Puller nodded and pointed to White, Black, and Latino. “These three idiots here. The girl is too scared to press charges. But I’ll be glad to. They weren’t here to welcome me back to my room. Attempted murder at least.” He paused. “And I doubt they have permits for those guns. You know any of them?”

Landry pulled a small but powerful light from her hoodie pocket and shined it on each of the fallen men.

She nodded. “These two, yeah,” she said, indicating Black and White. “They don’t belong to any gangs that I’m aware of. But they’ve got a rap sheet with us.”

“I heard they were too dumb and unreliable to be of any use to a gang.”

“Where did you hear that from?”

“Confidential source.”

“You’ve been here a little over twelve hours. Where do you get confidential sources that fast?”

“You work at it.”

“I’m going to call for transport on this.”

“Okay.”

“Paperwork to fill out.”

“I bet.”

“It can wait until morning.”

“Appreciate that.”

“You got another place to stay?”

Puller thought about this. His aunt’s house was an option. But right now he considered it an unprocessed crime scene. His moving in there, even for a night, could potentially foul up some important evidence. He couldn’t bring himself to do that, even if it was more convenient for him personally.

“My car.”

“The Vette?”

“No. Another set of wheels. Figured the Vette was too conspicuous.”

“I’d agree with that.“

“So I can sleep in my vehicle.”

“On the street?”

“Why, don’t you keep them safe?”

“Puller, you just beat the crap out of eight guys who live in Paradise. I’m sure all eight have friends and family who might want a little revenge. They’ll be looking for you, whether you’re in a car or in another cheap motel.”

“Well, I can rent a blanket and lie out on the beach.”

“You’re not getting my point. They could come and kill you.”

“You got any suggestions, then? I’m fresh out of ideas.”

Landry looked uncertain, and then she looked uncomfortable. Her changing features piqued Puller’s interest. He wondered what she would say.

“Look, you can stay at my place. Just for tonight,” she added quickly.

“You in Paradise?”

“Just next door in Destin.”

“You don’t care to live in Paradise?”

“I like the view in Destin better. Besides, it’s only fifteen minutes away. But it’s an important fifteen minutes. For you. I doubt the friends and family will find you there.”

“You don’t have to put me up.”

“I know I don’t. I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want to.”

“You don’t really know me.”

“I told you my brother’s in the Army. He checked you out for me. Said there’s not an enlisted with a better record in the service. The only knock against you is why you didn’t go to West Point. And my brother said your father was like Patton and Schwarzkopf rolled into one.”

“I wouldn’t disagree with that. Although he probably rotates closer to Patton, at least in his bedside manner.”

“So you’ll stay at my place?”

“Okay, just for the night.”

“Just for the night,” she repeated and then slipped her phone out and called for police and medical transport for eight men who’d had the shit kicked out of them.

After she finished and put her phone away she said, “Bullock will want to see you about this.”

“I bet he will. In fact, I’ve already seen him tonight.”

“Did he bite your head off?”

“I think we’ve reached an understanding, actually.”

“Okay. But I wouldn’t count on that holding after this.”

“Right.”

“You’ve sort of set a record for mayhem in Paradise.”

“I can see that.”

“You going to be here much longer?”

“Wish I could tell you for sure, but I can’t.”

“Your aunt?”

“My aunt.”

“You just don’t let go, do you?”

“Never saw the point,” replied Puller.

CHAPTER

33

PULLER WAS FOLLOWING LANDRY over to her place. She was ahead of him in a dark blue, white-topped Toyota FJ four-by-four Cruiser. It looked rugged and durable and ready to roll on asphalt or sand, which was probably why she had purchased it. Puller had pegged her as particularly no-nonsense. He also could tell this by her keeping exactly to the speed limit as they headed west to Destin.

On the way he phoned his brother at USDB. The call had been scheduled in advance, as required, and although he was late phoning in, he was put through a few seconds later.

Robert Puller had been awaiting his younger brother’s call and picked up immediately.

“Sorry for the late call,” said Puller. “I got sidetracked.”

“That’s okay. I was going to go out tonight, but decided to just stay here and wait for you to ring up.”

“Nice to hear you’ve retained your sense of humor.”

“Most important thing I’ve got, actually. Maybe the only thing I’ve got.”

“I can see that.”

“Now, when you get sidetracked it usually means someone is lying all bloody in a ditch.”

“They’re not in a ditch,” said Puller. “They’re in a holding cell.”

“Talk to me.”

Puller conveyed most of what had happened in Paradise over the last dozen hours or so. When he recounted it, he was amazed that he had packed so much into so little time.

“You’ve been busy,” said Robert.

“Wasn’t really by choice.”

“So a journal is missing from Betsy’s house?”

“Looks to be.”

“And a ten-mile drive at night?”

“That was just a guess. I’ll have to confirm it.”

“And the guys following you?”

“Got a contact at USACIL working on that. Hopefully I’ll hear something soon.”

“Sorry you had to see Aunt Betsy like that.”

“How much of the summers we spent with her and Uncle Lloyd do you remember?”

“Pretty much every second. She was an unforgettable lady. Sort of like the Old Man but with compassion and a heart.”

Puller nodded. That would have been his articulated assessment as well. “Some of the best times we ever had,” he noted.

“Sometimes I think we’re the way we are because of her more than the Old Man,” said Robert.

“I haven’t really thought about it,” replied Puller. “But the older I get the more I think I’m like the Old Man too much.”

“Stop thinking that, it’ll drive you crazy.”

“Maybe it already has.”

“You’re the sanest man I know. And that’s saying something.”

“Maybe, Bobby. But maybe not.”

“So what do you think? Was she murdered?”

“Factor in the journal missing, if that’s what it was, the folks tailing me, the fact that I think the lawyer is lying to me, and what was in Aunt Betsy’s note—yeah, I think she was murdered.”

“But the police don’t see it that way?”

“Not now they don’t. That could change.”

“So who’re in the holding cells?”

“Just some folks I had a disagreement with. Not connected to what I’m down here for.”

“You really can’t be sure about that.”

“You’re right, I can’t be. But it’s just my gut.”

“What are your next steps?”

“Get some sleep. I’m running on empty right now.”

“Anything else?”

Puller hesitated, then decided to say it. “There’s a guy down here. Bigger than me. Stronger than me. Probably can kick my ass.”

“That qualifies as remarkable. What’s the connection to you?”

“Don’t know that there is any. Could just be wrong place, wrong time.”

“You could just shoot him.”

“He actually helped me out tonight. I don’t think he did it because he was a Good Samaritan. I think he was just pissed that somebody was disturbing his sleep.”

“Okay. I think I follow that, but not really.”

“How are things on your end?”

“The views haven’t changed.”

Puller cracked a grin, but then it faded. “Yeah.”