by L. Ann Marie
"Need to look at this." He surprises the fuck out of me lifting the patch off. "Looks like you stretched the skin. Can clean it and patch it or you goin to see Doc?"
"I'm waiting for the plumber. I'll have Doc look at it later." I want him to put the fuckin patch back on.
He looks at Tiny. "Wait for the plumber. We'll be back in a few." He holds the patch so I can see it. "Stretched the skin a lot. Needs a patch now."
Seeing the blood I nod with a sigh and follow him up. I imagine my sunken eye socket with blood dripping over the scar on half my face. Fucking great. Steve has the patch so I'm walking the halls to his office like this. Fuck if I'm going to ask him for it back. Brothers are stepping around us looking nervous.
Casper comes out of his office and smiles when he sees us. What the fuck? "There's a fuckin picture for training. VP you look like you’re ready to kill someone, what's up?"
"Fuckin Prospects got the water shut off playin with fuckin guns they have no call for touchin. Fuckin Brothers think I care they need to take a fuckin dump. Can't get fuckin shit done they keep knocking."
I bend over again laughing, holding my cheek and eye. Casper cracks up. "I can't think of any time I’d think it’s good to talk to you about taking a dump." He's roaring. "That what happened to you Danny?" I can't stand up to answer. I'm laughing again.
"Pres thought the building's falling apart. Tiny made reference to Chicken Little, Danny wasn't ready. Laughed, like with the staples." Steve tells him. Casper is back to laughing hysterically.
I stand up trying for deep breaths without laughing and move my hand; fuckin blood is all over me. I'm trying to breathe through the pain. "Fuckin great, get Digs to print this picture. Tell them I asked about a dump. They'll leave you alone." He cracks up. I start walking to his office getting even stranger looks. Brothers are staying far away.
I grab some bottled water, paper towels and head to the mirror. Fuck. I step back into the hall and look for the camera. I look straight at it then duck back in grabbing more water and cleaning my fuckin face and hand. Fuck. Steve comes in carrying a first aid kit. He puts pressure to stop the bleeding then applies cream and patches me up. I clean the eye patch and put it back on. "Thanks Brother." He lifts his chin and we head back to the Prospects.
Tiny is smiling when we round the corner. He holds a picture up for Steve. "Fuck! He's fuckin quick.” I say holding my face. The picture says 'was fuckin Prospects shut the water off - not Danny!' Half my fuckin face is covered in blood.
Steve looks at him in question. Tiny shakes his head yes then tapes the picture on the board by the cells. Steve walks down to where they are. "Can't do my fuckin job ‘cause Prospects shut my fuckin water off. Every fuckin Brother thinks I should know, like I’m a hotel fuckin concierge!" The prospects freeze looking at him. "Tiny’s got a job for you. Get it done, be back here in ten or I will hunt you the fuck down, line you the fuck up and show you what fuckin damage each gun does on your fuckin body. Won't hit a fuckin wall Prospects!"
I'm holding my face looking at the fuckin hole in the mainline. Thank God the plumber comes in. I settle down and explain what happened. I leave him to it and head out. Climbing the stairs I decide I need to get dry shoes and pants then check on the daycare. The new furnace should be in today. Opening the door I slap my hand to my face bending before I laugh. Every fuckin door has the picture on it. This must be the job. I have to get out of here. I'm not going to make it if they keep this up, I'll be at the fuckin hospital hemorrhaging from laughing.
I’m just leaving Millie when my phone goes off. “Need you back at Security.” Steve says then is gone.
Fuckin hell. I got shit to do on the other side of town. I ride back and run up the stairs. Kate is in the hall screaming at Prospects. I walk up behind her, “K.” I lift her up and take her into the first door I see. Thank God it's an empty room. She starts crying. “What’s going on baby?”
“They put your picture up all over the fucking building. What is wrong with them? Are you ok? What happened to your eye?” I kiss her to stop her from yelling any more questions.
“It was a joke. I was laughing.” I smile at her.
