Page 84 of Xavier

Xavier followed to the back door. “What?”

“My Jeep’s gone.” She marched back into the building, passed Xavier, and went into the barroom.

He followed, a bad feeling pressing against his chest.

Danny pulled a purse from beneath the counter and dumped the contents on the counter. “They’re gone. Someone took my keys and stole my Jeep.”

The members of the Brotherhood Protectors and Bayou Reapers gathered around.

Xavier hated saying it, but he had to. “Has anyone seen Lissette?”

They all looked around.

“You think she took Danny’s Jeep?” Remy asked.

“She’s not here,” Xavier said. “Danny’s Jeep is missing. It’s possible. She was really upset about her grandmother and might’ve decided to get out and look for her while we were standing around talking about it.”

“In my Jeep?” Danny frowned.

The front door blasted open.

Xavier spun, hope surging.

Shelby entered, carrying Jean-Luc. She marched across the floor. “Danny.”

The waitress glanced up. “Ma’am.”

“Catch.” Shelby tossed a set of keys.

Danny’s hand shot out and caught them. “My keys.” She frowned in confusion. “Why do you have them?”

“Lissette asked me to bring your Jeep back. She asked me to tell you she was sorry.” Shelby turned to Xavier. “She told me to tell you that she had to go alone and that she hopes you have a good life wherever you go.”

“Alone?” Xavier stepped forward. “Where?”

“She didn’t say.” Shelby shook her head. “She also said she was trouble and you’re better off without her.” She tipped her head, her glance assessing Xavier. “I’m not so sure. You know she loves you, don’t you?”

Xavier shook his head. “Damn it. Alone? She had to go alone? What the hell does that mean?”

Shelby’s lips twisted. “You love her, too. Have you told her?”

“I’m not in love,” Xavier said. Then it hit him like a punch in the gut. He loved Lissette. Holy hell, when had that happened? “Where’d she go? She can’t go out in the bayou alone. It’s too dangerous.”

Remy crossed to his wife and took Jean-Luc into his arms. “You were supposed to be here half an hour ago. What happened?”

“I hit a low-water crossing and crashed my cruiser. Jean-Luc and I would’ve drowned if Lissette hadn’t borrowed Danny’s Jeep and found us on her way to the marina. She got Jean-Luc out and then came back for me.”

Remy shifted his son on one arm and pulled Shelby in for a hug. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”

“Thankfully, Lissette was,” she said, leaning her cheek into his chest. Then she leaned back. “So, what are you guys going to do to find her and her grandmother?”

“We had split up the bayou into sections and were about to start our search for her grandmother,” Remy said.

“She said she had to go alone,” Shelby said. “That sounds like someone insisted on it.”

Xavier’s fists clenched. “Étienne Benoit.”

“He must’ve told her where she could find her grandmother,” Shelby said. “Follow Lissette. You’ll find her and her grandmother.”