“How long ago?”
“Six months.”
“And they've been bothering your mom since then?”
“At first they just called.”
She placed the sandwich down.
“Then they came to the house.”
Ethan watched her carefully.
“What happened to your cheek?”
Ava stopped moving.
Mason stared at the table.
Ray's jaw tightened.
Ava whispered, “I fell.”
Ethan had heard that sentence many times in many places.
Barracks.
Emergency rooms.
Police interviews.
His own home, years ago, when Lily had tried to explain away a bruise she got while Ethan was drunk and arguing with her mother.
He knew the sentence.
He also knew when not to challenge it.
“All right.”
Ava looked relieved.
Ethan leaned back.
“Tell me about yesterday.”
Her eyes widened.
“How did you know?”
“Because you're here today.”
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she reached into her pocket.
She placed a broken pink plastic bracelet on the table.
“My mom gave me this.”
Ethan picked it up.
It was cheap children's jewelry.
One side had snapped.
“One of the men broke it when he grabbed me.”
Silence filled both booths.
Ava continued before Ethan could respond.
“Mom pushed him away. Then Mr. Vale got angry.”
“What did he do?”
“He told Mom she had until tonight.”
“Until tonight for what?”
“To sign the house over.”
“And if she doesn't?”
Ava looked toward the window.
“He said he'd come back with people who don't ask twice.”
Ray quietly stood.
“Ethan.”
“I know.”
“No,” Ray said. “You don't.”
Something in his voice made Ethan turn.
Ray walked closer.
“Vale.”
“You know the name?”
“Maybe.”
Ray sat beside Ethan.
“About fifteen years ago, there was a property outfit operating around Tyler and Longview. They targeted older owners, families behind on taxes, inherited land. Shell companies. Fake liens. Pressure tactics.”
“Vale?”
“Adrian Vale.”
Ava's head snapped up.
“That's him.”
Ray's face hardened.
“You sure?”
“He has shiny black shoes even outside.”
Mason gave Ray a puzzled look.
Ray nodded slowly.
“That sounds like Adrian.”
Ethan leaned forward.
“What happened fifteen years ago?”
“They disappeared.”
“Why?”
“Federal investigation.”
“And Vale?”
“Never charged.”
Ava looked between the men.
“Can you make him leave?”
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
Because now this was bigger than frightening away a few men.
If Ray was right, showing up at Claire Miller's house with seven bikers could make things worse.
A lot worse.
Ethan looked at Ava's broken bracelet.
Then at her seven dollars and forty-three cents.
A child had walked three miles through Texas heat because she believed scary-looking strangers were safer than the adults already involved.
That was not something Ethan could ignore.
He stood.
“Finish your sandwich.”
Ava looked worried.
“Where are you going?”
“To earn my seven dollars.”
Claire Miller's house stood at the end of County Road 18 behind a row of live oak trees.
It was smaller than Ethan expected.
White siding.
Green shutters.
A porch that sagged slightly on one corner.
Behind it stretched nearly forty acres of dry grass, cedar, and scattered oak.
Ava rode in Ray's truck because Ethan refused to put a child on his motorcycle without proper gear.
The seven bikes followed.
When they turned onto the dirt driveway, Ethan saw a woman burst through the front door.
She was in her mid-thirties, thin, dark-haired, barefoot.
“Ava!”
Ray stopped.
Ava jumped out.
“Mom!”
Claire ran down the porch steps and wrapped her daughter in both arms.
“Where were you?”
“I'm sorry.”
“I've been looking everywhere!”
Claire pulled back.
Then she saw the motorcycles.
Her face drained of color.
She pushed Ava behind her.
“Who are you?”
Ethan stopped ten feet away.
“My name's Ethan Cross.”
“I don't care. Get off my property.”
“Mom,” Ava said.
Claire looked down.
Ava whispered, “I hired them.”
Claire stared at her daughter.
“You what?”
Ava opened her fist.
“I found bikers like Grandpa said.”
The words hit Ethan strangely.
Claire's face changed.
“What did you say?”
Ava pointed at Ethan.
“Grandpa said if everything went bad, find the men with wings.”
Every Iron Saint froze.
Ethan felt the hairs rise along his arms.
“Your grandfather said what?”
Claire looked terrified now.
“Ava, go inside.”
“But—”
“Inside.”
Ava hesitated.
Claire's voice cracked.
“Please.”
The girl obeyed.
The screen door closed behind her.
Claire waited until she was gone.
Then she turned toward Ethan.
“You need to leave.”
Ethan didn't move.
“Your daughter said her grandfather told her to find men with wings.”
“He was sick near the end.”
“Was his name Samuel Miller?”
Claire's eyes widened.
That was all Ethan needed.
Ray stepped forward.
“Samuel Miller?”
Claire looked at him.
“You knew my father?”
Ray removed his sunglasses.
“Oh, God.”