She doesn’t think it’s funny. “All that blood is from you laughing?” She’s looking at me as if I’m nuts.
“Steve took the patch off and I started laughing again. I got blood on my hand and it made it look worse than it was. I swear I was just laughing baby.”
“Why did Steve take the patch off?” She’s still pissed but she’s not yelling anymore.
I want to laugh. I set her down and dig my nails into my hand. “Tiny caught me off guard. I was laughing when Steve saw me. He saw the blood at my patch and wanted to make sure it was ok. He patched me up. I’m fine.”
“Danny, I feel like I’m taking the long way around a circle here. What happened to the gauze before you were laughing?”
Fuck. I look away. “I forgot to pick some up. I didn’t have any on.”
“When?” I fuckin hate that she knows this shit.
“Before the wedding.” I say softly, hoping she won’t hear.
“You think you could have said something? I have no problem picking up gauze. The Dr said the cream goes on so your movements aren’t ripping the skin until it’s completely healed. Do you think you can share when you need something?” She’s talking soft, I find this scarier than the yelling and tears. I nod but don’t say a fuckin word. “Good. This will ensure that I will NEVER HAVE TO SEE BLOOD DRIPPING DOWN YOUR FACE A-FUCKING-GAIN!” She’s yelling loud enough that I’m pretty sure everyone on the first floor heard that. I’m going to get shit about this for the next three years.
I wince, “I’ll pick some up on my way through the village. I’m sorry K. I didn’t think you would be here to see that today. It’s really not as bad as it looks.”
She takes a deep breath. I wait. “I have a class to teach. I don’t get the joke with the picture plastered all over the building. It scared the shit out of me when I saw it. Steve said the Prospects put them up. I hunted those guys down and was letting them know I don’t think seeing more of your blood spilling is a freakin joke. I’m glad you’re ok. I’ll get the gauze while I’m at the store later. I love you. Don’t scare me like that again.”
I nod and bend as she lifts her face to me for a kiss. She’s not yelling and she’s being sweet, so I’m keeping my fuckin mouth shut.
When she walks out my body sags against the wall. I’m holding my face trying to hold the laugh in. Steve walks in, takes one look at me and cracks up. “Think the Prospects are more afraid of her than me today.”
I can’t help but laugh. It feels like the right side of my fuckin face is going to explode. I try deep breathing but Steve sets me off again. I'm holding my face with two hands bent at the waist when Ben walks in looking haggard. His hair is sticking up all over the fuckin place and he’s still in his fuckin wet pants. Steve barks out, “Tiny’s right.” Then laughs hysterically.
Oh My Fucking God! I’m doubled over holding my fucking face with two hands. I can’t catch my breath. I feel like I'm going to pass out. I stand up still holding my fuckin face. “I gotta get out of here. Kate left me alive but you fuckin Brothers are going to kill me.”
Steve laughs. Ben yells, “What the fuck is going on now?” Throwing his hands up in the air and Steve is hysterical again. Yep, Chicken Little. Holy Fuck!
I make it to the door and get the fuck out of there.
Kate
I don’t get why he didn’t just say he needed bandages. Seeing that picture freaked me the hell out. I’m a little embarrassed that I yelled at the Prospects. I get through my class, get the shopping done and have dinner on the stove when he comes in. I got six boxes of fifty pads so he won’t run out anytime soon.
“Good day after my freak out?” I ask a little embarrassed.
He walks to me, bends and kisses my lips. “Yeah, got a lot of shit done today. I’m sorry about the picture making you freak out.” He moves
over to the sink getting a glass of water and some Tylenol from the cabinet.
“Too much laughing today?”
He looks at me, “Yeah, it was one of those days where everything that happened was fucking hysterical. I hope I don’t have another one until this eye is fuckin healed.”
“Anything I can do to help?” I ask instead of pointing out he won’t heal unless he takes care of it.
He looks at me odd. “No, I got this.”
It dawns on me he's never asked me for anything. “I feel useless sometimes.” He gives me another look. “Whenever I need anything you jump right in and take care of whatever it is. When you need something you never say a word. I want to be your partner not just the woman you take care of.”
