Boats. He wanted to go for the boats.

“Don’t do this, Guidry.” Jones’s voice rang out. “I don’t want to kill you, but I will if I have to. Your sheriff took some fire. Your brother is down. Give up the girl and it all stops.”

“You go, Remy,” Armie yelled.

Lisa looked back and the sheriff had somehow managed to push a table on its side, giving him and Zep’s body some cover. He’d also pulled a secondary weapon and looked perfectly ready for a firefight. The only thing marring the sight was the dark stain on Armie’s left arm. He’d been hit in the crossfire.

Jones stepped out from behind the hostess station where he’d been hiding and took another shot at Armie. It wasn’t the only bullet that went flying. From somewhere above, a bullet slammed into the wall right behind Jones’s head. He cursed and disappeared again.

And Remy was up on his feet, hauling her with him. “Run. You keep running. Even if I’m not behind you anymore. Get to the airboat in mooring five. The keys are always in there. Fire it up and get into that bayou. I’ll join you if I can. Go.”

She didn’t hesitate. She ran toward the door. Her heart thundered, hands shaking as she opened the door. Remy was behind her, but the bullets were flying again. They resounded through the space, though she couldn’t tell where they were coming from except behind her. In the distance she could hear the sounds of sirens coming up the road. Surely that would scare off the pretend cop.

She pressed through the door and her feet hit the boards of the pier. Number five. Was it on the right or the left? Oh god, how could she run when Zep was dying?

Five. She turned to the left. Please let Remy be behind her. She wouldn’t, couldn’t leave without Remy. She would find a weapon and go back after him.

The boat in five was an airboat, the kind they would use to take people into the bayou. It was a flat-bottomed boat with a massive fan on the back. That fan might be a bit of cover from someone who was firing on the boat.

The boat swayed as she scrambled in. The keys. She had to find the keys.

And then the whole world seemed to sway as the boat rocked hard back and forth. Something heavy tackled her from behind and every bit of breath she had in her body fled. Remy. He was on top of her and that was when she felt something warm hit her cheek. The bottom of the boat was cool against her skin, but this was hot, and the coppery smell couldn’t be denied.

Blood.

“What happened?” She breathed the words, shocked.