“Oh please, you’re still pissed that you tried to hide it with sex and she threatened to withhold sex from you next time you don’t tell her.” Hound Dog smirked.
I would ask how he knew but I said, “I’m going to need your ol’ lady to stop gossiping with mine. Last thing we fucking need is them to wonder who has the bigger dick. By the way, it’s mine.”
“Not my fault you tried to hide shit from her. Y’all know I tried that with Melody and…” Hound said.
“And you folded like a pretzel,” B.B. finished. He was rewarded with a smack at the back of the head.
Hound Dog muttered, “The shit we do for our women.” He waved his hand to someone to continue before he regretted his life decisions.
“Yes, Ms. Raven’s shop. We owe her big time, not her fault,” Fender continued. “There wasn’t a recognizable signature, any indication of an identity.”
Hound Dog thought of something. “You shot them outside, which was completely stupid. I’ll let it slide cause you already gotyour ass handed to you. Thanks to you, Greene had to be notified and Blaze had to hack into the street cams to erase anything that happened.” I flipped him off. “But you said you shot the tires.” At least, I thought I did. “I’m pretty sure I did.”
“Pretty sure or you did?” Otis asked, his stern tone showed his slight annoyance.
“The SUV never swerved, they kept gunning it,” Fender recalled.
“Then you didn’t shoot it,” Hank said.
“I did. I know for a fact I did. I was on my last clip. And I heard a brief, but small puncture sound,” I kept defending.
“Then explain how they got away,” Otis questioned.
I thought about that after I left Amelia. How did they keep going, like it never happened? Like it was nothing at all. I knew one thing, I wasn’t going to be called out for lack of shooting. “Fuck if I know. All I know was, it seemed like it was timed. Like they had been watching the entire time, maybe they had cameras in the shop or something. I remember the sound of the hit when it hit the tire. Like a wisp of air hissed and then stopped. I know I shot at it.”
“Hidden cameras? Talking from experience?” Hound Dog asked, raising an eyebrow.
“The less you know, Prez.”
“He’s not far off though,” Otis chimed in.
I turned my attention to him. “The cameras or the shooting? You think I’m telling the truth now?”
“The tires. And no, just a thought that would attest to your claims.” Otis sneered.
I rolled my eyes. “Ever the lawyer. I’m still waiting for answers on my other issue.”
“I still bail your asses out. No, you just reminded me of a case I tried, once upon a time,” Otis explained.
Otis was once a lawyer, before he wore the vest and took an oath. He said a different oath and tried to fight the system. He was the type of fighter we needed when I was in the service, relentless, empathetic, and passionate for doing what needs to be done for those in need. Only few knew his whole story, but he and Hound Dog went way back, and Otis has been one of the most trustworthy men. Plus, it helped that he still somewhat practiced and knew a thing or two.
“I had a case where tires were a part of evidence and they kept arguing that tread marks would have indicated a shot, but what was later found out it was a run flat tire.”
Shit was expensive to have and then replace, but few shops I knew were still doing them. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a tie in with a shop.
“That’s a start then.” Hound Dog pointed. “Get Blaze to look at the security cameras in that area again, track it, see what he can find and then we find those shops that are willing to still do business with these people.”
My hands itched for restitution. “I volunteer to talk with the shops.”
“And your ass will take Fender or B.B. or take one of the prospects. Last thing we also need is a trail of blood from one of your latest victims.” Hound Dog groaned. “Any other objections?”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” B.B. agreed. “I’ll go with him. I think we’re due for some bonding time.”
My phone started to buzz in my pocket, pulling me from making a comeback to his comment. A few buzzes kept vibrating and the temptation to look at them in the middle of church was hard.
“If it is the mafia, that would be a new one around here. I bet they don’t want to get blood on their expensive shit, that’s whythey have others to do their dirty work,” Hank pointed out then shrugged.
“Everyone needs to be on alert. Double up on security, watches, anything to protect yourselves and the club. Tell your family, your ol’ ladies to be prepared,” Hound Dog ordered. “We protect what’s ours, and if you spill blood, you know what to do.”