He watches me, his eyebrow is drawn down. “I never had anyone to ask before.” He looks like he’s thinking. I wait him out. “I want you to be my partner in everything. I don’t think I know how to do that though.”
“Now that you’re aware of it, maybe you can try with little things. If there is a food or drink you like, you could tell me, so I get it. I know you don’t like shopping. I can do that if you take care of the trash. I hate lifting the lids on the barrels it’s yucky and stinks sometimes.” I tell him. He smiles.
“Ok. I don’t mind doing the laundry but I hate fucking ironing.” He looks like he’s getting into this. “I like doing the dishes with you though. Can we leave that?”
I smile, “Absolutely. I’ll put a pad on the fridge, when you want something or we’re running out of something write it down for me.” I’m thinking he’ll never run out of pads that way.
“So I’m on trash and laundry. You’ll iron and shop?” He asks like he doesn’t believe it.
I laugh, “Yes. The cleaning service does everything else that has to do with the house. We can work on other things as you notice them. Just try and remember, I want to help you like you help me.” I’ll still do laundry with him but I don’t have to tell him.
He holds his face and laughs. “I like this. Thank you.” He kisses my head.
“Go take care of your patch while I get dinner on the table.” I pat his back. He’s only in there for a minute and I hear him swearing, I run to the bathroom. He’s sitting on the edge of the tub doubled over holding his face with two hands. The cabinet door is open. “What happened?”
He doesn’t look up but takes a breath, “Three hundred? Fuckin Hell!”
I get one of his pain pills and some water. Tylenol just isn’t going to cut it for him today. After he takes it I tell him to hold his face, I wait until he does. “I didn’t want you run out.” He doubles over again. I leave him and go set the table.” I smile, I can see where that's kind of funny.
Chapter Twenty One
One week…
I’m in the yard jogging to catch up to Pres. “Pres, there was tags on the side of the high school and a house in the village.”
“Fuck. Why didn’t the school call me? When did they go up?” He asks as he continues into the club.
“They called me. I took pictures and got Tiny to send Prospects to paint over them. Far as the school could tell, they showed up Saturday night. The house I’m not sure, the neighbors aren’t talking.” We walk into his office.
“Get Digs looking for info on the house. I’ll have Geek look through Police reports.” He tells me as he sits down.
“Got the information right here from Digs.” I pull it out of the file. “I asked him for the police reports too but he was busy. He said he would get back to me.”
He smiles, “You make Monday morning a little easier. Thanks Brother. I need a secretary to keep all this shit in order. It’s starting to get to me.”
“Keith works in an office. He asked about club work at church yesterday. I think Geek got his number.”
He stands, “I need some time to see what else came up over the weekend. I need to talk to you sometime today. I’ll get in touch when I’m headed to the Bakery. If you can meet me there it would make my life easy.”
“I can.” I tell him. I get to my truck deciding to go to the other side of town and get the inspections done on the two houses the Brothers want to buy. I’ll go to the shelter house when I’m back on this side of town.
Rob calls while I’m heading back to the shelter house. I pull over to answer. “Yeah Brother.”
“I’m at R&R. Your friend is here asking for you.”
“What friend?” I don’t hang there so I don’t know who would ask for me.
“Harris. Detective, asking questions about the Brothers.” He says.
“I don’t know a Harris, Rob.” I can’t place the name.
“Guy that had a date with Kate a while back.” He says sounding aggravated.
“I’ll be there in ten.” I hang up and call Steve.
“Harris asked for me to meet him at R&R. I told Rob I’d be there in ten. Can Digs watch us there?”
“Yeah. Stay away from the back booth. He’ll record. Wait til I’m in the lot.” He hangs up.
What the fuck does this guy want with me? I get to the bar just as Steve gets out of his truck. I park alongside him at the back of the building.
I follow him to the back door. Rob opens up for us. We all throw chin. “Where’s he at?” Steve asks.
“Side booth, I got a Prospect reading the paper in the back. He won’t leave it until I go get him.”
