Page 257 of Rangers Mountain Rescue
The Magnolia Ladies.
All three of them.
Standing right in the open doorway like they didn’t just walk into the middle of a high-risk situation, and they brought food.
Like, this is a church social, not a tactical lockdown.
“Oh no,” I breathe.
Beside me, Havoc goes completely still.
Not the same still as before.
This one?
This one’s… disbelief.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Briggs mutters.
The lead Magnolia lady—Mable, I think—plants her hands on her hips and looks around the Tavern like she’s inspecting a poorly run bake sale.
“What in heaven’s name is going on?” she demands.
No one answers.
Because no one knows where to even start.
Her gaze lands on me.
Then softens instantly.
“Oh, sweetheart,” she says, stepping forward. “We saw the lights, and Doris said she heard gunfire, and I told her that was ridiculous, but then Harold said—”
“Mable,” Havoc cuts in.
Calm.
But firm.
She stops mid-sentence.
Looks at him.
Really looks at him.
“Well,” she says slowly, “you look like trouble. Take this food and set it on the counter so everyone can eat.”
Briggs chokes on a laugh.
I bite mine back.
Havoc doesn’t react.
Of course he doesn’t. But he takes the food along with Trigger and Ace.
“Thank you,” Ace murmurs.
“Ma’am,” Havoc says, “you need to go home.”
