“He is,” Kendall agreed, jotting key points of Hopper’s conversation on the notepad.
“He called me last night. He told me about the promises he made to you. My letter was unnecessary.”
Kendall would address that in a moment. “Do you think Bash intends to keep those promises?”
“I do.”
“Even when he’s high?”
“Yes. He’s quicker to kill and force a woman to his will when he’s under the influence. He’s more brutal and he feels more keenly, but he remembers the deals he’s made. He also really wants a coalition with Outlaw. Only something drastic would make him change his mind.”
“Thank you for that information.” She set her pen aside and debated on asking her next question, but she really wanted to know about Jana. “I have something else to ask—”
“Bash told me how hurt you are about Jana,” Hopper inserted. “I never confirmed yesterday when you called her my daughter.”
Kendall had noticed. “Is she?”
“She is.” Hopper sighed. “Please don’t blame your husband. This is on me. I kept it from him. Amy was so much better than me. My sister was married and just checked all the boxes I wanted for Jana, especially stability.”
At the moment, Kendall didn’t know how to feel. “Weren’t you Snake’s old lady?”
“We were having problems. He found out about me and Johnnie. I didn’t mean to get pregnant. When Johnnie came back from Colombia, he was different. Sadder. He drank so much. Ran lines more than normal. One night we were drunk and high and I stayed in his room with him for the entire weekend. Big Joe was so angry with us. Johnnie never used coke again.”
“Is there any possibility the baby’s is Snake’s?”
“Joey had blue eyes. Jana’s eyes were silver-gray. Like Johnnie’s.”
Kendall heaved in another breath.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You didn’t get pregnant on your own.” Kendall had everything she needed to know about Jana. A DNA test was necessary and would confirm paternity, but deep down she knewthe truth. “Back to the letter again. Tell me exactly what you wrote. Bash might’ve left something out.”
“Okay.”
“Do you mind if I record you?”
“Uh—”
“Can you send me one dollar?” Kendall asked.
“A d-dollar?”
“Yes. In the mail. One dollar bill.”
“A dollar?”
“You can send more if you’d like.”
“We won’t go back to town until the weekend.”
“Mail it then.”
“Okay.”
“Excellent. I’m now your attorney. We have attorney-client privileges. Those recordings will only be for my benefit. I’ll even transcribe them myself.”
“Randolph said you were smart.”
