and nodded. “What ever it is… she’s crazy for you, ya know,” Ava added, “and she’s like my sister. So, take care of her, okay?”
He turned his face and looked right at Ava, nodded, then walked back down the stairs and out the door. He would take care of her. Despite all this shit… he would take care of her.
***********
He parked his car at the office and made his way down the deserted street to the blind pig that was above Dillard Brother’s Shoe Store. The crowd was a little larger tonight than usual. Some of the regulars of the Smith’s Grove speakeasy had to come here because he had closed access to the nicer joint for the night, so he could take Emmie out without her running into folks she may know. Next time he’d probably leave it open to a select few but he had needed to test the waters with her tonight. He wasn’t sure how she’d react to the speak. She did fine once she got past her questions. Silas couldn’t believe that she drank that peach ’shine. He smiled at the memory. Which reminded him Ava had said something about it not being her first time. Now it kind of made sense. If she was Ronnie’s daughter then she’d probably been around it all her life. Up until a few months ago he had made quite the name for himself in this town. Something that brought him recognition, power, respect, and death.
“Silas, over here,” Gabe called from behind the bar.
Silas weaved in and out of people as he walked over to Gabe and the manager of sorts, James.
“What’s the problem?” Silas asked.
Gabe pointed to a man sitting near the end of the bar. He was a short, gruff-looking man. He had about a week’s growth of brown beard covering his face and neck.
Silas looked back at his friend with his eyebrow arched in question. How was this guy worth the drive out here in the middle of the night?
“He says that he knows we recently lost our ’shine flow and thinks he can help us out,” James answered.
So, that’s why he was worth the drive.
The man was staring a hole through the guys. Something was wrong with this guy.
“We will take him to the office,” Silas said to James then added, “give us about five minutes first.”
James nodded in understanding.
Silas shut the door to their meeting room. It was a small room that held a couple of chairs and a small metal table. The walls were painted stark white leaving a feeling of emptiness.
“We will deal with that guy in a minute,” Silas started. He paused for a minute trying to keep his composure. Turning his back he started talking, “Gabe, tell me why we are here.”
Gabe looked confused, “Because James called and asked us to come in about something important.”
“No, no. Think further back. Why are we here ?” He emphasized the last word raising his arms at his surroundings as he turned back to face Gabe.
Gabe stood there staring in surprise. Finally he shook his head. Silas was pissed but he had no idea what was going on. “I don’t know what you’re talking about Silas.”
“Why the are were here, Gabe? Why are we here in this tiny little podunk moonshining town?” he voiced, eerily calm.
Gabe looked at the ground like he was expecting the answer to be written on the floor under him.
“To figure out what was going on with the ’shine flow to the speaks in this area?” Gabe made the phrase a question.
“That’s right. We had a huge increase from a supplier at a cheaper price. Things were good, right?” Silas smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“Yeah, until we checked the books,” he answered.
“That’s right, the books… Gabe, what was going on with the books?” Silas asked, still smiling that same odd grin.
Gabe felt like a child at school being quizzed by the teacher. He knew Silas could be set off but he’d never had his anger directed toward him. Where was all of this headed? They’d had such a good night out with Trick and the girls.
“Well, they were short money. Money that was supposed
He turned his face and looked right at Ava, nodded, then walked back down the stairs and out the door. He would take care of her. Despite all this shit… he would take care of her.
***********
He parked his car at the office and made his way down the deserted street to the blind pig that was above Dillard Brother’s Shoe Store. The crowd was a little larger tonight than usual. Some of the regulars of the Smith’s Grove speakeasy had to come here because he had closed access to the nicer joint for the night, so he could take Emmie out without her running into folks she may know. Next time he’d probably leave it open to a select few but he had needed to test the waters with her tonight. He wasn’t sure how she’d react to the speak. She did fine once she got past her questions. Silas couldn’t believe that she drank that peach ’shine. He smiled at the memory. Which reminded him Ava had said something about it not being her first time. Now it kind of made sense. If she was Ronnie’s daughter then she’d probably been around it all her life. Up until a few months ago he had made quite the name for himself in this town. Something that brought him recognition, power, respect, and death.
“Silas, over here,” Gabe called from behind the bar.
Silas weaved in and out of people as he walked over to Gabe and the manager of sorts, James.
“What’s the problem?” Silas asked.
Gabe pointed to a man sitting near the end of the bar. He was a short, gruff-looking man. He had about a week’s growth of brown beard covering his face and neck.
Silas looked back at his friend with his eyebrow arched in question. How was this guy worth the drive out here in the middle of the night?
“He says that he knows we recently lost our ’shine flow and thinks he can help us out,” James answered.
So, that’s why he was worth the drive.
The man was staring a hole through the guys. Something was wrong with this guy.
“We will take him to the office,” Silas said to James then added, “give us about five minutes first.”
James nodded in understanding.
Silas shut the door to their meeting room. It was a small room that held a couple of chairs and a small metal table. The walls were painted stark white leaving a feeling of emptiness.
“We will deal with that guy in a minute,” Silas started. He paused for a minute trying to keep his composure. Turning his back he started talking, “Gabe, tell me why we are here.”
Gabe looked confused, “Because James called and asked us to come in about something important.”
“No, no. Think further back. Why are we here ?” He emphasized the last word raising his arms at his surroundings as he turned back to face Gabe.
Gabe stood there staring in surprise. Finally he shook his head. Silas was pissed but he had no idea what was going on. “I don’t know what you’re talking about Silas.”
“Why the are were here, Gabe? Why are we here in this tiny little podunk moonshining town?” he voiced, eerily calm.
Gabe looked at the ground like he was expecting the answer to be written on the floor under him.
“To figure out what was going on with the ’shine flow to the speaks in this area?” Gabe made the phrase a question.
“That’s right. We had a huge increase from a supplier at a cheaper price. Things were good, right?” Silas smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“Yeah, until we checked the books,” he answered.
“That’s right, the books… Gabe, what was going on with the books?” Silas asked, still smiling that same odd grin.
Gabe felt like a child at school being quizzed by the teacher. He knew Silas could be set off but he’d never had his anger directed toward him. Where was all of this headed? They’d had such a good night out with Trick and the girls.
“Well, they were short money. Money that was supposed
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