I waited about thirty minutes after Petrov’s goons left Maggie’s before I hustled Mark out the door and drove to Dad’s.
“Are you sure you’re going the right way?”
“I’m taking the scenic route.”
“You’re scared those guys are following us, aren’t you?” He shifted to look at the rear window. “I don’t see anyone. Of course, I’m not sure why anyone would be out in this neighborhood.”
I’d taken a winding route through South Dallas. I figured if we were going to get caught in a street fight with some Russians, chances were good the folks here would be on our side. At least we were more like the kind of white folks they were used to. Ones without an accent.
“Who were they?”
“Nobody.”
“Seriously, Luca, I’m not twelve. You don’t have to shield me from all the bad stuff in the world.”
I looked over. He definitely wasn’t twelve anymore, scared and ready to run at the first raised voice. He was a man, but he would always be my little brother. Someone I had to protect. But knowledge is power, and I could give him that much. “Bad guys. Russian mobster bad guys. They run plenty of shady businesses around town, but lately I think they’re into something new or someone else’s operation.”
“And you’re involved with them?”
“No. I mean, kind of. I’m doing a favor for a friend. It got a little complicated.”
“Some friend. Is she hot?”
I slapped his thigh. “Watch it, buddy.”
He laughed. “Okay, so she’s super hot, but you don’t want to talk about it.” When his laugh faded, he scrunched up into a serious face. I recognized the expression from our youth. It was Mark’s cautious, stay out of trouble face. I’d always ignored it before, leaving him behind when he wasn’t up for adventure. But now instead of risking licks from Dad, the stakes were much higher. I might plunge headlong into the trouble, but I wouldn’t let the people I cared about get dragged into it.
“If I could talk about it, I would, but then I’d have to—”
“Kill me? Right, I know the drill.” He leaned back in his seat and I thought we were in for a quiet rest of the ride, but after a few minutes, he asked, “You think Dad can make it through a whole wedding weekend?”
I recognized the worry that had probably been stewing since his fiancée started planning this big event. Mom would be mother-in-law zilla, but zillas were to be expected at a wedding. Dad’s weakness was much more subtle and likely to come out at the most embarrassing moments. Words forgotten mid-toast, stumbling into waiters passing hors d’oeuvres, arguing with the bartender about why his glass wasn’t full to the top. Mark’s concerns were valid. I gave the best answer I could. “He’s good when he’s with Maggie. She’ll be there, right?”
“I assumed she’d be Dad’s plus one. Guess one of your duties as best woman will be to get her there.”
I knew we’d get back to that. “About that, you should probably pick someone else. I’m not big on weddings.”
“You’ve been to so many you can’t handle going to any more? Or is that you don’t like cake? I find that hard to believe because everyone likes cake. Her parents are rich, so I bet it’s going to be a really good cake.”
“Shut up about the cake, already. You’ll want me to get all dressed up. The last time I wore a dress was Easter, when I was six years old, and I’ll never live down the pictures. You think I’m going to get all girly for you when you’re probably paying photographers to capture every moment?”
“Fair enough. I imagine there will be a team of photographers there to capture our most wonderful day ever.” I detected a slight edge to his tone. “Look,” he went on, “I need someone there who’s there just for me. Dad will be there for the free booze. Mom will be there for the spectacle. I’ve got friends who can be groomsmen, but none of them are best man or woman material. I need you to be there, by my side. For me. And I think you should wear a tux.”
“A tux, huh? Mom’s head will spin around.”
He grinned. “Like I said, it’s just for me.”
“Yeah, okay, I’ll do it.”
*
I dropped Mark off at the curb. He begged me to come inside with him, but I had a long list of things I wanted to take care of, and waxing nostalgic with Dad and Mark wasn’t on it. Besides, Dad was probably still pissed at me about his ban from Bingo’s, and as long as I was on Petrov’s shit list, it would be better if I kept my distance. I drove to the end of the street, parked in the shadows, and waited for a few minutes. When I was satisfied no one had followed me, I took off.
