“The Lobos just found out the Sosas have no hostage. I wonder if the Sosa VIPs made it back to Colombia yet. If not, I don’t like their chances of making it through Mexico.”
Miller’s satisfied expression tells me all I need to know about how he’s going to do running ops.
“How’s it look, ‘Vil?”
“Fine. Smelt the weapons.”
“All business. That’s my partner,” I say with a wink. I lead Miller to the spot where we’re going to melt down the weapons and electronics. I run things down for him, and we get started.
“So how is it between you and Zoe these days?” I ask.
“How is what between us?” Miller says, his posture immediately stiff.
“You guys still aren’t talking?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been particularly talkative around her. She’s the boss’s beautiful girlfriend. Being friendly sends the wrong message all around.”
“The wrong message to who?” I say. “You think C will get the wrong impression? Because I’m here to tell you he never has.”
He shrugs, his jaw set. “I don’t know. The day of the standoff, she tried to get me to hold information back from C. She got upset when I refused to have that conversation with her.”
“She was wrong to suggest that. You made the right call. C acknowledged that to you, right?”
Miller nods grimly.
“Tell me what’s on your mind, Mill.”
“Some women are dangerous. Zoe Arantes is one of them. Maybe she doesn’t mean to be, but she is.”
So his wariness runs pretty deep at the moment. How wide a tarp he’s thrown is still unclear. “How about my sister Ash? Is she dangerous?”
He smiles and shoots me a look. “Definitely. In a different way, but yes.”
“Bet you’re glad she picked up that gun though?”
Without hesitation, he says, “If she hadn’t picked up that gun, I’d be dead.”
“You sure? She told me you had it under control.
He looks away for a moment, like everything about that day troubles him. “The truth is, Trick, there was a shooter on my six, coming from a neighboring yard. I didn’t see him until I shifted positions, which I couldn’t have done if she hadn’t had a gun on the leader.”
“Hmm. She must have missed that.”
“Maybe.”
I smile. “You think Ash is covering for you? She doesn’t need to, man. You were seriously outnumbered through no fault of your own.”
“Yeah, but I think I should’ve taken a better position from the jump in that standoff. I think Anvil thinks so too, but he hasn’t said.”
“What now?”
“Nothing. Maybe I’m overthinking it.” He shrugs, trying to cover.
“Hey, ‘Vil?” I call out.
“Trick,” Miller says in a low voice. “Come on.”
“Come on nothing,” I say, frowning.
