“Go ahead, but until you do, you have to show your pass.”
“Poppy, for Christ sake, just show him your pass,” Danielle said holding hers out for him to see. “I’m glad he’s being thorough.”
She glared at him as Danielle stepped through, then Blake flashed his pass and was admitted.
“I don’t have mine,” she finally muttered.
“Set aside please. I need Taylor Goode to the check point to sign in a cast member,” Merrick said into the walkie. He spent a moment checking IDs and comparing those he didn’t immediately recognize to names on a clipboard before passing them in, then when there was a break, took a thick marker and wrote Poppy Landrieu on a white card and slipped it into a holder.
“Who is it?” Taylor said as he approached. “Poppy!” he said loudly when he saw her standing to the side. “Why did you stop her?”
“You’re the one who said anyone who didn’t have their pass or wasn’t on the clipboard was to only be admitted by you or Will. She doesn’t have her pass, so that’s what I’m doing.”
“I didn’t mean Poppy, or one of the stars! Jesus H. Christ on a popsicle stick, what’s wrong with you?” he shouted, staring at Merrick as if he’d grown another head.
“You set the guidelines, I’m just following them.”
“Yes! Let her in!”
“Taylor, I need to see you!” Poppy said as she grabbed the lanyard and holder from Merrick as she passed.
Merrick smiled. He knew the shit was about to hit the fan now, which was why he wanted to be the one checking IDs the first night, for situations just like this.
“Good for you,” the man he’d seen working the camera said as he stepped up and showed Merrick his pass. Merrick said nothing, kept his poker face, and passed him through.
***
“Merrick, I can’t have you harassing Poppy. It has to stop.”
“What are you talking about? I haven’t been harassing anyone.”
“The water. Grabbing her yesterday. Making her wait this morning because she forgot her pass. And of that ring any bells?”
“You said we had access to what food and water we needed. You’re the one who said anybody who didn’t have a pass or wasn’t on the list could only be admitted by your or Will’s say so. And if she’d slapped me, I would have punched her into next fucking week, so be glad I caught her hand.”
“Why are you being such an asshole?”
“I’m not being an asshole. Why is the only person here who seems to be having a problem Poppy? Have you ever asked that? Why do you put up with her shit?”
“Because she’s the goddamn star of the movie, that’s why!”
“So? ‘She’s the star’ doesn’t cut any shit with me. If you want me to run security, fine. You tell me the parameters and we’ll follow them. But I’m not going to let anyone, not you, not Will, not Poppy Landrieu, bully me into letting them ignore the rules. You don’t like it, then find someone else.”
“You don’t understand—”
“No, you don’t understand,” Merrick said, cutting him off. “You agreed to let me run security. Either get out of my face or find someone else. Those are your only two options.”
“You can’t talk to me like that! Who do you think you are?”
“I’m the guy who solved your fucking problem, that’s who. Now you’re standing here questioning me.”
“Get off my production!”
Merrick nodded. “You got it. I’ll send you a bill.” He shoved the clipboard into Taylor’s chest and handed him his location pass before he walked away to collect his men. As he spoke to each man, they dropped their lanyard where they stood and began to file away. When everyone was at their bikes, they rumbled to life like distant thunder before they rode out as a group.
***
Poppy watched as Merrick and the rest of the Harlequins pulled away on V-Twin thunder, a weight settling into her stomach as the heavy roar of their bikes faded into the night. This wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted to put that fucking Merrick in his place, sure, but she didn’t think he would actually quit. Or had he been fired as she’d demanded?
Taking a deep breath, she held her head up high. The standard security would just have to do. The Harlequins had gotten the crowds under control so now the production company should be able to handle it. She turned and walked back toward the crew where Taylor had called together the heads of each department and was talking to them.
“You what?” Will’s voice carried. “I can’t believe you fired them before the river shoot. Taylor, you have to get them back.”
“I’m not calling them back,” Taylor said as Poppy stepped up behind the crew to listen. “They’ve been nothing but a pain in the ass since they got here.”
“How?” Boggs, the director of photography asked. “Because Poppy didn’t like him? This production was a fucking train wreck until he got here and got control of the crowds. We’ve made up a full shooting day since you hired him. I’ve spoken to him a couple of times, when I wanted to change an angle or something, and he has been nothing but accommodating and polite. He’s gone out of his way to make this shoot easier for us. So tell me, Taylor, exactly whose ass has he been a pain in?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Taylor said. “What’s done is done. We’ll take over the crowds like before.”
“When we couldn’t get shit done?” Asher, the Giraffe operator said. “Why don’t you come out and hold the boom mic in the hot fucking sun for a while as we wait for the crowds to quiet down, and do that ten times because they ruined the take. Then you tell me ‘what’s done is done.’”
