by Barb Shuler
“You’ve been a grouchy ass all day. What crawled up in there and died? Need to get laid or what?” Drew yelled across the room as I stepped into the break room. He better be glad Anna wasn’t here or she’d have lit into him like a dog with a bone. I swear all the women around us were crazy daisies. I loved it though. None of them minded calling us out for being assholes. I heard the door open and Trace walked in hand in hand with his girlfriend, Stella. I shook my head and walked back to my desk, Mountain Dew in hand.
“You know that shit is gonna rot out ya stomach, right?” Stella said, a frown pulling at her brows.
“No worse than that motor oil you call coffee,” I gave her a wink as I sat back at my desk.
“There is nothing wrong with strong coffee, man,” she said, a hand going to her hip. “Add a little sugar like I do and it’s even better.”
“Ah, babe, you ain’t helpin’ your case none. Your coffee is like syrup.. A very nasty coffee syrup at that. I gotta agree with Jacks on this one,” Trace said. I nodded at him as he sat down across from my desk.
“Watch it, or you won’t get any candy later,” she said, sweetly. I snorted at the look they gave each other.
“Get a fuckin’ room, will ya?” Drew said, making a gagging noise.
“Stuff it, old man. You and Dani Lynn are disgustingly sweet to one another. Don’tcha mess up my groove,” Stella shot back, glaring at him. I could see the corners of her lips twitching. She wanted to laugh but was refusing to give in.
“I love my girl, what can I say?” he shrugged. I shook my head as I took a big gulp of my Mountain Dew, only to choke when Drew asked about Kristol. “Hey, Stell, what ya know about the girl workin’ down at Jimmy’s?”
Coughing, I looked up and glared at my brother. So much for keeping my cool, but seriously I wasn’t expecting that to come out of his mouth. He knew I was trying to find out about her. Secretively. I didn’t want anyone to know, especially not the mouth of the freaking south. It sorta made me feel like a fucking stalker. The searching and hunting down information, I mean. There really wasn’t much to find, anyhow. I glared at Drew again as he gave me that ‘yep, I said it, whatcha gonna do about it’ look. I wanted to pummel his ass.
“Why?” she asked looking between the two of us as she sat propped up on Trace’s lap. I, of course, looked away… that was one of many mistakes made today. Seemed I was zero for three already. For fuck’s sake, man.
“Jackson Landry, do you have a crush on that little gal?” she said, scooting closer to my desk. I shook my head and sighed as all eyes were on me.
“It’s not like that. She just seems-” I stopped and thought about the best way to say what I was thinking. “There’s something off there. She’s a nice girl, but the last few times I’ve seen her she’s acted off. Like a blind cat in a room full of rockin’ chairs.”
“That the girl I saw you with earlier outside of Talberts?” I nodded at Trace and his brows furrowed. Stella turned to look at him with a ‘what the fuck? Why didn’t you tell me’ look. “She did seem skittish. One look at me and Chipper and she looked ready to run, or she was seconds from flipping out and crying,” he said, a small frown tugging at his lips. “I think I agree, there’s something there.”
“You saw her at Tablert’s?” Drew asked as he leaned back against his desk, his brow cocked.
I shrugged as I spoke, giving him the only thing I could. “Well, yeah. Apparently when someone is hungry, they go to the grocery store for food. Ya know, that’s what you’re supposed to do,” I drawled out, grinning as he scowled at me.
“Seriously, man, you following people around is creepy,” he said. His arms crossed over his chest.
“First off, I was not following her. She was outside when I pulled up. She was having... I don’t know, a mini panic attack, maybe. I went up to talk to her was all. She was shaking and each word came out as a stutter. The only thing that seemed to calm her was her dog. I saw Trace and Chip, we had a few words, and then I went inside. Something does bother me, though. No one knows where she lives. Only a few people know her first name, that’s it. Nothing more. I’ve asked Mrs. Talbert, but she didn’t have any more information than I do,” I said rubbing the back of my neck.
