Page 32 of Devil

“Tell Crusher and Stroker, thanks for watching out for Jas. Her momma’s appreciative and so are the Ops,” Fork said, and then we all shook hands. No one said anything, but we watched as Ghost and Moon whispered to each, and then she got in the truck as he headed toward us.

“Our pleasure, Jas was great to have around. Take care. You guys call if you need anything else and we’ll keep in touch if we hear anything.”

“That works.” Fork saluted as he and Cajun headed to their bikes. The women and Jas were in the truck and pulled out first with the men behind. We watched until they were out of sight.

“If you guys are ready, let’s roll too. I’d like to get this shit handled and back on the road and headed for home,” I said, and Ghost and Jag agreed.

I mounted and punched in the address into my GPS that the dipshit texted me and we pulled out. If I got this shit taken care and we got back on the road, I would be back with Bailey by Thursday night. I smiled, it sounded like a plan.

“This place isn’t livable for a dog, Dev. If it is an animal he’s keeping for her, we got to take it with us.”

“Great, it can be the Black Hawk mascot.” Jag and I walked up the overgrown path to the front door of a tiny house that looked like it should have beencondemnedabout thirty years ago. Ghost sat in the truck on the street to watch the bikes. The neighborhood was definitely one of those where by the time you came out of a place, your shit was up on cinder blocks and stripped. The TV blared frominside,and the wood door stood open. The only thing keeping people out was a screen door on its last hinge. I pounded on the frame and hoped the last hinge didn’t break on the door.

I couldn’t see anything from the door, my viewwas blockedby a small wall that was probably built there so you couldn’t see in the living room. Jag walked over to the window and leaned over thebushesand looked through a crack from where the drapes weren’t pulled closed tight.

“There’s a kid sitting on the couch watchingTV,looks like a girl, but hard to tell through the dirt on the window and the kid. Let’s walk around back and see if there’s another door. I wouldn’t besurprisedif the strung-out fucker didn’t text the wrong address.”

We signaled toGhost,and he nodded, then we headed around the side of the house. When we reached the back, another doorway wasthere,and the door stood open like it did in the front. The TV could still be heard just not as loud. The tiny backyard was a mess of weeds and trash. I guess drugs are more important than a decent place to live.

I looked in the back door and saw a man sitting at the table eating out of a bowl with a laptop sitting in front of him that was probably worth more than the house.

I knocked on thedoor,and the man looked over his shoulder and then pushed back his chair and stood. Jag stood off to the side out of sight.

“How much you looking to buy? I’m low right now, but I’ve got a drop tonight and will have more if you want to come back.”

“Fucker, I’m not here to buy drugs. Is this Desiree’s place?” The man looked me up and down, then pushed the screen door open.

“You Des’s boy?”

“I wouldn’t go that far, but we share blood. I’m not here to talk. What the hell do you have of hers that I wouldbe interestedin? And I’m going ahead and putting it out there that I won’t be paying any fucking bail for her either.” I stepped in, and Jag moved in behind me. The man’s eyes went back and forth between us.

“They got her down at county lockup for now. She’s got a court appointedlawyer. Stupid bitch is going to go up for a few years this time. Sold to a fucking undercover in a sting, took him to her car because he asked for more than she was carrying on her. I’ve told her a hundred times never take them to the car. Bitch don’t listen.”

“I don’t give a shit about that. Why did you contact me? Only time Desiree does is when she is strapped and needs money. I’ve never given her any so I don’t know why you would think I would give you shit.” The slimy bastard smirked atme,and I stepped toward him, but Jag put his hand on myarm,and I stopped.

“You’ll pay or I’m sure I can find another buyer?” I balled my fist, and Jag spoke for the first time.

“Asshole, quit talking in circles and spit it the fuck out before I let the man beat it out of you. How do little pricks like you even live?”

“‘Cause I sell what people want—pussy and drugs. Whatever their pleasure. Now let’s talk money since you want to get right down to business. Desiree has been locked upfora week, she had my product confiscated, and she hasn’t brought in her weekly take on working the street. Add to that the fact I’ve been supplying food, power, and water for three and half years, I’d say thirty thousand would be a nice round number. You’d be getting it at a steal considering I could get double even triple that price with the right buyer.”

“Let’s go, Jag. This was a waste of time. That woman doesn’t own anything worth that price.” I’d heard enough. I turned toward the door we came in.

“Ihungie,” followed by the asshole’s, “Get your fucking ass back in the living room, Leech!” was my breaking point. Who the hell talked to their kids like that?

Before Jag could move, I had the asshole up against the wall by his neck with his feet dangling.

“Pieces of shit like you should have plastic bags put over their head in the middle of the street and used as an example.”

“Dev?” Jag said my name, but I wasn’t quite ready to let the man go. He clawed at my hand around his neck and struggled to breathe. Right before I saw the panic in his eyes from not getting anyair,I letloose,and he fell to the floor. I stepped back and turned to Jag.

“I wasn’t going to kill him.” Jag looked at me, then did a chin lift to the doorway leadingintothe main part of the house. A little girl stood there with stringy, dirty light brown hair. She wore a t-shirt a size too small and her jean shorts were filthy. She had dirt streaks on her face, arms, and legs, and was barefoot. Her eyes were a softbrown,and they were looking right at me. But instead of being scared, she just stared.

The idiot on the ground was coughing and holding his throat. Jag moved over by him while I walked to the little girl and knelt in front of her.

“Hi, sweetheart.Sorry,I hurt your daddy, but I got mad because hewasugly to you.” She blinked at me and smiled.

“Leechisn’t my daughter,” asshole said and then went into a coughing fit.

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