by Wilder, L.
“So, you’ve never actually had a face to face with this Scar fella?”
“No. Never.”
“Hmm.” Viper’s eyes narrowed like he didn’t believe him as he asked, “And how do you make contact with this Stark guy?”
“Mostly by coded emails,” Schommer stammered. “I do my job, and if all goes as planned, my cut is dropped off at my office at the end of the month. That’s all I know.”
It seemed odd to hear the articulated professor say the word cut, but Viper seemed more surprised by the location of their meeting. “Your office on campus?”
“It’s the safest place.” Schommer’s breath quickened to the point I thought he’d pass out. “It’s big with lots of people around, so less attention is drawn. People can come and go without question.”
“Who drops off your cut?”
“Different every time.” Schommer shrugged. “Usually just some student or kid they pass off a hundred bucks to.”
“And these emails? Were they done on your work computer?”
“No. I always use my personal laptop.”
“And where is this personal laptop?”
“It’s in the back seat of my car.”
There was only one minute remaining on the timer, but Viper didn’t seem to be in any rush. In fact, he seemed to be drawing the whole thing out as he asked, “So, how long you been working with this Scar guy?”
“I don’t know! A couple of years, I guess.”
“And what made you get into this line of business?”
“Why does any of this matter?” Schommer’s eyes were still fixated on the timer as he pleaded, “Just turn the damn thing off, and I’ll tell you anything you want to know!”
“You’re not in a position to be giving orders, professor.”
There were less than twenty seconds remaining on the clock when Schommer started spouting off, “You have any idea how much money a professor makes? I couldn’t ever make the kind of money I do by teaching anywhere in the country, and with a wife like mine and daughter who wanted to go to an Ivy League college, I had to do something. I was given the offer and took it.”
Schommer’s breath caught and a pained expression crossed his face as he watched the last second tick down on the timer. He continued to hold his breath as he waited for the explosion that never came. A smile crossed Viper’s face as he looked down at the defeated professor and said, “You can breathe easy now. Unlike pieces of shit like you, the Ruthless Sinners live by a code. We’d never hurt an innocent woman.”
Without saying anything more, Viper turned and started out of the room. As he got closer to the door, Schommer started to yell, “Wait! What about Catherine? Let her go! I told you what you wanted to know.”
Ignoring him, Viper stepped out into the hall and slammed the door behind him. Before any of us had a chance to speak, Menace came out of the adjoining room and asked, “Did he break?”
“Yeah. Bringing the daughter in did the trick. I’m going to need you to see what you can find out about a guy named Joseph Stark.”
“You know anything about this guy?”
“No. Just that he’s the liaison between Schommer and Scar.”
“I’m gonna need more than that, Prez.”
“You might be able to find something on Schommer’s laptop.” Viper looked over to Hawk as he said, “You and Rafe go grab the laptop, then get rid of Schommer’s car. He won’t be needing it.”
“You got it.”
“The rest of you clear out and get ready to do your shifts at both of the clubs. I’m counting on you to keep things running while Menace is busy finding this Stark fella.”
“Understood.”
Even though we’d gotten the information we needed from Schommer, there was a heaviness in the air. We all felt it, and we all knew why. There was trouble on the horizon. It was looming over us like a dark cloud, and I had a feeling the storm it’d bring would be nothing like we’d ever seen before.
Chapter 8
Marlowe
The night I’d been dreading for days had finally come. Gladys was officially closing Crockett’s. Everyone, including Rafe and Country, had come to celebrate the occasion. They wanted to take the opportunity to honor Glady’s and her forty-five years of running the bar, and it was clear from the big smile on her face she was having a blast. I, on the other hand, was a mess. I was struggling with the thought of such a memorable chapter in my life coming to an end. So much so, I was on the brink of becoming a crying, sobbing mess. Thankfully, Rafe picked up on my emotional state and reached over and placed his hand on mine as he asked, “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good,” I lied. “Just a little bummed that it’s our last night.”
“That’s understandable. I know you’ll miss the place.”
“I definitely will. More than I realized.”
Rafe gave my hand a light squeeze. “Well, if it’s any consolation, I think they’ll miss you just as much.”
“I don’t know about that, but it means a lot that everyone came out to say goodbye.”
“It’s definitely a hell of a turn out.”
“Damn right, it is.” A proud smile crossed Country’s face as he said, “This place is packed to the gills. Makes me wonder if Gran made the right choice to sell.”
“She looks pretty happy with the decision.” Rafe motioned his head to the end of the counter as he said, “She’s on her third round of shots.”
I looked over at Gladys, and I couldn’t help but smile as I watched her toss back a shot with Larry, one of our older regulars. She was laughing and carrying on like she didn’t have a care in the world. It wasn’t a sight I’d seen very often. Gladys was always so worried about making sure everything was running smoothly that she rarely took a moment to just stop and take a break. It was good to see her so happy. Over the past year, she’d been like a grandmother to me, always looking out for me and giving advice. It meant the world to me.
