He stared at me.
I went on. “Sometimes I get creative with plastic wrap and once I doused a dealer’s Mercedes with canola oil.
Inside and out.”
At this he grinned. “Bet that took a lot of oil,” he said, sounding impressed.
“Three gal on jugs,” I smiled.
He nodded his appreciation. “You ever want to get serious, I know where to get tear gas and grenades,” he told me.
It was my turn to stare not knowing if he was serious or trying to be funny. I decided he was trying to be funny.
“I’l keep that in mind.”
He nodded again and then turned to the group and boomed, “Sangria! Next topic!”
I got up and announced, “I’m getting a drink, anyone need anything?”
Lots of shaking heads and then they moved on to decorations. Yay or nay and if yay, what kind?
I wandered to the bar. When I got to the front room it was packed. The only space available at the bar was next to Eddie Chavez.
Damn.
Just my luck. I took a deep breath, slid in beside him and caught the bartender’s attention.
“What ‘cha need?” the bartender asked me.
“Diet,” I ordered.
He put ice in a glass and pul ed out the soft drink gun. I felt rather than saw Hank and Eddie’s eyes on me.
I turned to them. “Hey,” I said.
Yep, they were both looking at me but neither responded to my greeting.
Whatever.
The bartender set the drink in front of me.
“How much?” I asked.
He grinned then winked. “That’s on the house,” he said.
Pu-lease.
I’d heard that before.
“How much?” I repeated, making my point that I was not interested.
He blinked then his face fel . He was cute and probably not accustomed to being shot down.
I felt sorry for him but I needed to flirt with a bartender like I needed a hole in the head. Firstly, Eddie and Hank were watching, they were friends of Vance’s and even though I was not with Vance, everyone including Vance thought I was. Secondly, I wasn’t into the bartender, I wasn’t into anyone including Vance (okay, that last part was a lie but I wasn’t adverse to lying to myself in extreme situations).
“A buck fifty,” the bartender cut into my Romantic Denial Reverie.
I dug in my purse, got out my wal et, gave him two dol ars and he wandered away.
“Crash and burn,” Eddie muttered under his breath as I threw my wal et back in my purse.
“Sorry?” I asked even though I heard him.
Eddie moved away from the bar to stand beside me and Hank moved forward, both of them effectively fencing me in.
“Word of advice?” Eddie said, ignoring my earlier question.
I took a sip and glanced at him over the rim of my glass.
Then I put the drink on the bar.
I did not want a word of advice from Eddie Chavez.
Instead, so as not to be rude, I said, “Sure.”
“Whatever Darius offers, take it, save face and get off the street.”
Hmm.
I was thinking these boys weren’t big fans of The Law.
I decided not to answer.
“You have a good reputation for the work you do. People respect you and have for a long time. Until this,” Hank said, respect you and have for a long time. Until this,” Hank said, standing in front of me. “It’s understandable. You work hard to keep these kids clean, when one of them goes down you want to do something. But Jules, you’re goin’ about it the wrong way.”
Okay, so even though Hank was being nice, I figured it was time to be rude.
“Thanks for the advice but you don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,” I said to Hank.
“We’re both Vice,” Eddie told me.
“I know what you are,” I replied.
“That means we do know what we’re talkin’ about,” Hank said.
“I know what Vice is,” I turned back to Hank.
“It’s about the kids,” Eddie murmured to Hank.
“Yeah,” I said to Eddie, my voice was low and serious and not to be mistaken, “it’s about the kids.” Eddie just looked at me, unaffected by my-word-is-law tone.
“Maybe you should know Lee’s on his own with this one.
Darius wants you off the streets and so do I,” Eddie said. “I don’t agree with Lee and if I see you on the streets, fuckin’
around where you shouldn’t be, I’l take you down.” The way he said it made me think this wasn’t an idle threat. Now I had the dealers and the cops actively against me. This wasn’t surprising but it was annoying.
I didn’t respond.
“You get caught, taken in, it could mean you lose your job,” Hank told me.
“I’l take my chances,” I returned.
“I’l take my chances,” I returned.
“We bring you down, we’l go after Zip, Heavy and Frank next. They should know better than encourage you to put your ass out there,” Hank went on.
Damn, Vance had been talking.
Now I was beginning to get mad. “Zip, Heavy and Frank don’t want me out there. They can’t control me any more than Crowe can. They’re just giving me the knowledge to keep me from getting hurt.”