“You’re late,” I say quietly.
He shrugs, takes a pull. “Yeah, well. Shit came up.”
I don’t respond. Just stare at him, flat and quiet.
He shifts. “Right. Info. Got it.”
Hard rock blasts through the bar speakers, drowning us out. No one sits close enough to listen, and if they were, they’d be dead by morning.
He leans in, speaking low. “The Gentleman’s running a national trafficking network. Guns, drugs, people... whatever the client wants, he provides.”
I nod. Go on.
“The Sheriff? Elected thanks to The Gentleman’s donations. Bought and paid for. His town in Arizona’s a key hub. Has interstate access, major highways, local authority. He used his badge to clear checkpoints and bury evidence.”
I already figured most of this, but hearing it confirmed still lights something cold in my chest.
“When things got hot, The Sheriff called in favors. He had leverage. Got The Gentleman to relocate him, and he sent him here, to Tennessee. Some kind of ongoing job, tied to the trade.”
“What about The Dealer?” I ask.
“He’s new blood. An effort at expansion into Atlanta. Started with drugs, but now he’s testing out people, too.”
He reaches into his coat, pulls out a folder, and slides it across the bar. I thumb through the photos, receipts, surveillance stills. It’s clean work. I tuck it into my jacket.
He drains the rest of his beer and stands.
“Pleasure doing business with you, Crow.”
I nod.
He walks off. I toss a few bills on the bar—enough to cover both drinks and then some—and follow him out into the night. It’s a shame, really. He’s efficient and smart. But loyalty’s not in his DNA. Guys like him work for whoever pays more, and that makes him a risk I can’t afford.
I catch up with him in the alley.
“Wha—” he starts, but then he sees me. His eyes go wide when he spots the silenced Glock in my hand.
“I told you everything I know!”
“I know,” I say. “And I appreciate that.”
I pull the trigger.
His body crumples against the wall before hitting the pavement, blood soaking into the concrete. My favorite part is the eyes. Watching the exact moment the light goes out. Watching the soul flicker and vanish never gets old.
Job done, I turn and walk away, tucking the gun back into my waistband.
The Gentleman’s been up to some shady shit. That’s fine. I plan to burn him for it.
But first? I’ve got a Sheriff to find.
Joe’s time is up.
And revenge? It’s about to get real sweet.
∞∞∞
“Which do you prefer?”