When Gladys started to pour a fourth shot, I turned to Country and asked, “She never drinks like this. You think we should get her to slow down a bit?”
“Nah, she deserves to have a good time. We all do. It’s been a long fucking week.”
“You’re not kidding,” Rafe grumbled.
I hadn’t seen much of Rafe over the past couple of days. I figured he was just busy at the club, but there was something in his tone that made me wonder if there was more to it. I was hoping he might give me a clue, but before he had a chance to say anything more, Country turned his attention to me and asked, “You still planning to start bartending at Stilettos next week?”
“That’s the plan.”
“You know the clientele is a lot different over there. You play your cards right, and you’ll make bank in tips.” Country leaned forward and snickered. “Damn shame you aren’t really into chicks. It would be like working in a fucking candy store if you were.”
“I’m sure it would be.” I glanced over at Rafe and smiled. “But unfortunately for me, I don’t do chicks.”
“I still can’t believe you fucked with me like that. Hell, one look at you and my mind went straight to hot-as-fuck girl-on-girl action. Damn near gave me a hard-on every time I walked into the fucking bar.” His eyes skirted over to Rafe with disgust. “Now, that’s all fucked up, thanks to you.”
“How was I the one who fucked that up? You’re the thickhead who jumped to conclusions.”
“You know damn well this shit’s on you.” Country’s lips pursed in a pout. “You come in here and make her think you’re some fucking hero by offering to fix the damn cooler. You and that pretty boy face and pearly whites. Fuck. Poor girl didn’t stand a chance.”
“Come on, brother. It’s not like I convinced her to trade teams or something,” Rafe argued.
“Fuck, I can’t even look at her without seeing you all up in her.” Country looked back over to me and leaned towards me with his nose in the air, sniffing like some wild dog. “Hell, I can practically smell yo
u on her.”
“I’d think that would’ve made you want her even more,” Rafe goaded. “Her good looks and my—”
While neither of them had said anything too terribly bad, I feared it was coming, so before Rafe could finish his thought, I waved my hand in front of them. “You do realize I’m standing right here.”
“Yeah, baby. We know.” Rafe stepped over to me and slipped his arm around my waist, pulling me close. “We were just fucking around.”
“Just making sure.” I cocked my eyebrow. “Man, it doesn’t take much for you two to get carried away, does it?”
“That’s because Rafe always takes shit too far,” Country tattled like a spoiled younger brother. “Always.”
Rafe shrugged with a playful smile. “Don’t start no shit, and there won’t be no shit.”
“You’re a real pain in the ass. You know that, right?”
“No more than you, brother.” Rafe chuckled, then quickly changed the subject by asking me, “Your car still running okay?”
“Yes, it’s great, thanks to you. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t gotten in touch with the mechanic like you did.” I still had no idea what Rafe had said to the owner of the shop, but after he called and talked to him, the guy was buttery sweet to me. Even gave me a really good deal on a second-hand transmission. To my relief, the whole thing was less than a hundred dollars, and there was no way that would’ve happened if Rafe hadn’t have stepped in. “I really do appreciate you helping out with that.”
“Glad to do it.”
As much as I was enjoying talking to Rafe and Country, I could hear several of the customers grumbling, and I knew why. My orders were piling up by the second. “I need to get back at it, but I’ll come by in a bit.”
“Take your time.” Country stood as he continued, “We’ve gotta hit the road anyway.”
“What? You’re leaving?” I asked, sounding more than a little disappointed.
“Yeah, we gotta get back over to the clubhouse for church,” Country answered. “Just stopped by here on the way.”
“I thought you’d be able to stay for a while.”
“We did, too, but we got the call on our way over here.” Rafe leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. “Hopefully, it won’t be too long. Either way, we’ll be back to help you close.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that.” I didn’t want him to feel obligated to help. “We can handle it.”
“We’ll be back,” Rafe replied firmly, and I knew not to waste my breath arguing. As they started to leave, Rafe looked over his shoulder and said, “Try to keep a handle on Gladys, and don’t let her get too carried away until we get back.”
“I’ll do what I can, but I’m not making any promises.”
As soon as they were both out the door, I got busy catching up on drink orders. Since they seemed to be the rowdiest of the bunch, I started with the folks sitting at the bar—starting with Gladys. I walked up behind her and placed my hand on her shoulder. “Hey there, boss. You doing okay?”
“Never better.” She reached for the bottle of tequila, then motioned for me to come sit with them. “Come have a drink with us.”
“Love to, but I’ve got a little catching up to do first.”
“They can wait, child. You need to be enjoying yourself too.”
“Seeing you have a good time is the only enjoyment I need.” I gave her a quick hug, then said, “I’ll be back in a bit.”
I left Gladys to carry on with her celebration and got busy making drinks. After I was caught up at the counter, I made my way to the back of the bar and checked in on my tables. When I came up on my first booth, I was surprised to find Ford sitting there alone. He was wearing his usual denim overalls, farming cap, and worn-out boots. Ford had never been one to fix up for the folks at the bar, and tonight was no different. I gave him a friendly smile as I said, “Hey, what are you doing sitting over here all by your lonesome?”
