Absolute Valor (Southern Justice #3)

by Cayce Poponea

  “My Granny Helms is from Charleston, you’re digging up her twin sister, Matilda in Savannah. They each had a son within a few hours of one another and both named their son Roy. They used different middle names, but it still caused a split in the family. Roy Lee Helms is the no good, deadbeat son of my great-Aunt. He got a girl in trouble and took off to Texas. My daddy, Roy Allen, stood by everything he did. Right or wrong, he took care of his responsibilities.”

  I know my bark was uncalled for, but I had spent my whole life seeing Roy Lee doing stuff and getting away with it. While my daddy worked hard to keep a good name. “I’m sorry, Miss Audrey, it was my mistake not to compare the two in the beginning.” Austin, with his warm smile and forgiving nature—marriage definitely agreed with him.

  ”Granny wasn’t a saint by any means, she cussed the day daddy married my momma. Treated us both like scum on the bottom of her shoe until the day she died. She did take me in after they passed, so I have to be grateful to her.”

  Chase squeezed my hand, “Granddaddy would have loved you. He always said a pretty face grows old, a nice body changes, but a pure heart will remain the same.” I’m far from being pure. While I haven’t broken the law, I’ve sat back and done nothing to prevent it.

  “Anyway, I laid in the hospital bed for hours trying to push her into the world. Twenty-two hours later, Grace Lynn Helms came into the world. She was my saving grace and the first thing I ever did right.” I believed what I said with everything in me. Lucas was smart enough and he used my love for her against me.

  “Lucas showed up at the hospital two days later as I was getting ready to leave. He wouldn’t let me put his name on the birth certificate. He wanted me to file for assistance from the state, get money for diapers and such. Except when the money was deposited, he took it. He would take the EBT card and sell it to the highest bidder. When I asked for him to cook the meth somewhere else, he got pissed off and took Grace away.” Of all the shit I’ve had to face in my life, watching him tear down the steps of the trailer, my baby screaming in his arms, was the thing that broke me.

  “Austin.” Chase demanded as he pulled me into his arms, tucking my face into his chest as, once again, I lost my battle with my tears.

  “I got it, Chase. I’m closing the case file on Grace Lynn Helms, and the EBT card is officially cancelled.” He spread out the last few words as he frantically tapped on the keyboard. I could feel Chase’s fingers as he rubbed the area between my shoulder blades. He was wordlessly giving me the security I had longed for my whole life. I didn’t know how long it would last, but as long as he was willing to sit with me, I was going to let him.

  “How long has it been since you’ve seen Grace?”

  Pulling away from Chase, I wiped the tears from my face. “I was supposed to see her this weekend. But I need three hundred more dollars before he’ll bring her to the park so I can see her.” My voice was interrupted with my sobbing hiccups.

  “That’s why he was here the night you made dinner, isn’t it? He was pissed you didn’t have enough money for him?”

  I shook my head as Chase was only partly right. “No, he wanted to get the power back on, and knew it was really high. The next day he tried to go down to the company and have it turned on in his name, but his credit is bad and they refused him. Now, he has given me till Saturday to get him the money for Grace and to turn the power back on.”

  Dylan got up from his chair, crossed the room and opened the safe behind my desk. “I’ve heard enough, I ain’t about to let this shit go any further.” Pulling a stack of bills from the metal box, he walks back over to me, placing the money on my desk. “Call the motherfucker and let him know you have his fucking money. I want to meet him tonight. Austin, you’ve done your part, take the girls home and I’ll see you when you get back from Hawaii.”

  Austin looks at Dylan as if he has lost his mind. “You may be my older brother, but son, the only person who can tell me where to go, wears my ring and shares my last name. My plane doesn’t leave until noon tomorrow, I plan to see this shit to the end.”

