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“Tell me you found something.” Kennedy asked the lead man.
“No. Not yet but…”
“We’re done here.” Kennedy told him.
“But…” The officer protested.
“Done. Here.”
Officer Kennedy turned his attention back to Diego who was being helped out of the room by Jules and Reno. “I can have somebody take Diego’s statement if he wants to press charges against Herrera.”
“I’ll let him know.” Prosper’s said grimly.
“Can I have a word?” Kennedy asked.
“I need the room.” Prosper called out to the men who were milling about, talking in hushed voices and beginning to clean up the shattered mess.
“I just came back from your property at the lake.” Kennedy began as soon as they were alone.
“Yeah, and how did that go?” Prosper snorted.
“Pretty much as I expected.” Kennedy told him.
“I hope the hell you didn’t bust that place up too.” Prosper said with disgust.
Kennedy shook his head. “You know that’s not my style.” He looked around at the devastation that Herrera’s crew had caused.
“Yeah, well seems like it’s your new boy’s style and this is gonna cost me a fucking fortune.” Prosper scowled.
“There is no need for this. No need at all. You know how it goes— young, stupid, straight from Quantico and trying to make a name for himself. Kid doesn’t get it yet that this isn’t the way to do that.”
“I got the same pain in the ass attitude with some of my prospects.” Prosper commiserated. After a brief pause, he cocked his head. “What can you tell me?”
“It’s not good, Prosper. Your man was caught transporting 5 K’s of smack across state lines.” Kennedy gave Prosper a sharp look. “Thought you were moving the club in another direction. I have to tell you, I’m real disappointed to think that’s not the case. Our sources tell us that Riker was on his way to meet up with Hezekiah Jones. We’ve been watching the Aces rise up for a while now and word is they’re looking strong. Strong enough to take on the cartel’s plans for expansion and make sure they don’t infiltrate any further into the Keys. The way we see that, that’s not a bad thing, we want the cartel out of there as much as anyone. But we can’t have that kind of quantity of drugs hitting the streets, no matter who is running the show. We are getting a lot of pressure from Washington, and it’s just a matter of time before the whole operation is turned over to someone with a hell of a lot more years left to retire than I have. And fair warning? My replacement isn’t gonna have a soft place in his heart for you like I do.” Benjamin Kennedy snorted and then he looked at Prosper expectantly. “Now, what canyoutell me?”
“Hypothetically speaking?”
“Of course.”
“Ifthe Saints were ever in the drug business, andIfthey decided to get out, andIfthere was a growing cartel presence in the Southeast, then yeah, backing the Aces would be the way for us to go—and that could mean us helping the Aces out and in turn helping ourselves out too. Means to a fucking end you could say.” Prosper hesitated. “Bit of friendly advice?”
“Sure.”
“I’d give some long, hard thought as to which side the feds want to fall on. This territory shit is just starting to heat up and it’s gonna be a long, dirty, bloody race to the finish. I’d hate to see your friends in Washington bet on the wrong horse. Hezekiah’s a good president, he’s got a good head and he’s not above taking some friendly advice. What I’m saying Benjamin, is Hez ain’t cartel, and he won’t ever be cartel. Drug trade is a nasty, risky business. I ain’t saying it’s not. But you take down the Aces, or the Saints for distribution you’re gonna leave that door wide open for the Colombians to walk through it. And they’re gonna bring a whole new level of shitstorm with them.”
“Appreciate the advice, Prosper. But you know me, I’m a stickler. I fall on the side of the law every time.” He shrugged. “But like I said, I’m looking at retiring in a couple of years, sure would like to see that Colombian presence weaken before I call it quits”
Prosper snorted. “Retiring sounds pretty good right now.”
Kennedy smirked. “You think on that, it sure would make my life a hell of a lot easier.” Then he went on to say, “Look, Prosper, the way it now stands, The Keys is a strong access port, we’ve got the Coast Guard on those waters round the clock, but the Cartel is still finding a way in. You help me get them anything…anything…and I will find a way to make it stick. That’ll weaken their operation just long enough so that we’ll be able to take steps to full eradication of the Southeast. If that happens, I might be able to help you out with your boy, Riker.”
Prosper looked thoughtful. “I’ll take it under consideration.”
“You do that.” Kennedy nodded.
Kennedy was not even half way out the door when Prosper picked up his cell and began punching in numbers.
“And what?” Reno looked uncomfortable. His eyes volleyed from his mother to Gia, then back again.
