Page 9 of Lord Have Mercy Part Four: Big Son

Slack with surprise, her face resembled Tonya’s less. Her lashes were definitely fake, and she’d missed a spot with her foundation, right at the crease of her nose. She was human, suddenly, and no longer an agent carefully-selected to get him all stirred up.

Aidan felt something like confidence blossom.

“I don’t,” she said, “we can’t–”

“Nowitzki,” a stern voice called, and she spun around on her stool to see her superior striding into the room from the back hallway. He was stern-faced, but not furious, Aidan noted. He snapped his fingers at the two loitering agents and said, “Let’s go.”

“Yes, sir.”

Nowitzki slid off her stool, then doubled back, and slapped a business card down on the bar at Aidan’s elbow. “If you think of anything you’d like to tell me…”

“Sure,” he drawled, palming the card into his cut pocket. “I’ll let you know.”

She blinked at him, baffled, and then followed her boss out of the clubhouse.

Walsh appeared at the mouth of the hallway, hands stuffed in his cut pockets, looking like Aidan felt: like he hadn’t slept, had alternated cigs, alcohol, and coffee to keep himself on hisfeet, and might collapse if he broke the pattern. He glanced over at them and lifted his brows after the front door had thumped shut.

“He did good,” Tango said. When Walsh didn’t immediately respond, he added, “He played the Remy card: assumed they were here to track him down, and she didn’t know what to think.”

“See? Tango says I did good,” Aidan said, and missed the mark on shithead charm.

Walsh’s brows lowered, though, and he nodded. He went about shaking out and lighting a fresh smoke while he gazed contemplatively toward the front door, then ambled over and climbed onto the stool beside Tango. “I don’t think they’re Abacus.” He leaned over to snag the nearest ashtray and drag it toward himself, and Aidan had a not-so-minor revelation.

This was the first time in memory that Walsh had sidled up and talked business with him.Realbusiness. Theytalked, sure, and always had, but Walsh didn’t lean in close and talk about officer business with him. In confidence, like they were on the same page; like they were deciding the fate of the club – which theywere, now.

Shit.

He gave himself a mental slap and said, “You don’t think?”

Rather than offer a fast, flat no, or shake his head in dismissal, Walsh considered a moment, tapping ash and taking another drag. He spoke on the exhale: “This guy – Daniels – didn’t have any of Boyle’s…” He gestured with his cigarette. “Energy. He’s here because someone told him to be, and he doesn’t believe us, and doesn’t like us, but I don’t think it’s personal for him.”

“You shoulda seen the chick,” Aidan said.

Tango supplied, “She wanted to get personal in Aidan’s pants.” He blushed when they both looked at him, but his small,bashful smile, aimed at Aidan, said he was trying to lighten the mood.

“She was playing it all ‘seductive.’” Aidan did air quotes.

“No offense,” Walsh said, “but you seem the type to fall for it.”

“Thanks,” Aidan drawled. “But, yeah, she didn’t give me Boyle vibes.”

“What did they want?” Tango asked. “Did they have a warrant?”

“Not yet, I’m guessing. Daniels didn’t say it, but he was fishing for info on Boyle. Right now, his crew’s asking stupid questions hoping we’ll let something slip.” He sent them both a warning look, and Aidan barely resisted rolling his eyes. “I told him we know Boyle took Remy.”

“Oh, butI’mthe security risk?” Aidan asked.

Walsh waved his hand. “Nah. But you need more practice at blurting shit out.”

Aidan blinked at him.

“We’ll work on it. I told him, though, and I could tell he didn’t expect me to.” He sucked down the last of his smoke, ground it out, and Aidan could tell from the way he stared at the ashtray that he wanted to light another.Same, dude. “My guess is they’re going back to wherever HQ is right now and they’ll compare notes, then come back around.” His brows lifted meaningfully. “Be on guard.”

As if they could be anything but.

Four

Alex hadn’t seen “Jeff from Spring City” for himself, but Maggie had described him in such a way that Alex was left genuinely curious about Tenny’s skills with disguises. Now, though, he was grateful that Tenny had crammed a John Deere cap on his head, and left off anything more theatrical.

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