Page 101 of Dirty

“Well,” Crip said. “I’m done hearing it. We’re rolling to Lefty’s, and you’re coming with.”

Smokey glared at him. “What? Is my butt supposed to pucker?”

He turned toward his bike, got on, and fired it up. “Waiting on you, Nick.”

***

The four of us rolled into Lefty’s shop and parked on the sidewalk. He owned a small media-blasting business that consisted of a few machines and a truck that used high-pressure air to blow ground up walnut shells through a nozzle.

The process was used to clean paint or rust from steel.

Surprisingly, the parking lot was empty, but Lefty’s bike was parked outside his shop door.

Together, we sauntered into the building.

“I’ll do the talking,” Crip said.

Smokey shrugged.

I hung my helmet on the bars and pulled on my hat. “Okay by me.”

Pee Bee nodded.

I knew Crip had his piece, but I wasn’t armed. I saw no real need to be, and although I wanted to find out who put my life at risk, I, no differently than Crip, had a difficult time believing it was Lefty.

I’d never been inside Lefty’s office, but it was clear Crip had. We followed him down the hallway, and into an office. The temperature in the office was sweltering, and I wondered how anyone could work in it.

“How’s it going, Left?” Crip asked as he passed through the door.

I didn’t need to hear the tone of Lefty’s voice to know he was worried, I saw it in his eyes. Standing behind a desk that was covered in paperwork, he stood in a sweat-stained denim shirt.

He glanced at each of us and then rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand. “Going slow, Boss.”

“What the fuck’s going on here, Left? Looks like a ghost town.”

“Lost my contract with the Marines, and then with the Navy,” he said. “Just trying to shake the trees and get something going on.”

Crip looked around, crossed his arms, and then met Lefty’s gaze. “What’d you do? Fire everyone? Place looks empty.”

Lefty pulled a cigarette from his pack, lit it, and took a drag. Beads of sweat rolled down his cheeks. “Laid ‘em off about four weeks ago.”

Smokey cleared his throat.

“Left. I’ve got some questions for you,” Crip said flatly. “Can we go out in the shop and talk? It’s hot in this motherfucker.”

Smokey cleared his throat again. I looked in his direction. He patted his hand against his left hip. I looked at Pee Bee, and after getting an odd look in return, I looked at Smokey and shrugged.

“Air conditioner’s broke,” Lefty said. “It’s on the list.”

“Put it on the top,” Crip said.

Everyone walked to the door except Smokey. After realizing he wasn’t with us, I turned toward the office.

Lefty was coming around the side of his desk, and Smokey was fucking with his vape, banging against the palm of his hand.

“Gimme a sec,” Smokey said.

I looked at Pee Bee and rolled my eyes. “And they say it’s better than smoking.”