Page 16 of Killer Moonshine

“Fair point,” nodded Nine. “Let’s see what Bree says after her session with him. I’m sure it hit him like a ton of bricks seeing that girl. He hasn’t mentioned his sister since he found out about him and Erin being related, and that’s been more than forty years.”

Lauren and the kids walked out, whispering to one another. They waved at their mother, leaving her to look at her husband’s best friends.

“Is he okay?” asked Nine.

“He will be,” she nodded. “He told Bree she looked just like his sister. Everything about that girl triggered a memory for him. It’s eating at him that she’s so young.”

“Nine! Nine!” called Riley from the hallway. “She’s alert and wants to talk.”

“Hi, Lydia,” smiled Nine. “My name is Nine, and these are my friends, Ian, Gaspar, and Ghost.”

“D-do you know the angry man?” she whispered through pain.

“Yeah,” he smirked. “His name is Trak. He’s not angry, honey. He’s just intense, and he doesn’t like it when pretty young girls are hurt for no good reason. He’s very protective, sometimes too much.”

“Are you going to be angry with me?”

“Honey, no one is angry,” said Ghost. “Do you want us to get Trak?”

“I’m here,” said the deep voice from behind them. They all jumped out of their skin. All of them except the young girl. “Hello, yázhí.”

“What does that mean?” she asked.

“Little one,” said the men in chorus, smiling at her.

“It’s Navajo,” said Nine. “Trak is from the Navajo, or Diné nation.”

“Oh.”

“Are you in pain?” asked Ian. She looked at him as if he were asking the stupidest question on earth. “Sorry.”

“They’re giving me a lot of drugs. Is the still ruined?” she asked.

“Yes,” ground out Trak.

“I know you don’t get it, but it was my only way out of there. I was living with an abusive stepfather and needed to get out. Mr. Hugo was paying me enough that I could live on my own in a shitty little apartment. At least I could feed myself.”

“Where is your stepfather?” asked Ghost.

“I won’t go back with him,” she said, almost leaping off the bed.

“Lie still. You won’t have to go back to him ever. Where is he? What’s his name?” he asked.

“Grover. Grover Briggs. He lives near Carencro up near Lafayette. I saw an advertisement in the paper for a bar manager and thought I’d lie about my age. When I showed up, Hugo looked at me and said you’re not old enough to drink. As long you don’t drink, I’ll let you serve. I’d never taken a drink in my life. One of the many lessons my stepfather taught me.”

“He’s a drinker?” asked Ghost, opening and closing his fists.

“Among other things,” she said, hissing in pain between her teeth.

“I know you’re hurting,” said Gaspar, “but we need to stop these stills. You almost died, and lots of other people have. Why is he doing this?”

“Money, I guess,” she said, looking at them. “I don’t really know. He paid for me to set up the still out there, takes seventy percent of the profit, and sends someone out once a week to do maintenance. Except the guy never showed this week. That’s why I – why I hit it with the wrench. It usually works.”

“It didn’t work,” said Trak, looking at her.

“You’re mad at me.”

“No, little one. I’m mad at me.” She stared at him with confusion and then at the other men, who looked angry as well.

---