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But the girl needed to do better. Shit was about to get more difficult, and I could hold her hand through it all.
Even if that was what I wanted.She was silent on the drive over. I parked outside of a plain rowhome on Mt. Vernon Avenue in Fairmount. It was a family neighborhood and a couple young kids, maybe ten or eleven, rode bikes along the sidewalk. An older couple sat on a stoop nearby listening to Salsa music. I turned to Leigh and gave her a second to look around.
“Hedeon’s not what you expect,” I said.
“How do you know what I expect?”
“You’re picturing a mob boss. But that’s not what he is.”
“But he’s the boss of a mafia, right?”
“Trust me. Try and forget your preconceived notions, alright?”
She shrugged. “I’ll do my best.”
“And be polite.” I opened my door. “This is his home.”
She gave me a weird look but got out. The sidewalk was twice as wide here as in other places in the city. I nodded at the woman with her husband and she gave me a nice smile as I walked up to Hedeon’s door.
I knocked and waited while Leigh lingered a few feet away. She seemed confused by the family and the kids riding their bikes
Hedeon answered a few seconds later. He was tall, broad shoulders, light eyes. Reddish blonde hair covered his chin and cheeks, which was a new look for him. His hair was a little too long and swept to the side. He wore a pair of round glasses and a shawl collar cardigan.
He looked like a rough but handsome college professor. Nobody would guess that he was the head of the second most powerful crime family in the city.
“Owain,” he said. “And you brought a guest.”
“Hedeon.” I shook his hand then stepped aside. “This is Leigh.”
“Nice to meet you.” Hedeon smiled at her and extended his hand.
For a second, I thought the girl might be stupid enough to turn him down. But instead she came up the stoop and shook.
“Likewise.”
He nodded his head. “Come in. I made tea.”
She gave me an odd look and I just smiled then gestured for her to go ahead. She walked past me and followed Hedeon into his house.
The halls were dim and bare. The main living room had a large pale yellow touch with several plants hanging from the ceiling and standing in large pots around the deep window. Books were piled on the floor around the television. Hedeon took us into the kitchen and gestured at the large oak table. Several newspapers were piled at the far end.
I took a seat. Leigh pulled out the chair next to me. Hedeon brought over a tray with a light gray teapot and three mugs. He poured me some, then looked at Leigh.
“Tea?”
“Please.”
He filled her mug, handed it over. He finished with himself then sat, crossing his ankles. His feet were bare and calloused.
Leigh added milk to her tea and looked like she couldn’t decide if this was all some kind of elaborate joke.
“So, Owain.” Hedeon kept his hands in his lap and looked at me. “I hear you had some trouble.”
“Jackals. Clifton must’ve sent them after me.”
“How’d they know about the store?”
“Leigh says they followed me around. One of the guys admitted it.”
Hedeon nodded then sipped his tea. He placed it ack down gently on the table.
“Clifton’s going to be trouble. Your little feud with him has been going on too long.”
“It never took a turn like this before.”
“Do you think he meant for anyone to get hurt?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know what Clifton thinks anymore.”
Hedeon rubbed his eyes with his palms. “This is frustrating for me, you know that, don’t you? Just when we were starting to get established, this happens. Business has been very good, Owain. I don’t want to risk that because of some squabble.”
“I understand. I’d be glad to finish it, but I’d need muscle.”
“I’m not lending you any men. What you have will be enough.”
“If you think so.”
Hedeon frowned ever so slightly. “I thought strength was your thing. I didn’t know you’d want help.”
“I’m not stupid. The Jackals have twice as many men as I do. If I had the whole crew—”
“You don’t have the whole crew.” Hedeon stared at me. “Your feud got you into this, and you’ll get out of it. I’m not going to risk the tenuous peace we’ve built.”
I nodded and pushed back against the rising anger. Leigh sipped her tea and cleared her throat.
“Can I ask what this feud’s about?”
Hedeon looked at her like he was just remembering she was there. For a moment I thought he might get angry that she spoke out of turn.
Instead, he tilted his head and smiled. “You want to know?”
“I’m curious, since it almost got me killed.”
He laughed. “Do you want to tell her, Owain? Or should I do it? Although I think you’ll be more charitable.”
