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Rowdy nodded

"Word got around Natches ent Female Beaten, tortured He pulled her out and the extraction tea happened after that, Rowdy Soent, beaten and tortured" Rowdy frowned "She didn’t have ti A lot of shit happened to all of us in the Marines That wasn’t a pleasant place to be"

Dawg shook his head "No So bad happened out there that Natches doesn’t talk about, and I think she was there Natches knew her the ht he went on a drunk like I ain’t seen since he busted up his daddy’s restaurant for hirimaced at that information He hadn’t been a part of that mission His damned cousins see with the serial killer who had tried to kill his wife

But Daas right, so that had bothered both of them for a year now

"Is he in love with her?" Rowdy ine Natches in love with any one woman He see different about how he acted last year outside the spa in town

Dawg and Rowdy had met with Natches there, while Kelly and Crista went in for their woh to leave the wouarded And Greta Dane--no, Chaya, Natches had told the and Crista

Natches hadn’t been able to stay away from her and neither of them acted just nor o down and she’s going to pull him into it"

"Hell" They didn’t need that Rowdy knew Natches His cousin could be as iht to cover his own damned ass until it was too late

Rowdy pushed himself to his feet and paced the interior of the office He knew the operation that had played out the year before and it still kept hi "The operation last year, the ot as a down payrunted "Cranston was pulling his hair out by the roots when it didn’t show up"

Tie He should be shot with his own gun Rowdy had had the extre him several times He still didn’t like hi?" Rowdy asked then, his voice heavy, his chest still tightening, even after all this time

Johnny had been their cousin, and he had used them all He would have killed the’s wife, Crista Him and his lover, Jim Bedsford

"They picked up the tea said "Johnny and Bedsford are dead, and only they knehere the million in down payment was hidden Hell, what’s left to find?"

"We’ve ested then

"What the hell could we have ets an anony hiirl caet hot and sweaty with Natches, why the call?"

Rowdy frowned at that If it hadn’t been for the phone call, he’d have assu hot and sweaty was exactly as on Miss Dane’s mind But ould someone call and warn him?

Rowdy felt the hairs at the back of his neck lift in warning, and he rubbed at the ad ready to go down"

"And Agent Dane is putting Natches right square in the middle of it," Rowdy realized "So we cover hi snarled in disbelieving amazement "You kno much he likes shadows, Rowdy We try to cover him and he’ll try to kick our asses"

That left one last option "I have so the names up in his head as he spoke "I’ll see what I can find out"

Dawg nodded "I’ll do the saents from last year’s op and see what they have to say"

"Someone has to watch out for Natches," Rowdy insisted "At least check up on hi stared at hier than I’ve been with Crista I kind of like ht now"

"You and hly "Flip for it or take turns?"

Rowdy dropped back in the chair "I guess take turns" He was iht theht

Dawg slunk down farther in his chair "I should kill Cranston"

Rowdy grunted "Give Natches time; he’ll do it for you"

And that hat they were both afraid of

TWO

The nextChaya ation Cranston had et operational status for

The six men were older, late thirties to early forties, and would blend in well Their various covers worked for the area and would provide rationale for their seeht as she headed back to her rooather bits and pieces of the gossip drifting around about the events of last year, and then Cranston could begin a list of persons of interest and the questions Chaya would ask