I considered my options. Everything—the guys Diamond wanted me to find, the Russians, Bingo—all of it, all of them, were wrapped up together somehow, but I didn’t have a clue why or how. Hadn’t really cared before, when finding Amato and Picone was more favor than work, but now that things were more complicated, sorting it all out seemed way more important. For a second, I considered calling Diamond and telling her to shove her favor. No amount of hot sex was worth the kind of trouble she’d stirred up.
Problem was I didn’t trust her. Why had she sent me on this goose chase to begin with? Did she like watching women turn in circles for her? No, it couldn’t be that simple. She was up to something, and that’s exactly why I wouldn’t turn to her for help now.
There was only one person I totally trusted, and I was sitting outside her house. I didn’t even remember driving to Jess’s place, but here I was, at the curb. And there was Deveaux’s Beemer, parked in the drive, just like last time.
I weighed my options. I could drive off. And keep coming back, hoping Deveaux was gone for a while, or gone for good. Or I could suck it up and go to the door now. If Jess was going to stay hooked up with Deveaux, was I really going to stay away forever?
I took my time walking to the door. By the time I got there, I’d worked up my resolve. I was ready to face Jess and her girlfriend and act like I hadn’t fucked Jess the night before.
The door swung open before I could knock.
“What are you doing here?” Her loud whisper came out like a hiss. I resisted reacting with a smart-ass remark. She was under a lot of stress, and what we’d done the night before probably hadn’t helped.
“I need to talk to you. We’re still friends, right?”
She sighed and motioned me in. “It’s not a good time. I have a lot going on.”
“I know. Maybe we can help each other out.” I didn’t have a clue what I could do for her, but the pained look on her face forced the promise from me. “I’ll do whatever I can, but I really need to talk to you.” Please don’t ask me to help the doctor, please don’t ask me to help the doctor.
My silent chant worked. At least for now. All she said was, “Wait for me in the kitchen. I’ll be right back.” She disappeared down the hall in the direction of her bedroom. I resisted the urge to follow and get a peek at the doctor who must have been waiting for her there.
Jess had one of those big, homey kitchens that people say reminds them of the family gatherings of their childhood complete with home-cooked meals and fellowship. I couldn’t relate. My mother’s attempts at cooking left the rest of us hungry, and we almost never invited anyone over to witness the dysfunction of a family meal.
Took her fifteen minutes to join me. Fifteen long minutes during which I considered looking for a beer in the fridge. Before last week, before I’d known about the doctor, I wouldn’t have hesitated to make myself at home. Now, I felt out of place, like I didn’t belong. Besides, I’d had quite a few beers at Maggie’s, and Jess wouldn’t approve of my drinking and driving. So instead, I amused myself by counting the tiles on her floor. At the fifteen-minute mark, I decided if she didn’t come back in two minutes, I was out of there.
She showed up with thirty seconds to spare. I’d never seen her look this exhausted. She grabbed a mug from the cabinet and asked, “You want coffee?”
“Sure, if you do.” Caffeine would have to be the drug of choice since I didn’t have the nerve to ask for a beer. While she made a pot of coffee, I thought of about a dozen different conversation nonstarters, but silence seemed the better option. Thankfully, after a long stretch of quiet, she spoke first.
“We’ve been seeing each other for a while.”
I nodded, not wanting to interrupt what appeared to be a full-fledged background on the doctor.
“I met her when I was at my doctor’s office. It’s a big office. She was there to talk to them about joining their practice. We were both waiting. We talked and, well, you know…”
I picked up the trail. “And she’s smart, gorgeous. You asked her out.”
“She asked me out, but whatever, it doesn’t matter. We went out. We hit it off. We kept going out. We had a good time. I saw something in her, with her. I can’t explain it.”
She didn’t have to. I’d been surrounded by enough of it lately, that I recognized the affliction—the craving for security, the need to couple, to feel complete with someone else by your side. Mark, Dad, hell, my mother was on her fourth husband trying to scratch that itch. I guess I’d always thought Jess was immune, like me. That we’d always have each other and we’d get to feel superior to the ones who wanted more. Now she was one of them and I couldn’t process the change. “And now you live together.”
Jess’s expression turned from thoughtful to mortified. “We don’t live together. She’s just staying here until she finds a place.”
“Sorry, I must’ve misunderstood something John said.”