Steve nods at him. Turning to me he says, “Don’t know what this is about, he has no reason to know your name. I’ll watch from the office. Audio picks up everything. Talk normal. Go through the front door.” I nod and go around to the front door.
Rob is walking through with a case of beer. “Danny, Detective Harris is waiting on the side.” He jerks his head toward the guy.
“Thanks Rob.” I walk over still wondering what the fuck this is about. There’s no one on this side but the Prospect two booths away in the back corner. “You looking for me?”
“Danny LaPonte?” The guy says. He makes no move to shake my hand, stand or even smile.
“Yeah, never met you before so I’m wondering why you know my name and I don’t know yours.” I definitely don’t like this guy.
“Peter told me you help the PD and the MC get information back and forth.” He’s not being straight with me. His eyes are his tell, not good for a cop.
“Peter would be wrong.” I slide in the booth. Hating that my blind side is toward
the open room.
He sits back, “Why would a cop lie? You’re telling me you don’t share information back and forth?”
“Yeah. That’s what I’m telling you. As for cops lying, I’m thinking that’s why I don’t know you. You have one of the, 'dirty cops that got caught', jobs.”
He’s not moving but his eyes are getting hard. “Peter said you gave him addresses and names of houses and people selling drugs. Is that a lie too?”
“No.”
“That would be sharing information.” He says like I’m ten.
“Yep.”
“You just said you don’t do that.” He smiles like he caught me in a lie.
“I shared pusher’s names and houses. Keeping the town clean is a priority for the club. Not a fuckin thing is, or was, said about the club. So there is no back and forth. I got shit to do and no fuckin time to waste on an asswipe thinking I’m in second grade. Why don’t you stop fuckin around and tell me what the fuck you want.”
He puts his hands up. “I was told you willingly go between the club and the PD. I’m just trying to figure out what it is you provide.”
“Again, I got no time for your fuckin interrogation technique games. Tell me why the fuck you wanted to see me or I’m fuckin walking.”
“I’ve been gathering information. I want to share that with your club. In return I’d like some information from you.”
“Never gave Peter information about the club.”
“Not about the club just two of its members.” He says leaning closer.
I
lean closer too but talk in a regular voice. “Got a couple of guys I wouldn’t mind getting rid of, what two?”
“Peter said you’d make a good President for the club.” He throws out with a smile.
“What two?” I say again. He wants info on Pres?
“The VP and President. Peter said you might help me. You could move up to President, you’re well liked in the club and by the PD.”
“Let me get this straight. You walked into a bar owned by the club. Asked for a club member and are offering me information in exchange for me giving you information about the club’s highest officers. You’ll what, pave the way for me to become President, because you like me and want to be my friend?”
Steve comes up to the booth pulling a chair. I didn’t notice him on my fuckin blindside. I turn on the seat so I can see him better. “Brother. You got here just in time. My new friend has some questions about you. Now he can ask you."
Steve nods. “Heard.”
I look at Harris. “You can ask anything you want in front of my brother-in-law, VP and good friend, Steve Knight. I have to tell you though; I am not feeling very safe with our new officers in the PD. Pretty shoddy police work from you so far.”
Steve laughs. I look at him hoping he’s not going to start that fuckin shit again. Harris looks from me to him and back. “The VP is your brother-in-law?” He’s looking a little shocked.
“You forgot good friend. It was; my brother-in-law, VP and good friend. Did you lose that little book you guys always carry?”
Steve looks right at him. “Why the fuck you here and what the fuck do you want?” Harris doesn’t say a fuckin word. Steve stands up and puts the chair back. He turns back, arms across his chest, “Get the fuck out.”
Harris gets up and walks right past Peter sitting at the bar. Peter gives me a chin lift. Fucking guy. Steve moves to my left side. “See what this is about.” He walks through to the back.
I walk up to the bar. “Peter thanks for the heads up.”
He nods. “Guy should be working IA on a TV sitcom.”
Fuck. I hold my face and laugh. “What’s his deal?”
