“In other words, you’re mad about Moon so you think it would be fun if I were gushing over Gritt?” Penny teased. “You want us to have boyfriend besties?”
“Oh my gosh. Penny!” Josie ran around the counter as an idea came to her. She grabbed a pad of paper and a pen and said, “Boyfriend besties. That’s fantastic! We can make gingerbread couples for sundaes and decorate them with different color hair, leather jackets, football jerseys…”
“And gingerbread puppies for dog lovers. This is going to be so big, Josie. We need to make you business cards. I think you’ve found your niche.”
My niche. Boy, she liked the sound of that.
JED PUT HIS tools away at the shop Thursday afternoon and headed into the office to speak with Dixie. He knocked once, then pushed open the door. “Hey. You busy?”
She glanced up from the computer screen. “Nah, just looking at porn, drinking beer, and hanging out here for fun.”
“Sounds about right. How are you, Dix?” He flopped into the chair across the desk.
“Not bad. It’s been a good day. Tex and Court agreed to be in the bachelor auction, although I think I’m going to push the date out by a few weeks. Sarah’s due February nineteenth, and she said she’s never been to a bachelor auction and wants to go. I’m thinking late spring, early summer. Maybe May.”
“You’re changing the date for one person who isn’t even going to bid?”
She rolled her eyes. “Think about it, Jed. A Dark Knight has a new baby. Red’s new grandbaby. Don’t you think everyone will be a little preoccupied for a few weeks, helping out and loving up the baby? We need people to bid on the bachelors, but we also want to bring in funds for the shelter in other ways. Everything we earn that entire day and night will go to the shelter. The more people at the bar, the more food and drinks we’ll sell.”
“That’s why you’re a numbers girl and I’m a mechanic. Smart thinking. Listen, I spoke to Buck about getting prequalified for a loan so I can buy a place of my own, and he says I need copies of my pay stubs. Can you get me copies from the shop and the bar?”
“Sure. I can print them out now.” As she navigated through computer screens, she said, “Have you found a place?”
“No. I figured I’d get all my ducks in a row first. I’ve asked around, but most places are too expensive or not in a safe enough area.”
The printer sounded, and she said, “I guess you and Josie are pretty serious, huh?”
“Yeah, we are, and I want them in my life, which means I need a place with enough room for Hail to run around and play ball.” Josie had stopped by after she left work to tell him how excited Penny was about her ideas. She was bouncing off the wall, and he loved seeing her so excited.
His phone rang, and he pulled it from his pocket and saw Bullet’s name on the screen. “What’s up, Bullet?”
“That kid from yesterday is back, and he brought his brother. What do you want me to do with them?”
“Really? Maybe I made a difference after all. I’ll be right over.”
As he stood up Dixie handed him the documents and said, “Why are you smiling?”
“That was Bullet. We had a dine and dash yesterday and—”
“Finlay told me about the kid. You got lucky he wasn’t an asshole. He could have scoped out the place and tried to rob us or something later.”
“Dix, he was seventeen and hungry, not hitting up convenience stores. Anyway, he’s back and he brought his brother. I’m trying to help the kid. Isn’t that what the Dark Knights are all about?”
“Yeah, they are. While you’re over there you should ask Bullet to mention that you’re looking for a place at the next church meeting.”
“Thanks. I’ll do that.”
In his truck, he sent a quick text to Josie. I’ve got something to take care of at the bar. Be there right after. Does Hail still want to go to the library tonight? He cranked the engine, and his phone vibrated with her response. It’s all he’s talked about since he got home from school, but if you’re tired, I can tell him we’ll do it another day.
He was tired, but only because he couldn’t sleep after he got home in the wee hours of the morning. His bed hadn’t felt right since Josie left it. She belonged in it, not ten minutes down the road.
He sent her a quick text—Never too tired to fulfill my promises. See you soon—and then headed over to Whiskey Bro’s.
Chapter Fourteen
JED FOUND BULLET standing just inside the doors of Whiskey Bro’s, looming ominously over Ricardo and his brother, both of whom appeared ready to bolt.