  I pull the phone from my pocket and snakingly dial his number, placing it on speaker as Dylan instructs. It rang four times before going to voicemail. I try again, getting his voicemail after two rings. “Gimme your phone.” Dylan requests. “Criminals are all the same, discover their vice and they’ll fall into your trap. Lucas needs money and is willing to do anything, sell to anyone, to get his hands on it.” Fanning the money out, he snaps a few photos until he has one he likes. “My friends Franklin and Grant are gonna get his attention.” Dylan presses some buttons and then hands the phone back to me. Less than two minutes later, the phone begins to ring.

  “Put him on speaker and watch me for cues. Remember, Audrey, he can’t hurt you, you have my word.” Dylan’s eyes plead as he lays his hand over mine. “We’re gonna get Grace back.” He has never lied to me and with what I already know about him, he will keep his word.

  “Hello?” I say into the microphone, trying to sound relaxed, even though I’m about to make a deal with the devil.

  “Where did you get all that money, Ree Ree?” Dylan’s face turns sour at the name he called me.

  “Lucas, I need to see you earlier than this weekend. My boss is out of town and I have some extra time.” My voice cracked slightly, but I cleared my throat to cover up my slip.

  “Answer my fucking question, bitch. Where did the money come from?”

  “I found a job cleaning out a garage, the owner let me have the stuff I didn’t throw away. I sold it online for good money.” It was a terrible lie, but the best I could come up with. Lucas was stupid enough, I might get away with it.

  “Oh yeah, internet is the shit these days. It’s too bad I can’t sell ice on it. You say your boss is out of town this week?”

  I nodded my head like an idiot as if he could see me over the phone. “Yes, he went to the Caribbean with his family, some resort they own or something.” Smacking my hand over my face, I can’t believe what I said. Who the hell owns a resort?

  “Gonna stop by there in the next couple of days then, motherfucker owes me for a back window, and for getting Dragonfly arrested.” Dylan is once again perplexed at a name Lucas tosses out.

  “Gina’s in jail?” I act surprised, playing a part I hoped would get me closer to my baby and get a thumbs up from Dylan.

  “You didn’t know? It happened at your job.”

  Dylan scribbles something on a piece of paper, holding it up for me to read.

  Make him question her. Tell him you didn’t have a break in here.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about. We haven’t had a break in or anyone arrested from the shop.”

  “Are you fucking with me, Ree Ree?”

  “Listen, if there had been a problem, I would have had to call the insurance and alarm people. I haven’t had to do that, so no.”

  “She hasn’t called me or come by in almost a week. Pops said he heard she was in lock up when I picked him up yesterday from county.” Austin started clicking away on the keyboard as Dylan scribbles again.

  You’re doing great, but we need to meet tonight.

  “Listen, Lucas, I have the money and I was able to pay the power bill, so you can go back to the trailer tomorrow. I’m hoping we can meet this evening so I can get you this money.”

  There is uncomfortable silence on the phone and I worry the line has disconnected. “Hello? Lucas, you still there?”

  “You ain’t been over there in awhile, you find someone new to sleep under? Not that I give a shit, so long as you remember who your baby belongs to. She still needs takin’ care of.”

  “I haven’t forgotten.” He had denied her at every turn, unless she could get him money, he wanted nothing to do with her.

  “Hey, I was thinking ‘bout something.” I can’t help it and roll my eyes, he hasn’t thought out anything in his entire miserable life. “What day is your boss coming back?”

  Looking to Dylan,
the panic is clear in my eyes. “Thursday.” I blurt out, cringing as it leaves my mouth.

  “All right, I’ll meet you at Pop’s at five-thirty. Grace hasn’t seen him in a couple of weeks and she might like that.” My body quakes with the anticipation of holding my baby again. “I need you to leave the alarm off tomorrow night. That motherfucker whose ass I nearly kicked, owes me for the bottle he threw like a bitch. I bet there are a few things around the shop I can get my money out of.” Dylan makes a hand gesture as if imitating masturbation. “Make sure you bring the stack of cash you showed me, Amy got locked up last night for soliciting and public intoxication. Damn bail bondsman won’t give me any credit since I didn’t pay him the last time. You know I hate having them both locked up at the same time.”

  “I’ll see you later, Lucas.” For the first time since I’ve known him, I hang up on him.

