Page 43 of Iggy

“Out of where?” she asked.

“You know where. I’m the one that got her out of that hell-hole house you lived in, or still live in. I’m the one that made sure she wasn’t raised watching drugs change hands and innocent kids being raped and beaten. That was me! You were prepared to use our daughter and you still are.” He sucked in a breath and calmed himself, then went back to his role. “Give me the money.”

“Name first.”

“Cash first.”

“We can stand here until Tank finds us.”

“Then neither of us gets what we want.”

“Neela?” Tank stopped outside. The door creaked under his hand.

She yanked the backpack off, opened it, and threw one banded stack at Terry. It struck his chest and dropped to the wet floor. His face twisted.

“All of it.”

“Name.”

“Count it,” she said.

“I will.” The door pushed against the gurney.

“Neela,” Tank said. “Move away from the door.” Terry stuffed one stack inside his jacket.

“Bayou Skillet near Houma. Shift’s five to eleven.”

The gurney lurched as Tank hit the door. Neela stepped aside. It burst inward, catching the overturned frame and throwing it against the wall. Tank came through low, a tire iron raised in one hand. Terry, or Luca was gone and so was Neela. He’d missed them both.

But then again. That was the plan.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Olive pulled on the stealth netting over her thin cotton tank top, then pulled on the Bayou Skillet t-shirt over it.

“Are you sure this will protect me?” she asked in disbelief.

“I think I’m wounded,” said Ham gripping his chest. “The G.R.I.P. team will definitely be wounded. We promise it will protect you. Anywhere that she could shoot and cause immediate death is covered by the netting.”

“Except my head,” she murmured. Ham stared at her and nodded with a pensive expression.

“Fair point. We’ll have them check into something.” She stared at him the laughed, shaking her head.

“I hate you guys sometimes,” she smirked. Then there were tears in her eyes. Iggy wiped them away, kissing her.

“Nothing will happen to you. We will all be here and so are the boys from the Swamp Rats.”

“What about Luca? D-dad?” she stammered. Iggy smiled down at her, kissing her forehead.

“He’s safe. The team got him out of the building before Tank saw anything, which was the plan all along.”

“Will he be safe? The man, Tank. Will he be okay?”

“He will be once we stop her.” Iggy’s ears perked up and he nodded to the others hearing the sound of someone pulling up outside. She should have brought a jet ski or boat. They were all going to need one to get out of this place tonight.

Iggy left her standing at a table with a small group of older men. She wore an apron and tried to plaster on a fake smile.

“Don’t worry, honey. We’re the good guys,” smirked one of them. She gave a nervous smile back and chuckled.