long time since I had to worry about exams. “Right. Okay. Finals. So let me give you a ride.”
She shook her head and gestured towards the waiting car. “The taxi’s here now. I’ve gotta go.”
Jase stepped towards her for a kiss, or a hug, or something, but she was already turning away. He stopped himself awkwardly as she got into the taxi and closed the door behind her. This is weird. Why’s she acting like this? It’s not just exams is it?
As the taxi pulled away he looked at her through the window. She was staring dead ahead, her eyes vacant.
What the hell did they do to you in there? Jase let out a sigh and as he turned to the only female that had never let him down something caught his eye. Or someone, rather.
The sheriff stood by the door of his office staring at him from behind mirrored sunglasses. He chewed on something, his jaws working up and down in a methodical fashion as he seemed to stare at Jase. He turned his head down and spat, before staring back in the biker’s direction. The corners of his lips seemed to raise, but not into a smile. It was a smirk.
Jase shook his head and clambered onto his bike. There’s something wrong with that one. He pushed the starter and the bike greeted him with a happy thudding and a pop from the exhaust. He stroked the gas tank for a second before releasing a sigh and heading back to the clubhouse. He took the long way there.
***
The main room of the clubhouse was a wreck. Where the fuck are the prospects? Empty bottles skittered across the floor as he stormed through the debris. The doors to the meeting room were closed, but he knew everyone would be inside. Before entering he took a deep breath to try and clear his head. Inhaling the reek of stale smoke and spilled booze didn’t have the desired effect though. A sigh passed between his lips and he pushed the door open.
For fuck ’s sake. The Doctor was sitting in Bigfella’s chair. That ain’t right .
“ With some help, I can do it—” Bottle interrupted what he was saying as Jase entered and all eyes turned to him.
His eyes scanned the room. Everyone was there. “Sorry I’m late.” As he made his way to his customary seat he stared at the Doctor coldly. The man sitting at the head of the table looked down, as if embarrassed.
The Doctor looked down the table, not looking directly at Jase as he explained, “We were just working on some strategies. We’ve got a lot of product to move if we want to earn big.”
Jase nodded, it was time for business. He’d deal with the seating arrangements later. “I was thinking. My boys have got a lot of contacts out in the trailer parks and other shit-holes…”
There were nods of understanding around the table. The security company that Jase r an also did debt collection, and the people they tended to collect debts from were usually those who were least able to pay them. They had a surprisingly large number of big screen TVs, video game systems and expensive smart phones though. And appetites for drugs.
Jase continued, “I figure most of these places have some small time dealer. We persuade the dealer to buy his supplies from us. We don’t have to do the small time distribution, just supply the supplier. And,” Jase paused for a second, “I happen to know, a lot of these guys get their shit from a certain Mexican gang.”
There was laughter around the table. “Not anymore,” said Lonnie.
“ I heard those guys are toast,” said Eag.
There was more laughter around the table. Is this it now? Is this how it’s going to be? His immediate rage quenched, Jase now felt an emptiness inside. He thought wiping out the people who’d whacked Brodie would make him feel better, but it didn’t, not really. The overwhelming urge to kill had gone, but now there was a quiet ache instead. Does anyone else feel it?
The Doctor banged the table for quiet, the same way Bigfella used to. Used to, it’s only been just over a week . “Jase, you manage
She shook her head and gestured towards the waiting car. “The taxi’s here now. I’ve gotta go.”
Jase stepped towards her for a kiss, or a hug, or something, but she was already turning away. He stopped himself awkwardly as she got into the taxi and closed the door behind her. This is weird. Why’s she acting like this? It’s not just exams is it?
As the taxi pulled away he looked at her through the window. She was staring dead ahead, her eyes vacant.
What the hell did they do to you in there? Jase let out a sigh and as he turned to the only female that had never let him down something caught his eye. Or someone, rather.
The sheriff stood by the door of his office staring at him from behind mirrored sunglasses. He chewed on something, his jaws working up and down in a methodical fashion as he seemed to stare at Jase. He turned his head down and spat, before staring back in the biker’s direction. The corners of his lips seemed to raise, but not into a smile. It was a smirk.
Jase shook his head and clambered onto his bike. There’s something wrong with that one. He pushed the starter and the bike greeted him with a happy thudding and a pop from the exhaust. He stroked the gas tank for a second before releasing a sigh and heading back to the clubhouse. He took the long way there.
***
The main room of the clubhouse was a wreck. Where the fuck are the prospects? Empty bottles skittered across the floor as he stormed through the debris. The doors to the meeting room were closed, but he knew everyone would be inside. Before entering he took a deep breath to try and clear his head. Inhaling the reek of stale smoke and spilled booze didn’t have the desired effect though. A sigh passed between his lips and he pushed the door open.
For fuck ’s sake. The Doctor was sitting in Bigfella’s chair. That ain’t right .
“ With some help, I can do it—” Bottle interrupted what he was saying as Jase entered and all eyes turned to him.
His eyes scanned the room. Everyone was there. “Sorry I’m late.” As he made his way to his customary seat he stared at the Doctor coldly. The man sitting at the head of the table looked down, as if embarrassed.
The Doctor looked down the table, not looking directly at Jase as he explained, “We were just working on some strategies. We’ve got a lot of product to move if we want to earn big.”
Jase nodded, it was time for business. He’d deal with the seating arrangements later. “I was thinking. My boys have got a lot of contacts out in the trailer parks and other shit-holes…”
There were nods of understanding around the table. The security company that Jase r an also did debt collection, and the people they tended to collect debts from were usually those who were least able to pay them. They had a surprisingly large number of big screen TVs, video game systems and expensive smart phones though. And appetites for drugs.
Jase continued, “I figure most of these places have some small time dealer. We persuade the dealer to buy his supplies from us. We don’t have to do the small time distribution, just supply the supplier. And,” Jase paused for a second, “I happen to know, a lot of these guys get their shit from a certain Mexican gang.”
There was laughter around the table. “Not anymore,” said Lonnie.
“ I heard those guys are toast,” said Eag.
There was more laughter around the table. Is this it now? Is this how it’s going to be? His immediate rage quenched, Jase now felt an emptiness inside. He thought wiping out the people who’d whacked Brodie would make him feel better, but it didn’t, not really. The overwhelming urge to kill had gone, but now there was a quiet ache instead. Does anyone else feel it?
The Doctor banged the table for quiet, the same way Bigfella used to. Used to, it’s only been just over a week . “Jase, you manage
Similar Books