  The moment my call ends, Dylan is on his. “It’s Morgan, put me through to central booking.” At the same time, Austin is drilling away on the keyboard.

  “Hey, Kennedy. Why are you answering the phone in central booking?” Looking off in the distance and taking Claire’s fingers in his, a sudden smile covers his face. “Well, congratulations, I better get an invite.” He laughs through his demands. “Listen, I need you to have your new fiancé do me a favor; there’s a female inmate whose paperwork needs to be misplaced.” He’s silent again as he leans over, kissing Claire on the lips. My God how that man has changed.

  “Amy Campbell, she was picked up in the last twenty-four hours.” Silent again, he sends another kiss in Claire’s direction.

  “Yes, that’s her. Okay, thanks. And I mean it about the invite.” Ending the call he turns to Austin. “You got a lock on Clifford?” Dylan questions as Chase taps my thigh so I’ll move off his lap.

  “Yep, his ankle monitor was placed back on him upon his release. According to the city’s system, these are the blueprints for his home.” Chase crossed the room, making his way around the back of Austin’s chair to see over his shoulder. I tune out the discussion of going in and forming a perimeter. All I can concentrate on is the strong possibility of having Grace back again.

  “Audrey?” Claire calls my name, bringing me back to the goings on in the room. “I would feel a lot better about all of this if you would come to my condo and wait with us. I’d also like to have a look at the baby, make sure she is doing okay. You’re welcome to stay in my bedroom, I was going to Dylan’s tonight anyway and that will give you a secure place to stay as long as you need it.” I glance to Chase whose face is furrowed in concentration.

  “Thank you, I am willing to pay you of course.” My intentions were met with disdain. “Audrey, you are family and we always help out one another. You’ll offend me if you try and pay me.” I nod in agreement, while my gut screams at me to find a way to compensate her.

  “Audrey, forgive me, but I need to clarify a few things you said earlier.” Austin leans in, keeping the conversation between us. “It’s obvious you knew who Chase was in your dealings with Virginia. How do we know you’re not working with her now?”

  I find it odd he hadn’t asked me this before taking me two states away to celebrate his wedding? “While it’s true I knew Gina or Virginia, whoever, was working several cons. I assumed they were mostly to do with her job as a stripper. I knew she had a porn site, but I didn’t know what she did on it. During Chase’s welcome home party, I noticed her, even spoke to Lainie about her. But the second I saw trouble brewing, I bolted out of there, too worried of what she would do if she saw me.” I’d waited for two hours in the heat for her to leave, so she wouldn’t do something to Grace.”

  “She never mentioned Chase’s name when she would talk about the Marine she was s-sleeping with. Only that he was giving her things hand over fist.” I couldn’t look at Chase, knowing how twisted Gina was in her sexual preferences, if Chase shared her taste, there was no hope for the two of us. I hated sex. Hated having a man grope at me while he sweat atop me, and then turned over to snore, while his smell grew in intensity.

  “It was when the credit card company called I had a better idea of what was going on, how deep she was going to get at him. That’s why I said what I did when she broke in here. Now, you can choose to believe me or not, I know you have more reasons to doubt me than to trust me. But ask yourself this, why would you want someone you can’t trust working for you, handling your money and knowing your business, all of it?”

  Austin looked at me for several seconds, his hand resting against his chin. I stared into the same blue eyes I felt myself falling for, this time in a man I had no romantic notions for. “Lucas called you Ree Ree, is that code for something?”

  My fingers fumbled together, picking at my nails and the skin around them. “No, it’s not code for anything. It’s short for retarded. He started calling me that after Grace was born. Amy told him it wasn’t a good word as it insulted the mentally challenged. So he shortened it, making it simple, like me.” I’d lost track of how many times I’d been called that name, as he got off in my hand.

  Austin nodded, “And the name Dragonfly? Who does he mean?”

  This is the simplest of all questions. “Ginny has a dragon tattoo, one of her regulars gave her the name Dragonfly. Lucas thinks it makes her seem mystical, like she has powers or something.”

