Page 99 of For the Birds

He was acting tougher today, but he’d added to his audience, which meant he couldn’t afford to look weak. Well, neither could I. And while I wanted whatever information he had, I wasn’t going to let it be at the expense of my reputation.

“I think we’re done here,” I said, then started to turn around to leave. There was a look of confusion in Witt’s eyes, but my focus was on the movement I heard behind me. In one fell swoop, I lifted my dress with my left hand, grabbed the gun out of my holster with my right hand, and spun back around, pointing it at Buck’s chest. He was now standing directly behind me, and it was obvious he’d planned on physically dragging me back. The look of surprise on his face sent a rush of power through my veins.

Power plays. This world was full of prancing peacocks, but dammit, I could preen with the best ofthem.

“That’s strike two, Mr. Reynolds,” I said in a deadly cold voice. “One more and you’re on my blacklist.”

His men all had guns pointed at me, while Neely Kate had hers pointed at Dermot. Then I realized Witt had a weapon out too, pointed atBuck.

He’d had one all along. What had Idone?

Buck looked like he wanted to rip my head off. “Looks like we’re at a stalemate, Lady.”

I cocked an eyebrow, forcing myself to take slow, steady breaths even though my heart was racing. I couldn’t afford to look scared. “Are we? I have no qualms about pullin’ this trigger and finishin’ it. Can you say thesame?”

He’d added more sweat to his forehead, and the certainty in his eyes wavered. I could let this man try to save face, but I was sick to death of men thinking they could get one up on me. Sure, I was playing in a man’s world here, and James may have dragged me into it, but I was good at sniffing out the truth, and Buck Reynolds obviously thought so too since he had come tome.

I wasn’t going to backdown.

“Before we go one step further, let’s make this perfectly clear,” I said in a firm voice. “You will treat me and my associates with respect. I have no reason to help you, and I am more than willin’ to walk away from you entirely. What happens next is completely up to you, Mr. Reynolds.”

He glared at me for several more seconds, then cursed under his breath and said, “Put away yourguns.”

They were slow to respond, but that wasn’t too surprising—Neely Kate and Witt still had their guns trained on Dermot and Buck. Then I realized they were waiting on me. I lowered my own gun, keeping it at my side, and Neely Kate and Witt followedsuit.

I lifted my chin, pushing past my light-headedness now that the danger had slightly passed. “You told me you have information. That’s why we’re here. Start talkin’.”

“We found out that Elijah Landry has been livin’ in Henryetta.”

That wasn’t all that surprising since he was clearly involved in local criminal politics. “Howlong?”

“A couple months.”

“What’s he been doin’ here?”

“We haven’t found out much. No one knows him, but he’s been workin’ at Maynard’s junkyard, laying low. It recently changed owners.”

“How recently?” I asked.

“A few monthsago.”

“And who’s the owner?”

“A corporation in Louisiana. Sandusky Enterprises.”

“And who ownsthat?”

“We can’t tell. It’s an obvious dummy corporation, and they don’t own anythingelse.”

I’d look into that later. “What about the otherguy?”

“He didn’t have any identification.”

I gave him a look of contempt. “You expect me to believe that? I find that coincidental given you searched his pockets after I left.” When he didn’t answer, I said, “If you want me to find Scooter and clear your name, I need every bit of information you have. Otherwise, this is pointless.”

He didn’t answer.

“Where was I taken last night, and who ownsit?”

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