“What about Jimmy?” Drew asked, a brow raised.
“He doesn’t know shit. Or if he does he won’t say, cause yeah, I asked a few different times.” Drew chuckled and I flipped him off before continuing, “Anyway, I talked to Jose up at the motel, too. Mrs. Talbert said she’d seen her walking from there one day. He said she comes once or twice a week and washes her clothes in his laundry area, but other than that he knows nothing. He lets her use them cause he knows if she is there she needs it. She’s only been seen there and at Talbert’s. No one sees her unless she’s working,” even I heard the frustration in my voice at that revelation.
“She stayin’ at the Center?” Drew asked the room but his eyes moved to Stella.
“Andrew Landry, you know good and damn well I couldn’t tell ya if she was. Badge or no badge. Don’tcha be askin’ me stuff like that. But no, she’s not one of our girls… and if you tell Dani Lynn I confirmed that I’ll junk punch ya.”
I saw the concern on Stella’s face even if she tried to hide it with that lopsided grin of hers. She gave me the ‘do you want to me to ask her’ look when she settled back in place on Trace’s lap. I shook my head.
“Well…” I heard a voice from behind me and glanced back to see Gabe coming my way. I groaned internally and signed off on the paperwork on my desk. “Kid, let’s face it, we all notice different things about people in general. That little lady had to come from somewhere. Your job is to make sure the citizens of this town are safe, whether they be new or old. We take care of this town. She is a part of it. So, ignore your ass of a brother and do what you need to. If you need anything, you give me a holler,” he said as he walked towards the breakroom.
“Gabe, I brought you a box of donut holes,” Stella said, grinning.
“Got them, thanks, kiddo,” and with those words of wisdom he went back to his office. I chuckled.
“Alright, I need to do some rounds. I have a stop to make at the grocery before I go out to the gas station. Can you handle this for me, Bubba? It’s ready to be faxed and filed.” I stood and grabbed my gun belt, fastening it back into place. “See you on the flip side.” I punched Drew in the shoulder - which was our thing to do anytime we were not out together - and headed out to my car.
My Charger, well, the county’s Charger was the shit. All kinds of badassness in one metal body. The engine purred and let’s face it, it could keep up in any street race, and then some.
As soon as I was signed into the onboard laptop I checked my mirrors, and pulled out onto main street. I waved to the citizens I saw on the street and quickly made my way to the grocery store. The sooner I saw Mrs. Talbert, the sooner I could go check on Kristol. Seeing that pretty smile of hers always made my day or night. She was a sight for sore eyes, for sure.
4
Finding the Traitor
Conner
It had been a week now, and every day that little bitch was laughing it up with that fucking deputy. I still owed that asshole an ass kickin’ as it was. The little cunt thought she was going to run away and spill our secrets. At first, I wasn’t sure that the girl working in the station was Kristol . I don’t normally go that way when I walk to meet Willie or Gerald but I was walking with Erik and Corey, so I went where they went. I was in the station and still had my hood pulled up slightly over my head when I heard her voice. That irritating nervous squeaky voice. It grates on my nerves.
I wanted to charge up to the counter, snatch her up by the hair and drag her home, but that wasn’t an option with witnesses around. That day when I got home I talked to Dad and was told to watch her.
* * *
“I found her,” I said proudly as I strode into his office. I ignored the irritated looks Gerald and Willie gave me.
“You know
for sure it’s her?” my father, Travis, asked, a scowl pulling at his brows.
“Yeah, I heard her voice. It’s her. She’s changed her hair color, but she still looks the same,” I said, nodding my head at him.
“No way you found her. We looked all around for the bitch,” Gerald said, his eyes narrowed at me. I shrugged my shoulders and grinned.
“Guess you two have lost your touch.” My smile grew wider as his temper peaked.
“I'll bust your ass, you little shit!” he snapped. He moved towards me until Dad threw up a hand.
