Page 39 of Ghost

Preacher folded his arms with a scowl. “But it didn’t have anything to do with her.”

“I know that. You know that. And I thinkdeep down she knows that, but the guilt is still there.”

“You should’ve just left it. There was no reason for you to tell her.”

“She deserves to know the truth.” Memphis shook his head. “This mess with the cartel is coming whether we like it or not.”

“Maybe,” I muttered, leaning back in my chair. “But telling her doesn’t change anything. It’s not like she can do anything about it.”

“He’s right. There was no sense in worrying her. But that’s neither here nor there.” Prez sounded irritated as he told him, “It’s not just her father’s mess anymore. It’s all of ours.”

“Yeah, you’re right. So, what are we gonna do about it?”

“Shep reached out to Carmine’s handler.”

“And?”

“Carmine is aware of the situation, and he’s looking into it.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“He didn’t just fuck over one powerhouse. He fucked over several, and one or more of them have connections to the cartel. He’s just gotta figure out which one has come knocking.”

“How long is that gonna take?” Memphis pushed.

“As long as it takes.” Prez tried to remain calm as he told him, “I know this isn’t easy for you, but you’re gonna have to be patient. We gotta play this smart, or it will blow up in our faces. Now, go home and see about your girl.”

To my surprise, Memphis didn’t argue. He simply nodded, dropped his cup of coffee in the sink, and walked out of the kitchen. Prez shook his head and sighed. “That boy and his mother are gonna be the death of me.”

“He’ll settle down when we get some more answers.”

“Yeah, I doubt that. That boy’s a loose cannon. Always has been. Always will be.”

“But he listens to you, so there’s that.”

“Thank God for that.” He shook his head and scoffed. “So, about our guests...”

“What about ‘em?”

“There was a situation earlier this morning, and I think it’s time to make a change.”

“What kind of situation?”

“The kid walked in on Rusty and one of the club girls.” Prez cocked his brow. “He was down on the girls’ wing, and they were doing what they do. And he got an eye full.”

“Ah, man.”

“If I had to guess, I’d say it wasn’t the first time.”

“Whitney didn’t mention anything about it.”

“Doubt she knows.” Prez shrugged. “Not the kind of thing a boy would bring up to his mother, especially when he had no business lurking around the bar.”

“Damn.”

“It’s been a long time coming. The clubhouse isn’t exactly the best environment for a kid. At least, not day in and day out. It’s time to find them a place that’s a bit more permanent.”

“But they’re safe here.”

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