Page 25 of Devil's Due

“Beef, I need help.”

I breathe in deeply. “Sally…”

“The air conditioning isn’t working,” she hurriedly explains the reason for her call. “I didn’t want to bother you, but I don’t know who to call.”

“You know what to do, Sal. In the top desk drawer in the office, there’s a bunch of paperwork. The rental agent’s details are on the top, and there’s the emergency contact on it.” It’s Sunday, she’ll need that. “You really didn’t need to call.”

“I thought you might have an idea what I could do.”

The Tucson club owns the property, but through a shell company. We like to keep some things under the radar. We use managing agents to deal with all the shit so if we need to house anyone there without people knowing our connection, there’s no trail to be followed for anyone to find out. For the amount we pay the agents, they can get a call out on a Sunday and fix whatever’s necessary.

“Sally, you’ve got to get yourself together, you know? This time will be good for you to start learning some independence.”

“I didn’t think, Beef. Just panicked. The kids are so fractious in the heat.”

“Yeah, I can imagine. Get in touch with the agent, then why not take them out? That play place will be nice and cool.” I’m sympathetic enough to offer a solution.

“Okay. Good suggestion. I’ll do that. I’m glad you got there okay, Beef. I was worried.”

“Yeah. Got here fine. Gotta go now, Sally. Prez wants to meet with me.”

“Sure. Beef?” She poses her question hesitantly.

“What, Sal?”

“Did you party last night?”

My teeth grind together. “No, I did not. And I don’t appreciate you checking up on me, Sally. I made you a promise.”Which I’m already fucking regretting.“If I’m having a problem keeping to that, we’ll have that conversation first.”

I hear the sob down the line. “You’re not coming back, are you?”

I’m sure she can hear my sigh. “I’ve every fuckin’ intention of returning, Sal. Got a job to do for Drummer. I told you that, but you know how we left things. We’ve both got thinking to do.”

She’s quiet for a moment, then, “I’ve got to put the trash out. Can you go through the recycling again, Beef? What goes into what?” It’s an excuse to keep me talking.

“Top drawer of the desk there’s a leaflet, Sal. Easier for you to read it and keep it to refer to.”So you don’t ring me every Sunday to check.

She promises to do that. We exchange goodbyes, hers taking a little longer than mine, then I end the call. My thinking is done, she’s just got to come around to the same conclusion. For a second I sit, ignoring the rest of the unpacking. The contrast between a blind woman who’s so intent on keeping her independence, and Sally who wants none at all, is striking.

Not for the first time I regret snapping up something offered to me on a platter. Not going to make the same mistake again. The last thing I want to do is become another woman’s support.

Sally would be capable of a lot if she’d just put her mind to it, and hopefully she’ll start to do that now I’m gone. She can see what she’s doing for a start. Those everyday things that shouldn’t be a challenge to Sally would be impossible for the woman I met last night.

Veering between finishing my unpacking, and giving up and going downstairs, in the end my sense of needing everything in its place wins out, and I continue putting my shit away, including dumping the bag of toiletries in the bathroom. Finally, I place a photo of me, Rock and Becca next to the bed, take one look around my new domain, and go down to formally meet my new prez.

While I’ve been upstairs, a mountain of pizzas have been brought in. As Pal waves me across he pushes one of the boxes toward me.

“Saved this one for you. It doesn’t have anchovies.”

Thank fuck. I hate those salty little fishes, can’t see why people like them ruining their pizza, then settle down to feed my stomach. Demon can wait a little while longer. The room is mainly silent as everyone devours the takeaway, and I take a chance to go over names and faces in my head.

Thunder, the sergeant-at-arms and acting VP is eating his standing by the bar. Now if I could persuade him to take on the role permanently, my job here would be done and I could go home. Nah, that wouldn’t work, not unless someone would step up to the SAA role he’d be leaving vacant, and that seems unlikely. Fuck, what a mess.

Beside him is the enforcer, Mace. He’s a decent enough guy, though still a bit green. Hasn’t got that hard look around him like Blade wears. I wonder whether he’s been sufficiently tested. Probably won’t know how to scalp a man. Yeah, I might have watched Blade do that, under Mouse, our part-Navajo’s, careful instruction. Jeez, I can’t keep comparing these men to my Tucson brothers.Gotta give them a chance man.But Sally’s call has unsettled me, made me realise all over again it’s down to her why I’ve got the nomad patch on my back.

“Who are they?” I point out two men I hadn’t seen before.

“Karl and Beaver. Hangarounds,” Pal replies. “Got a vote coming up in church as to whether to take them on as prospects. Seem to be willing enough.”

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