Page 6 of Devil's Marker

“What kind of return can you bring?”

“Twenty with big ones. Fourteen with little ones.”

“Yeah? You worry about the money. I’ll worry about the balls.” Brant studied the kid for a few beats. “Fourteen with little ones?”

Win nodded. “Even in bad times. Sometimes especially in bad times.”

“You do the accounting, too?”

He shrugged. “If I’m not mopping up vomit.”

“Where are you staying?”

“Motel on the outskirts of Dripping Springs.”

“Got a wife?”

Win shook his head. “No.”

“Old lady?”

“No.”

“Girlfriend?”

Win laughed. “Got nothing you could stick a dick into. Sir.”

“Family?”

“Got a mom in Beaumont. Sister has kids and lives in Port Arthur. It’s a long story. I haven’t seen them for a long time.” He looked serious. “And don’t plan to.”

Brant nodded. “Your business. Go get your stuff. Gonna talk to the club tonight. I got a feelin’ that when I spell out how much fourteen means in their pockets, they’re gonna say okay. We got room for you here. But thing is, if you don’t get fourteen… or better, you’ll be in deep shit.”

“Understood.” There was no mistaking that the kid was showing a mixture of relief and elation. He stood up to go.

“What will I find when I check into your background?”

“You mean like a criminal record?”

“Yeah. That’s what I mean.”

“Clean.”

“What do you mean?”

He shrugged and repeated, “Clean.”

“Clean? As in perfectly clean? Not even a parking ticket?”

The kid grinned. “A few angry husbands maybe. Nothing on paper.”

“How’d you manage that? The Huns, well…”

“Kept my head down. Did my job. Got a knack for investing. Also got a knack for being someplace else when trouble starts.”

Brant’s estimation of Win Garrett grew every time he spoke. “Okay. You know we’ll check. So no point lyin’ to me.” Win started toward the door, but stopped and turned back when Brant said, “Oh. And be careful about the ladies around here until you figure out who belongs to who. Club members are real stingy about their women. They won’t just be angry husbands. They’re likely to revert to a yesteryear mentality if you get my drift.”

“No married club women. Got it.”

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