Jerry would break it off. Kylie would be upset in the beginning, but in time, she’d understand it was best for both their sakes. She’d never really be happy with him. She needed a guy who wanted to settle down, be faithful. A guy who’d have all his limbs.
***
The following evening,Axe and Jerry met with Rodney in a warehouse off old Highway 85. It was a moonless night, and the shadows covered them as they rolled their SUV behind the locale. Rodney, a nervous, small guy who was always sniffing, confirmed that the Skull Crushers were dealing meth in Insurgents’ territory. For the moment, they were confining themselves to Pinewood Springs proper.
“Set up the buy. I’ll meet with them,” Jerry said.
Shaking his head, his mop of curls moving all over the place, he said, “That’ll never work. They’ll make you as a biker the minute they see you. None of you guys can do it. You all look like bikers, and not one of you could pass for a user of crystal.”
“You got a point there,” Axe said. “We’ll figure this out. Just set up the buy for Sunday night. We’ll take care of the rest.”
“Dudes, I’m risking my reputation by doing this.”
Jerry snorted. “Reputation?”
Rodney darted his eyes back and forth between Jerry and Axe. “Yeah. I can’t be known as a snitch. I won’t be able to help you if I’m found out.”
“You’re not gonna be found out. We don’t leave fuckin’ evidence.” Jerry lit up a joint. “Want one?” he asked when he saw Rodney’s hungry eyes. He handed him a roach.
“So, what’re you getting at?” Axe asked.
“I need more than the usual five hundred and a couple of pounds of weed.” He licked his lips continuously, shoving his hands in and out of his pockets.
“Go on.” Axe’s voice was steely.
“I been good to you guys, right? We been working together a long time now. I’ve always been straight with you.”
“How fuckin’ much?” Axe said.
Blinking rapidly, he blurted, “A thousand bucks.”
Axe looked at Jerry. “Do you wanna beat the shit outta him, or should I?”
“Let’s both do it.” They took a couple steps closer to Rodney.
“Okay. What about seven hundred?” They continued to walk to him. “Six…?” Closer. “Okay, five hundred sounds good.” They stopped in their tracks.
“Sounds fair,” Axe said, as Jerry stared at the sweating man. “Sunday night at nine o’clock in the back of the alley by Wesley’s Ironworks. Got it?”
Bobbing his head up and down, Rodney wiped the sweat from his face. “I got it. I’ll set it up. Thanks, guys.”
The two bikers left the trembling informant in the middle of the room, holding the bag of weed they’d brought him as a down payment. Driving back to the clubhouse, they discussed who they could trust to execute the buy.
“What about your sister?” Axe asked.
“No way do I want Kelsey mixed up in this. Anyway, I wouldn’t trust her to keep her mouth shut. Besides, having meth around her is like giving an alcoholic a bottle of booze. It wouldn’t work.” Jerry looked out at the inky blackness.
“Let’s see if Hawk or Banger have any ideas.”
Back at the clubhouse, Banger pulled at his beard as he, Hawk, Jerry, and Axe discussed possible buyers for the transaction.
“We can’t get a user ‘cause users can’t be trusted,” Hawk said.
“Maybe an old lady?”
Banger shook his head. “Don’t want the old ladies knowing the club’s business. Anyway, something could happen, and most of us seem to have old ladies who don’t come from biker backgrounds.”
“It could work if we use an old lady who’s tough and been around,” Axe suggested.