“It’s my decision and I’ve made it. Now, We’ve got a full night of shooting ahead of us, so let’s get to it.”
Poppy ducked her head and tried to slip away but Paul intercepted her. “Good job, Poppy. I hope you’re happy.”
“Why are you taking that asshole’s side?” she flared.
“Because you’re acting like a spoiled brat.”
“He was being an asshole!”
“No, he was treating you like everyone else. I’m glad to see someone who wasn’t tiptoeing around you like they were walking on eggshells. I’ve been doing this for forty years, so let me give you a little advice: you’re one of the most talented young actresses I’ve seen in a long time, but I don’t care how good you are in front of the camera, if you are big enough pain in the ass behind the camera, nobody will hire you. Think about it.”
“Poppy, you’re needed in makeup,” Leslie said, walking up.
Poppy stared at Paul a moment then turned to Leslie. “I’ll be right there.”
***
“That’s right, Jafet, at the bend near the El Pico Treatment plant. The nearest road in is, let’s see…” Merrick paused at he looked at his notes. “Here it is. Go in on Minerales Annex Road, which is off Mines Road. They’ll be setting up at first light. Get there early for a good view. They’ll be there all day.”
“Okay, but you owe us one,” Jafet said from the phone. Jafet Hernandez was the President of the LRLs, the Low Riders of Laredo. The LRLs were strictly legal, but they had helped get the party started around the production. The Harlequins had been providing security for their bi-annual shows, ever since a guy flashed a gun in an argument several years ago.
“They told me they wanted local flavor in their movies. You’re just helping them out.”
Jafet chuckled. “I don’t know about this first light shit, but yeah, it’ll be cool to go watch them film. Maybe I’ll get my uncle’s boat and go out on the river and watch from there. I’m not going to have to worry about you showing up and knocking heads am I? I heard what happened.”
Merrick grinned. Brand B should have good crowd watching them work tomorrow. “I bet they would like that and, no, you don’t have anything to worry about. They decided they didn’t need security anymore.”
“Like the first time.”
“Just like the first time.”
“I think we
can help you out, then.”
“I appreciate it, Jafet.”
“Don’t worry about it, bro. You’ve been helping us out; we’re just returning the favor.”
“Your next two shows are on us.”
“Been a pleasure.”
“Same here,” Merrick said and hung up. He sat the phone aside and took another pull from his beer. There was probably going to be fifty or sixty people at the shoot tomorrow, not counting however many showed up on their own. With the LRLs and Rolling Thunder, the car stereo enthusiasts there, it should be an interesting day for Brand B.
Merrick sighed as he toed his boots off. It had been a hectic few days. Tomorrow he would catch up on his paperwork for Capra Framing and his sleep. Granted not all the production crew had to be at the location at the same time, and his people did, but he didn’t realize just how long the days were when shooting a movie. The night shoots, like tonight, where they were shooting inside the mall while it was closed, were the real ball busters.
The club didn’t need the money, and it wouldn’t bother him a bit if Brand B just packed up and went home.
His phone rang and he picked it up. “Sonya. What’s up?”
“I just found out you were home. Want some company?”
Merrick grinned. “Are you offering?”
“No, dumbass. I just called to see if you wanted company because I needed to come feed your goldfish.”
He chuckled. “Sure. Come on over, but I need to get some sleep tonight.”
“Okay, but since you don’t have to go do the security stuff tomorrow, is there any reason you can’t fuck me in the morning?”
“None at all.”
“Good. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
He hung up and grinned before he shook his head. He didn’t know who he was kidding. Sonya wouldn’t be here an hour before he was fucking her. His grin grew wider as he got to his feet, drained the last of his beer from the bottle, and chucked it into the trash. He moved back to his room, switching off lights and stripping for his shower as he went. He could sleep when he was dead.
Chapter Eight
Sonya gave Merrick a long wet kiss before stroking his face. “See you tonight?” she asked as she pulled back from the kiss. She was dressed for work wearing clothes she’d brought with her the night before.
“Maybe. I’ll call you.”
She smiled and kissed him again before straightening and tugging her blazer over her skirt. It wouldn’t do to appear at the law offices of Kelly & Kelly looking like she’d just tumbled out of bed. The husband and wife team expected their paralegals to be sharp all the time. She paused at the door then gave him an air kiss before disappearing.
He stretched and groaned, giving his balls a good scratch as he did. When he let her in last night, she’d been wearing nothing but a pair of gym shorts and a midriff t-shirt. Three minutes after she entered the house, his cock was in her mouth. They’d had a nice leisurely fuck last night, which had cut into his sleep. He debated going back to sleep for another couple of hours, but decided he needed to get up. It was just after eight and he couldn’t lie in bed all day.
