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He turned to me with his hands up and spoke to me like a parent talking to his child. “They were here. I talked to my sister who knows a girl who works at the courthouse. They had a hearing today. Judge handed him over to Taylor. She’s got temporary custody.” I could fucking hear the I told you so in his tone.
Rage boiled through my veins as I gripped him by the collar. “Where’s my fucking son?”
“I didn’t make it back in time, Laz. They’re gone.”
Derek sat in the cab of my truck and spouted off his excuses. “I tried, man, but there was nothing I could do. I was waiting on orders. I didn’t know if I should stay or go. I’m so fucking sorry, Laz.” Glaring at Derek, I threw the truck into gear as we backed out of the motel. I didn’t trust Lucy enough around a fresh stash, so I kept it there. The cops I kept on my payroll sat in the parking lot to watch over it. No one fucked with me in my own town. No one. And that goddamned bitch had managed to sneak in like a thief and take my son. And I knew the judge who handed him over so easily was the same bastard who had sentenced me to months in juvie. He would pay too.
“Fuck. It’s good to be home.” Derek inhaled a foil and tried to pass it my way. I waved it off as he rolled down the window and lit a cigarette.
“Want one?”
“Yeah.” I took the butt from his fingers and smoked as he rattled on.
“It’s a nice place. And Amber is clean. Like really clean. She looks good and has a job working for Taylor. Someplace downtown called Scott Solutions.”
My pocket buzzed.
Amber: Court date in two weeks!
She was trying to buy time. Amber was no longer loyal.
Swallowing down the urge to react, I drove out to the backwoods while Derek smoked the rest of the foil. “Seems to me, Laz, Joseph is in good hands out there. It’s a beautiful city. You could work this out with Amber. You could get a spot out there. Open a market out there too. I wouldn’t mind a little beachside place.”
Loyalty.
It didn’t fucking exist.
“Yeah,” I said as my face flushed and my body boiled. “Tell me about the building.”
“Taylor’s boyfriend’s place? He’s fucking hard to keep a thumb on, man. One minute he’s in the building, the next he just fucking disappears. I don’t think he’s a guy you want to fuck with.”
I cut my eyes his way.
“No offense, man, but he seems like the fucking type that would excel in body disposal. He’s A
rmenian or some shit. He’s not around a lot. Except for last week. He and Taylor disappeared while I was watching Amber.”
I gripped my wheel as Derek lit another cigarette.
“How long?”
Derek exhaled and scratched his head. “It was about a week, I think. They came back and holed up in that building. Amber stays at work late and then goes to NA meetings. You should be proud of her.”
“Where is the building?”
“Uh, I think it’s Bay Street.”
I pulled to a stop and grabbed his foil, taking the last of it. “You sure it’s Bay?” I expelled the smoke out of my window.
Derek nodded with certainty. “Yeah, man, you can’t miss it. It’s massive. I’ll go back with you. I can show you everything.”
“Nah. I can handle it,” I said as I reached under my seat.
“You sure—”
I landed the first blow with the butt of my pistol and cracked his nose. I reached over and opened his door then pushed him out as he screamed. Getting out, I rounded my truck and stared down as he bled at my feet.
“Jesus, Laz. I said I’m fucking sorry!” he pleaded on the ground with hands up, his eyes wide. “I called you, man. You fell asleep. Fuck, dude, put the gun away. We’ve been friends for ten years, man! I’m sorry!”
