White Tiger

“Yeah,” the man Kendrick had captured said. “Eggs over easy if it’s not too much trouble. Lay off, Kendrick, I’m only being hospitable.”

“Do you know him?” Addie asked Kendrick, her eyes widening.

“No,” Kendrick said sharply.

The man turned to Addie and looked her up and down with appreciation. “Hello, pretty lady. I’m Ben.”

Kendrick didn’t release him but steered him to a chair he pulled well away from the table and his cubs. “You said your name was Gil.”

“It’s Gilbenarteoighiamh, but I’m not sadistic enough to make people say that. Pick a syllable, I’m fine with it.” He sat down before Kendrick could push him down and winked at the cubs.

The three boys stared at him, openmouthed. Addie noticed that they kept quiet, cautious, unlike other children who might relax under Ben’s friendly wink and smile. The cubs had been almost gregarious with Charlie, but in Charlie they recognized harmlessness, while this man could mean danger.

“Coffee?” Addie offered. She picked up the pot, which she could also use a weapon. Scalding liquid could be distracting.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Ben answered. “Dylan is not happy with you, my friend,” he said to Kendrick.

Kendrick remained in place behind Ben’s chair. Addie plucked a coffee mug from the cupboard and carried it and the pot to the table.

She poured a cup for the stranger then stepped back, clutching the pot. “You have it tattooed on your fingers.” She gestured to Ben’s hands he’d wrapped around the cup. Letters on the first three fingers on the right hand spelled out Ben; on the left, Gil. “So you won’t forget?”

Ben rumbled with laughter. “Exactly. I like her, Kendrick. She’s funny. Where did you find her?”

Kendrick only scowled. “If you work for Dylan, why don’t I know you? He’s had me running errands for him for six months.”

Ben shrugged. “Dylan has fingers in many pies. You’d be surprised at the number of people he controls. He compartmentalizes. We don’t always know about each other. He says he’s worried about you and asked me to find you.”

“He’s worried he’ll lose control of me,” Kendrick said.

Ben gave another shrug. “You aren’t wrong. He doesn’t control me, and he knows it, but he thought I had the best shot at running you down. I wouldn’t have found you at all if you hadn’t gone back for her, but hey, I don’t blame you.” He pointed at Addie then raised his cup to his lips.

Addie set the heavy pot back on the coffeemaker. “All right, let’s be clear about everything. Who is Dylan, who are you, and Kendrick, why is he trying to find you? Does this Dylan have anything to do with the shootout at my diner?”

Charlie broke in, surprised. “Were y’all involved in that? I heard on the radio about a shooting up in Loneview. One reason I don’t live in a big city. They were shooting at you? I’m glad you’re all okay.”

Ben fixed Kendrick with a hard stare. “This is news to me. Who shot at you?”

“Some of my own. Long story.”

“Story I’m going to need to hear.” Ben gripped his coffee cup as though prepared to settle in for a tale on a long winter’s night.

“Not until I know whose side you’re on.”

“My own side.” Ben glanced at Addie. “Hers, actually. She’s prettier than you. And the cubs. I’m as protective of kids as Shifters are. More, probably.”

Addie widened her eyes at Ben. “We weren’t going to use the S word,” she said in a frantic half whisper. She’d told the cubs not to mention Shifters in front of Charlie.