“Nobody knows my personal business but me. You want to know something, you ask me.”
“Fine. Got it.”
“Seriously, Bennett, it’s bad enough having federal agents show up at my house. I don’t need my friends going around speculating about my personal life, especially when I don’t have a clue what to do about it. Besides, I thought you came over to talk about you and your problems.”
I had a ton more questions about Deveaux and whatever trouble she was in, but I didn’t want to be the one prying. Not tonight.
I told her essentially what I’d told John about the visit from Diamond, Yuri’s gold piece, my weird lunch with Vedda’s dad, and the fake prescription drug deal. I ended with the bullying I’d experienced at Maggie’s bar earlier that night. “They mentioned you, Jess.” I lowered my voice to a whisper. “Someone from Yuri’s crew saw us last night.”
Her only response was to walk over to the fridge and pull out a couple of beer bottles. She handed one to me and then twisted the top off hers and drank a long pull.
I did the same. I gave the beer some time to work its magic on her, and then said, “I’m out of ideas. I tried to give them back the coin, but they wouldn’t take it. I’d drive straight to Yuri’s place right now, tell him to shove it, but they mentioned you…” She looked up, but I kept talking, scared that if I stopped, we’d have one of those silly sentimental moments neither of us would be able to stand. “Mark was there. He asked a bunch of questions, but I didn’t have a clue what to tell him.”
“Your brother?”
“Yep. He’s in town for wedding stuff. He was with me at Maggie’s when Petrov’s guys came calling.”
“Shit, Luca. Looks like that crazy Fed got you wrapped up in a big mess.”
I raised my beer bottle and toasted the air. “Women, can’t live with ’em. Can’t live without ’em. But beer helps.”
She half-grinned and leaned forward to clink her bottle with mine. “Walk away.”
“Excuse me?”
“Just walk away. Seriously, what are the chances Petrov is really going to mess with you? Because you wouldn’t talk to Bingo about doing business with him? He obviously doesn’t get that you’re not that well connected. He’ll get over it.”
“Ouch. Thanks a lot.”
“You know what I mean. He thought Bingo would listen to you. He misunderstood your relationship.”
“What about his threats?”
“I can take care of myself. Besides, Petrov’s about to have his time and attention taken up by another matter.”
“Is that so? Spill.”
“Not a chance.”
“Not fair. Does it have anything to do with his strippers peddling fake prescription drugs? I doubt busting his clubs will keep his attention for too long. He has a ton of other enterprises.”
“Stay out of it, Luca. Don’t you have any real work?”
“Oh, so now bounty hunting is real work?” I took another drink of my beer. “I have had a string of good luck lately, but I’ve got one more case of Hardin’s to do. It’s a big payout, but I’ve been a little distracted. You may know the guy, Otis Shaw.”
She nodded. “Be careful of that one. Word is he’s crazy. Not legal crazy, but no telling how he’ll act when you come calling. And he’s huge.”
“I really should go by there tonight, but I’m not in the mood to wrestle the hulk. Besides, you never know, I might still pick up Vedda’s guys and that would be a decent payout. In fact, I think I might go by Bingo’s place instead. See if he’s ready to talk about what’s bothering him.”
“Don’t be stupid.” She glanced at her watch. “It’s not even midnight. His place will be hopping. He’s not going to want to mess with you when he’s got a full house.”
“I was thinking maybe he’d be less likely to toss me out the door if he had an audience.”
Jess finished her beer and set it on the table between us. “Doesn’t he shut down around three?” I nodded. “Tell you what. I’ll pick you up around two thirty and we’ll go over there together. He’s not going to throw me out. I’ll leave you two alone so you can have a heart-to-heart with him.”
I tamped down my excitement at taking on this adventure with Jess by my side. Pretty strange since I’d usually balk at the prospect of a police escort. “What about…” I let my voice trail off, but I jerked my chin toward the back of the house. I hoped my reminder wouldn’t make her change her mind. The idea of a late night adventure with Jess had my blood going. Even if it wasn’t our usual fare. She didn’t disappoint.
“You let me worry about my business. You have enough of your own shit to worry about.”
Would she ever get that she was a big part of the shit I worried about?