“Not really. You’re in danger too.”
Bo kissed the side of Lucky’s head. “No more than you.”
“Todd might forgive me, but Ty won’t. Not ever.”
“Ty’s going to be too busy cuddling cats to think of his uncle. Mrs. Griggs said she’d adopted three new kittens.”
Cats notwithstanding, Ty would never, ever forgive Lucky, but Lucky wasn’t about to let his nephews get used as bargaining chips, or worse, bait.
They climbed into Bo’s Durango and headed for a night of clubbing—at least as far as tails were concerned. On the way he’d tried Chastain’s number.
Nothing.
At the Stallion they entered through the front, exited out the back, and drove the manager’s car to the local Walmart.
Their Uber driver picked them up, hat pulled down to hide her poufy hair and much of her face. They didn’t speak, only drove a few blocks and into the Smith’s garage. The door closed behind them.
Heart pounding a mile a minute, Lucky joined Johnson and Bo, entering through the kitchen and into the den where Walter sat in his reclining chair. Mrs. Smith brought coffee and tea, making their meeting into a social occasion.
Once Keith arrived, she made herself scarce. Keith gawked at Walter, opened and closed his mouth a few times. “You’re looking really well, Walter.” Had he expected less?
Johnson gave Walter a quick hug and retreated to the couch.
“So, they’ve raised the stakes,” Walter began.
Lucky handed Walter the note from his car and the gun and papers from the BMW. On pure instinct he shot a glance to Rett’s neck.
Rett patted her bare skin. “I keep the necklace in the freezer when I don’t have reason to wear it.” She slipped off her hat and fluffed her hair.
Safe enough in the freezer, and quiet too, even if Keith winced.
Others handed Walter piles of papers, their own contributions to this case that wasn’t a case. Walter sifted through the piles. “Keith, did you bring what Lucky asked?”
Keith nodded, and lifted a heart necklace on a delicate chain toward Johnson.
She growled. “Where’d you get that?”
“I made it to look like the one you’ve been wearing. He’ll never see the difference.”
Johnson allowed Keith the fasten the chain around her neck. “Won’t he notice when he doesn’t get audio?”
Keith grinned. “Leave that to me.”
“So.” Walter rubbed his hands together. “Loretta will gather what intel she can from Phillip.”
“I’ve also got friends in Southwestern. Alabama might not be their jurisdiction, but could be somebody knows something.” She stepped away from Keith and ran a hand over the heart-shaped charm, lip curling in disgust.
Walter nodded. “Keith? How’s your assignment going?”
“I’ve got tags on O’Donoghue, Eustace, Landry, and Rogers’ car.” He nodded toward Lucky. “Yes, he’s been following you, but he wasn’t the one today.”
Today. The note. The gun.
“Bo?” Walter raised a brow.
Bo flexed, hooked his thumbs into his jeans’ pockets, turned and drawled, “Cyrus Cooper rides again. Let’s see if I can find out who put the hit out on Lucky. No matter how hard he tries, my buddy Chuck can’t find out anything more from Forsyth. The woman who nearly told Lucky the name of their new hire was reprimanded. They’re keeping things very hush-hush.”
Lucky did a swift double-take, but Bo had totally transformed himself with attitude only. Da-yum.
