Hold (Gentry Boys, #5)(24)

Gaps glanced at the envelope of cash. I wondered if any of it was destined for his pocket, but I figured if that was the case he must have cleared the arrangement with Deck a long time ago. I didn’t begrudge him a share in any event. He’d done okay by our family tonight.

“Don’t do this shit again,” he said to the boys in his best cop voice, which he’d perfected after years of service.

Conway widened his eyes and adopted a contrite look. “Of course not, Officer. We’re sorry. I don’t know what we were thinking. Stone, do you know what we were thinking?”

“Sure,” said Stone. “I was thinking about how much hot ass I was gonna get out of this.”

Conway bit his lip and shot his brother a look. “He didn’t mean that.”

Stone wasn’t finished though. “Yeah I meant it. When girls get close to trouble they just can’t seem to keep their tits contained. Hell of an incentive.”

“Shut the f*ck up,” Conway whispered under his breath but Gaps was trying to hold his laughter in.

“Gentrys,” he said to himself with a bemused headshake. He swept one arm wide. “They’re all yours.”

“All right,” I said, roughly grabbing Conway by the back of the neck because he was closest and I wanted to get the hell out of there.

“Just remember,” called Gaps as we filed out the door, “you guys are still heading for a court date and while I’ve come by some news that this little incident will probably just net you some community service, next time it’s the big house.”

Chase and Cord were already outside. I released Conway from my grip and bumped him out the door, turning back to make sure Stone was following closely.

But my young cousin flashed me a rascally smile and then doubled back.

“Hey, Gaps, “ Stone shouted. “You know, Ma was just saying the other day how she wished you’d start coming around again, just like you used to.”

Gaps raised his eyebrows and a hopeful grin lit up his face. “Really?”

“Hell no,” said Stone and jumped back, closing the door behind him.

“That was f*cked up,” complained Conway.

Stone grabbed him in a rough headlock. “Did I hear you tell me to shut up in there, you little puke?”

Conway grunted and propelled the two of them into the side of the building where Stone’s back crashed against the concrete surface.

“Fucker,” Stone cursed, trying to regain the upper hand.

“Dick breath,” Conway responded, head butting his brother’s chest again.

“Jesus,” I muttered, hoping the evening wouldn’t go any further off the rails then it already had. I grabbed Stone by his collar while Cord stepped in and dragged Conway off.

“Guess what,” said Chase, glancing around. “Doesn’t look like there’s anyone waiting in line to pick these two devils up.”

Stone shook himself free. “We’re fine to walk home.”

“We’re fine,” Conway agreed, joining his brother. The two of them looked at each other and cracked up. Yeah, they were just like us all right. Wrestling like bear cubs one minute and filled with fraternal camaraderie the next.

Stone waved as the two of them started heading toward the sidewalk. “Thanks for bailing us out though. Much appreciated.”

“Wait a minute,” Cord objected. “I’m not going to risk getting called back here in an hour because you two decided to cap off the night with another grand theft auto.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Conway deadpanned. “We are way too tired to go out driving tonight.” He yawned and stretched his arms. “Besides, we’ve definitely learned our lesson.”

“That’s right,” Stone agreed. “Our lawless days are over. You won’t catch me so much as jaywalking for the rest of my life.”

I decided I was finished mentoring the next generation of Gentrys. “Are you getting in the truck so we can drive you home or are we going to have to carry you there?”

The two of them stared at me, stared at each other. Then they put their heads together and pretended to have a whispered consultation.

“Carry us,” they said in unison before proceeding to sink down to the curb and sprawl there lifelessly.

I would have. I would have hauled their pubescent carcasses over each shoulder and dragged them to the truck bed for the drive to their mother’s house.

Chase, however, had a different tactic in mind. He held up one finger that said ‘Give me a minute’ and sat down casually on the curb beside our limp cousins. I looked at Cord. He shrugged.

“So,” said Chase, drumming his fingers on one knee. “Tell me, boys. Food in there any better than it used to be?”

Conway opened an eye. “You’ve been in jail?”

“Once did a six hour stretch for defacing the water tower with an artistic rendering of a set of six foot hairy testicles. They had to let us go when old man Albertson turned up at the bus station with can of black spray paint, trying to duplicate his artwork. Someone said he was suffering from dementia so they let him off. I’ll have to remember to use that handy excuse myself in forty or fifty years.”

Chase looked over at me and Cord. “You guys remember that?”

“Cardboard fish sticks and rubber tortillas,” said Cord with a laugh. “That’s what I remember. Better than going hungry though.”