Graycen hadn’t changed at all.
“Hey,” he said.
“What’s up?” I asked. I wished I had a cigarette.
“I need your help.”
“’How did you find me?” I asked.
“My dad’s a cop, dumbass,” Graycen said.
How could I have forgotten? My idea of law enforcement had changed over
the years. I loved to annoy the cops. I was always getting in trouble with
them. Graycen always got me out. Because of him, I had never been arrested. But
he betrayed me. Graycen almost had my dad arrested. I was scared of having kids
for so long because of him. It was all his fault.
“Why are you here?” I asked.
“Your dad is looking for you,” Graycen said.
I wanted to hit something. I knew it. Nothing good ever lasted long. My
dad and my friend were double trouble. The only thing that would turn this into
a triple threat was if my mom was looking for me too. I wanted to jump on a
train and not look back. I wanted to take Ella and run away from my life here.
“What is it now?” I asked. Dad asked for a lot of things over the years.
Mostly money and alcohol. He beat up anyone that got close to me. Graycen was
the only one that had stayed by my side. I hadn’t seen him since the day he
almost had dad arrested. I wished I hadn’t stopped him.
“He wants money. More specifically, ten-thousand dollars,” he said.
“I don’t have that much,” I said. What kind of fucked-up excuse was he
giving now? Did he take out a loan against the house? Did he gamble away all
his money? Did he need it for the hookers? Did he owe another gang? Did he kill
someone and need bribe money? The possibilities were endless.
“He owes Ricky. Word on the street is your dad borrowed from Ricky to
bribe some cops. Ricky sent someone to collect and your dad beat the living
shit out of him. The dude was sent to the hospital and died of his injuries two
days later. Now, Ricky wants his head or ten-thousand dollars.”
“That’s not my problem. Why are you getting me involved in this?” I
asked.
“Because your dad offered you as collateral.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Your dad found a middle ground. He said you would work for Ricky
instead so he doesn’t have to pay him back. Ricky agreed.”
“My dad signed me up for a gang? That too, the White Cobras?”
“Yeah, you have to go or pay ten-thousand,” Graycen said.
“And how’d you find out about this?” I asked. I wanted to stomp and cry
and drink my problems away.
“My dad led a raid on one of their hideouts,” Graycen said.
“Of course, he did,” I said.
“Hey, I’m trying to warn you. We both know your dad. He’ll find you.
He’ll send people here. And it looks like you’ve built a life for yourself.”
Graycen gestured to the yellow house. Fresh marigold and jasmine scented the
air. My life was so different. I was different.
“I suppose I have,” I said.
“The docks at eleven,” Graycen said.
After dinner, I talked to Chantel and told her what was happening. We had
made an agreement years ago; we wouldn’t talk about our past unless it came up
or could threaten this modicum of a life. Chantel asked if she should come but
I said no. Chantel would only cause problems. I had to this myself. I looked to
Graycen, well maybe not totally by myself. Dark blue water lapped at worn
wooden docks. The night was clear and crisp. The moonlight saturated everything
in an opalescent glow. There was Ricky in his stupid jean jacket and gelled
hair. Across from him was dad. Everyone always has one image of a drunkard; someone
like Hersh Waters, a pot belly and flushed face. No one thinks of a CEO or an
athlete or a successful person as an alcoholic. It’s always some hobo or sad
old dude. My dad was so deceiving. It was the perfect cover really. He was
muscular and strong. He lifted weights and did martial arts. I knew he had to
have his brass knuckles on him.
“Hey kid, I’m Ricky.” I didn’t like his eyes.
“Ricky, my dad made a mistake. He’ll pay the ten-thousand,” I said.
“I’m not paying anything. You are going to be working for Ricky,” dad
said.
“I’m not working for Ricky,” I said. I didn’t want to be a part of his
gang. My dad was already bad enough. I didn’t need another asshole in my life.
“If you aren’t going to work for me, then get the money,” Ricky said.
I stopped. Sweat pooled at my lower back. My dad knew I couldn’t afford
ten-thousand dollars. Just what was he up to? Graycen looked at me. Graycen
always carried a gun. I shook my head. I did not come here to kill anyone.
Ricky had most of his gang here. I spotted some of my dad’s men in the shadows
earlier. I didn’t want this to turn into a gang war. If that happened, I’d
definitely be caught in the middle of it. This was going to go to shit. Why did
he borrow money from Ricky?
“I don’t have money. My dad doesn’t either. He’s not even my dad. He
doesn’t deserve to be called that after how he’s treated me,” I said.
“That’s a shame. I heard you’re a dad now. Wouldn’t want anything to
happen to your little girl, would you?” Ricky asked in a falsetto voice.
Cold water ran through my heart. “I don’t know what you’re talking
about,” I said.
“What’s her name? It’s something pretty. Oh right…Ella,” he said.
This piece of trash was not allowed to speak her name. But how did he
know about her? I fingered the stun gun and taser I had strapped to my waist.
“How do you know her name?”
“She’s my niece,” Ricky said.