Wild Crows - 2. Revelation : english version

by Blandine P. Martin

  — "Ignore them and pay attention to what you're doing! "

  Casey was scolding me, so I concentrated.

  — "Yes, sir, " I said jokingly.

  Then, I took a deep breath and concentrated on my target. I wanted to hit the heart. I missed it by a few inches on the left. I decided to train harder. The sixth shot was the one. I hit my target right in the heart. I had finally reached my goal. Despite my pain, I felt proud.

  CHAPTER 11

  Jerry

  I had left Joe with her half-brother. Spending time together would bring them closer, and it was my wish. We were now her only family, and I wanted things to run as smoothly as possible.

  As I was driving toward Nevada, the landscape became drier. It was a habit of mine not to travel long distance on my own. That day, I had Hanger with me. When we left, he was conscious that this visit to our brothers in Reno would be no walk in the park. We never had a problem with the group led by Franck Bogart. It was something else. Asking for a favor meant we owed one. What I was about to ask my friend meant I would need to do something for him in return. That was how things worked. We were loyal and always there for each other, united under the banner of the Wild Crows. The members of the club in Reno were no angels like us.

  We were involved in the same kind of trafficking, except they still dealt drugs. We were among the few who had decided not to participate in this lucrative business. My only hope was we wouldn’t have to help them with something related to the white powder. I had always hated drugs, and it was worse now. Just the idea reminded of Mack. I swallowed hard and clenched my jaw, trying to chase away these dark thoughts. The sound of the engine covered my grunt. I looked in my mirror. Hanger was his usual self. He reminded me of Robocop, as he never showed any emotion. It was a fantastic asset, especially when he had to bluff his way out of a difficult situation.

  A few moments later, we passed the Reno City Limit sign and its illuminated arch, flashing the words « The biggest small town in the world», which welcomed the lost visitors. I didn’t care, we were not there to visit the city. We were there for business, and we knew what we wanted. We parked in front of a modest casino, on the left side of the road. I shot a glance at my friend, and he nodded to let me know he was ready. I liked his frankness. Hanger always went straight to the point. He would have been a perfect soldier. We walked into the casino, and the sound of the slot machines greeted us. I was always surprised to see how many people were addicted to these. There were already many gamblers, and it was only the beginning of the afternoon. There would be more later on.

  I walked to the counter, as I was checking the entrance hall. Nothing had changed since the last time I was there, and it was ages ago. Frankie’s casino looked more like an old pub than a gambling establishment like the ones in Vegas. Old polished wood contrasted with the intense lights, coming from the machines, which played old tunes. A girl not much older than Joe was serving drinks at the bar. She was wearing a revealing top, and her blond hair was tied in a ponytail.

  — "Hi, " I said. "I’d like to see Franck. "

  She looked at me, suspiciously. Then she seemed to realize that I was no tourist looking to gamble.

  — "And you are? "

  — "Jerry Welsh. "

  My name didn’t ring a bell, and she pointed her painted nail at me.

  — "Wait. I’ll let him know you’re here. He is in his office. "

  I stopped her.

  — "That’s all right, sweetheart, I know the way. "

  Surprised, she raised an eyebrow. I was in a good mood. Driving nuts this new girl was entertaining. I even saw a smile on my friend’s face. I took the lead and walked down the corridor behind the counter. I knocked on the metal door on which there was a sign with the word « President.»

  — "Yeah? "

  I walked into the room and saw my old friend behind his desk, hidden under a ton of papers. When he looked up, he removed his glasses. Then, he stood up and greeted us with a brotherly embrace.

  — "Jerry, Hanger. Nice to see again, guys. "

  — "Same here, " I replied, smiling.

  — "I must say I’m surprised. Usually, you give me a call before visiting me. "

  — "Yeah. I had to talk to you about a sensitive case, and I didn’t want to give you any information on the phone. "

  Frankie took a deep breath, looking suddenly serious.

  — "Sit down, bro. "

  He went back to his chair and pointed two seats on the other side of his desk. Hanger and I sat down. Confused, I joined my hands and placed them under my chin. I was trying to figure out the best way to introduce my request.

  — "I am sure you’ve heard about the Russians."

  Frankie lowered his eyes before nodding.

  — "Yeah. I heard the story about your daughter and Ash… and Mack, of course. Guys talk. "

  — "I’m sure, " I said. "Quite understandable. So, Kasabov is locked up in Karson. His trial is imminent. With a little bit of luck, he’s going to get life. But that’s not enough. "

  Franck interrupted me.

  “Jerry…”

  We looked at each other in silence for a few seconds. There was no need to speak. He knew exactly what I wanted.

  — "Two of your men are incarcerated in Karson, " I said purposefully.

