“You forget, one of them’s Ty.”
Bo snorted. “I don’t mention this because he might die of embarrassment, but I think part of the reason you two don’t get along is that he’s so much like you.”
“Like me?” Lucky whipped his head around. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“You’re too close to the situation, or you would’ve noticed. Charlotte pointed out similarities, and I’ve got to admit, the longer I know him, the more I agree.”
What? Wait until he talked to his sister. “Bullshit. We’re not a bit alike.”
“You’re both stubborn beyond belief, and you probably haven’t noticed, but he’s starting to mimic your habits, how you walk, how you talk. You know what they say.” He faced Lucky long enough to wink. “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”
“He hates me.”
“No, he’s confused.” Bo reached over and patted Lucky’s knee. “He misses friends and his old school, especially since he enrolled here too late to make the soccer team. He’ll adapt in no time.”
Shit. Lucky had forgotten Ty played soccer for his former school. Another thing his nephew had to give up. Yeah, he had the right to be put out. “How do you know he’ll adapt?”
“C’mon, don’t you remember what it was like to be sixteen? Thinking you were grown when everyone else thought you were a kid. It’s a hard time.”
“I wasn’t that insufferable.” Actually, Lucky had been worse, but Bo didn’t need to know.
Bo snorted and took the exit ramp. “Bet you were. Anyway, his older brother is about to leave for college, his mother is going back to school, and his whole life is in turmoil. I’m no psychologist, but I suspect he’s got some anxiety issues he’s working through. Give him time, and if he doesn’t come around, I’ll suggest Charlotte take him to be evaluated.”
Anxiety? Ty? “What’s he got to be anxious about?”
“I don’t know. How about his whole world getting turned upside down, his family moving from the only home he’s ever known, his Uncle Bristol being killed a few months ago and, oh yeah, another uncle just returned from the dead.”
Well, hell. Sounded like an episode of Lucky’s favorite soap opera, which he hadn’t dared to watch with Todd and Ty around. They’d give him hell for sure. “When you put it that way…”
Lucky kept checking mirrors, but no one followed them. Then again, maybe they’d gotten sandwiched between the two trucks Bo ducked between.
Bo’s phone chimed from the console. “Check that for me, okay?”
Unknown numbersent a text.I’m here waiting.“Looks like your contact made it.”
“Cool. We’re almost there.” Bo nodded toward a monstrosity of a building looming on the horizon. Cotton fields as far as the eye could see, then this huge building in the middle of nowhere. Must’ve gotten one sweet tax deal.
Bo pulled up to the guardhouse and flashed a badge and a smile. “Bill Clegg and Anderson Fowler, here for a vendor audit.”
The guard barely scanned the offered badge and opened the gate. “Your buddy is already here, in the west parking lot.”
“Thanks. Have a good day.”
“You too!”
“That was easy enough.” Bo rolled up the window and passed Lucky a badge. “Here, put this on.”
“Anderson Fowler?” Lucky glanced down at the shiny plastic bearing his likeness.
“Yeah. Now, get ready to play nice.”
“I don’t play nice,” Lucky reminded him, tugging on his collar, trying to keep his tie from choking him. For a moment the ghost of Old Spice scented the vehicle, gone in a moment. Damn, but he missed Walter.
“Something I’ve come to love about you,” Bo said with a hint of a smile, easing into a parking space, “but a lot’s riding on us getting on these folks’ good side.”
“That’s why I got you.” Bo excelled at the people stuff, and would no doubt have these buzzards eating from his hand in no time. Lucky, on the other hand, spotted shit that shouldn’t be there, and recognized criminals from all the experience he’d gained looking in a mirror.
“C’mon. Let’s go find someone to bust.” Bo hopped out of the Durango.