“Knock that shit off! That bitch could shut us down if she spills what she knows. You,” dad said pointing at me, “You watch her. See who she's talking to and where. You two assholes keep moving the crates to the trucks. The sooner everything is out of here the better. If that little bitch does anything, and I mean anything, you best step in, Conner. It's time to prove that you're a fucking man. There’s more to it than getting your dick wet. Be the aggressor. Women are only good for a few things. Cooking, cleaning and fucking. Remember that.”
I was nodding at dad when Willie piped in, “Oh no, that bitch is mine.”
“Actually, Dad gave her to that kiss ass Clinton. Did you forget that already?” I asked with a smirk. I loved riling these assholes up.
“She's mine!” Willie snapped. “I had her first, and no one will teach her a lesson but me. She fucking owes me.” He rubbed at the scar on his cheek and I laughed. She was a feisty thing. He’d gotten too handsy while she had a knife in her hand, and well, he learned that lesson quickly.
“Boys, shut the hell up and get your asses back to work. Conner, good job, son. Go have some fun with one of the girls.” He tossed me the keys to the back room of the shed where the others were kept. I grinned, even though I’d never do it. It never seemed right. But I would go visit Trina. She was one of the ‘new’ members of the group and she loved my dick. Not that I would complain otherwise. She could give as well as take, since she was one of the willing ones. That made it easier to get myself ready to take her like I was taught. Though, she liked it rough. It was a win-win for us all.
“Yes, Sir,” I said as I turned to walk out.
“Boys, be ready. One wrong move and you have to take her out. Let's not act too hastily, we don't know what she's done. Just watch her. If she's too comfy with the cops take her out, any way you see fit,” Dad said with a nod, waving us out of his office.
We all agreed and walked out. Now, I had a busty brunette to find. I dropped the keys on the kitchen counter as I made my way through it. When I hit the back door I took off across the property to the cabins in back.
* * *
Today as I watched Kristol, something was different. She seemed to be changing; she was getting too comfortable with life in town. I watched as she and that cop talked. Not only did they have that long talk on the sidewalk outside of the grocery, but they went shopping at the fucking store together. I pulled out my phone and called Willie. We needed to act fast before she spilled it all to the cops.
“What?”he grunted out.
“It’s me. She’s with that fucking deputy again. Has been for a while now. They're mighty chummy,” I said, making sure I was back out of sight as she came out of the grocery store, that mutt on her heels. Women were supposed to be in the kitchen and making sure the man's home was clean. And to be at his beck and call when ever he needed a good fuck. Maybe I’d have to remind her of that myself? I was owed that after all. Then again, that whore had been on all kinds of dicks, I’d let someone else do it. Willie would. He fucked her last time she was out of line. He thought she was his, after all.
“Watch her, we’ll be there in a bit, kinda busy now,” he hung up without another word and I shrugged it off.
“Whatever, asshole,” I said, moving to slip my phone into my back pocket. I moved back down the street and towards the station. I hadn’t seen her too many places around town, so I wasn’t sure where the bitch was sleeping. After tonight that wouldn’t matter. We would take care of her and Dad would be safe. We all would be.
Of all nights for this place to be so fucking busy. I ground my teeth together more than once as I watched her smiling and grinning with that fucking douche of a cop again. He came by to see her like he did every night. Bitch was probably fucking him too. I snarled as Willie and Gerald finally showed up. We scoped the place out again to make sure there was no one in there but her.
“You go inside first, Gerald. Get her attention and I’ll come in after, cause my dick has some punishment for her,” Willie said with a sadistic grin on his face. “You, stay the fuck out of the way. We’ll be out soon. If you see anything, you let me know. I mean it, kid. If you fuck up, I’ma beat ya ass.” I laughed out loud at his so called threat and moved back to the shadows after giving him the finger.
“Go fuck yourself, asshole,” I said. He and Gerald walked off across the street and into the parking lot of the gas station. I leaned back against the building whose shadow I was hiding in and rested my head back against the wall, sighing. They’d be in there for a while. I knew Willie had elaborate plans for the bitch.