  Frankie looked at me, before leaning back in his chair. He let out a sigh and clenched his fists. Then he closed his eyes, and when he opened them, I could see he was upset.

  — "Jerry, you can’t be serious…"

  — "You know I am. "

  His attitude worried me, but deep inside, I knew he couldn’t turn me down. It would have been impossible to let me down, as we had been friends for more than twenty years. We were brothers. My men had helped him many times and they had to suffer the consequences in the name of our friendship.

  — "I’m pissed off. " He said, looking at me gravely.

  — "I don’t have a choice. " I replied reluctantly.

  Sitting next to me, Hanger didn’t say a word. He was there as my escort, and he wouldn’t have dared to share his opinion on such a sensitive matter.

  — "Yes, you have…"

  — "It’s too risky for us if he’s alive. The same goes for you, Frankie! With the Russians out of the picture, we the market to ourselves. We’ve just struck a deal with the Bandoleros, but we could get more customers, if the Kasabovs are no longer in the game. It’s the same for drugs. Without them, you are going to earn more! "

  Frankie seemed offended by my words, but I knew I was right. He took the time to think about it. I glanced at Hanger, who nodded to let me know he agreed with me. Then I turned my attention to my friend.

  — "I need your help, Frankie. And you know I will owe you. That’s how it always has worked. "

  My voice was softer. I thought it would help him make his decision. My old friend sighed, and nodded.

  — "We’ll do things my way. "

  — "That’s fine by me. "

  — "I don’t want my guys to do anything reckless. "

  — "You’re the boss. I trust you on this. "

  He laughed heartlessly.

  — "Do you know if the Kasabovs still have friends around here? "

  — "Not that I know of, but we are careful. "

  — "Going to war against the Russians was not part of my plans. I don’t think we are ready for it, Jerry…"

  — "It won’t go that far. My men are watching them, and we are going to keep you posted. "

  — "Should I be relieved? "

  We laughed uneasily. Then, Hanger spoke.

  — "Our men are ready to step in. "

  He should have kept his mouth shut, but he was right. I said so to Frankie. My old friend seemed to evaluate the situation, and his face was telling me he didn’t appreciate what he had heard. If we had to intervene, both our clubs would be in danger and I knew it perfectly.

  — "We’ve always worked for hand in hand, Franck. We help each other, no
matter what. "

  — "And that won’t change, Jerry. But we can’t make one mistake…"

  — "I promise. "

  My friend stood up and extended his hand. I took it and shook it vigorously.

  — "For your daughter, Ash, and Mack."

  I nodded while the painful memories came back to my mind.

  — "And all of us, " added Hanger.

  We looked at him. He was a quiet guy, but when he had something to say, it was usually relevant.

  We said goodbye to our friend, but our embrace wasn’t quite the same. Frankie was probably stressed by what we had asked him to do. I was sure he had a lot on his mind. Hanger climbed on his bike, and I hit him gently on the shoulder before doing the same. Hang’ was an asset to the club. His face never showed any emotions, and he was devoted to us. He was so courageous that he was a model for the others. I smiled at him, and we left « the smallest big town in the world » to head toward greener fields. I had the answer to my question. My old demons would let me in peace that night.

  CHAPTER 12

  Joe

  Mona and I had spent the evening together, so we could prepare everything we needed for the Christmas market. The next day, I went to the parking lot where Billy and Lazar were waiting for us, early in the morning. I spotted my mother-in-law, holding a huge pot. Billy gave her a hand and started to unload the van. I greeted everyone, before starting to get busy. Ten minutes later, we were ready to go and drive to the meeting point. Mona offered to drive me, which I accepted gladly. The park was only a few miles away, but it allowed me to have a chat with her.

  — "Do you do this every year? " I asked.

  — "We try. It’s good for the club and business to participate in events, organized by the town."

  I nodded. I understood her point, but I was a bit surprised they would make such an effort.

  — "Is your goal to be popular in town? "

  — "It’s more to remind them that we were born here too and that the future of Monty Valley matters to us, " she said. "We have to be involved in the community, if we want to have a voice. "

  I nodded again.

  — "How are you doing? "

  This unexpected question came out as we were waiting for the light to turn green. I froze, trying to find a suitable answer.

  — "Fine, I guess. "

  Mona’s black eyes looked at me for a moment. Then she turned her attention back to the road, as she accelerated.

  — "You know, my door is always open. "

  — "I know, " I replied.

  I sighed and tried to soften my voice.

  — "Thanks, Mona. For everything. "

  — "You’re welcome, darling. You are part of our family now."

  I smiled back to her, overwhelmed by the love she gave me, even though we were not of the same blood.

  — "Here we are, " she said finally.

