Page 34 of Filthy Savage
Axe
I driveinto the dark parking lot and cut the minivan engine.
Angel puts her hand on the door handle. “I’ll get us a room,” she huffs, only looking at me for a split second.
“No. You stay with the van. Do you mind telling me why you’re upset this time?”
She glares at me. “We haven’t stopped for eight hours, and dammit, I know we’ve been driving in a weird circular pattern for at least six of those. On what part of the planet is that kind of bladder control expectation okay?”
“It’s called staying off the main roads, honey. And you could have peed behind those bushes.”
“Yeah, right. Look, it’s easier if I stand and wait,” she announces. She jumps out of the minivan and storms off to wait on the pavement.
“You should know how sexy you look when you’re ticked off,” I tease, eyes trained on her ass, already picturing what I imagine will be some more scorching hot nights on the road with her.
Getting out, I head over to the motel registration desk. This isn’t any old place. Well yes, it’s another shithole, but I picked this particular shithole for a reason. After I pay and get my keys, I step around back and pull out my phone. It’s time to check in with Silas and determine what this new development with the Los Diablos means. Silas probably has no idea I’ve gone this far. I have to wonder whether the Los Diablos’ Arizona Chapter President, Antonio Vasquez, is in the dark too. I roll my shoulders, absently listening to the ring over the end of the line.
“Yo, brother,” Silas answers. “What’s going down? No one’s heard from you all day.”
“I ran into some more trouble. Before I get into it, let me ask, has anything changed for our deal with Antonio Vasquez?”
“Changed how?”
I give Silas the update on the note slipped under the door, and on my suspicion that we’re still being followed.
“Motherfucker,” Silas shouts. “I thought we were done with this bullshit. Are you sure it was Antonio’s people?”
“The pricks who attacked us at the library were Los Diablos for sure, but you’re right that I didn’t recognize any of them. Fuck, I should’ve checked the plates.”
“I did.” Angel probably saw me come around to the side of the building. She stands there with her arms folded. “What?” she asks defensively. “I need to go. Stat. So what if I followed you?”
I shake my head. “You were supposed to stay with the car. Just tell me what you saw.”
“Well, I noticed the plates, and I think I remember the first few letters and numbers. I would have had the entire thing on my phone if you didn’t smash my sim card,” she grumbles.
“Hang on, Si,” I say, motioning to Angel. “Did you notice whether it was Nevada or Arizona plates?”
“Neither,” she discloses. “But if I tell you which state it was, can we stay somewhere nicer?”
“Not a chance. Tell me what state,” I order.
Angel scowls, scrunching up her nose at me. “It was Louisiana, all right?” she answers, sticking her hand out. “Now, give me that room key before I have an accident.”
“Did you get that, Si?” I speak into the phone again, distractedly placing the key in Angel’s hand. I slowly head back to the vehicle.
“Got it. It doesn’t sound like Antonio’s people.”
“True,” I agree. “But who? The only connection to Louisiana is Molly’s old boyfriend, I think,” I suggest about Molly Davenport, Tate’s old lady. “But that dude had nothing to do with the Los Diablos.”
“There may be more to it than that. Cindy mentioned that Molly’s family lived out there when her father was killed.”
“I remember. Tate and I were there when your mom told us about it too. Mr. Davenport was sniffing around for info. What I don’t understand is why they would want anything from me.”
“Who knows,” Silas mutters.
“But they fucked up by trying to use Angel to get to me.”
“Yeah. I’ll get Dean on it, and while he’s checking it out, I’ll have a talk with Antonio.”
