Games of the Heart (The 'Burg #4)(92)
“How bad does the boy want the farm?”
“Bad enough, he got wind of this shit, made one call to his aunt, she put her life on hold and moved home to take his back.”
“Works for you.”
“Wasn’t the reason she came home.”
“Still, works for you. And seein’ as it works for you, that works for him.”
Mike made no reply because this was the truth.
“While you two attempted to become surgically attached at the everything, the boys and me had a chat,” Merry threw out.
“And?” Mike prompted.
“Time to visit Ryker.”
Terrific.
Ryker, if he was in the mood, was an informant of Colt’s. Ryker was known to be a hardass, a badass and not to give a shit about anyone. No allegiances. Ryker was a free agent.
But Ryker’s woman’s daughter got caught up in some recent bad business in town. Shocked the shit out of everybody when Ryker made it clear he was prepared to lay the smackdown for her. In an effort to do this, he wheedled his way in and worked the case with Tanner Layne. More shock on the heels of that as Ryker and Tanner got tight.
However he did it, Ryker knew everything that was happening on the west side of Indianapolis, primarily Speedway, The ‘Burg and their satellites. Ryker would know about McGrath and his movements and if he didn’t, he’d find out.
Still, Ryker only traded information for money or markers and only if he was feeling sassy. He was a pain in the ass. And he was not a man you wanted to owe a marker.
Mike thought of the farm he spent time at as a teen. How he liked it. The tranquility of it. The quiet pride the family took in its commonplace beauty. He thought of the times he sat on his balcony and saw Darrin with Fin and Kirb out working that land. And he thought of sandwiches in his bed with Dusty.
And he decided he didn’t mind so much owing Ryker a marker.
*
“Now I know you got balls, doin’ the dirty on Dusty then callin’ my ass.”
This was how Hunter Rivera answered Mike’s call.
Mike didn’t exchange pleasantries. Instead he informed Rivera, “LeBrec phoned her.”
“Uh…I know.”
“Pardon?”
“Dude got wasted. Totally. Hammered. Shitfaced. Blotto. Loaded. Wrecked. The dude was so polluted, he was pickled. And seein’ as he was in that state, he had no problems sharin’ with anyone who would listen at Schub’s that he’d called his woman while some ass**le was in the act of doin’ her and didn’t mind sharin’ that. He also shared how he intended to get his ass up to Indiana to kick this ass**le’s ass and take hold of his woman. And seein’ as it was a Friday night, Schub’s was packed, there were a lotta people there to listen.”
Fuck.
Fuck!
Rivera went on, “You got the touch, bro, layin’ her shit out then talkin’ Dusty around in a night, cementin’ that shit by sendin’ her flowers. One day, my woman is plotting your murder. Next day, I get asked why she doesn’t get any flowers. I see you got it goin’ on. But f**k, you’re killin’ me. I haven’t bought Jerra flowers since I pissed her off when we were datin’ and fell asleep durin’ some crappy-ass movie she forced me to take her to sayin’ that movie was Hollywood’s version of us. How could I fall asleep watching the story of us, she asks. And, bro, if that was us, we are borin’ as shit. Now, I got LeBrec all riled up ‘cause you’re up in Indiana doin’ the nasty and don’t mind takin’ a call. Fuck.”
“He can’t come to Indiana,” Mike informed him.
“What you want me to do? Sit on him?” Rivera asked.
“Shit just got ugly with the farm. Dusty had a hand full dealin’ with a house full of grief and a bitch of a sister. Now the sister has located a buyer for her quarter of the land who likes to build and he likes it a lot. To build, you gotta have land. And it’s a little sketchy how he changes the minds of farmers who’ve held onto their land for five generations including through the farm crisis, convincing them suddenly to up stakes and walk away.”
He knew Rivera got him when he muttered, “Fuck.”
“So the answer to your question is, yeah. You sit on him. You tranq him. You shoot him. I don’t give a f**k what you do. But you keep that ass**le away from Dusty.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Rivera replied. “My mission fails, I’ll keep my ear to the ground and give you a head’s up he’s comin’ your way.”
“Appreciated,” Mike murmured.
“Right, business out of the way, what I say next is not about Jerra. Dusty’s her girl but she’s also mine. Straight up, I saw the devastation you wrought. I won’t explain it but I hope you get it. I don’t wanna see my girl down here in that state again. You get me?”
“It’s history.”
“I need to know you get me.”
“And I think you know from me callin’ you when I know you know all this shit that I do.”
There was silence then a quiet, “I do. Balls of steel, man. Fuck.” Then, not in a mutter, “You get her in your bed permanent-like, you make her happy. Losin’ her to Indiana will be to Jerra like cuttin’ off a limb. And I gotta listen to her moan about the pain.”