Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 119011 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119011 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Rain smiled. “Sure, no rush.”
Leo’s thoughts might have drifted deeper into her proposition, but Dad chose that moment to switch off the music and rise, along with the other senior members. “Girls, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to entertain yourselves for the next twenty minutes. Members, we have something to discuss,” he said and gestured down the corridor, toward the room no one but the Smokeys had access to.
Rain rolled her eyes. “At least he’d learned not to call us all ‘gents’,” she said and slid off the stool.
Leo snorted and followed her lead. They were awaiting a transport from their Italian contact, Mona’s father. Everyone had been a bit on edge about it because the Jackals hovered around Hawk Springs, so that was probably the reason behind this impromptu meeting.
The club room had an old-school vibe with its panelled walls and a flag depicting their logo hanging behind Dad’s seat. It hadn’t been meant for so many people, but as all the Heller brothers, and then even Rain joined the ranks, a new, oversized table had replaced the old one. Once everyone was seated, there was barely any space left.
The usual scent of dust had been replaced by the familiar odor of citrusy wood polish, and when Leo noticed the gleam of the table, it became clear their prospect must have dedicated a lot of his time to the rare duty of cleaning this room.
Dad spoke as soon as everyone settled. “Do we all agree the Jackals are a bunch of roaches that have invaded Hawk Springs and are trying to eat into our profits?”
Everyone nodded, and Mike even slammed the table several times, so Dad went on.
“And what do you do with a roach infestation if you don’t wanna end up with an even bigger mess? You call in exterminators.”
Leo wasn’t sure anymore where Dad’s rhetoric was going, but Jack groaned and leaned back in his chair. “This again? We can handle the Jackals ourselves.”
Kane asked the question instead of Leo. “What exterminators? I don’t follow.”
Uncle Kurt wrapped his massive arms on his chest. “The Exterminators. A bunch of special ops guys turned rogue. They take on contracts for vermin like the Jackals. They come in, do their thing, and disappear.”
Leo shook his head. “Are we to let others do our dirty work now?”
Uncle Kurt scowled at him. “Since when are you a killing machine, huh?”
Leo’s memory flashed back to the night he’d spent washing blood off Zolt’s floor, but said nothing.
Kane butted in. “I never thought I’d say it, but I agree with Leo. We can handle that bunch of biker hobos.”
Jack squinted at Kane. “You can’t handle shit on the sole of your own boot.”
Dad raised his hands to quiet them before the discussion could escalate into a fight. “I’m just saying it’s an option to look at. For now, the expected shipment has arrived, but with the Jackals getting more rabid, it wouldn’t be safe here. I’ve talked it over with my VP so far, but now I want all of us in agreement. We will move the drugs to a secure location. Zolt, who also handled some of our guns in the past, was the obvious choice, and he agreed.”
Leo’s heartbeat sped up at the mention of Zolt’s name, but he sat motionless, just listening for now.
Kurt, Leo’s uncle and VP all in one, spoke next, crossing his thick arms, straight at an army sergeant. “Unless anyone’s got any objections, that’s a temporary solution. We’ll wait until the Jackals ease off, or we have a good opportunity for moving the drugs. Because so much money is involved, and for Zolt’s security, we need a volunteer to go stay at Zolt’s pawn shop until all this is resolved.”
Leo’s ears thudded with heat. He couldn’t breathe. He wasn’t thinking at all when he raised his hand and said, “I’ll go.”
Chapter 6 - Zolt
Dante’s long tail shimmered in the artificial light as he swam past a real-life treasure hidden inside the fish tank. Zolt could watch his graceful fish all day without getting bored, but the customer who had been only browsing so far, shyly drifted to the jewelry counter and cleared his throat.
“Just let me know if you need anything,” Zolt said in encouragement. The guy looked like a desperate sucker, so Zolt would spare him no pleasantries.
“I was looking for something that would be appropriate for… you know,” the man said, loosening his tie. His suit was too large on him, its color a washed-out brown, his shoes—old-fashioned. It was as if he hadn’t gotten the memo that the nineties were over, but he surely had some money in his pocket if he’d come over in the first place. And Zolt wasn’t fussy. He served everyone who paid.
“A gift for the wife?” he asked and sprinkled some pellets into the tank, smiling when his fish twitched in response, leaping toward their dinner.