Page 26 of Beaches

“We know you do, baby. We know you do.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“You okay, brother?” asked Ian, seeing Jean walk toward them.

“I’m right as rain now. Had a little Robicheaux estrogen thrown my way,” he smirked. “Always seems to make it right for me. Helps me remember what I’m fighting for. Sometimes, I forget.”

“We all do, mon frére,” said Gaspar, hugging his brother, kissing his cheek. It was something Gaspar always did with the ‘little ones’ when he was growing up. He would greet them and kiss their cheeks, just like Matthew. That made him smile.

“We get so filled with the anger and need to make things right we lose sight of what it is we’re trying to make right. Unfortunately, we can’t fix humanity. But we can stop this man, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

“I have an idea,” said Jean, looking at everyone. “We know that he has other places like the one we shut down. We also know the kinds of men who frequent those places. The kind of men we usually kill.”

“What are you thinking?” frowned his brother.

“Hear me out. Major traded favors with an arms dealer by the name of Burkhard. I have no idea if this is his thing, but he may know where the other locations are.”

“Jean, we start asking for favors from this dude, and we may owe some favors we can’t deliver,” said Ghost.

“I know, I know, and I think we need to be prepared for what he asks for. If it’s too much, we walk away. No harm, no foul.”

“And just how do we reach this Burkhard?” asked Ian. Jean smiled at the men and looked down at his phone, confirming what he already suspected.

“We take what he wants.”

Jean, Alec, Tailor, Miller, Rory, and Major stood at the end of the runway behind the two pallets piled high with crates filled with weapons. The pallets had been dropped off earlier by a Bulgarian who wrapped the crates in explosives to keep the curious away.

He underestimated the curiosity of Gray Wolf.

“There’s the plane,” said Rory. “I hope to fuck you’re right about this, dude. Although, killing him would be a good alternative.”

“I can’t explain it, but I think he’ll go for it,” said Major. “Let me step out first.”

The small plane landed, and the steps were lowered, Burkhard walking down them and headed toward his crates. He saw that there were no explosives and looked around the edge of the forest. Two armed men were standing next to his plane, ready for his command.

“Don’t shoot me,” smiled Major, stepping out from behind the crates.

“Shit. You.”

“Yep, me,” smiled Major. “How’s it hangin’, Burkhard?”

“A little to the left right now. Why are you here? With my weapons?” he asked.

“Actually, they’re my weapons for right now,” said Major. Burkhard smiled at him, shaking his head.

“I guess you didn’t notice that they were wired with explosives.”

“We noticed,” said Miller, standing with the others. Burkhard took a half step back and looked up at the men. “Fortunately, explosives are my favorite thing in the whole wide world. Other than my wife and Mama’s shrimp creole.”

“What do you want?” frowned the other man. “This has nothing to do with you or your family.”

“We traded favors once. I need another,” said Major.

“I traded a favor. I gave you what you needed at the time. I don’t recall getting anything in return for that.”

“I let you live and walk away,” said Major. “Let’s not split hairs. You give me what I need, and I let you have your crates.”

“What do you need?” asked Burkhard with a sideways glance.

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