Leave a Trail (Signal Bend #7)(32)

But Isaac answered. “That’s why we’re bein’ Boy Scouts, obeying all posted laws and limits. But we’re on borrowed time. He’s got something cookin’. Just don’t know what.” He turned to Dom. “You got anything new, brother?”

“Nothing we can use. There hasn’t been any more between Seaver and the St. Louis Feds since my last update. I don’t know if the Feds dropped him or what. Otherwise, I got a shit ton of him being an *, all kinds of creepy, racist emails, and he’s got a thing for rape jokes, but nothing outright corrupt that I can find. It’s there. But he’s smart. If he does announce a campaign for Washington, D.C., then we can threaten to leak the emails, but until then, I don’t see what I’ve got hurting him enough.”

Show nodded. “Yeah, we’ve had that conversation.” They’d been looking for leverage against Sheriff Seaver for a year, something to bring him into their camp or at least neutralize him. His image was squeaky clean, a total Dudley Do-Right, and he looked the part, his uniform always pressed and perfect, his hair military short. But he had a nasty streak, and behind the scenes was not so interested in doing things the right way. He was exploring his options for a run for the House of Representatives, and it looked like he was planning to use the Horde to get there.

“We’re stuck on Seaver. Nothin’ to do but wait and watch. Same with the Perros. We got no movement there yet, but Hoosier hit me up on the run last night. The Scorps LA are working something. Don’t have details, but he wants us on alert.”

Len sighed. “When are we not anymore?”

Isaac shrugged. “Yeah. Anyway. What we can do something about is the town. Things are getting worse for us. Billy Knox and his buddies thinking they’d get away with jumping Badge at Tuck’s wasn’t the first sign.”

Everybody looked at Badger, and he focused on not dropping his head. He kept his eyes on Isaac and waited for him to continue.

“Glad to have you back, Badge.”

“Thanks, boss.” He looked around the table. “And I’m sorry. For everything.”

His brothers nodded, and Len squeezed his shoulder.

“Keep straight, little brother,” Isaac said. “And don’t shut us out.”

Badger nodded. He didn’t mind the ‘little brother’ so much anymore. At least he was still a brother.

“What do we do about the town?” Len’s hand left Badger’s shoulder as he turned to Isaac.

Show picked up the discussion. “Goodwill campaign. As long as the Perros are quiet, we can use the time to focus people on the good we’ve done. The good we do. We work our straight jobs as much as we can. People need to see us fixing their tractors. Selling them chainsaws. Whatever. And the Spring Fest is coming up in a few weeks. We’re all there. And we’re all smiling. No questions.”

“And when the Perros aren’t quiet?”

Isaac sat back and considered Len. “We cross that bridge then. We do what we can to keep their noise away from home. And we wait for our chance.”



oOo



“Show. Talk a minute?”

They were all heading to the bar after the meeting. Badger wasn’t sure he wanted to have this conversation with an audience, but having it without one seemed particularly dangerous.

Show didn’t even turn at Badger’s question. “Not interested.”

But they needed to talk. Badger reached out and grabbed Show’s arm. Fuck, it was a big arm. A death machine of an arm. And when Show looked down at Badger’s hand, it was clear that the machine was revving.

“It’s important.” He gestured to the small two-top table nearby. “I’ll buy you a beer.”

While Show stared, Badger fought to stay steady. He managed, and finally Show yanked his arm away and sat. Badger got Davey to draw two beers from the tap and then went to sit.

Show didn’t touch his beer, so Badger didn’t, either.

“Talk.” Show’s fists rested on the table.

Might as well put it right out there. “I want to tell you the truth. I want to be straight with you, be worthy of your trust again. I told you how I feel about Adrienne. She feels the same way about me.”

Those canned hams at the ends of Show’s arms curled tight, but he didn’t move otherwise. Badger kept going. He could hear the talk at the bar slow and then stop; they had an actual audience.

“I love her, Show. I really do. We’re…we’re together. I know you don’t want it, and I don’t blame you.

But I promise I’ll be good to her. I swear it.” He stopped, swallowed, and waited.

Nothing happened, except Show’s knuckles went white, the scars over them raising up. But he didn’t say a word. His expression didn’t change from its original contemptuous heat. Badger waited, as motionless as Show.

And then Show was on his feet, and the table that had separated them was sailing through the room.

Next, Badger was on the floor, on his back but still sort of sitting in the chair, and Show’s hand was around his throat, squeezing with obvious intent to kill.

“What did I tell you, motherf*cker?” The words scraped through Show’s clenched teeth. He cocked his other fist back. Badger didn’t fight.

“Showdown! Step back, brother.” Through the thunderous pound of his heartbeat in his ears, Badger heard Isaac’s voice. “Now, Show. Right now.”