“Bullet, man, ease up,” Jed said as he approached. “Thanks for the call. I’ve got them.” When Bullet stepped away, he said, “Hi, Ricardo. Everything okay?”
Ricardo glanced nervously at his brother, who had the same olive skin and dark eyes, but his hair was thicker and wavier, and his eyes weren’t as wary as Ricardo’s. They had a spark of something else in them. Hope, maybe. “This is my brother, Marco. If I wash dishes, will you feed him?”
Aw, Christ. He felt like he was talking to a younger version of himself, only he had remained a thief. At least Ricardo was trying to help his brother with honest work. “Yeah, man. No problem.” Jed offered his hand to Marco, who, unlike his brother, had on a winter coat. Ricardo had on the same flannel shirt and torn jeans he’d worn yesterday.
“Marco, I’m Jed. How old are you?”
Marco looked at Ricardo, and his brother nodded his approval. Marco shook Jed’s hand. “I’m sixteen. And I went to school today,” he added quickly, his dark eyes shifting to his brother again. “So did Ricky. I promise.”
“Well, that’s great.” Jed met Ricardo’s gaze and said, “Have you eaten today?”
Ricardo shoved his hands in his pockets and said, “I’m not hungry.”
Jed felt Bullet’s stare from behind the bar. Isabel was serving customers at the other end of the bar, and Tracey was waitressing. He motioned toward a table and said, “Why don’t you guys sit down, and I’ll be right back.”
The boys went to the table, and Jed headed over to speak with Bullet.
Bullet set a glass down in front of a customer, then turned to Jed and said, “We running a day care center?”
Jed shook his head and glanced at Isabel. “Izzy, can you get the boys Cokes and keep an eye on them? I need to talk to Bullet for a minute.” Jed said to Bullet, “In the kitchen?”
Finlay paused from frosting pastries as they walked into the kitchen, and her smile faded fast. “What’s wrong?”
“That kid’s back,” Bullet said.
“Ricardo?” Finlay’s smile returned. “He’s a sweetie. Does he need a sandwich?”
“Yes, please. Two if you don’t mind, with chips.”
Bullet turned a narrow-eyed stare on Jed.
“My treat, Bullet. Listen, he’s not here to steal, and he’s not asking for a handout. He asked if he could wash dishes in exchange for a sandwich for his brother.”
“Aw, that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard,” Finlay said as she started making their sandwiches. “I’ll throw in a few cookies.”
Jed chuckled. “Thanks.”
“What’re you doing, Jed?” Bullet asked.
“I want to offer the kid a part-time job, get him off the streets. His dad’s in jail, his mom’s working two jobs, and he’s obviously trying to take care of his brother.”
“You can’t save every kid who’s going through a hard time,” Bullet said. “We don’t know this kid.”
“You didn’t know me, either,” Jed reminded him. “You only knew I was Crystal’s brother and trying to clean up my act. Isn’t this what the Dark Knights are all about? Helping others? Protecting the community?”
Bullet crossed his arms and lowered his chin, wordlessly scrutinizing him.
“The way I see it,” Jed said, “giving him a job will help him financially and hopefully keep him off the streets.”
“I could use the help,” Finlay said swe
etly.
“Christ, Lollipop,” Bullet said. “You and that kid alone in here? What if he’s bad news?”
“If it’ll make you feel any better, you can stand over him and glower.” Finlay was a tiny thing compared to Bullet. She put her hand flat on his chest and said, “I trust Jed. If he thinks Ricardo is safe, then isn’t that enough?”
Bullet’s expression softened as he wrapped his arms around his wife’s waist and then pressed his lips to hers in a tender kiss. “I’m going to glower.”
“I know,” she said. “Just not too much, okay? We don’t want to scare him back onto the streets.”
“What about his kid brother?” Bullet asked Jed.
“I’ll figure that out.”
Jed waited for Finlay to finish making their sandwiches. Then he carried the plates out and found Tracey standing by the table talking with the boys. She said something to them, and then she intercepted Jed on his way to the table.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. Ricardo apologized for trying to run yesterday.”
