This was Bud, sitting on a stool outside the bar that fenced one side of the kitchen that was smack in the middle of our house and opened off into a huge, cathedral ceiling living room.

"Yes," I replied.

"But I don't wanna shop for school clothes," he told me and I felt the side of Mitch's front move in close to the side of the back of mine. So close, we brushed.

This, he did a lot.

This, I liked a lot.

"Don't blame you," Mitch muttered and my eyes jerked to him then narrowed.

Mitch grinned at me.

I glared.

"Seriously, sweetheart, you know his sizes. Can't you and Billie just pick up some shit for him?" he asked.

"I can pick out clothes for Bud," Billie, sitting beside Bud at the bar chimed in then finished, "Easy."

"See, Billie can pick them out for me," Bud unsurprisingly instantly agreed with Billie's plan.

"Are you sure you want that?" I asked Bud and he shrugged.

I was visualizing Bud in t-shirts with butterflies on them when I heard Mitch mutter, "Decided," and my eyes went back to him.

"It's a family outing," I announced and watched Mitch's head jerk.

Then he declared, "I'm not going."

"You are."

"I am not."

"If Mitch isn't going, I'm not going either," Bud stated.

"I'm going!" Billie cried excitedly.

That was my girl, all girl therefore always up for shopping.

"Bud and I'll go out, hit a few balls," Mitch said, "That cool with you, Bud?"

Like Bud would say no.

"Totally!" Bud cried.

See?

It was then I knew I'd lost both of them from the family outing I had planned but I hadn't exactly communicated mostly because I knew this would be the outcome.

Mitch and Bud taking off with their baseball equipment wasn't unusual. They went out nearly daily to hit a few balls and catch a few balls either at a park or a vacant diamond and Mitch also took him to batting cages. Bud had played Little League that year and you would never have guessed a little over a year ago he'd never thrown a ball in his life. Mitch said he was a natural. It seemed Mitch was right. Bud was the best kid on his team.

Then again, it helped that those two were always carting their mitts and bat bags around everywhere they went. Heck, just the other day when we'd swung into King Soopers to grab some things we needed, Billie and I went in and came out to Mitch and Bud playing catch in the parking lot.

"We were going to have a nice lunch," I dangled my carrot.

"Good, have one with Billie," Mitch replied, not seeing my carrot as tasty. "Bud and I'll grab some hotdogs", and he said this last as his cell on the counter rang.

I looked at Bud. "What if you don't like the clothes we get?"

"Auntie Mara, they're clothes. What do I care?"

That was my boy, all boy therefore he didn't care what clothes he wore.

Though, he'd probably care if butterflies were on them.

Before I could threaten him with this eventuality, Mitch spoke.

"What?" he said in a low tone that made the hairs on my neck stand up and I wasn't the only one who felt it. The kids did too for all our eyes went to Mitch. "Right. I'll be there as soon as I can. Leaving now."

Oh no.

Mitch disconnected and looked at me. I didn't like what I saw but I didn't have a chance to fully process it before he looked to Bud.

"Sorry, buddy, gotta take a rain check. Work. Soon's I can, I'll make it up to you."

"Okay, Mitch," Bud agreed, his voice soft.

"You okay, Mitch?" Billie asked, her eyes still on Mitch's face.

"I will be, gorgeous, once I get this work done. Won't take long," he answered Billie and looked at me. "Walk me to the door, baby."

My eyes slid through the kids while my lips smiled a fake smile I knew they wouldn't buy and I followed Mitch to the door.

He walked out of it, I followed him out and he closed the door.

Then he turned to me, lifted both hands and put them to the sides of my neck, leaning in so our faces were close.

"Your new girl Tyra?"

Oh no!

"Yes?" I whispered.

"She might be in some trouble."

Oh no. On no. Oh no!

"Mitch," I breathed.

"Don't go shoppin'. Put Billie off for a bit. Stay at the house."

"Why?"

"I just wanna know where you are all day, okay?"

I nodded. I could do that for him.

"I gotta go."

I nodded again.

"Love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too, honey."

He bent his head further, touching his mouth to mine.

Then he jogged to his SUV in our drive.

Jogged.

That was not good.

I watched him swing in. Then I sucked in breath and went inside to break the news to Billie we weren't going shopping.

And after that, call the girls.

Elvira At the same time, outside seating, Starbuck's in Cherry Creek North, Denver...

The bitch was late.

This did not make Elvira happy.

Tapping an impatient toe, she sucked back a sip of latte, put it down, lifted her phone and jabbed at it with her finger before putting it to her ear.

The call rang through to Tyra's phone.

No answer.

When she got voicemail, Elvira disconnected without leaving a message and her hand was falling when her phone rang in it.

The display said "Hawk Calling".

Elvira took the call and put the phone to her ear.

"Which part of the words 'day off' do you not understand?" she asked in greeting.

"Tyra with you?" Hawk asked back.

"No. The girl is late."

"Russians are on the move. Tack and Tyra are both targets. Get your ass to the office now and call Lee Nightingale on your way."

Disconnect.

Elvira shot out of her chair and raced on her high heels to her burgundy Eclipse.

In most instances, except this one, it was a sacrilege but she left her latte on the table not even half drunk.

Chapter Thirty-One.

Rivers of Blood Tack Two minutes before Hawk's call to Elvira, Kane Allen and Tyra Masters's house...

Tack's cell rang as he was walking down the hall toward the sound of the TV in the living room where his kids were. He dug it out, looked at the display and put it to his ear.

"Yo," he answered.

"You good?" Cabe "Hawk" Delgado asked in a voice that made Tack stop dead outside his kitchen.

"Yeah. Why you askin'?"

"Tyra with you?"

Ice immediately suffused his veins.

"No, she left half an hour ago to drive down the mountain to go shoppin' with Elvira."

"I'll call Elvira, you call Tyra. Get her ass back there or to Chaos. Guard."

Shit. Fucking shit.

"Hawk, tell me what the fuck and do it now," Tack growled.

"Elliott Belova was whacked early this morning. Elaine Heron is in critical condition, ICU in a hospital in Kansas City. The Russians are making moves."

That ice started biting and Tack's legs started moving back where he came. "Jesus fuckin' Christ. Call your girl, I'll call my woman."

He disconnected then found Tyra and hit go.