
Savvy tappedher toe on the wooden floor, waiting for the water to boil. Instant coffee tasted like tar and smelled of wet paper mixed with soy sauce. But she didn’t give a rat’s ass. She needed caffeine after a night on a horrible, tiny bed, shared with Riven. While the company was decent, and the conversation was excellent, Savvy’s back revolted. She was getting too old for this shit.
Not that being in her mid-thirties was old, but it was old enough.
