Page 23 of Knife in the Back (New Orleans #4)

The Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana

Cell phone clutched in his hand, Burke stepped out into the courtyard behind his house, closing the door behind him. The crowd in his house was just finishing dinner. The instant quiet outside was a balm to his senses.

It wasn’t silence, of course. Strains of music from the bars a few blocks over wafted through the night, and there was always a low hum of voices from the people crowding the streets. Especially this time of year.

The city was his home and, to him, had always been safe. Sure, there had been individuals who’d meant him harm—Cresswell and Gaffney, primarily—but overall he’d never feared his hometown.

Until now.

Someone had put hands on their children. Jace and Harper. Everett.

Braden and Trent. His godsons.

Burke wondered how long Kaleb would stay mad at him.

He wondered how long Kaleb had been mad at him. Because there had been so much bitterness in his old friend’s words. He’d clearly been angry for a long time—at Burke for running off to join the Marines and then for coming back and not working with Kaleb in the business.

He sat on the bench under his favorite magnolia tree and stared at his phone, debating calling Juliette. Kaleb had told him to stay away, but he couldn’t.

He couldn’t lose this connection.

They were his family. The only family he had left. Even if they weren’t blood.

Someone had tried to hurt his godsons. The thought would not go away, circling his mind, taking up space he needed for thinking.

I need to know they’re okay. Really okay.

Kaleb was already mad, he reasoned. And Juliette could tell him to go to hell if she wanted to. Burke would comply with her wishes.

He called her number before he could change his mind.

“Burke! I’m so glad you called.”

He let out the breath he’d been holding. “Juliette. I wasn’t sure if you’d take my call.”

“What? Why wouldn’t I?”

“Kaleb is really mad at me.”

She sighed. “He’s scared. Which he should be, but I told him not to take it out on you. I guess he did that anyway.”

“It’s my fault.”

“No, it’s not. It was terrifying, I’m not gonna lie. But the boys and I are safe at home.”

They’re safe. All their children were safe. “Can you tell me what happened?”

“We’d gone out for ice cream. I had to park down the street, so we were walking to the car when this black SUV stopped in the middle of traffic and the hatch went up.

A man jumped out and grabbed Trent under one arm like a football and grabbed Braden by the arm and started taking them to the SUV.

I froze for a second, but then I took out my gun and threatened to shoot the man’s head off if he didn’t let my sons go.

The guy hesitated and kind of…stared at me.

He had on a hoodie and a mask, so his eyes were all I could see. But he looked scared of my gun.”

“And he dropped the kids? Let them go?” Just like with Jace and Harper, this was a brazen thing to do, to try to grab children on a busy street.

“Yes, he did. The guy jumped back into the SUV and it drove away. Trent remembered the license plate and I gave it to the cop who responded when several onlookers called 911.”

“The boys weren’t the only ones to get grabbed today. Three other kids were almost kidnapped and the situation was exactly the same. Except you were the only one to pull a gun on the guy.”

Part of Burke wished she’d fired so that they’d have the kidnapper in their hands, but so many things might have gone wrong had she pulled the trigger. Someone—the boys or innocent bystanders—could have been hurt.

But, thank God, it had been enough to scare the kidnapper away.

Juliette gasped. “I didn’t know that.”

Burke frowned. “Kaleb didn’t call you?”

“No, he said he was in meetings and would call me after. He’s getting his meetings finished tonight so that he can get on a plane and come home first thing in the morning.”

“Then you should know that I recommended two security companies that can provide protection services.”

“Bodyguards?”

“Yes.”

“Oh. Why…didn’t you offer to do it yourself?”

Burke’s heart lightened, just a fraction. At least Juliette hadn’t cast him aside. “I did, but Kaleb said it was better if I stayed away.”

“Oh, Burke. He was just angry. He’ll change his mind by morning.”

“Maybe, but until I get this case resolved, he could be right. It might be better that I stay away. Just to keep you all safe. But if you don’t like the people those two companies provide, know that I will find protection for you. Okay?”

“Okay.” She sounded frustrated. “I knew Kaleb was shaken up, but I didn’t expect he’d tell you to stay away. The boys are going to be heartbroken. Trent was counting on you coming to his award ceremony the week after Mardi Gras.”

“Then I’d best get busy solving this case. Are you all right staying by yourself tonight? I have a house full of people. If you want, you’re welcome to bring the boys over here. Or I can send someone to watch your house.”

Which he’d already done, but he didn’t want Kaleb to know that.

