Drake relayed the story beginning with Hugh meeting him when he arrived home and ended with finding Lt. Merritt among the dead supremacists.
“Do you think he was the mysterious new leader?” Rai asked when he finished.
“I don’t know for sure, but my guess is, yes.”
Rai’s jaw tightened. “I’ll do some asking around. General Pershing needs to be told and he’s not going to be pleased hearing Merritt was involved. I’ll also talk to Roudanez about putting the incident in his newspaper. People should know the truth.”
Drake agreed. If anyone could get the proper people on his side, it was Raimond.
After a few more minutes of discussion, Rai left them to head to the Quarter.
“I need to get back to the Christophe,” Archer said.
Drake understood. “I’m going to wait for Sol and the workers and start cleaning up.”
Sable spoke next. “Val and Reba, I can drop you at Julianna’s on my way home.”
Drake wanted Val to stay with him, but knew she’d be having lunch with Cole. He assumed she’d get Archer to take her and bring her back. The way her eyes met his gave him the sense that she wanted to stay as well, but he knew she wouldn’t stand up her friends. She said quietly, “Drake, I’ll see you later?”
He nodded.
Ready to depart, Archer said, “Take care, brother. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Same here,” Sable said.
“I will.”
Valinda held his eyes until Sable turned the wagon around and headed back to the road.
When his workers showed up to begin their day, they gaped at the destruction. He relayed last night’s episode. After they recovered from the shock, they began helping him with the cleanup. What remained of the walls had to be torn down and the surviving planks of flooring pulled up. Once that was accomplished, he’d bring in draft horses and plow under the soot and ash, add topsoil, and level the site for the planned reconstruction. It was going to be backbreaking work, and it wouldn’t be accomplished overnight.
True to his word, Hugh showed up as well. Upon seeing the damage, he said, “They did you pretty good.”
“I know,” Drake replied solemnly.
Seeing a rider approach, Drake went still. It was Boyd Meachem. When he neared, he glared down from the back of his horse. “You killed my boy!”
Drake was not in the mood. “Maybe he should’ve stayed home last night.”
Boyd looked around at what was left of Drake’s home. “Men who did this should get a parade.”
“Go home, Boyd.”
He chuckled. “Hope they get your mother’s place, next time.”
Furious, Drake dragged Boyd off his horse and held him up as he growled in his face. “Hope you aren’t buried with Ennis next time!” He tossed him away and the wide-eyed Boyd landed on his butt in the ash and mud.
Shaken, he stumbled to his feet. “In the old days, you’da been hung for what you just did!”
“Get off my land.”
With as much dignity as he could, Boyd climbed back into his saddle. “I won’t forget this, LeVeq.”
“Daniel Downs’s wife and son won’t forget, either,” Drake countered.
Reining his horse around, he rode away.
As they watched him, Hugh asked, “When will this end?”