Eye of the Falcon (Psychic Visions #12)(59)

Eagle watched as they both walked back to their car. It was obvious they didn’t want to go, but they had no legal reason to stay. They backed the vehicle out to where the road widened slightly and turned around, headed down to the highway. Eagle waited until he heard the engine slow as it approached the crossroads, then gunned as it went around the corner.

He walked over and unlocked the gates. The entire time the deputies were here, Tiger hadn’t said a word. Neither had Panther, who sat beside him. With the gates wide open, Tiger drove forward and parked on the side of the house. He shut down the headlights, opened the truck door, and hopped out. The two men embraced briefly.

“Sounds like you got bigger trouble than you let on,” Panther said quietly behind him.

He turned to greet the huge black man who had also been part of his unit. Panther was born as Peter. As soon as he could, he would only answer to the nickname Panther. It suited him. “It’s good to see you two. It was just a text, you know?”

Two sets of teeth flashed in the darkness. “We were bored,” Tiger said. “And you obviously needed our help.”

“Now that you’re here, you mind walking with me while I check the fences and the pens?”

“Did you hear or see the man they were talking about?”

“I didn’t check that close.”

Tiger snorted. “You haven’t changed a bit.”

“You might be surprised.” While the three of them walked the fence line, he brought them up to date on the mess his life had become.

“A woman all the way up here?” Tiger asked in surprise.

“And she’d been tortured,” Eagle added quietly. “Not just a little bit. But systematically over weeks. Bruises on top of bruises on top of bruises. Tiny slices on the soles of her feet so she couldn’t run. Broken bones. You know the drill.”

“Jesus Christ,” Panther whispered, the oath slipping out with more severity than Eagle had heard from him in a long time. But, if there was one thing none of the men in his circle would accept, it was abuse of anyone, particularly a defenseless woman.

“Where is she now?”

“Hopefully sleeping.”

As they walked toward the house, Panther pointed up to the sky. “What the hell’s going on?”

Eagle stopped and looked at the roof along the front of his house. Every inch of the edge was covered in birds. All sizes. The three men eyed the birds carefully. “The real question is, will they let us go in the house?” Eagle said.

“Man, there is more stuff here you need to be telling us about.” Panther took several steps forward. Two of the larger birds spread out their wings as if about to take flight. Panther froze. “Are they going to attack me?” he asked, a note of incredulity in his voice.

“No idea.” Eagle walked toward the front of his house, the dogs at his side, and his friends behind them. As he walked to the base of the porch steps he called out to the birds, “They are friends. They will help protect her. They aren’t here to hurt her.”

“Dude, you talking to the birds?” Tiger whispered. “I know you love them and all …”

Panther snickered. “On the other hand, if it works, I am all for it.”

Eagle took another step. Every pair of eyes turned his way. He called out, “Issa, are you awake?”

The front door opened, and she stepped out, a blanket wrapped all around her. Moving silently into the night, she walked to the top of the steps. Instantly the birds quieted above her. “Good evening, gentlemen.”

Panther, his voice low said, “Ma’am, I’m Panther, and this is Tiger.”

A glimmer of a smile whispered across her face. “And he’s Eagle. So does that mean there is a Hawk as well?”

That got a laugh out of them all. “Indeed, there is. He just happens to be off in Europe right now.”

She asked, “Are you all coming in?”

Eagle motioned to the roof and said, “Maybe you should come here and see this.”

Curiously she walked toward him. Moving carefully, she stepped down to the grass. Eagle watched a grimace cross her face as she turned and looked up, seeing the birds. She gasped; then her laughter rolled out. She dropped the blanket and opened her arms. Instantly the birds rose in the sky and twirled around her head.

The men backed away as the birds came down, swooping over her hands, not to scare her but almost in greeting. Issa stroked, touched those that hovered close enough. When the huge golden eagle came down toward her, the three men backed up even farther.

But she opened her arms wide and gently wrapped them around his huge body. He clung to her forearm and then dropped his head against her cheek. And she stayed like that for a long moment.

Eagle was dumbstruck. But it was nothing compared to what his friends were. He watched as she completely tamed the birds of prey around her. Behind him, he heard his friends whisper, “We really have to talk. Who … and what … the hell is she?”

And he realized he truly had no idea.

*

Interesting. Two deputies at the gate and another truck arriving. That was the most activity he’d seen in days. Dylan shifted his position. He’d spent so much time here the birds just watched him. He’d never done anything to hurt them, and as such, they accepted his presence. He was counting on that.