Page 46 of Lone Star Witness

“Nash, Jericho,” she greeted. “And Caroline, I presume.”

“You presume right,” Caroline said, and the two women shook hands.

Marise shifted her attention back to Jericho. “Yeah,” she muttered when he grinned at her. Then, she shrugged. “Sometimes friends do the benefit thing.”

Friends.

With benefits.

At first, Slade felt really good about that description. But something about it didn’t feel right. That was something he’d need to give some thought. Later. After he’d learned why his brothers were here.

“About time Slade and you hooked up,” Nash concluded. He gave her a quick hug before he headed to the coffeepot to pour them all some mugs of the fresh brew.

“What happened?” Marise asked, taking out some strawberries and sliced mango from the fridge. “Is someone else dead?”

“Not that we know of,” Nash supplied, moving on to making some toasted bagels. Caroline stepped over to help.

So, apparently this was an impromptu breakfast after all. But Slade knew that wasn’t why they were having this family gathering.

“This is about Sonny,” Slade threw out there.

Jericho nodded.

Nash made a sound of agreement.

Caroline muttered something under her breath that he didn’t catch.

“Jericho, Caroline, and I came up with a plan,” Nash continued a moment later. “We weren’t sure Sonny…” He stopped, waved that off and sat at the counter with his coffee. “Let me back up and tell you what Jericho and I did.”

Slade cursed because the “did” meant something had already been set into motion. Probably something he wasn’t going to like.

“What?” he demanded just as a bagel popped up from the toaster.

Jericho snagged the bagel, gave half to Caroline and sat on the stool next to Nash. “Nash and I figured Sonny had been in the wind way too long. Long enough for him to be plotting how to do us all in. So we did something to draw him out.”

It seemed to Slade as if everyone was suddenly holding their breaths, waiting for the details of, well, whatever the hell this was.

“Draw him out how?” Marise asked, breaking the silence, but she didn’t wait for an answer. “You offered yourself up as bait?”

“We did,” Jericho confirmed. “I sent a text to the burner Sonny had used and suggested he meet with Nash and me at the exact spot where Bodie died. Of course, since that spot is right outside the gate to Slade’s neighborhood, we figured we’d have to clear the area first.”

Slade did more cursing, but he was also doing some mental groaning. “No way would Sonny agree to that public of a meeting place. One that we could secure and capture him the moment he shows up.”

Nash nodded. “He didn’t agree. But Sonny did respond with a counter demand of his own.”

Slade didn’t have to guess what that was. “Sonny wants to name the location for the meet, and he wants me, Marise, and probably Caroline, too, to be in on this potential shitshow.”

“He does,” Jericho verified.

“No way in hell am I giving him Marise or Caroline,” Slade was quick to say, glancing at both women.

He looked down when he felt Marise’s hand take hold of his. She gave him a gentle squeeze and looked him straight in the eyes. “As long as Sonny’s out there, I’m already in danger. Caroline, too. We can’t stay holed up here forever, and he knows that.”

“But you’re not going to be bait,” Slade spat out.

Marise managed a slight smile and a sigh then brushed a kiss on his cheek. “I’m guessing your brothers have something safer in mind for Caroline and me.”

“We do,” Nash was quick to say. “When Sonny contacts us with a location for his counter demand, we negotiate a place where we have some control over security. Caroline and you would stay in a bullet-resistant vehicle, visible only so Sonny can get a glimpse of you, and then you’ll get down and stay down.”

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