“One of my friends works at the hospital, in the last year there has been a spike in heroin overdoses,” Trenda said.
Drake thought back to his dealings with the drug cartel in Mexico. Just what kind of shit was his family involved in? Meth labs were one thing, but if they had brought in the drug trade from over the border, they were crazier than even he had given them credit for.
“It’s time I had a talk with dear old dad,” Drake said.
“He’ll just have you arrested,” Trenda protested.
“Sheriff’s gone on Tuesdays. He’s in LaFollette with his mistress,” Evie said.
“Huh?” Drake zeroed in on his sister. “How would you know something like that?”
“I have my sources. Trust me, Delmar will not show up tonight. That’s not to say one of his minions won’t.”
“Trenda, give me your phone.” Drake held out his hand. He scrolled through the numbers until he found their mother’s and he dialed, and put it on speaker.
“Trenda! I’ve been worried sick,” his mother began.
“Hi, Mom.”
There was a long pause.
“You bastard,” she finally screeched. “What are you doing with Trenda’s phone.”
“Let me talk to Dad.”
He heard some mumbling.
“Drake, you in town boy?”
“I want to talk to you. Alone. Do you have the guts?”
“Fuck you! I’ll wipe you off my shoe. Name the place. Name the time.”
“Go to the old water tower. Take Mom’s phone. If I see that you’re alone, I’ll show myself. You have one hour.”
“You better not chicken out on me, Boy.”
The phone went dead.
“You can’t go alone!” Trenda cried.
Aiden and he chuckled. Karen gave him a considering look. Piper was pale, and he saw her eyes filling with tears.
“Hey Tinkerbell, it’s going to be fine.”
“He’ll trap you. Don’t go,” Piper begged.
“Piper, look at me.” Karen stroked her hair, and Piper turned to look at her teacher. “I didn’t know much about what your brother did, but I did a little research. Honey, he’s equipped to deal with anything. And I saw him take down the two men at my house in thirty seconds. I feel sorry for anyone who messes with him. He knows what he’s walking into. He’ll be fine.”
Having Karen reassure Piper was much better than anything he might have said. Then Karen looked up at him, and he saw her look of quiet admiration. It made him feel ten feet tall.
“Do I need to write anything else down?” Piper asked quietly.
“Nope, now it’s a matter of getting him kitted up.” Aiden stood and tilted his head towards the stairs.
Evie followed them part way up the stairs. “You’re going with him, right?” Evie asked Aiden.
“No.”
“This place is a fortress. Drake needs back-up,” she protested.
“He doesn’t.” Aiden continued up the stairs, and Drake followed.
“Asshole,” Evie muttered under her breath.
“I heard that,” Aiden said.
“You were meant to.
***
It had been a light run, three miles over the hill from the back edge of the old drive-in theatre to the water tower. The foliage was dense, but he could easily spot the Escalade in the clearing. His father was in the driver’s seat. Now to determine how many of his friends had come to play.
It amazed him just how prepared Senior Chief Petty Officer Aiden O’Malley had been. His suitcase had more gifts than a piñata, including a light shell all-weather jacket Drake was now wearing. It was a little tight, but it made moving around much easier. Drake found three men within ten minutes of having spotted the Escalade. He was ninety-nine-point nine percent sure it was everyone, but now he would find out if he was right.
As he got closer to the one furthest away from the clearing, he recognized a body type that could have been his twin. Fuck, it was another Avery. As he got closer, he realized it was Huey’s son, Harmon. Well, it would make it simple, Harmon had always been scared of him.
The younger man didn’t notice Drake until his arm was around his neck and a knife was pointed under his nose.
Harmon dropped his rifle on the ground.
“Is that you, Drake?” the man whimpered.
“Hey, Cuz.”
“You’re not actually going to cut me, are you?”
“You weren’t actually going to shoot me, were you?” Drake shoved him to the forest floor with a knee to his back. He pulled out the zip ties Aiden had so kindly provided and tied Harmon’s wrists.
“Ow! Not so tight.”
“You be quiet, or I will cut you, and you won’t like where.”