Lucas (Texas Boudreau Brotherhood Book 5)

by Kathy Ivan

  “Be happy to.”

  Lucas followed Harper out to her beat-up van and Jill watched, thrilled and excited, as one more of the final pieces fell into place. Next to having her ovens delivered, installing the sign had become her touchstone, kind of like decorating one of her cakes. The sense of accomplishment she felt blossomed inside, and she did a little booty shake, excitement flooding her like bubbles in a champagne bottle. She’d agonized over all the fine details, worked with Harper on every nuance, every confection choice, and every color. This sign was her baby; well, hers and Harper’s, since she’d done all the actual artwork. But Jill planned on getting a portion of the credit.

  Lucas carried in one end, while Harper handled the other end, a painter’s tarp draped over the signage. Leaning it against the wall, Harper slapped Jill’s hand away when she tried to peek.

  “You ready to hang this baby? Let me grab my tools, and we can get started.” Harper glanced at Lucas and added, “Don’t let her cheat. She’s going to try and sneak a look the second I’m out the door.”

  Jill huffed out a breath, and crossed her arms across her chest, sticking out her lower lip in an exaggerated pout. Harper’s laughter floated behind her as she sprinted out the front door, returning with a maroon-colored tool box. Grinning at Jill, she yanked the tarp off the sign in a dramatic fashion.

  Jill’s hands covered her mouth as she struggled to hold back happy tears. The photos Harper had e-mailed her hadn’t done it justice. The stunning colors and artwork went above and beyond everything she hoped for, and she couldn’t stop staring at the concrete evidence her dream was about to become reality.

  “Harper, it’s perfect.”

  “She’s right. You’ve done an amazing job. The vibrant colors and artwork are so realistic, it makes me want to reach out and take one of the treats right off the sign. Good job.” Lucas slid his arm around Jill’s waist, and pulled her against him. “Let me give you a hand hanging it, Harper.”

  “Give me a sec, I need a couple measurements to make sure I put the bracings in the right places. Don’t want this baby falling off and knocking somebody on the noggin.”

  With practiced ease, Harper climbed onto a countertop and whipped out a tape measure, marking spots on the wall with a pencil. Tucking it behind her ear, she turned and motioned to Lucas.

  “Do me a favor, hand me that toolbox.”

  Lucas’ hand slid from around Jill’s waist, and he grabbed the toolbox and handed it to Harper. She dug deep inside the toolbox and pulled out a small cordless drill, and drilled four pilot holes into the sheetrock.

  “Darn it, I left the braces in my car. I’ll be right back.”

  “Wait. If your car’s unlocked, I’ll grab it.”

  “I never lock it. Jill, don’t go getting any ideas about raising my insurance rate. You didn’t hear that.”

  Lucas headed out the front door, and Harper shot Jill a look. “Girl, we’re going to have a long talk about keeping secrets. You never told me Lucas was so fine.”

  She chuckled. “Wait until you see his brothers.”

  Harper’s eyes sparkled, and she waved a hand at her face, fanning herself. “Brothers? That dude’s got brothers? Holy hotness, where’s the list and how do I sign up?” Harper lowered herself to sit cross-legged on the countertop, the cotton-candy pink highlights in her hair glistening under the lights. “How many brothers are we talking about?”

  “Nine brothers and one sister. Four of them are taken, but that still leaves a smorgasbord of Boudreaus to choose from.”

  “Lucky me.” Harper grinned and clamored to her feet when Lucas came through the door, holding the wooden brace. “This won’t take long,” she added, “since I predrilled the pilot holes.

  “What can I do?” Lucas watched Harper’s every move. Jill knew it was the old-fashioned chivalry Douglas drilled into his sons. She’d never see one of the Boudreaus treat a woman as anything but an equal, yet they immediately threw themselves into action if even a whiff of danger arose.

  “Give me a second to get this last bolt in place—and I’m done. If you’ll hand me the sign, it should slide into place. This wooden brace has a groove in it, and the one attached to the sign will simply notch right into it.”

  Jill’s breath caught when Harper lifted the sign high, and heard the slight thunk when it slid onto the brace. Without a word, Harper whipped a small level from her pocket, and placed it atop the sign, then let out a whoop.