  She parked her Chevrolet in a small parking lot, which was almost full, even though it was still early. I got out of the car and heard Christmas tunes, which created a perfect seasonal picture with the illuminations that had been installed everywhere in the park. In a few minutes, the sun would rise. What a pity! The lights, coming from the garlands and hidden behind the leaves, gave a magic atmosphere to the place. The guys’van parked a bit further, so we walked to help them to unload it. Gale appeared out of nowhere. Lazar had probably called him, while he was on his way. First, we took care of the supplies necessary to build our stand. We crossed half of the park and reached an area where other people had already set up, and we found our spot. Thanks to the strong muscles of the guys on our team, the canopy was installed in no time.

  Then the men returned to the van to bring the delicious food we would sell during the day. Mona left me, so she could shake a few hands. I decided to check my cell phone. I was waiting for an email from Adam Jefferson. This renowned surgeon had left Stonebridge a few years ago and was now working in San Francisco, where he had become a chief surgeon. Despite the fact I had always refused to go out with him, I had to admit he was nice to me and he was there for me in difficult times, like when I had to steal drugs from the hospital to treat Ash after he had been shot. A few days ago, he had contacted me to let me know there would be an open position for a qualified nurse, next summer. I didn’t know what to think of it. I couldn’t deny that I was tempted to apply to this job. Naturally, I would have to apply through regular channels, and I wouldn’t be the only candidate. But I knew that a recommendation from Adam would make a big difference. Pulling strings was not something I was used to doing, but sometimes it was the only solution to reach your goal. Yet, it was hard to image telling Jerry he wouldn’t be able to count on me for the bar. He had done so much for me. It would hard, especially as I had offered to help him to turn the place into a regular bar during the day.

  The club was our whole world. I couldn’t even remember what a day outside the complex was like. I was working and living there. Lately, my life had turned around the Wild Crows. But what about me and my personal goals?

  I let out a sigh when I saw Adam hadn’t sent any message yet, but my friend Saddie had tried to reach me. Shit! I had forgotten about her and to be honest, everything that concerned my previous life. I made a mental note to give her a call soon … but would I? It would be hard to tell her about my new life in California, without sharing too many details. The club had so many illegal activities. I needed a plan, and the sooner, the better. She was my best friend.

  I came back to reality when Mona returned with the guys. Ash and Casey were following them, and everyone started to get busy. The guys greeted me, before putting a huge pot on the table, while Lazar and Billy took care of another one. Gale was carrying a large plastic container, and Mona told him to put it down next to her. As the first rays of the sun appeared, Jerry arrived with three chairs. He installed them in front of us before kissing me on the cheek. Then he hugged his wife with a broad smile on his face.

  — "So are you ready to play Santa, girls? "

  Mona winced, and I laughed. I learned that Mona would only stay an hour or two, so Jenna would have time to drive her son to daycare. The sweetie would spend the day with me, while Mona would rush home to prepare the Christmas feast. I had almost forgotten about it. To be honest, I had forgotten about Christmas, until I was reminded I had to come to the park. Since I had been molested, these events didn’t matter to me anymore. I nodded politely, even if I was not looking forward to spending the whole day with a girl from the club.

  Later the guys left but they remained close to us. Just one look around and you could see one of them glancing in our direction from time to time. I was relieved. Fear was a faithful companion since … « the incident with the Russians.» It always was by my side, but I was learning to deal with it and staying sane at the same time.

  Time went by quickly. Mona left around ten when Jenna arrived. She was gorgeous as usual with her long straight black hair and her delicate face plastered with too much make-up. I explained briefly how things worked. I was proud that our stand had been so popular so far. Around noon, fewer customers showed up. People seemed to prefer having lunch in their heated homes, but we hadn’t planned on taking a break. Luckily, Jerry had thought about it, and we saw Casey arrive, holding some sandwiches that he gave to us, before running to the shooting range. He was so childish sometimes. All around us, Christmas carols rose through the air, which was now a bit warmer.

  — "So do you like it here? " Jenna asked, casually.

  Smiling, I shrugged.

  — "I’m taking my marks. "

  — "Good. I guess it takes some getting used to…"

  She seemed to be in a talkative mood, so I kept on talking.

  — "You can say that. There are still many things I’m not comfortable with, but with time... "

  — "I see. "

  — "Mona told me you had a son. "

  She seemed surprised, but she answered my question. Her brown eyes lightened up when she talked
about the little boy.

  — "That’s right. That’s why I couldn’t come sooner. "

  — "She told me. "

  — "He’s five. "

  I nodded, but I didn’t dare to ask the million-dollar question.

  — "If you want to know who the father is, then let me tell you he’s not a member of the club."

  I was an open book.