He padded naked into the kitchen, poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot Sonya made, then checked his phone. He had eight emails, and he opened the one from Abana first.
“Fuck,” he muttered before moving on and checking the rest. Most of the emails were read and delete types, but they were going to have to deal with Abana. He sat his cup on the desk in his office before sitting down in his chair, the leather cold on his bare ass. He turned on his computer, taking another sip from the cup as the computer started up.
He sorted through the mail that had piled up, then logged into Quickbooks and quickly scheduled payments to his vendors and logged the payments from his customers. By ten, the employees of Capra Framing were scheduled to be paid and his books were in order. Satisfied his business was taken care of for the next few days, he called Jason.
“Yeah?” Jason said in greeting.
“I heard back from Abana. He wants to meet.”
“Shit, that’s never good.”
“No, it’s not. But maybe we can get some answers.”
“Where and when?”
“Today, the usual place, Plaza Zaragoza, at three. I want you to ride with me. Meet me at the clubhouse at two.”
“I’ll be there. Still no idea what this is about?”
“Not a clue.”
“Am I the only one who’s nervous here? Maybe we should take the full crew.”
“No. He said for me to come alone, so I’m already out on a limb bringing you, but there’s no way in hell I’m riding in there alone.”
“I don’t blame you. I’ll see you at two.”
“Thanks, brother.” Merrick hung up and rocked back in his chair. They had been dealing guns to the Víbora Cartel for years. Like any business dealing, they’d had their ups and downs, but this was the first time Abana had actually hinted he thought the Harlequins where dirty dealing them. Merrick grimaced as he took another sip of the now cold coffee, then rose.
He carried the mug back to the kitchen, dumping the dark liquid down the drain before rinsing the cup and putting it in the dishwasher. He dumped the rest of the coffee from the pot and gave it a quick swishing rinse before turning the machine off and returning the pot to the heating element, the wet pot sizzling and crackling as he sat it in place.
He scrubbed his face. “Fuck,” he muttered again as he walked back to his bedroom to shower and dress.
***
“Señor Abana,” Merrick said, rising from the bench and offering his hand.
“I said come alone,” Urtzi Abana said, his Spanish accent barely detectable, not taking Merrick’s hand.
“You know Jason. You can trust him.”
Abana glanced at Jason standing far enough away to be out of hearing then nodded his own man to step away before the two men sat down. “Do you know why I wanted to speak with you?”
“No, not really. I gather from the first email you lost the last load of weapons we sold you. The next load will be arriving in Corpus Christi tomorrow. We should be able to get them to you by early next week. Maybe a little sooner. What I don’t understand is, from the tone of your email, it seems like you think it’s our fault the weapons have gone missing.”
Abana watched Merrick closely. “We didn’t lose the weapons. They were taken from us. Taken from us by men on motorcycles.”
Merrick felt a chill pass over him. “It wasn’t us.”
“So you say.”
“Señor Abana, the Harlequins have been supplying you guns for how long? You were buying guns from my father before me. Why would I do something like that?”
“Ten men rode up to my house, Merrick. Ten men on motorcycles much like those you ride. They killed five of staff. They took my money and my guns. I think the only reason I’m alive is my family and I were out of the country at the time.”
“How did they get away with the guns?”
Abana shrugged. “I don’t know. Perhaps they had another vehicle. They killed everyone in the house. The only reason I know about the motorcycles is because a few of my men surprised them as they were leaving. All they saw were the motorcycles.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, Señor Abana, but you surely know we’re not the only people who ride motorcycles. Were the men wearing colors?”
“No, no patches, but they did speak English.”
“Señor Abana, I give you my word, it wasn’t us. What could we gain by fucking up this arrangement?”
“Does $350,000 in cash, not to mention over a $100,000 in guns, sound like something to gain?”
“Yes, but you pay us that much in a year. So even if we were to do something so stupid as to steal from you, and you found out, in the long run, it would have cost us far more than we would gain. Not to mention the danger it would bring to our families. Trust me, Señor Abana, we know who we are dealing with and we do not want you angry with us.�
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Abana looked into Merrick’s eyes, taking a measure of the man. “If not you, then who? You have told me more than once you control Laredo. I control Nuevo Laredo. I’ve heard nothing of anyone moving into my territory. Where have these mysterious motorcycle men come from?”
“I don’t know, Señor Abana, but I will find out. You have my word. When we do we will make our displeasure with them clear.”
“If you find these men, I want you to bring them to me, or tell me who they are. I can’t allow them to attack my house without repercussions.”
“As soon as I know, I will pass the information along to you.”
Merrick: Harlequins MC Page 6