  “Level on the first shot. Awesome.” She jumped down from the counter, and walked over to Jill. “So, what do you think?”

  Jill flung her arms around Harper, squeezing hard enough the other woman let out a squeak. “Can’t breathe, woman.”

  “It’s perfect. Beyond perfect. You read my mind and then gave me even more than I asked.”

  “Sounds like a ringing endorsement. I concur, you did an amazing job.” Lucas moved to stand at Jill’s side, examining the signage. “I like the font you used for the lettering of the bakery’s name. It’s bold, but with a touch of subtleness that ties in with the vibe of the place.”

  “As long as Jill’s happy, we’re all good.” Harper ran a hand through her hair, the curls springing back in blonde and pink ringlets. Her green eyes sparkled, and she grinned. “I put a couple coats of lacquer over the chalk, so it’s not going to rub off. Oh, oh! Wait, I brought you something else.”

  Spinning on her heel, she raced out the front door, and was back within minutes with a brightly wrapped package. She shoved it into Jill’s hands.

  “What’s this?”

  “A little something I made you. Call it a combination congratulations-on-making-your-dream-come-true and a housewarming, or should that be business-warming gift?”

  “Thank you.”

  “Open it. It’s not much, but…”

  “Stop. Whatever it is, I know it came from love.” Jill ripped the red, yellow, and orange wrapping paper off and shoved it toward Lucas, who smiled.

  “What’s that look for?” Jill handed him the ribbon, which he added to the wadded-up paper.

  “I never pictured you as the rip the wrappings off kind of girl. I imagined you’d carefully peel back the tape and fold the wrapping paper neatly before opening the present type.”

  “Ha! If I did that, it’d take me too long to get to the good stuff.”

  Lifting off the lid, Jill turned to Harper, her eyes watery with tears. “It’s beautiful.”

  “I thought maybe you’d find a place where you could use it.” Her fingertip ran along the small chalkboard that she’d decorated to mimic the sign she’d hung. The smaller plaque had the words ‘Daily Specials’ written across the top in the same style and font as the larger sign.

  “It’s perfect. I even have an easel I can stand it on.” She hugged Harper one-handed, clutching her present to her chest. “I’m so glad you’re my friend.”

  “Me, too. Anyway, I’ve got to skedaddle. Call me if you have any problems with the sign. I promise I’ll be here opening day, Jill.” Harper turned to Lucas. “Nice to meet you, Lucas. Take good care of my friend, or you’ll be answering to me.”

  “You’ve got it, Harper.”

  Jill watched her friend until she was out the door, her hands still wrapped around the gift. Despite the horrible start to the morning, things had turned around. Opening day was close, and she felt a quiver inside. Those two words—opening day—made it feel real.

  “Wish I could stay, but I’ve got a meeting at six, and I can’t be late. You have your car? I can give you a lift if you’d like.”

  “Nope, I’m fine. Go to your meeting. I’ve got a couple things to do before I head home.”

  Lucas stared at her, his green eyes sparkling with an inner glow, like he carried all the knowledge in the world and wanted to share with her. The fire in their depths, usually so well hidden, seemed to blaze with desire. Without a word, he leaned closer, and brushed his lips against hers, the briefest touch.

  She found herself res
ponding, one hand sliding around the back of his neck, and pulling him closer, deepening the kiss. It felt like an eternity had passed since they’d kissed, and she lost herself in sensation. The touch of his lips lit a fire inside her, one she never wanted to go out. All too soon, he released her lips, and drew in a deep breath.

  “I wish I didn’t need to take this meeting. There’s so much we need to talk about, but I don’t want to rush this. Promise we’ll talk later?”

  “Alright.”

  He pressed another kiss against her forehead, and walked away, not looking back. Hugging the sign and the wrappings to her chest, she sighed.

