“I know a construction boss. It was him, Tracker, if you remember, who we helped get his sister away from that asshole, Jeremy Clark, and his sister was Vim. I can’t remember what that was a nickname for, so don’t ask,” Cap blurts out the last and I’m not sure why we even want to know, anyway.
“I remember. You broke both his kneecaps, his elbows, and then snapped his neck. It was nice, clean work, Cap. I have to admit I was rather impressed that day,” Tracker says this so dryly that I’m not sure if he’s taking the piss or genuinely was impressed.
Cap chuckles at the memory. “I’ll ask him to visit and look at what would be involved. It is a big job, but it will be one that puts money in his pocket and in his men's pockets.”
“Okay, do that and we’ll see what costs we're talking about. Then we can put it to the brothers.” Tracker turns and walks out of church, which effectively tells us the meeting is over.
Walking into the common room, I take a seat at the bar and accept a bottle of water from Jethro who is on bar cleanup. The club women are working on the bedrooms and the laundry. I grin at that because they have ruined more clothes than you can count, and the brothers are getting where they are thinking they are not worth the trouble.
Coin and Rides take a seat, and Coin starts to tell us about the diner incident with Lulu. “I didn’t know her husband snuck off in the night,” I say with more than a little surprise. But I don’t even try to hold back the smile I’m wearing.
“He was a nice man. I remember him. Hard worker, honest, and reliable, but was married to the wrong type of person. I don’t blame him for getting away from her. She really is toxic.” Coin takes a drink of the bottled water Jethro handed him.
Rides chuckles. “I’d have put her in the acid pit.”
“No, don’t do that because she might come back and haunt Cilla, or through Cilla.” I laugh, but admit it wouldn’t be a pleasant experience.
“We could set Pyro on her ass,” Rides laughs, and I admit we all find that hilarious and laugh with him.
“I’m going to speak with Avery and see if we can buy her place unseen. I know we were going to check it out, but with this shit with Lulu I reckon we just go for it and make Avery’s place what we want it to be,” Coin states as he hands his empty bottle to Jethro. “I’ll catch up later.”
Giving him a nod, both Rides and I hand our bottles over to Jethro. I am waiting for Scribe to arrive so we can get him sorted out for the tattoo studio.
Daisy saunters over and runs her finger down my chest, heading for my jeans, but that’s not happening. “Keep your hands to yourself. You know I have an old lady, so I’m not interested in any of you club women. Now take your hands off or I’ll take your hands!”
The smell of burning gets me looking quickly around the common room, but see nothing until smoke is gently climbing behind Daisy. I spin her around and her hair is smoking! I grab a bottle of water Joshua has placed on the bar and pour it over Daisy’s head.
Daisy screeches, then runs out of the common room, back to her room to check out the damage, I would guess. Jethro is smirking, and I don’t stop myself from smirking in reply. I walk out of the common room and to Coins’ office but murmur, “Well done, Pyro.”
“Just in time, Finger. I’ve made the call to Avery. She is up for selling to us and gave us a decent selling price. She said she had already had the place valued, and everything checked readyto put it up for sale. So that means we don’t have to do as much. I’ll take the offer to Tracker and see what he wants to do, but I cannot see him knocking it back as she’s not asking over the market value. In fact, I would say she’s light on the asking price.”
Coin looks at me with raised eyebrows. I give him a nod. “Good to hear. It’s time something went right.”
The door is lightly tapped on, and we both turn to see Flick standing there. “I was passing Pres’ office, and he asked if you two would go to see him.”
Coin responds, “Yeah, on our way.” Turning to me he shrugs. “I have no idea how he knew you were in my office!”
“Maybe he has his own abilities he hasn’t told us about?” I respond amusedly.
“God forbid. Can you imagine what he would get up to if he had ghosts on his side?” Coin and I both laughed at that thought.
Walking into Tracker’s office, the first thing noticeable is Cap, Rides, and Hot Rod lounging in easy chairs. “What’s going on here, Pres?” Coin asks and I perch on the arm of the chair Rides is sitting in.
“We have been comparing who has heard anything about the drug issue that Cilla brought to me,” Tracker looks at Cap. “Do you know anything more than what Cilla has told us?”
“No, Pres. My person on the street has seen nothing. But I think he lied because he wouldn’t look me in the eye, and he’s never done that before.” Cap is looking thoughtful but shrugs himself out of it.
I lean forward. “So you think he is scared, and that is why he’s saying he knows nothing?”
Cap nods. “Exactly.”
“We need to be seen in strength in town. Showing we are ready to do anything that is needed to clean it up. The townsfolk will want us to be seen. They will want us to show we are actively looking to stop this drug problem, and before someone’s teenager gets injured or overdoses,” Rides snarls.
“Okay, all of you get out and be seen. Keys, not you. I want you to continue looking for the money Snake took, and to dig deep for this drug issue we are seeing.” Tracker gives Keys a serious look which is basically saying - Get your finger out of your ass.
“I’m looking, Pres.” Keys leaves the office, and we all watch him walk out. He is showing signs of locking himself in his office and not coming out until he has the answers he needs. He did this once before and didn’t eat or drink until he was ill. Scalpel watches him closer than the rest of us, giving a small nod to himself.
Tracker looks at Cap and asks, “What time is Scribe coming?