Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 74501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
“Right,” Dutch grunted.
“Good work, Dutch,” Eddie said.
“Yeah.”
“Later, man.”
“Later.”
Eddie disconnected.
Dutch dropped his phone hand.
“What?” Georgie asked.
“Jessica came clean. They picked up Khalon’s killer this morning.”
“What?” she cried, bouncing up to her knees, a smile spreading on her face.
Seeing that, he started grinning.
“How did that happen so fast?” she asked.
“I don’t know. But I suspect it’s about something Vance said to me.”
“What’s that?”
“Vance said people like this, the shit they’re tied up in, don’t like mess or distractions. She made a mess. Chaos picked up Bronson and he probably reported that to his superiors. It’s been a while since we’ve been in the game, but we’ve proved, repeatedly, we get the job done and we don’t fuck around. Eddie said she came in and she was tweaked. So my guess, they served her up to serve up the killer, and in the meantime, they probably packed up that warehouse and are currently setting up in Pueblo or something.”
“Well, whatever, has Carlyle confirmed this is the guy?”
Dutch nodded.
She threw herself at him to give him a hug.
He lifted and rolled as he returned it but did it so he ended it with him on her and Georgie on her back.
“This is amazing, Dutch,” she said, beaming up at him.
“Yeah, it is.”
“Does Carlyle know?”
She asked that as his phone rang.
Since it was still in his hand which was at the end of his arm that was around her, he pulled his arm from under her and looked at it.
It said Tack Calling.
“I’m about to find out.”
He kissed her quick and took the call.
“Yo,” he greeted.
“Yo, Dutch. Listen, Carlyle wants to see his mom and sister. If you want in on that, you best get your ass up here with them because Red and me don’t think he should wait. I also wanna make sure all is copacetic before we expose him. So Chaos needs to roll out with an escort.”
“I’m in. Does he know the guy’s been arrested?”
“Eddie was talkin’ to you while Hank was talkin’ to me.”
“How is he?”
A beat of silence then, “There’s relief, brother. But with this obstacle out of the way, nothin’ left to hold back grief. Get his mother here.”
“On it,” Dutch said.
“See you soon. Later.”
They disconnected and he looked to his girl.
“We gotta go. Carlyle wants his mom and sister.”
She shoved him off before he could roll off and he got a view of her ass as she scrambled out of bed while he pushed up on an elbow.
She did this bossing.
“This time, I’m on coffee and cat food. You in the bathroom first. I’ll sort travel mugs. You just pour the coffee in while I get ready. Then we’re outta here!”
The last two sentences were shouted from the hallway.
He only had a second to stare at the door.
But he took that second to let it settle in his woman was safe and happy.
And the man who took Khalon Stephens from this world was going to pay for it.
Then Dutch got out of bed.
* * * *
“They’re right, Shizlayaya is the shizla.”
Dutch looked from Georgiana—who, along with Carlyle’s little sister, Christian, was trying on about seventeen pairs of Tyra’s shoes—to Carlyle.
“Yup.”
Carlyle turned into him, and the way he did, his back was to the room and Dutch was hidden.
“Man—” he started.
“You don’t have to say it,” Dutch told him quick and low.
Carlyle looked to his shoes.
Then back to Dutch. “You didn’t mess around.”
Dutch looked around him to Georgie, muttering, “I had help. A lot of it.”
“Did they find yours? The guy that—”
Dutch again caught his gaze. “Yes.”
Carlyle aimed his eyes over Dutch’s head.
Dutch made a decision.
“Listen, Carlyle,” the kid looked back to him, “I wish I could say this is closure and one step closer in a process to bein’ able to lock up the feelings that grip you so fuckin’ tight, you think they’re gonna choke the life right outta you. But there is no process. This is just another day in a life without him.”
Carlyle looked back to his shoes.
“You steer clear of your mother and sister because he saw you?” Dutch asked.
“Yeah,” Carlyle grunted.
“Okay then, that seals it.”
Carlyle lifted his head. “Seals what?”
“He’s not lost because you’re here. You’re gonna look after your mother and sister. You’re gonna become the man he made you. Him. In his image. He carries on because he made a good kid who’s gonna become a good man like he was.”
“That’s not enough.” His face froze. He cleared his throat. And then he said, “I want him back.”
Dutch clapped him on the shoulder and held on, tight.
“You don’t get that, brother. But what you earned in this mess is me. I know how this feels. And when those feelings creep out of that box you put them in and grip you tight, you call me, and we’ll figure out some way to get you past them.”