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After buttoning my jacket, I knew I was ready to finish the issue my way.
I enjoyed the scenery as I shifted through the gates leading to the impressive backyard of the ranch. It was well over five thousand acres, one of the smaller ones that Devin owned, but it was obvious he’d used threats and extortions to purchase several others, which would lead to the man owning a significant chunk of the cattle industry, which was still big business.
It was interesting that while the man had attempted to hide his actions, as with Ramsey, his greed and inflated belief in his level of power had made both him and his attorney careless. I’d found enough of a trail to use against him if necessary. That allowed me to feel confident that I wouldn’t need to resort to extreme violence to get my point across.
But if I did, so the fuck what? I was in the mood to enjoy my blood lust. A few fleeting, comical images floated into the back of my mind of having both men fight with hungry bulls, while my men and I engaged in target practice. Maybe it would come to that.
Grinning, I raked my hands through my hair to ensure I was presentable then walked into the tent, drinking in the atmosphere of smoked barbeque food. Then I headed for the bar, completely aware at least a few pairs of eyes were on me. Both Maddox and Francois had already beaten me to the line, both prepared to grab their drinks.
Once they did, Francois moved beside me. “Interesting group of people. I wonder if they realize the charity is simply a method of laundering money.”
“Let’s not burst their bubbles. They live in glass houses. If we shatter one, we shatter them all.” Given our plans on expanding in Texas, the last thing I wanted to do was create unnecessary rifts at this point. Although I’d do everything necessary to provide safety and wealth to my family.
I ordered a Kentucky bourbon. Neat. Then I scanned the glorious event, searching for any sign of the two men I’d come here to see.
“What are your plans?” my brother asked.
“Why don’t you and I take a walk, see the sights? We’ll allow Maddox to mingle with the illustrious guests. My guess is we’ll find our boys holed up smoking cigars, the host prepared to make an entrance only when necessary.” It was obvious women were running the auction event, fussing with the final details, visiting table to table.
It was interesting that Devin had required his four children to be at the event, likely in a moment of solidarity. He was pulling out all the stops to elevate his status in the upper echelon of society. His behavior mirrored mine from a few years prior. While the family still provided money to three charities of choice, I had no desire to pretend I cared about participating in the events or obtaining a higher platform in the wealth and opulence of New Orleans.
Why bother?
We owned half the city anyway.
I headed toward Maddox, the two of us standing in opposite directions. “Keep an eye on the crowd. If anything suspicious occurs, text me. We’re going hunting.”
“Will do, boss.”
Francois and I took our time weeding through the crowd, heading toward the main house. There were several structures seen in the distance, including additional barns and what had to be ranchers’ quarters. It was a typical setup with modern amenities. The man had spared no expense in his renovations over the years.
We meandered to the house, noticing that guests were coming and going from inside. That provided an open invitation. The sunroom gave way to a stunning kitchen, which led to a series of hallways. We said nothing as we admired the rustic art on the walls, passing several well-known guests in both the entertainment and political arenas. With every step, I became more amused with the situation, the two men believing I’d be so caught up in their game of cat and mouse that I wouldn’t figure out what they were attempting to do.
Shame on them.
I wasn’t easily fooled.
Francois chuckled as we headed down another hallway, noticing a partially closed door at the end. If our luck would hold, we might find what we were looking for.
My brother pushed open the door with a single finger. Inside we found four men including a state senator and another rancher who’d turned his good fortune into a multibillion-dollar operation. And as expected, Travis Ramsey stood with a pool cue in his hand, prepared to take a shot, a cigar sticking from his mouth.
It was all too perfect, as if they had no cares in the world. I shoved one hand into my trouser pocket, waiting to see how long it would take until they noticed our arrival. The only aspect of what I was seeing that troubled me was that the mogul had invested a significant sum of money into the venture that had been torched.
That pissed me off.
It was the senator who noticed us first, his gregarious laughter ceasing as he stared at us for a full three seconds. Then he nodded toward his good buddy, Devin Carlos.
Devin lifted his head, the other two men finally taking notice as well. Then he took a long pull of whatever amber liquid was in his thick tumbler before acknowledging us. “What an unexpected pleasure. I didn’t know members of the Thibodeaux family were such philanthropists.”
“I would call us men of wealth who enjoy providing comfort and hope to those in need, Devin. However, my family doesn’t hide behind charity events in hopes of improving our social status. Travis Ramsey. I must admit, I was surprised to hear your name was on the guest list.”
In my line of work, making accurate observations was a requirement, as much as always keeping a weapon on one’s person. What I noticed about Travis’ reaction was that he was genuinely shocked we’d made an appearance. He had to know I would eventually figure out what the hell he was involved in and who was his partner in crime.
Amusement bubbled up in my throat.
Then Travis acted as if he was finished playing the game, moving away from the table slowly.
“What do you want, Arman? I have a house full of guests, an auction ready to start in less than an hour. I don’t have time for your bullshit,” Devin said, attempting to keep the anger from his voice.
