AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sometime after 10:30 at night. That’s when I’m supposed to be ready with Tyler and the boys.”
“Where is it?”
“Don’t know yet. Lou didn’t trust me enough to let me know ahead of time.”
“Well how’s that gonna do us any good?”
“Keep your panties on, Stripperella. As part of my little bargain with Peters, he’s gonna have his boys track Lou’s cell phone. You’ll know where he is as soon as I do.”
“Not bad,” I said, actually impressed.
“This aint’ some two-bit floozy you’re messin’ with, Sweet Pea. I been places and DONE shit.”
Fiona made another face. Sweet Pea? she mouthed silently.
I waved her off. “Good job, Sloane.”
“Alright, I gotta go wash the taste of middle-aged cop outta my mouth.”
“Jesus, Sloane.”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t put nothin’ in my mouth I didn’t want in there. Can’t say the same for ol’ Dan, though.”
“I’m hanging up now.”
“Call me if Fiona decides she wants to share.”
“Not happening,” I said, and hung up the phone.
“Was she like that when you guys were married?” Fiona asked.
“She was a lot more bearable when I was drunk all the time.” I could sense something was bothering Fiona, so I asked, “What?”
“Nothing.”
Okay, now I knew something was wrong. I sat up in bed and looked at her. “No, seriously: what?”
She fidgeted on the bed. “I don’t like the fact that we’re helping her out.”
That annoyed me a little. “She’s actually the one helping us out. There’s no way we could pull this off without her.”
“I know, I know – but we’re helping her get more territory to deal drugs!”
“By wiping out a brutal, bloodthirsty arm of the Mexican cartel, a bunch of corrupt cops, and the guy responsible for the death of your cousin.”
Fiona gave me an angry look. I guess I kind of stepped over the line with that last comment.
I sighed. “Look, there are no angels in this business. If Sloane didn’t pick up the Santa Muertes’ territory, somebody else would – and as long as there’s demand for people to get high, somebody’s going to fill it. Luckily, Sloane only uses violence when it’s absolutely necessary – unlike the Santa Muertes, where murder’s the opening negotiating tactic. She’s way more into persuasion, trickery, bribery, and intimidation than she is shooting people.”
“She’s still a criminal.”
“Trust me – as a former criminal myself, I can say without reservation that Sloane is a much better class of criminal than just about anybody else you’re going to meet.”
Fiona was silent.
“You don’t have anything to be jealous about,” I reassured her.
“It’s not just Sloane… you’re kind of withdrawn. You have been ever since we woke up.”
