“Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me yet.You don’t know what I ordered.”
Reese was laughing when Z and RT walked up to the table.
“Hey, man,” Brantley greeted.“It’s good to see you again.”
“Feels like it was just yesterday,” RT joked.“Or maybe that was today.It’s all crowding together at this point.”
Reese knew exactly what he meant.
“Z just told me y’all invited us to stay in town for an extra day or two.”
“We did.”Brantley nodded.“Got some things to talk about.Thought you should be here to hear it.Y’all wanna join us.”
Z looked at RT, who nodded.
Brantley raised a hand, signaling their server.“You think we could take that table too?Maybe move ’em together.”
“Of course.”
When she started to lean forward to do it herself, Brantley and Archer took over.RT, Z, and Simon stepped back, waiting until they’d rearranged the chairs to accommodate.
“Let me introduce you,” Reese said, gesturing as he spoke.“RT, Z, this is Simon Jennings and Archer Halligan.Simon, Archer, this is my brother, Zachariah Tavoularis.”
Simon and Archer stood to shake hands.
“Call me that, and you’re fired,” Z stated, only partially joking.
Reese continued, “And this is Ryan Trexler.RT owns Sniper 1 Security.”
RT snorted.“I’moneof many owners.This guy just likes to give me shit.”
Reese smirked.It was true.“He’s my brother-in-law.I’m allowed.”
“Nice to meet you,” RT told Simon as they all took their seats.“I’m a fan of the podcast.”
“Thanks.”Simon gestured to Z, then Reese, then Brantley.“Is it in the water down here?”
“The asshole thing?”Z quipped, causing everyone to laugh.
“I was referrin’ to how big y’all seem to grow ’em down here.”
“Since you brought the biggest one to town, maybe we should ask you that question,” Brantley told him, grinning at Archer.
Reese listened but didn’t contribute much.He was still kicking himself for not talking to Brantley about the information they’d uncovered.The conversation continued with random topics—weather, Formula 1, Dallas Cowboys—until the server delivered more drinks and their food.
Once they had everything situated, Brantley explained Holt’s theory to RT and Z.Reese watched their expressions, namely his brother’s.Neither seemed surprised by the news, which made Reese wonder whether they knew something he didn’t.It would make sense that they did, considering Z had sent them on a wild goose chase in New York a few weeks ago.
“And you’re gonna do a podcast on it?”RT prompted.
“I am,” Simon confirmed.
“You have information that might tie it together?”
Reese noticed his brother wasn’t contributing.In fact, the man looked as though he was willing the floor to open up and swallow him.
Not for the first time, Reese wanted to blast Z with questions.All of them pertaining to the case they’d taken in New York.The one that involved finding Decker Bromwell, although Reese was pretty damn certain Deck hadn’t been lost.
