Page 6 of Landry (Bayou Brotherhood Protectors #7)

Shelby’s brow furrowed. “Did the vehicle come back to your place?”

“I don’t think so,” Camille said. “You know I lock the doors and windows every night. Around three this morning, I heard Ava scream. When I entered her room, the window was wide open. Honestly, it was unnerving.”

Shelby’s frown deepened. “Is Ava all right?”

Camille nodded. “When I asked her what had happened, she said she’d seen a monster with a black head, no nose or mouth, only eyes staring at her through the window.

I asked her how the window had gotten open.

” She leaned closer to Shelby. “This is where it gets creepier...” She drew in a breath and let it out before she continued.

“She said her friend Billy Ray had opened it and must have forgotten to close it.”

The deputy’s eyes widened. “Billy Ray? Do you know all her friends? I don’t recall a child named Billy Ray in the area.”

“I’ve asked her Mother’s Day Out teacher if Ava had a friend named Billy Ray in her class.” Camille shook her head. “She’s talked about Billy Ray before, but I don’t remember ever meeting him.”

“What kind of friend sneaks around at night?” Shelby’s frown returned. “For that matter, what kind of parent allows her child to run around at night?”

“I had the same thought,” Camille said. “I asked Ava where Billy Ray lived. She said he lives in the bayou. When I asked her if his parents knew he was running around in the middle of the night, she shook her head and said that he doesn’t have any parents.”

Remy shifted Jean-Luc from one arm to the other. “Was this the first time you heard anything about her friend Billy Ray?”

“No,” Camille said. “She’s talked about him before.

In fact, one day I heard her talking when she was out on the porch and I was in the kitchen preparing our dinner—only the conversation seemed one-sided.

I never heard anyone besides her talking, and I never actually saw him. I assumed he was an imaginary friend.”

“And she opened the window for her imaginary friend?” Shelby shook her head. “You might want to put in a security system with a camera.”

“You think her imaginary friend isn’t imaginary?” A shiver slithered down the back of Camille’s neck. “Should I be worried?”

Shelby shrugged. “I’ve not been a mom for long, and definitely not the mother of an imaginative five-year-old. But it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“You’re right.” Camille’s gaze shifted to the door leading into the storeroom. “I ordered one of those cameras you can place in your house and check the video from your cell phone. It should be here tomorrow.”

“If you like, I can have Remy send one of his guys over to check out your home. He could even stay the night if it makes you feel better. At least until you get that camera in place.”

Camille hated asking for help with anything. She’d worked hard to establish herself as a strong, competent woman, capable of building a life for herself and her daughter without the help of a man. But her daughter’s safety was her top concern. “Remy would do that?”

Shelby, in her law enforcement uniform, looking as tough as they came, gave Camille a gentle smile. “He would.”

Remy stepped closer, holding Jean-Luc with both hands as the baby tried to catapult himself into Shelby’s arms. “The Brotherhood Protectors’ primary mission is to help people.

An extra set of eyes, a guard to see you through the night, extracting kidnap victims from unsavory locations is what we do. ”

Camille’s gaze went to the man who’d come into the store with Remy.

“I can have Landry stop by to check your locks,” Remy offered. “He can stand guard through the night as well. He’s not currently assigned to a job.”

The air left Camille’s lungs. Landry was the man who’d sent a jolt of electricity through her body. A different kind of shiver rippled across her skin. “Oh, I don’t think I need someone to stay through the night,” she said hurriedly.

“At least let him stop by and go over the locks,” Shelby urged.

Camille chewed on her bottom lip. “Sure. It would be nice to have someone double-check the locks on the windows and doors. I’ll also have a talk with Ava about opening windows in the middle of the night.

” If she needed to, she’d stay up all night to make sure no one opened a window for real or imaginary friends.

She smiled at Shelby and Remy and lightly pinched Jean-Luc’s chubby cheek.

“Thank you for the offer and for buying chocolates. Take care of this little guy.”

“Let me know of any other occurrences that don’t seem right. We might have a Peeping Tom or burglar roaming the area.” Shelby hugged Camille and left to return to work on her shift.

As the men filed out of the store with their bags of chocolates, Remy stepped to the side with Landry, speaking softly while holding onto his son.

Remy and Landry, the last to leave, stopped in front of Camille as she held the door for them.

“Landry will be by around sunset,” Remy said.

Landry held out his hand.

Reluctantly, Camille took it.

His fingers curled around hers in a firm, but gentle handshake, sending that same jolt of electricity bolting through her system. “It’ll be my pleasure. Thank you for the chocolate. It was absolutely...magical,” he said with a wink.

Camille’s heart fluttered. She immediately pulled her hand from his and rubbed it across her apron. “You’re...um... You’re welcome.”

After the two men left the store, Camille closed the door, her gaze following Remy and Landry as they climbed into the cab of a pickup and drove out of sight.

She’d touched Landry twice. Both times, she’d experienced a jolt of electric current rippling through her. Whatever that was, she didn’t need it. After her first marriage had ended so disastrously, she didn’t need to fall for another guy. Especially one that could potentially break her heart.

Ava continued to play with her bear, doll and tea set while Camille greeted her next guests and went to work helping them with samples and gift boxes. By the time they left, it was time to close the shop and head to the house.

Her pulse beat faster at the thought of Landry Laurent stopping by to check her window and door locks. For a moment, she considered Remy’s suggestion that she let him stay the night to protect her and her daughter from Ava’s imaginary friend or the black-headed monster.

As soon as the thought surfaced, she nixed it. She could take care of herself and her daughter. Besides, it was only for the one night until her security camera with its motion sensor arrived. Then she could monitor Ava’s room without having to get out of her own bed.

She could handle one night. Shelby had mentioned missing items, but nothing more concerning, such as physical attacks. They should be all right.

The vehicle that had rear-ended her came to mind. But she hadn’t led him to her cottage on the bayou. Surely that had been a one-off occurrence by a rowdy drunk looking for trouble.

Camille was counting on that. But it wouldn’t hurt to keep a can of wasp spray close. It wasn’t a gun, but it could be effective in fighting off an intruder if aimed toward his eyes. Ava’s monster might not have a nose or mouth, but she had said he had eyes.