chapter 36
MOON PIE CLIMBED into the passenger seat, shut the door, and let out a deep sigh of relief.
“Go,” he instructed Levi as he sank back against the leather.
“Those guys didn’t seem like they were normal…like us,” Levi said as he pulled the FJ onto the county road, headed south.
“They ain’t.”
“Them dudes don’t play. That one spic makes me real nervous.”
“I noticed. Don’t worry, I ain’t gonna be friendin’ him on Facebook. Regardless of how scary these dudes are, they can put us on the map…my partial brother,” Moon Pie said as he watched them drive away in the side mirror. He was slipping back into his typical cocky attitude. “Drive the speed limit, and stop at the first squat-n-gobble. I need some caffeine.”
“What’s up with that monitor on your ankle? Our new partners aren’t very trusting.”
“It ain’t a thing. I’ve taken ’em off before. Besides, Pedro back there just wants to make sure we don’t walk with his money.”
“A healthy choice, my friend.”
Moon Pie grabbed his iPhone and said, “I need to call the boss.”
Levi turned his attention to the road and set the cruise control at four miles per hour over the speed limit.
“Hey, boss. It’s done.” Moon Pie chose his words carefully in case the phones were tapped. “They’re expecting us to flip it pretty quick. Clock’s ticking.”
Moon Pie listened to his boss give him directions in code and then said, “Got it. Perfect. I’ll holler at ya later.” Moon Pie ended the connection and then turned off the phone.
Levi asked, “What’s the plan?”
“They’re gonna come here Saturday. He’s takin’ his squeeze to the Rascal Flatts concert in Tupelo.”
“Tupelo?” Levi asked.
“Yeah. Apparently their concert on the coast got canceled, so they’re comin’ up here. I didn’t ask details. You know how he is.”
Levi scrolled through the satellite-radio channels and stopped on ESPN. “We oughta go to the concert too.”
“Dude, it’s huntin’ season. I need my rest.”
“It’d be fun.”
“I ain’t gonna be your date.”
Moon Pie was almost back to his normal self. He was feeling much better and was thrilled that both the goods and his boss were coming to him. He might even be able to hunt this weekend. He forgot about the ankle bracelet as he started coming down from the adrenaline high.
“Hey, let me ask you a question. Whaddaya think of me changin’ my name? I’m tired of Moon Pie.”
“Whatcha thinkin’?”
“I got it narrowed down to two.”
Levi realized he had given this some thought. He was curious now. “Hit me.”
“Colonel.”
“Colonel?”
“Yeah. Like in the old-South days…distinguished men were called Colonel.”
“But you’re not distinguished.”
“No, but it’ll fit me perfect when I get my old plantation house one day.”
“What’s the other?”
“Memphis.”
Levi looked at his half brother and smiled. “Memphis. I like it. I really do.”
“I’m just thinkin’ about it…ya know. I’m gettin’ older, and I need to work on my image.”
“You can be Memphis, the drug runner formerly known as Moon Pie,” Levi said sarcastically.
“Just shut the hell up and drive.”
“Really. Consider Memphis. It’s classy.”