“Um…I think it would be better if you could send someone over here, just until Kaleb hires someone.”

He hadn’t realized how much he hoped she’d choose him until she didn’t. But this wasn’t about him. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Okay. Until then, I’ll keep my gun loaded.”

Juliette was an excellent shot. Burke had taught her himself. “If you hear a bump in the night, you call me, y’hear? I don’t care what time it is.”

“Thank you, Burke. Love you.”

“Love you, too.” He ended the call and pocketed his phone.

He was so damn tired. He just needed a minute of quiet. A minute to think. But the shutting of the door behind him told him that wasn’t going to happen.

He turned to find Naomi Cranston standing uncertainly, her back to the door.

“I wasn’t listening,” she said. “I waited until you put your phone away to come out. Is this a bad time?”

He barked a laugh. “This whole day has been a bad time, Miss Cranston. But come, have a seat.” He patted the back of the bench. “It’s a nice night.”

“It is,” she agreed, sitting next to him.

This close he could smell her perfume. Or maybe shampoo. Honeysuckle.

He’d always liked that scent. But there was something else. Something… Bacon? He tried to sniff the air discreetly, but she must have noticed because she leaned away from him.

He winced. “Sorry. I thought I smelled bacon.”

A blush lit her pale cheeks. “You do. It’s me. I’m the one who should be sorry.” She started to stand, but he gently gripped her arm and pulled her back down.

“Don’t be sorry. I mean, bacon is one of the best smells ever, so I’m good.”

She smiled uncertainly. “It’s just that…well, I’d almost broken the habit, but today’s been stressful.”

“You have a bacon habit? Because there are a whole lot worse habits to have.”

She sighed. “Well, not bacon specifically. It’s a habit left over from…you know. Prison. We’d always try to take something from the dining hall back to our cell for later. Tonight, I took an extra biscuit with bacon.”

“Ah. I understand. Food insecurity?”

“Yeah.” She looked away, embarrassed. “It’s a stupid habit. I won’t do it again.”

Burke hated to see her feeling embarrassed.

After surviving what she had, she shouldn’t feel anything but pride.

“I think we all develop weird habits along the way.” He stuck out his boot.

“I always replace the laces that come with any of my shoes with Kevlar string. I started doing it after I went through SERE.”

“The military survival training?”

“Exactly. Kevlar string can be used for all kinds of things, from fishing to stringing a bow to creating a snare to catch a rabbit. All kinds of things. I came home from the Corps fifteen years ago and I still do it. It’s…soothing.”

She smiled again, this time with gratitude. “Thank you, Mr.Broussard. You’re very kind to try to make me feel better.”

Try. So he hadn’t succeeded. Damn. “What can I do for you?”

She folded her hands in her lap, gripping her fingers tightly.

“How did they know where Everett would be? He didn’t tell anyone he was going to see his girlfriend, not even his best friends.

How did they know that Chelsea and Harper would be having dinner at that diner?

Or that Jace would be stopping at that grocery store? Or where to grab your godsons?”

The haze of exhaustion began to lift. “Very good questions, Miss Cranston.”

“Can you call me Naomi?”

“If you’ll call me Burke. We’re pretty informal around here.”

“I got that.” She tucked her hair behind her ear before flinching slightly and brushing the hair forward.

To hide the scar on her neck. Where she’d been stabbed. When she’d nearly died. Because Cresswell and Gaffney had framed her.

“Why you?” he murmured. “Another good question, I think.”

“I’m still thinking I was a random choice, or I was picked because they knew they could manipulate me by using Everett.”

But that didn’t feel right.

None of this feels right.

Except…having Naomi sitting beside him. Despite what she’d been through, she had a calmness, a serenity that soothed his heart. That felt right.

Which was a surprise. Maybe even a good surprise.

She was strong, this woman sitting beside him. She’d survived, retaining her empathy and compassion.

And she was ridiculously patient with her son.

Burke had hated the way her expression had grown pinched when Everett said she was only a glorified UberEats driver. Like she’d heard it too many times. Turned out that she had, from her ex.

Concentrate. Stop thinking about her, about her honeysuckle hair and her strength. About her big brown eyes that hid nothing.

Concentrate on fixing this mess.

“Maybe it was because they thought you’d be easy to manipulate, but that doesn’t answer the question of why they hid drugs in anyone’s car. And why wait until you’d been out of prison for a year before trying to manipulate you again?”

“I assumed it was to take advantage of all the deliveries I’ve been making the past few weeks.”