  “I am such a goner.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Lucas pulled into the parking lot right before six, excited about his meeting with Dennis. Hopefully, the man could provide him with more ammunition to use against Benevides. He needed Benevides put out of business and behind bars. Shutting down his operation might become his top priority, especially after he’d heard about his harassment of Jill. His over-the-top behavior bordered on stalking, but the guy apparently knew how close to the line he could get without crossing into prosecutable. Lucas felt in his gut this probably wasn’t the first time Benevides had pulled his would-be hero-in-disguise act on another unsuspecting woman.

  He spotted Dennis standing by his car, surprised to note he wasn’t alone. Lucy from the club leaned her hip against the hood, her posture suggesting she might not be happy to be here. Sliding into a spot a few feet away, he climbed from his car.

  “Evening, Dennis. Lucy.”

  “I hope you don’t mind I brought Lucy along. She knows more about the ins and outs of Benevides’ club than anyone. As long as you keep her name off the record, she’s willing to answer your questions.”

  “You don’t need to talk for me. I’m capable of answering Mr. Stewart’s questions without an interpreter.”

  “Come on, Lucy, you know I didn’t mean anything like that. I—”

  Lucy suddenly grinned. “You are so easy. Dude, I’m busting your chops. Lighten up.”

  Lucas’ eyes widened at her words. This was a completely different person than the polished and sophisticated Lucy he’d met at the club last night. This woman was witty and funny, her smile brightening her face.

  “I appreciate you’re joining us, Lucy. I take it Dennis explained what we talked about last night?”

  “He didn’t give me a lot of details, just he was meeting somebody who wanted dirt on the club. When he mentioned you by name, I’ll admit my curiosity was piqued. So, tell me, what’s your deal?”

  “My name is Lucas Boudreau, and I’m an investigative reporter, working on a story about gaming clubs running illegal gambling through the state. I want to focus on a couple of individuals, highlighting their struggles, the impact these illegal gambling places have not only on them but how it affects their loved ones. The families picking up the pieces when things go wrong—which they inevitably do.”

  He watched her eyes close as she swallowed, agony written upon her countenance. Whatever she’d been through hurt her on a gut-deep level. He tried to imagine what she endured, having to go into the belly of the beast, work side-by-side with the people who’d torn her life asunder. It boggled his mind, and he wanted justice for people like Lucy, Dante, and Dennis.

  “Telling a story is all well and good, but it doesn’t shut the doors. The money flows into the hands of people like Emmanuel Benevides. If you only knew…”

  “I want to know. If there’s a way to shut him down permanently, I’ll jump all over it. I should tell you in advance, my brother is the sheriff of Shiloh Springs. Another brother is an FBI agent, working out of the Austin branch. A third brother is the district attorney for Shiloh Springs. I don’t want you walking into this blind, or thinking after the fact I tricked you or attempted to coerce you into talking. I’d rather you be fully informed, so there’s no misinformation, no hidden agenda. I don’t make up falsehoods for my stories. I work in tangible facts. If I can produce the kind of evidence that’ll put Benevides and his ilk behind bars, and stop the flow of money to the cartels, the human traffickers, and the drug deals, I’m all over it. I’ll gladly share my info with law enforcement, unless I’m sworn to secrecy. Do either of you have a problem with what I’ve told you?”

  Dennis chuckled and held his hands up in front of him. “I can’t speak for Lucy, but I’ve been gathering my own intel on Benevides for months. Wanted to have enough to take to the feds, but this might work even better.”

  Opening the back door of the car, he reached inside and pulled out a large manila envelope and handed it to Lucas without a word.

  Lucas studied it for a moment before asking, “What’s inside?”

  “Everything I’ve gathered on Benevides’ operation. People I’ve seen him meeting with. Dates and times. Dollar amounts when I could get ’em. I buddied up to Junior about a week after I started visiting the club, got real chummy. That meant after a while, he started trusting me, and got more lenient about what he said and did when I was around.” He shook his head. “That boy thinks he’s a player, but he’s nothing but cannon fodder. Benevides will use him, and then spit on his corpse when his usefulness is over.”

  “Which might be sooner than you think.” Lucy pushed her dark hair over her shoulder, eyes narrowing as she continued to study Lucas. “Junior’s getting sloppy. Benevides hasn’t been around as often as he used to, because he’s got some special project he’s working on. Whatever it is, it’s about a woman, that’s all can tell you. When Junior asked him about her, Benevides backhanded him hard enough to draw blood.”