“He did? Good.” He brought their food to the table and sat down.
“Thank you,” they said in unison. Marco picked up his sandwich and took a big bite.
Ricardo looked at his plate.
“What’s wrong?” Jed asked. “You don’t like turkey?”
“How many hours I gotta work to pay this off?” Ricardo asked.
“Just one hour for Marco’s; yours is my treat.”
Ricardo’s eyes shifted from the plate to Jed and back again. “Naw, man. I’ll work for two hours to work it off and one more if you let me, for bus money.”
“You’ve got a deal.” Jed wasn’t about to pay him for only one hour, but he respected Ricardo’s pride. “Get eating.”
Ricardo ate quickly and said, “Can I get started now?”
“Sure. Listen, Bullet’s going to watch you closely around his wife.”
Ricardo held his hands up, eyes wide with fear, and said, “I’m not gonna do nothing. I swear it. Finlay was nice to me, and even if she wasn’t, I still wouldn’t do anything wrong toward her.”
“She’s a nice woman. Just you remember that.” He turned his attention to Marco, who was still eating, and said, “Don’t go anyplace, okay?”
Marco nodded, and a smile appeared on his young face.
Jed took Ricardo into the kitchen, and Finlay said, “Hi, Ricardo. I’m glad you’re back.”
“Hello. Thank you,” Ricardo said.
Bullet pushed through the doors, and fear fell over Ricardo’s face. He turned to the sink and began washing dishes.
“Try not to scare him too much, okay?” Jed said. Then he headed back to the table to talk with Marco.
Marco was almost done with his sandwich when Jed sat down, and he said, “This is really good. Thank you.”
“I’m glad you like it. Tell me about your parents, Marco.”
“My mom’s the greatest. She’s funny, but she’s always working.”
“And your father?”
He stared down at the table and shrugged. “He’s not around.”
Jed arched a brow.
“He’s in prison.”
At least their stories matched. “Does your mom buy you groceries? Cook you dinners?”
“No, man. She’s usually working. Ricky and me, we do the shoppin’. And we cook.” He ate a potato chip.
“You’re lucky. When I was your age, my mother didn’t pay for my groceries. I stole them.”
Marco’s gaze fell to his plate.
“If she gives you money, why has Ricky been here for two days looking for food?”
Marco shrugged and began fidgeting with his napkin.
“She doesn’t leave you money, does she?” Jed asked carefully.
“She does,” he said quickly. “I promise.”
“You and Ricky spend it on drugs?”
He shook his head.
“Booze?”
He shook his head again, more vehemently this time, eyes wide.
Jed hoped to hell he was telling the truth, but he feared if he was, then the rest of the story might be even worse. “What, then? Where’s your grocery money going?”
Those dark eyes lowered again, and Marco lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug.
“Listen, Marco. Whatever it is can’t be as bad as what I’ve been through or the things I’ve seen. I promise you that.” He paused, letting that sink in for a minute before saying, “I want to help you guys out, but I can’t do that unless I know what’s going on.”
Marco kept his eyes trained on his lap and said, “Ricky bought me shoes.”
Jed glanced beneath the table at Marco’s Nikes. They were scuffed, clearly not new, but not old and worn, either. “Those?”
Marco nodded. “At the thrift shop. Kids at school were giving me a hard time, and Ricky didn’t like it.”
“A hard time about…?”
His shoulder lifted again. “Clothes and stuff.”
Jed reached over and pulled one side of Marco’s coat open. He had on a trendy T-shirt, and now that Jed was studying him more closely, he realized Marco’s jeans weren’t dirty and torn like Ricardo’s. They were dark, new. Jed’s chest constricted. These weren’t bad kids. Ricardo was doing all he could to help his brother. “What are you going to do while he works?”
Marco shrugged again. “I won’t hang around. I’ll go walk around outside.”
Walking around for three hours sounded like trouble waiting to happen. “Think your mother would let you two work? Would she sign work permits for you?”
