Page 40 of Cognac Secrets

“Bennie’s working out some issues,” Hex declared.

“And that’s funny?” Saint asked, confused.

“Apparently,” I said with a shrug.

“Hey, it ain’t like that,” Hex said, and I shook my head and gave him a look that I hoped conveyedno, I know, bro.

“Do what now?” Saint asked.

“Bennie’s in love,” Axeman said with a wink in my direction. I scowled at him.

“Dancing queen?” Saint asked.

“I’m not in love, but that’s who they’re talking about,” I grated, starting to get irritated.

“He’s looking for real estate,” Chainsaw said.

“Fuck.” Saint’s eyebrows shot up. “Yeah, bro? I’d say you’re in love.”

More laughter around the table and LaCroix banged his gavel as Collier appeared and took his seat.

“We’re all here. Let’s quit fucking around and get down to business.”

Business was mostly the boys gawking at me while I ran through a bunch of boring numbers, and they were getting grim. Did we have some of the shine recipes perfected? Yes. Did Cor have her settlement check in hand? No, not yet. We were still running off the club’s funds and the Bayou Butt Buddies were out there fucking with and destroying stills faster ‘n we could keep ‘em up and running.

Our resources and coffers were draining faster than our monthly protection monies etc. were coming in, and while we weren’t on the ragged fucking edge, shit was definitely getting tight.

The power struggle was on, and the pieces moving across the board, we just didn’t know where the chips were gonna fall at this point, or what the next move was going to look like.

We had word that a few feints and jabs had been thrown, the Bayou Brethren encroaching on our territory, trying to pressure some of the businesses and people on the outskirts of the city to pitch us over in favor of them – but so far, we won out on the loyalty front. Either that, or we were still the biggest, baddest, bastards’ worth being scared over.

Either way, our holdings held and we were on an even keel, but still in a precarious enough position that any wrong move could upset the boat.

Time would tell. Couldn’t worry about trouble that wasn’t on your doorstep yet… but that was another thing, at least where I was concerned, and as church adjourned and a bunch of the boys wandered out to the bar and fucked off to hit the head, I waited patiently for things to filter down to where there was only one or two extra guys in addition to Hex and LaCroix.

That left Louie and Collier. Collier chatted with Hex about the shine operation. Their good ol’ boy mountain accents coming on thick – the both of them from the likes of Appalachian Tennessee.

Louie was sort of up in his own thoughts and after Collier left, I gently woke him up out of whatever reverie he was in by calling his name, “Louie?”

He blinked out of it and looked over at me.

“You good, dude?” I asked.

“Yeah, yeah!” he declared. “You need the room?”

I nodded, “If you don’t mind,” I said.

“No, man – not at all,” he smiled, but something seemed to be weighing on him, but I took him at his word that whatever it was could wait – because he had that look, and as he left, he shut the door for me firmly. He was a good kid. I was proud he’d made it in among our ranks… it vaguely hurt like hell the way he’d been forced to do it. I couldn’t say I agreed with LaCroix’s method on that – I mean, no matter how fucked up, your mom’s your mom…

“Something on your mind, son?” Hex asked and I tore my eyes from the black painted door and back to my pres and vice pres.

“Yeah,” I said clearing my throat. “I’m worried about the numbers. Not saying that we’re on the ragged edge but one more step we will be – wondering if I should hold off looking for a place, keep that stockpile aside as a safety net.”

Hex and LaCroix exchanged a silent look and while LaCroix’s face was as stony as ever, his creepy dark eyes unreadable, it was Hex that did the talking.

“While I surely do appreciate you thinking of us, and it’s a nice thought – we can’t ask that of you, neither personally, nor as a club, brother. It just wouldn’t be right.”

I stared at LaCroix whose lips started to twitch up into a smile.

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