Page 28 of Sweaty Nights & Gator Bites

Dre’s voice was firm. “We’re not on our own. We have each other. And an entire shifter pack. Not to mention a new alliance with the gator shifters.” She flexed her fingers allowing them to shift into talons. “And we’ve faced worse before. This is our city and we’re committed to protecting it.”

Phi added, “Plus, we have insights and connections that could be crucial in stopping Garrick. We know the bayou, the people, and the supernatural elements at play here.”

I took a deep breath and pinned the cop with a glare. “We’re keeping the case, Inspector Harris. But we welcome any support you can provide. Sharing resources and information will only strengthen our efforts.”

Harris nodded slowly, a hint of respect in his eyes. “Fair enough. We’ll provide you with access to our resources, and we’ll coordinate with you as needed. Just know that we’re here to help if things get out of hand.”

“We’re also getting a supernatural coroner soon,” Terrance added, “that should help with understanding the nature of these attacks better.”

Phi smiled at him. “Thank the gods! It’s about damn time. It’ll be nice to have that resource available.”

We answered a few questions about the reunion and then the office. Dre broke the silence as we walked to Lia’s car. “Harris and Terrance didn’t know more than we did. I don’t know what I was thinking but we’re way better equipped to solve this case.”

“That was a given,” Kota said as Lia drove down the highway to the bayou to meet up with Remy as we agreed the night before. “There’s a reason the fates chose us for this job. We make this shit look easy.”

Laughter rang out in the car as we all added our twocents. The drive from the police office to the bayou was farther than from Willowberry but didn’t take too long. Lia parked and we approached the agreed-upon rendezvous point with the elder, Remy. It was deep in the bayou where the air grew thick with the scent of damp earth and the whispers of ancient trees. The sun had set by then and the moonlight filtered through the canopy.

“Watch for Garrick," Kota whispered, her eyes scanning the dense foliage around us. “I don’t want to lead that asshole to the shifters. I’d rather keep them safe."

I nodded, feeling the weight of her words. “Agreed. I doubt Remy would like that very much.”

We reached the clearing where Remy stood waiting. His reptilian eyes reflected the moonlight. His posture was tense, and his wariness was palpable. "You're on time," he said, his voice a low rumble.

"Good to see you, Remy," I greeted him with a small smile. “Were your people able to track any of Garrick’s movements? I’m sure you heard about the second death.”

Remy glanced around nervously before speaking. “That was no ordinary death. We’ve been patrolling the bayou more frequently since the first incident, and what we’ve found is disturbing. Garrick’s movements are erratic. We aren’t sure he’s the only one out here. Several reported smelling something different. Our noses aren’t as strong as other shifters, but they’re better than yours. Regardless, the same thing still applies. They’re targeting areas rich in spiritual energy.”

Dre’s brow furrowed. “The last murder was in a place of power?”

Remy nodded and started pacing a short circuit. “Yes. It’s one that is popular with the pixies in the bayou. My people found traces of malevolent energy near old ritual sites and places that our ancestors used to honor the spirits of theswamp. They are definitely feeding off the energy there. And becoming stronger with each attack.”

Kota’s eyes narrowed. “And the second victim? What do you know about him?”

Remy sighed, his shoulders slumping. “One of our younger males found the body before anyone else did. The scene was… brutal. He came running home and all he told us was that there were symbols carved into the body. It was gone by the time I got there with others. I assume that was you guys?”

We all nodded. Phi explained, “We had Terrance pick him up. Do you know who was behind the second death?”

Remy shook his head. “Our scouts saw Garrick in the area just before the attack, but he vanished before they could confront him. I don’t think it was him. The energy felt different. And the runes weren’t identical. It made me think of different handwriting.”

Adèle’s voice echoed in our minds as she said, “These runes are crucial. They could reveal more about how many are involved. We must analyze them.”

I wished we had more. It wasn’t enough to catch the asshole. “Thank you, Remy. This information is invaluable. Can you and your people continue looking for clues?”

Remy’s expression softened slightly. “We already planned on it. We’re all in this together. The bayou is our home. We’ll alert you if we find anything else.”

Dani placed a reassuring hand on Remy’s arm. “We appreciate it. Stay safe out here, and keep us informed.”

As we turned to leave, Remy called after us. “One more thing. There’s an old legend among our people about a talisman that can protect against dark magic. It’s said to be hidden deep in the bayou. We’re looking for it in the hopes it’s real and can give us an edge.”

Dre lifted a finger. “That reminds me. We’ve asked ourbrother, who has connections, to help move the purchase of the land along so you guys won’t have to worry about guys like Bouvier.”

We thanked him and made plans to meet up again and then headed back through the dense underbrush. Our minds raced with the new information. Thankfully, the drive didn’t take long. It was nice to be back home with Noah. He was the icing on the cake in life. I had everything I’d ever dreamed of. I never imagined I would call an old plantation home. Or have a venue and thriving business.

Noah sank onto the couch next to me and everyone else filled the chairs and other sofas in the ladies’ parlor. We all had plates of food in hand. No one felt like sitting at the kitchen table to eat. We were too tired. I would have showered and gone to bed, but we still needed to decompress and process what we’d learned.

“How the hell are going to figure out Garrick's next move? Remy’s intel supports our theory that they are targeting powerful spots. We need to pinpoint other targets,” Dre said between bites of Cajun chicken and rice.

Lia pointed to the map where she had marked the locations of previous attacks. “We will have to ask around for places of power and focus on ones he hasn’t hit yet. They don’t need to go back where they’ve already gotten a foothold.”

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