“Just taking a moment to myself, I guess.” He motioned his hand to the empty bench in front of him. “Why don’t you take a load off for a minute? I’ve got something I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Okay, but I only have a minute. I still have a few tables to check on.”
“Won’t take long.”
Curious to see what was on his mind, I laid my drink tray down on the table, then slid into the booth. “What’s on your mind?”
“Remember how I told you about my wife Trisha ... How she was such a fine teacher and how her kids loved her so?”
“Yes, sir. I remember.” There was a somber look in his dark brown eyes—one that made my chest tighten with worry. It was clear Ford loved his wife. You could hear it in his voice whenever he talked about her. It was also very clear he missed her terribly—some nights more than others. I had the feeling that tonight was one of those nights. “You said she taught third grade. One of the hardest grades to teach.”
“That’s right, but it didn’t matter what grade she taught. Trisha loved all kids. Didn’t matter what gender, what age, or what race. She loved them all the same.” He let out a depressed sigh as he adjusted his worn-out cap, inching it down so I couldn’t see the emotion in his eyes. “That’s why it was so hard for her when we couldn’t have kids of our own.”
Ford was always so busy talking about Trisha and her kids at school or the trips they’d taken, I hadn’t thought to ask if he had any children. There was no hiding the surprise in my voice when I replied, “I didn’t realize you didn’t have kids.”
“We tried for years. Got pregnant a couple of times, but Trisha couldn’t seem to carry to term.” Tears welled in his eyes as he continued, “Nearly broke her heart.”
“I can only imagine. No one should have to go through that.” I reached over and placed my hand on his arm. “I’m truly sorry.”
“Don’t be. It was God’s plan for us. Just like it was his plan for her to teach and love her students like she did.” His eyes met mine. “I also believe it was in his plan for me to meet you. I can’t tell you how many long, awful nights were made a little better just by seeing that sweet smile of yours. You’ve always been so kind and thoughtful, and it’s meant a lot to me.”
“Your friendship has meant a lot to me too. More than you might think.” I’d told him bits and pieces about my past, but I’d never really gone into anything specific. I didn’t see the point in dwelling on it now. Instead, I simply said, “I never really felt like I had any friends or even a real family until I came here.”
“Then, I guess it was in God’s plan for you to end up here with us.” Before I could respond, Ford reached in the front pocket of his overalls and pulled out a white envelope. As he handed it over to me, he said, “I want you to take this and continue following that plan. Take those college courses you didn’t finish and get your degree.”
“What?” I opened the envelope and gasped when I saw that it was filled with cash. “Oh, Ford. This is too much. I can’t accept this.”
“You most certainly can. It’s a gift, and I want you to have it.”
“But this is money you could use for yourself. You could take a trip or fix your kitchen floor like you’ve been talking about.”
“Got no place I want to go, and my floors are fine.” He placed his hand on mine and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Like I said, never had kids of my own. It would mean a lot to me if you’d let me do this for you.”
“Are you really sure about this?”
“Wouldn’t have given it to you if I wasn’t.”
“Thank you, Ford. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
“You’re very welcome.” He eased back his hand as he smiled and said, “I’ll expect an invitation to your graduation.”
“You can count on it.”
I got up and went over and hugged him, thanking him once more. As much as I hated to leave him sitting alone, I didn’t have a choice. I had to get back to my other customers. The rest of the night was a bit of a blur.
I filled one order after the next and was relieved when everyone started to say their goodbyes and leave. Once our last customer paid his tab and left, Gladys and I stared out at the mess they’d left behind and sighed with exhaustion. Gladys shook her head as she muttered, “Good heavens. What a night!”
“Did you have fun?”
“Lord, yes. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had such a great time.” Her lips curled into a pained smile as she said, “Probably have the headache of all headaches tomorrow after all those shots, but it was worth it.” She started tossing empty bottles into the trashcan as she said, “Still having a hard time believing this is the last time I’ll be here cleaning up the place.”
“You still feel good about your decision to close?”
“Yeah, I think it was the right thing to do, but that doesn’t mean I won’t miss the place.” She sat down on one of the stools as she glanced around the room. “I got a lot of good memories here, but it’s time to move on.”
“It’s going to be hard not seeing you every day.”
“Well, I’ll be expecting to see a lot of you, missy,” she replied playfully. “You best be planning to visit.”
“You know I will.” I reached over and gave her a hug as I told her, “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, Gladys. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
“You would’ve made it just fine.” She patted me on the shoulder. “You’re a smart girl with a good head on your shoulders. No one can tear you down unless you let them. Remember that whenever the tough times roll around.”
“I will.”
We were just about to start cleaning up when Rafe and Country finally returned from the clubhouse. As they made their way over to us, Country looked around the bar and grumbled, “What a fucking mess.”
“No more than usual.” Gladys continued tossing empty bottles as she said, “Shouldn’t take long to get her cleaned up.”
“Are you kidding me?” Country argued. “This shit is gonna take hours.”
