That wasn’t all Margo heard, but Molson didn’t feel the need to elaborate. Molson did a quick tally of what he could see of the man’s tattoos. He was a high standing member of the gang.
“They told me you were funny,” he chuckled and leaned back comfortably. “We should get down to business.”
“By all means,” Molson agreed easily. He kept his body purposely relaxed even as he felt the tension within him build.
“I hear you’ve been talking to each of the kings,” the man began, his voice soft as a snake and just as deadly. “To ask them to rat out a major source of powder.”
“I have,” Molson confirmed. He wondered how many other people were in the house or if it was just him and this man.
“See, that’s a shame,” he set the keys down on the little end table and picked up a glass, swirling its contents. “I don’t like rats.”
Molson recognized the glass as one from the cupboard of the small liquor cabinet his mother kept. This guy had enough time to make himself at home, and Molson wasn’t amused. He didn’t like the idea of gang members in his mother’s house. “I don’t much like them either, but when a part of a tree is diseased, you need to cut it off.”
He took a sip from the glass. “Explain.”
“David Ramesly is unpredictable. He’s old,” Molson laid out his argument calmly, as if his very life wasn’t on the line. “His role in all this is over. He’s never going to be a significant source of powder again. The FBI is still going to be watching him. The NYPD are going to be watching him. He’s done.”
“He’s still powerful and influential,” the man reminded Molson.
“He rolled on his oldest son. He has no loyalty to anyone but himself,” Molson stated flatly. “If it suits him, he’ll roll on each of the kings.”
“You think we should roll on him first,” the man had a sardonic smile.
Tremblay, Molson thought.The mightiest king himself is sitting in my mother’s living room.
“You must think it has merit, otherwise you wouldn’t be here,” Molson ventured carefully.
“I think it will create a power vacuum that only one of the kings will fill. One of us will rise. I enjoy getting promotions,” Tremblay looked shrewdly at Molson. “I want to know why you went to the others and haven’t come to me.”
“First, because if I couldn’t get their unanimous consent to the plan then there was no point in coming to you. I wasn’t about to waste your time,” Molson explained. “Second, because I have no leverage with you.”
“Three out of six are interested. If you can fulfill your end,” Tremblay took a sip of liquor before setting the glass down. “I have my doubts that you can.”
“I’ll get it done,” Molson vowed. He hoped Drew could convince Lawe’s superior to give them what they needed to make this happen.
“I can make it a unanimous six,” Tremblay told him.
Molson knew that this man had the influence to do so. He also knew that while Tremblay might be greedy for David’s position, that wasn’t the only thing he was after. “What do you want in return?”
Tremblay shrugged, pretending to think about it. “A simple favor.”
Favors were never simple. Especially unnamed ones. Nor did they ever seem to be finished.
Molson would be stepping into a world that everyone thought he was already in but had never actually set foot in. He would be owing the largest king in the area. When Trembley asked for the favor, which would no doubt be illegal, he would have to fulfill it or face dire consequences heaped on his family and friends. Despite what everyone thought of him, Molson hadn’t done anything illegal since he was a teen and had half-heartily vandalized some walls with graffiti with a friend. He wasn’t a gangbanger. He was tolerated by the gangs because he was beneficial in his own way but that was it.
If he did this, he would be chained to Tremblay’s whim.
If he didn’t do this, David would remain free and Michael would remain imprisoned. Molson couldn’t let that happen.
“I don’t have all night,” Tremblay stood up. He walked to within a couple of feet of Molson. “Do we have an understanding?”
Knowing that he was going to regret it for the rest of his life, Molson nodded. “We do.”
Tremblay smiled. “Good. You do your part, and I’ll do mine.”
Molson hoped Drew would be able to come through. Either way, he knew Tremblay would collect.
Molson used his key on Drew’s apartment, entering without knocking and went straight to the kitchen even though he wasn’t very hungry. Coffee. That was what he needed. A strong, black, bracing cup of coffee that could burn the tongue and the stomach. Molson flicked on the stove light and proceeded to get the percolator running.