Marco nodded. “But I can’t wash dishes for shit. Ricky always rewashes mine.”
Jed laughed. “What can you do?”
Marco looked around the bar and said, “I can bus tables. I’m real good with my hands, just not cleaning stuff. I take shop at school. They teach us construction, welding. It’s pretty cool.”
“Think you’d like to earn thirty bucks tonight?”
His entire face lit up. “Heck, yeah.”
Half an hour later Marco was clearing tables. Jed called Josie to explain why he was going to be later than he’d originally thought.
“I’m so happy you’re helping them,” she said. “Take your time. Hail will understand.”
“Thanks, babe. Please make sure he knows I’ll be there. I won’t disappoint him. I just want to talk to Bullet and make sure the boys are okay. Then I’ll pick you guys up and we’ll go to the library. I’ll swing by here afterward and touch base, maybe give the boys a ride home. I’ll see you soon, and thanks for understanding.”
By the time Bullet had a break, Marco was asking for more to do. Tracey said she’d show him how to sweep the floors, wipe down the menus, stock napkins, and fill the condiment bottles. That should keep him busy.
As Jed and Bullet went into the office, Bullet said, “You running the show now, Prospect?”
It was rare to see a tease in Bullet’s eyes, and Jed was glad to see one now. “No, and I’ll cover their paychecks for today. Do you know why I want to be a Dark Knight?”
“Because nobody fucks with us?” Bullet said with a low laugh.
“Partly, sure, but it’s way bigger than that. I’ve been where these kids are, having to decide between eating and having clothes on my back. It’s real easy to fall into bad patterns. Look at me and Quincy. He found drugs, and I became a thief. We’re good people who did bad things because of our situations. Do you know how different our lives would have been if we’d been part of a group like the Dark Knights? A group where guys have your back and you do good things for people who can’t do it for themselves? If we’d had someplace we belonged, where we were accountable to friends, brothers?”
Bullet nodded, eyes serious.
“These kids got me thinking. You and I both know they aren’t the only kids in Peaceful Harbor who need direction. What if we gave them a group to look up to, to strive to be part of? Someplace where people cared and th
eir lives meant something, a group that required that they go to school and had weekly meetings to keep them accountable? More than that, weekly meetings to form the trust and dedication it takes to be part of a larger group. We could mentor them, like a big-brother program, but with the Dark Knights. Maybe you call it the Young Knights or something like that. Kids could prospect as they go through the program, and when we feel they’re ready, or when they hit eighteen—or you could base it on grades or community activities—then they become the mentors to other kids who need direction.”
Bullet crossed his arms, and his chin dropped to his chest. “A program with kids?”
“Yeah. Not every Dark Knight would need to take part in it, but some might want to. When I think of Hail in a situation like this—”
“He will never be in this situation,” Bullet said emphatically.
“I know, but that’s what I’m talking about. Jojo has that security, but those boys out there? It sounds like their mother is doing all she can to keep their heads above water. You know damn well she can’t keep tabs on them if she’s working. But Ricardo came back, Bullet. He could have continued stealing, dined and dashed from another place. But he chose to swallow his pride, come back to the place he stole from, and do the right thing for his brother. That tells me everything I need to know about these kids.”
“I don’t know, man. I like the idea, but we can’t hire every wayward kid that comes around.”
“I know,” Jed said. “But how many Dark Knights are business owners? More than half, at least. But it’s not all about jobs. It’s about brotherhood, Bullet. Mentoring them in ways that will show them how to make smarter decisions and give them reasons why they should. Maybe they don’t all get jobs, but some get tutored or taught a trade. Or maybe they just need someone to listen to them and hang out and talk them through shit. Someone to give them a bigger view of the world and their place in it.” He paced as the idea took hold and became important. “Kids like Ricardo and Marco are trying to survive today. They’re not thinking about what’ll happen to them when they graduate high school or when they’re twenty-three and meet the love of their life and suddenly realize they need a better plan but don’t know how to go about constructing one, so they fall back into their old ways.”
Mad About Moon Page 19