  “Benevides doesn’t strike me as the type to let a woman distract his attention from business.”

  Lucy shrugged. “I wouldn’t think so either, but he’s been distracted for weeks. Whoever this Jillian person is, I pity her, because Benevides never takes no for an answer.”

  Every muscle in his body froze. “Did you say Jillian?” He could barely contain the flare of rage surging through him. Guess he sounded scary, because Lucy took a step back, her hip bumping against the car.

  “Lucas, back off.” Dennis took a protective stance in front of Lucy, and she shoved at his back. “Tone it down, or we’re outta here.”

  “You said Jillian. Did Benevides mention a last name?” Lucas could barely contain the anger and adrenaline coursing through him. The combination was a heady cocktail, fueling his desire to head straight for Benevides and rip his head from his shoulders. Yeah, that could work, then he’d never bother Jill again.

  “He didn’t, but it sounded like Junior knows this Jillian. Mentioned that she was a total prude, which is when Benevides clocked him.”

  “When did this happen?”

  “Couple of days ago, why?” Lucy’s steely-eyed gaze raked him from head to toe. “Let me take a wild guess. You know this Jillian, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Takes things to a whole different level. Makes your story take on a different slant if it hits you from your own personal perspective.” Lucy looked at Dennis’ back, and gave him a gentle push. “Okay, you were right. I trust him. Let’s get this interview over with. I want Benevides nailed to the wall. His head on a pike. I’ll personally bring the horses if you want to draw and quarter him.”

  “Bloodthirsty wench.” Dennis’ voice held affection and something Lucas was pretty sure was love. He’d heard that exact tone around his place often enough over the years it was unmistakable. Lately, as his brothers fell like dominos, he’d heard them use the same tone.

  He started to speak when his phone alerted the text tone. When he saw Shiloh’s name, he quickly displayed the message.

  “I need to take this. Why don’t you head inside and get a table, and I’ll be right behind you.”

  Lucy shrugged and started toward Juanita’s front door. Dennis jogged to catch up, and Lucas re-read the text.

  SHILOH: I’m in Portland. Checked out Elizabeth Reynolds’ apartment. It’s emp
ty. Manager said he didn’t know she’d moved out, but he saw her yesterday. Something spooked her, or else she found out somebody’s looking for her.

  ME: You missed her by one day? I can’t believe we’re so close to finding Renee. I’m in the middle of a meeting, but I’ll call you tonight. Shoot me an e-mail with anything you’ve got.

  SHILOH: Will do.

  ME: Thanks.

  Shoving the phone in his pocket, he entered Juanita’s, and spotted Dennis and Lucy sitting in a corner booth. It was early enough the place wasn’t packed wall-to-wall, like it was on the weekends.

  “Sorry, I had to take that. It was my brother.” He scooted into the booth and laid the manila envelope onto the seat beside him. “He’s looking into a personal matter for me, and wanted to update me on what he’s found.”

  “Hope he had good news.”

  “Thanks, Lucy. Things are looking hopeful.”

  The waiter came and took their orders. Juanita’s was one of Lucas’ favorite Tex-Mex restaurants. The owners opened the place over twenty years ago, a husband and wife duo who ran the place and did all the cooking. Though DFW had some good Tex-Mex places, none of them held a candle to Juanita’s in his heart.

  “Lucas! I didn’t know you were home.” Juanita bustled over to their table, a bowl of guacamole in one hand and warm tortilla chips in the other. Lucas stood, giving the older woman a hug. She was like a favorite aunt, one who kept him in carne asada and guacamole whenever he hit town.

  “Juanita, my lovely, you look younger and more beautiful every time I see you.” Lucas pulled her into a hug. “Decided to run away with me yet?”

  “Flattery will get you extra guacamole and salsa, mijo. But my Carlos will burn your supper if he hears you flirting.”

  “Carlos would never burn anything, but I’ll take my chances, because you are a sight for this lonely boy’s eyes. I hope everything is good.”

  “Can’t complain. Business is doing well. Our daughter, Carolina, is around with our first grandbaby.”