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Think, Bishop.
Guidry’s eyes drifted over to mine, dark and malicious, his gaze taking in my prison tats before meeting mine again, giving no hint he recognized me, though I knew better.
I’d always been accused of being a reckless bastard.
I grabbed my beer and stood. “Gentlemen.”
The other two looked up as if just realizing they weren’t alone in the place, but Guidry’s lips tipped up in a smug little smile. “Bishop,” he said.
“In the flesh. I’m surprised you remember me.” The other two men’s expressions were total confusion.
Guidry ignored them. “How could I forget? You were a loyal soldier.”
I nodded, acknowledging the truth of his statement. Loyal to a fault. Loyalty that landed my idiot ass in prison on a drug charge. But I wasn’t stupid. I didn’t snitch. That shit landed you dead.
“Your food, sweetheart,” Miss Bee called behind me.
I smiled at her. “Be there in a second.” I turned back to the three men. “Sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear some of your conversation...” Guidry’s eyes narrowed, and I lifted my hands in innocence. “Not a word leaves this bar. I’m just saying, if I heard right, maybe I can be of assistance.”
“What kind of assistance?” barked the loud one, Jethro.
I looked to him, then back to Guidry, who was obviously the leader. “You’re talking about Faith McMasters?”
He stared unblinking, his face completely expressionless, telling me volumes.
“She’s got something of yours?” I asked.
Again with the thousand-yard stare.
“Well...” I shrugged, feigning nonchalance as I took a swallow of my beer to wash down the acid rising in my throat. “She and I, eh, we had a thing once upon a time, if you know what I mean...” I wiggled my brows and let them snicker and smirk at the innuendo. “I could get her to talk,” I said confidently.
“How?” Jethro demanded.
“I’m a charming guy.” I grabbed a chair from a nearby table, flipped it around, and straddled it to face them. “For a cut.”
Guidry’s frown was downright demonic. “I could gut you where you sit, Bishop.”
“Maybe.” I lifted a brow. “But then you wouldn’t have my help. And, clearly, you need it.” I leaned closer. “How much cash are we talking, anyway?”
Jethro opened his mouth to respond, but Guidry lifted a hand to silence him.
“Who said anything about money?” he said slowly, his voice low.
I smirked. “It’s always about money.”
Guidry breathed in through his nose, nostrils flaring as he sat back. “I’ll take your offer to the boss and let you know,” he said before moving to stand, now glaring down at me like an imposing gargoyle. “Your food is getting cold.”
With that, he and his two goons left without a backwards glance, leaving me to stew on his words.
I could gut you where you sit...
I may never be able to prove it, but they’d done that very thing to Faith. I’d bet my life on it.
Appetite lost, I paid my bill and left. My intuition was screaming at me now. Those thugs would think nothing of hurting her again or even killing her. I couldn’t live with that. I paced the walkway in front of the bar, debating. I could call the cops, but what would they do? Believe a convicted felon? Maybe go ask Pittman some questions, but he’d just deny everything. Shit, I needed to go check on Faith and at least warn her. Maybe she could talk to Mateo, and he could protect her. That was the most viable option I could come up with.
I crossed the street and headed to Faith’s place, cursing myself for not buying a car yet. Hadn’t been much of a need, living literally above my workplace. Pretty much everything I needed was within walking distance. I shoved my hands in my pockets and picked up the pace of the route I knew by heart. I’d never been there, but I had it memorized just in case something happened and she ever needed me. Like right now.
The smell of smoke reached my nose, and I wondered if they were burning the marshes again. The Core of Engineers did that to control erosion on the marsh banks occasionally, but I thought it was usually during daylight hours. Keeping my eyes peeled for potential threats, I moved to a near jog. Something in the air didn’t feel right.
