Corbin (The Theriot Family)

“It’s hard enough to see in the day and nearly impossible at night. He did a damn fine job of keeping it camouflaged.” Only the fact that I’d been there many times and my knowledge of the roads—which was way better than Louis thought it was—had gotten me to Ambrose’s.

As I considered our next move, I saw a dark shadow against the dark house. The glint of a gun barrel was easier to detect.

“Duck.” I yelled, grabbing Louis’s shoulder and pulling him down.

A bullet hit the side of the car. That was it. I wasn’t going to have him ruin my vehicle. I sat up and opened my door. Louis tried to pull me back, but I didn’t let him.

“Don’t shoot! It’s Beau and Louis.”

Ambrose didn’t fire again, but he also didn’t lower his weapon. “What the fuck are you doing out here?”

“Emergency consultation. I tried to call.”

“I’ve been out checking traps. I didn’t take my phone.”

Or check it when he got back apparently, but why would he? There were a very limited number of people who even knew how to contact him, and all of them would persist if they needed to. Half the time he ignored calls or texts, even if he saw them come in. I wish I knew what had happened to him in the army, but he wouldn’t breathe a word of it. I wasn’t even sure his twin, Dax, knew the whole story.

A light came on, blinding me as it lit up the entire area near the front of the shack. “Step out where I can see you, hands up.”

Did he really think someone was impersonating us? I looked into the car at Louis. “Do what he says.” He hesitated. “Are you sure he’s stable?”

“No talking. Show yourself,” Ambrose yelled.

Louis stepped out of the car, and we moved into the circle of light. Ambrose huffed and lowered his gun. “What the hell is so important you had to come out here after dark. I might’ve shot you or let Gerard know a tasty dinner was waiting for him.”

Louis glanced at me. “Who’s Gerard?”

“A gator he’s befriended.”

He held up a hand. “Don’t tell me any more.”

“You’ve gotten way too soft,” Ambrose said.

Louis shook his head. “I’ve gotten way too happy being alive.”

“Somebody’s looking for us not to be,” I said. “That’s why we’re here.”

Ambrose frowned. “Come on in. Tell me something worthwhile, and I’ll make sure Gerard gets a nonhuman dinner.”

“He’s gotten even scarier,” Louis whispered.

“Not enough contact with people,” I said.

Ambrose huffed. “My ears work, you know.”

“You’re scaring Louis. I think you’re right. He’s gone soft.”

Louis punched my arm, and Ambrose laughed. “Are you still man enough for my moonshine?”

I interrupted before Louis could answer. “Maybe we ought to tell you our story first.”

“Can’t you drink and talk anymore? Damn city living.”

“What’s so bad about the city?” Louis asked.

I rolled my eyes. “Now you’ve done it.”

“People for one. And noise. I can’t take all that fucking noise. And expectations. I can’t…” He shook his head. “Never mind.”

Whatever had happened in the desert had made Ambrose think he couldn’t live up to what people would expect of him, or at least that was Dax’s theory about why Ambrose had isolated himself

“We think Dale Guidry is responsible for Rob’s death and the other shit that’s gone down at my shop.”

Ambrose turned to me. “There’s been more?”

“Some break-ins, vandalism, shit like that.”

Ambrose shook his head. “I saw the hole in Rob’s head before he sank. Dale was never a good enough shot for that.”

“Not even at point blank range?” Louis asked.

“If he’d gotten that close, Rob would’ve taken him, even if he was high, which I hear he usually was in his last months.”

Louis stared at him. “How do you—”

I laid a hand on Louis’s arm. “Don’t ask questions. You know better.”

“Right. Well, it’s great you get information even out here.”

Ambrose grinned. “Just because I don’t want to talk to people doesn’t mean I don’t want to know what they’re up to. Best way to stay alive is good intel.” A haunted look appeared in his eyes before he tossed back the moonshine he’d poured himself.

“I don’t think Guidry’s working alone,” Louis said.

“That sounds right,” Ambrose agreed. “He doesn’t have the balls to start shit like this.”

I glanced at Louis. “Why don’t you tell Ambrose about your meeting with Guidry’s former friend.”

“What are you doing associating with assholes like that?”

“Getting intel.” Louis went over the conversation he’d had with his informant. Ambrose listened intently, nodding along.

“So there’s a backer, someone pulling the strings, but we don’t know who.”

“That’s right,” Louis said.

I jumped in then. “Whoever it is must have something against your family but also something personal against me.”

Ambrose thought for a minute. “It’s been too long since I talked to Dax. I need to get his take on this.”