Page 98 of For the Birds

Neely Kate gave me a hard stare. “We’re all going. It’s settled.”

I didn’t have much time to give it more thought because Witt was already driving into the plant’s parking lot. I tried not to think about meeting James here the night before . . . and everything else that came afterward. My skin flushed at the memory of going home with him, and I squelched the sudden urge to call or text him. He was off-limits, and I’d do well to rememberthat.

Buck’s car was already there, along with a couple of other cars, which meant we were outnumbered.

“Neely Kate,” I said. “Do you have yourgun?”

“Yeah, in my purse.”

“Got anywhere to hide it onyou?”

She jerked her head around to faceme.

“We’re playin’ with the big boys, and we don’t have Jed and Merv here to protect us. We need to be ready because I’m not getting snatched up again.”

She gave one slow nod and pulled her gun out of her purse, then stuffed it down the back of her capris and under her blousy shirt.

“Witt,” I said. “Your job is to observe everything. I’m gonna be focused on Buck, so you and Neely Kate need to pay attention to everything else. If either of you thinks something’s off, then use a code word to clue me in that it’s time to leave.”

“So the only one goin’ into this meeting wearing a gun is NK?” Witt asked.

“Nope.” I said. “I’m wearing mine under my dress.”

“I still need a gun,” he said with a frown.

“Not today you don’t,” I said. “The code word is bananas.” I reached for the door handle—we were certainly being watched, and the longer we took, the more suspicious we’d look. “Let’sgo.”

I was out of the car first, but Neely Kate got out and stepped in front of me, wearing her Lady in Black sidekick face—the one that said, Mess with me, and I’m not responsible for the consequences. Witt took the rear, following close, and I was in full-on Lady mode, surprised I could so easily make the transformation without the hat and the dress.

I quickly scanned the roofs of the buildings around us and realized Buck had at least two men up there with rifles. Good to know if we needed to make a hasty retreat.

We entered the semi-dark office and found Buck sitting on a beat-up metal desk in the small reception area—the only piece of furniture in the space—surrounded by three of his men, including Tim Dermot and the other guy from the night before. Buck was lounging with his arm braced to the side, but the posture looked forced, and I suspected the sweat on his forehead wasn’t completely due to the rising summerheat.

“Lady,” he said, sitting up as we entered. “I see you brought your friend. And a new bodyguard.”

“Lone wolves don’t survive in this world,” I said in a curt tone. “And I told you I’m neutral, hence the new guy. So, what do you have forme?”

He kept his gaze on Witt behind me. “Not so fast. I wanna know who your new bodyguardis.”

“That’s neither here nor there,” I said, putting my left leg in front of me. It made me look prepared to take on anything, but it would also make it easier for me to reach my gun if the situation called for it. “He’s not affiliated with anyone, which makes him mine. Now what do youhave?”

“He’s a Rivers.” The speaker was the man I hadn’t seen before. “He used to work for Crocker before Lady took him out. Did some time for armed robbery. He’s not with anyone.”

Buck eyed him up and down. “That’s not true, now is it? You’re aligning yourself with the Lady in Black.”

Crap. Why hadn’t I seen it that way? HadWitt?

I felt the tension radiating off Witt, who stood behind me and to my left. “I’d rather align myself with someone who’s trying to see to the betterment of this county than with someone who would sooner burn itdown.”

Buck stiffened. “Is that how you see it, boy? That I’m burnin’ it alldown?”

“Enough, Mr. Reynolds,” I said in a firm voice.

My tone carried a reprimand, and he shifted his angry eyes to meetmine.

“Let me make this clear,” I said, my words clipped. “I thought we’d had this lesson last night, but you seem to be a slow learner, so let me spell it out one more time: If I do a consultation job for you, you will treat me with respect. You will treat my associates with respect. If you are incapable of that, then we are walking out that door rightnow.”

Anger blazed in his eyes, and he leaned forward, his muscles tightly wound as though he were a wildcat ready to pounce. “I don’t know who you think youare—”

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