  Dylan and Chase join us, the tension thick from his accusations. “Everything okay over here?” Dylan isn’t stupid, he can read people better than their own mothers.

  “Fine. Austin just had some…concerns.”

  Dylan looks intently at Austin, a silent conversation passing between them. “I questioned her motives, she corrected me.” He shrugged, his doubt extinguished as quickly as it started.

  “We put Grace on the company insurance so you can have her checked out once we get her back.” This was Dylan’s form of deflection, I’m certain as Chase is playing on his phone, ignoring the entire thing.

  “All right, y’all, we need to pick up some things, let’s get going.” Chase raises his eyes to the group, holstering his handgun in the back of his pants. Dylan and Austin follow, kissing their girls before heading for the door. Chase turns back to me, but keeps his hands to himself. Maybe this is the way he prepares himself for a mission, like the athletes who refuse to have sex during playoffs. As the chime of the door opening sounds, I remember something Lucas once said.

  “Hey, Chase.” He turns to me, a stoic look on his face. “Make sure Lucas sees your truck. The Shelby.” He says nothing, but quickly nods as he exits the door.

  “Well, ladies. Which one of us get to tell Priscilla there’s a new baby in the family?”

  My silence is not weakness, but the beginning of my revenge

  One lonely streetlight flickers as it tries to stay alive. Given the location and the city’s lack of concern, any light it tries to provide will die like the rest of the lamps on the street. Two dogs lay in the dirt behind a rusting chain link fence, too tired, or too weak to bark at anything. A few men on bikes circle the basketball courts across the street from the house. A run down A-frame, it’s paint long chipped away by the sun and years of neglect. We had taken my truck as Audrey had suggested, something told me this had everything to do with provoking Lucas.

  “Wanna know something ironic?” Austin asks, breaking the silence which had filled the cab since we’d left the shop. “This is the park we raised the money for during granddaddy’s run.” We looked at each other, shaking our heads at what the street has become.

  Two cars sat in the front yard. The first, a convertible, its top long rotted away. The other, an old Cadillac with four missing tires, and cinder blocks holding it up. Scant amounts of grass littered the yard, weeds growing around the block of the engine of the convertible. The black truck I recognized, even with the back window covered by a clear trash bag and duct tape.

  “Notice how they keep the driveway clear of cars?” Dylan points out, as my eyes focus where he is talking about. “Folks know
there is a window on the side of the house. They walk up, tap the window, buy their drugs, and then keep going.”

  Dylan walks ahead of me, looking around several times to make sure we haven’t been seen. Two wooden steps make up the dilapidated front porch, so we’re careful when we step up. Passing my brother on the right, my foot extended as I put some weight behind my kick and the door crashes down like it was made out of paper.

  Stepping over the broken door, the room is covered in clothes, old trash, and dirty dishes. Lucas sits on a well-worn couch, a neon green bottle between his legs and a gaming remote in his hands.

  “Heard you had a fucking issue with me, motherfucker.” Lucas is either too stunned or stupid to do anything, as the sounds from the game are the only noises in the house. Now that we are fully inside, the stench of body odor and old cooking oil sour the room. The window on the far wall is covered by a sheet, a nail on each end to keep it closed. There’s a broken window at the side of a clutter filled kitchen table. Dirt clouding the glass except for a small area at the top where it’s clear enough to see someone standing on the other side. The opening in the glass, a broken pane at the bottom, large enough for a man’s hand to reach through.

  Lucas finally caught up to what is going on in the room as he drops the remote and reaches in between the cushions. Before he can pull out what I’m assuming, is a gun, I kick the coffee table out of the way, my gun pointed at the center of his chest. “Try it , I motherfuckin’ dare ya.”

  In the recliner beside him is whom I’m assuming is Clifford, his daddy, a Mason jar of clear liquid at his side. Wearing his Georgia Bulldog baseball cap, with Border Bash written in small letters across the front. His wife beater with number one dad printed on the front, has seen better days, now has a red stain splashed across the lettering. His two front teeth are missing and I can see the black band of his monitor around his ankle.