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I glanced back to Flannery and the little bitch couldn’t look me in the eye.
“It isn’t his fault. We could have taken more, but didn’t want him to get in trouble. We just need to get out of the East Side before it’s too late.”
“Too late?”
Bryan finally spoke up again, rubbing his neck. “Our dad…our dad…he’s a fucktard! He hits Ma and he drinks all the money away or worse, makes bad bets. Some sharks came here sayin’ we gotta pay. Ma works three jobs already! How were we going to get ten grand? You don’t get it! You got more money than God! What’s a few thousand to you!”
“Whether it is ten cents, ten dollars, ten thousand dollars, or ten fucking million, it matters to me because it is MINE. It’s my hustle. My sweat. My blood. You think you’re the only kids on the East Side with a fucked up father? Why aren’t they stealing from me?”
“Because they don’t have the balls!” Bryan yelled.
Reaching over to the stairs, I pulled one of the legs off the rail, breaking the wood clean off.
“What the fuck man—”
“This is what your balls have gotten you,” I snapped, using it as a bat when I turned back to hit Flannery right across the jaw. He fell to the ground and yet I didn’t stop even as they screamed. Smashing the wooden post over his face and arms, blood sprayed up into my face each time it connected until the damn thing broke, splinters flying off and falling all over him. The end of the post was covered in his blood as I pointed it back at them, both of them standing in horror.
“Get my money or you’ll end up like Uncle Flannery.” They didn’t move. “NOW!”
They ran, tripping over themselves as they went back up the stairs. I watched them go before bending down next to Flannery, his face beaten so badly that if hadn’t been for his loud gasps for air, I would have thought he was dead.
“You were tailed by two kids. Those two kids stole from me. You tried to keep it quiet to protect them. If I hadn?
??t found out, you would have covered it up. Those were your mistakes, Flannery. The only people you protect are me and my family. In return we protect you and yours, That is the deal. That is how we all live in fucking peace. That is how I don’t BEAT your no good fucking ass with a goddamn stairwell post!”
I heard them rush back down and they handed me a duffle bag.
“Fedel.”
In a flash he was back, their mother running toward them only to stop when she saw Flannery on her floor.
“Thanks for inviting us in, ma’am. You should warn your sons. Back in the old days, they used to cut off the hands of thieves.” Fedel held the door open and my car was already waiting for me.
Without another word, I got into the back, pulling off my bloodstained tie and suit jacket.
“Find the sharks, pay off their debt.” I sighed, leaning back into the leather of the seat. “Then find their father and let him know he owes me ten grand. If he hurts his wife or sons again it will be an extra ten for each of them…and make sure he gets the message clearly.”
“Of course, sir.”
Before I could get comfortable, my phone rang.
“Callahan,” I answered, not recognizing the number on the caller ID.
“Mr. Callahan. This is Principal Lounsbrough, at—”
“What’s going on? Are my kids all right?” I interrupted, sitting up and tapping on my driver’s shoulder.
“There was a shooting.”
NINE
“Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
LIAM