* * *
Gerald
* * *
This bitch was finally going to get what was coming to her. She not only left us, she knows things that could lead to big trouble for all of us, Dad especially. Pulling the hunting knife from my boot I pushed the door open and stalked straight towards where she is standing at the counter. I have no time for the games that Willie wants to play. I want to get this done and get the hell out of here.
It takes her a moment to look up but when she does I grin. Her eyes go wide and she starts to shake her head. “No, go away. Leave me alone!” I grabbed the back of her shirt as she started to run, pulling her back against me. There was a growl and a sharp pain in my ankle. I looked down and saw the mutt Conner said was always with her. I kicked him away and slammed the gate shut as I pulled her to the cooler case so we couldn’t be seen from outside.
“Miss me, whore? Willie has something for you when he gets here. Might give it to you like he does your whore of a mother. She likes it rough. What about you? You want him to bend you over and fuck that pussy of yours?” I said as my hand ran across her, squeezing her titts. She had nice tits, I’d give her that.
“Leave. Me. Alone!” She screamed and elbowed me in the kidney. I doubled over and when she was able to skirt out of my grasp she kicked me in the nuts. My knees hit the ground before I registered what was going on. Fuck, that hurt. As I came to my senses again I heard a scuffle and a muffled scream. As I made my way around to the end of the aisle I saw Willie wrestling the bitch to the ground.
“Now bitch, you get what you deserve,” I snarled. I held my boot to her neck and pressed down. She was easy to handle when you choked her, we all knew she loved it. She only acted as if she didn’t.
“Stop…” the small gasp came from her lips and I smiled. Not a chance, bitch, not a chance.
“You’ve been a naughty girl. You ran from us. No one fucking does that,” Willie said as he ripped her t-shirt open with his knife. Her bra followed that with a small wrist twitch. She tried to wiggle free, so I pressed my boot back against her throat. “You saw things you shouldn’t have. You got anything to say for yourself, bitch?” His hands were all over her as she tried to shift away from him.
I moved back when he growled to let her go. Fine, if he wanted to get hit then he could have it. While Willie played with the bitch I moved to the counter. I pulled the register over and flipped the switch on the side. When the drawer popped open I pulled the bills from the slots and shoved them in my pocket.
“What in the fuck are you doing? Stop fighting me, whore!” I turned in time to see Willie slap her across her face. The sound echoed in the glass and tile room. I moved around to the counter. I hopped up on it and avoided the snarling mutt who couldn’t get out. I hit the emergency shutdown button to turn the pumps off outside. I knew what we would need to do here. I didn
’t want half the town to explode with this place.
I heard crying and grunting so I figured Willie was having fun while I worked. As usual. I moved to the back of the store and grinned. “Jackpot, you sneaky little bitch,” I said to myself as I moved around the storeroom to find the things on a cot in the corner. That was why we hadn’t found her. I made my way back out as Willie stood and pulled his pants back up. “Tuck it in, let’s go,” I said, shaking the gas can in my hand. At least Jimmy kept some of this shit on hand. I glanced at the now bloody girl curled up on the ground and shook my head. I made my way around the inside, pouring the gas around.
“Let’s jet,” I said. As soon as we were out of the door I flicked a match, laying it against the box in my hand. I tossed it as it flared. It landed, and with a ‘whoosh’ the flames started. We ran to the truck and the three of us got the hell out of there as fast as we could. In a few minutes all of our nightmares would come to an end. She would be dead. We would be free to carry on business as usual and no one would be the wiser.
5
Death would be too Easy…
Kristol
This afternoon had been quiet, so far. Depending on the day of week, that was sort of normal. It was still relatively early. The few customers we’d had were in and out with nothing more than a “hi” and “thank you” which was all well and good for me. I liked people, just not that much. After everything I’d been through, it was tough to not look over my shoulder or cower when someone came too close to me. When you are constantly hit, or attacked in some way, you get like that. Especially me. I tried to smile and shove away the fear, but it always seemed to rear its ugly head. No matter what I tried as a coping mechanism.