“Calvin! Where the fuck are you?” Ricky demanded.
“He’s dead in a ditch by the pond across the street,” I said bluntly. “It’s Phoenix, by the way.”
“The fuck did you say?”
“Your son. He’s dead in a ditch by the pond across the street. We wrapped him in plastic to make things easier. You’ve got one hour to be gone with his body.”
“Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?” Ricky demanded.
“A man who’ll end up being killed in prison if he doesn’t get his son’s nutless body in time, and I give his phone to the cops. They’ve already got Elsie,” I said.
Ricky screamed into the phone before the call disconnected.
I tilted my head back and closed my eyes while the others discussed the phone call. It didn’t matter what any of us thought. He’d get No Nuts, or he wouldn’t.
Several knocks on the door interrupted my attempt at a quick nap. Shaker opened the door to reveal a wide-eyed Tripp clutching his phone against his chest.
“You need something?” I asked.
“D-did you kill my brother?” he asked, sounding scared and confused.
“Why would you ask that?” I nodded at the phone in his hand. “Is someone on the line?”
Tripp shook his head and lowered his phone. “No. I just got off the phone with my dad. He said he was leaving to pick up Calvin’s body and wants me to meet him at Leon’s house. He’s going to make me bury my brother before he kills me because this is all my fault!”
“Take a breath,” Ranger said as he pulled out a chair. “Come in and have a seat. You can tell us why this is your fault.”
“All of Calvin’s shortcomings are my fault,” Tripp said. “This will be my fault, too. Fuck! What am I going to do?”
“Give me your phone and let me handle your dad,” I said. “Again.”
“I don’t know,” Tripp said. “It’ll be better if I just deal with him now. He doesn’t like having to wait. He’s probably not going to kill me. He’ll just make me work for him.”
“You ever thought about joining the club?” I asked.
“I, uh,” Tripp stammered. “What?”
“If you’re a prospect, your dad won’t be a problem.”
“I don’t understand,” Tripp said.
“You’ll be one of us, and your dad doesn’t fuck with us,” Badger explained.
“Forever?” Tripp asked.
“Yeah,” several of the guys said.
“Deal,” Tripp said excitedly and held out his phone.
“You sure about this?” I asked. “This is a commitment.”
Tripp nodded. “I know about the Blackwings. I’ve heard my dad talk about you before. If I have to choose between a life with him or a life with you, I choose the Blackwings.”
I nodded, impressed with how quickly he made a life-altering decision. “We’ll do the official shit later. Let’s take care of?—”
Tripp’s phone rang.
Dad.
