Nick waited until Rachel rounded the corner of the hallway, and the balcony door closed. “Did you see the look on Danger’s face when she stated her apology?”
“Yeah, Nick,” Gus answered. “I know she carries other peoples’ gene pool, but there’s something there beyond the obvious. She avoided answering in a moral way, and answered in a literal way.”
“I’m glad to have confirmation. What the hell can I do here? She can deliver a line in point blank ease as well as anyone I’ve ever seen. Danger will be hell on wheels to control. A baby brother might tone her down, but I have no clue where that leads. This is why serial killers rarely become parents.”
“I love Danger. I’ll do anything I can to help you, back you up, or lie for you if we can keep her off the path she has her prepubescent eye on. Jesus… Nick… this road trip may be exactly what we all need. Thanks for having me along.”
“Are you nuts? I wouldn’t have it any other way as long as you’re comfortable with the gig,” Nick replied. He met his old friend’s solemn gaze while deciding whether he should involve him in what he thought was on the way.
Gus broke the silence before Nick could finish sifting through his intricately detailed picture of the consequences. “What? There’s something you’re not telling me. What is it?”
“I can’t explain it or prove it. I have a feeling another one of the Naseer Kader acolytes is going to try and get a piece of me tonight. I don’t want Rachel or Jean worried, but I’ll be greeting them when they come.”
Gus didn’t attempt to hide his shock at Nick’s statement. “Why the hell would you think anyone else would come… and especially tonight?”
“They’re dumber than a flat tire. Some families have murderous pricks as members, brainwashed by religious principal, but absolutely ignorant of any moral code. I don’t pretend to be amongst the morality driven folks out there, but killing your own kid? For what, because they fool around with another teenager, or get engaged to a Marine? Anyway, yeah, I have that creeping feeling the Kader puppets will be by for a visit tonight. I could use some backup. I can’t just kill whoever shows up. Hell, my security system would probably chase them away, but I’d like to take them alive. Handing would be murderers attacking my home over to the police alive would go a long way in our favor.”
Gus leaned forward. “I agree. I’m in. How do you want to do it? Like you said, your security system would be enough to frighten them away.”
“I need you to back my play outside the house. I’ll allow them to approach, recon my property, and if they start working on getting in, they get zapped when they gain entry. I want you on hand to make sure if I don’t succeed in my endeavor, they’ll never get all the way in. It’s a bad plan when you consider I could go into either one of my safe rooms with Rachel and Jean to wait the assholes out, but this way I can get a solid defense against anything the Kader family could invent in the future.”
Gus drained his boilermaker. “I can’t fault your logic, Nick. If you’re right, and you can take them down alive, it would be a nail in the coffin of anything in court. Not that I don’t trust your feelings, but I’m hoping for an inactive night of dozing in the car. I’ll bring along my Taser too in case there’s more than one.”
“I think it will be a couple of guys. It would be best if you took one, but I better do a double with you as my out of sight backup. Otherwise, the cops will think we entrapped them or some other moronic crap. I’ll put my two to bed well before eleven. I figure we can meet here at eleven-thirty for the expected party. Remember, cut me some slack before you shoot, Gus. Things don’t always go as planned, but we do need anyone arriving for the breakin alive for our planned on police collection.”
“Understood.”
Only a moment later, Rachel and Jean could be heard laughing as they approached the balcony. The two walked in together, arm in arm. Deke slid by them as they entered, moving his black and brown Australian Shepard head to hook Rachel’s leg, while smoothly scooting his sixty pound bulk past.
“I see you and Danger have declared a truce,” Nick said.
“Deke interceded before I could dish out any real pain.” Rachel also carried two more beers, and Deke’s water dish. Jean carried Rachel’s wine glass.
“So Deke finagled his way into a beer, huh?” Nick watched her pour a beer into Deke’s water dish. “I assume you brought the other one for me?”
“Nope. I brought it for Gus. You’ve had quite enough.” Rachel grabbed Deke’s head as he tried his best to inhale the beer he received. “Will you slow down, dog? Jean will be accusing me of turning you into a lush.”
“Thanks, Rach, but I have to make an early night of it.” Gus stood up. He hugged Jean and Rachel. “I want to go with Nick tomorrow morning. I have a feeling he’ll need me to run interference. Thanks for the meal and drink. It was a much better ending to the day.”