Royce(55)

“The first is Kasey Marie York. The second is Suzan York, sister of Leah and Jason York, aunt to Kas—”

“I know who the fuck they be. I’m related to them people, why they thinking of keeping me away? I ain’t gonna have no piece of paper tell me that I can’t see my own kin.” Especially not now, not when they’d done this to him. “’Sides, who’s gonna know you gave me them papers anyways? There ain’t no one here but the two of us.”

The man nodded and Gilbert heard a sound behind him. He turned slowly to see three very large, very muscled men standing there. One of them had a camera or something pointed right at them.

“This is my friend Jared Stone and his foreman Thomas Conley. The one holding the camera is Royce, my brother. He is the one I’d be afraid of if I were you.” Daniel grinned. “He wants you to be pissy about this and try to…what did you call it, Royce?”

“Try to fuck with Kasey again. She and I have come to an understanding. I understand that you’re a fucking piece of shit and she understands that if you come near her again, I’m going to.” At this point, the man shrugged. “I’m going to fuck you up. Badly.”

Gilbert thought it was the grin that terrified him the most. The man looked like he’d gladly tear his throat out and then piss in the open sore and he’d said it with a calmness and a very matter of fact way that Gilbert had no doubt that he’d do just what he said he would. Gilbert took another step back and hit the wall behind him. The envelopes were shoved in his hands as he worried about whether or not he was going to piss himself or not. Before he could get a grip on his bladder and his terror, Royce stepped forward.

“Here.” Something else was shoved in his hands. “There’s ten grand there. If I were you, I’d leave town. Tonight. And I’d never look back. Trust me when I tell you, you’ll live much longer if you don’t.”

“You can’t go threatening a man. ‘Specially if’n it’s being taped.” At least Gilbert thought you couldn’t. When Royce stepped closer, Gilbert pissed himself.

“Stay away from my wife. If I even hear that you breathed in her direction, I will hunt you down, cut you to pieces, and throw your worthless piece of shit hide all over the ground and let the rats eat what’s left.”

Gilbert heard some movements and it was then that he realized that at some point, he’d closed his eyes. Opening them one at a time slowly, he saw that he was alone in the hall. Still holding the envelopes and the cash in his hands, he tried five times to get his key in the lock before he got inside.

Throwing anything he could wrap his hands around in the trash can in his room, Gilbert was out the door again and heading down the stairs less than five minutes after he had his “close encounter.” Flagging down the first taxi he saw, he was heading toward anywhere he could before looking down at the money.

There was a lot of it too. Mostly twenties, but there were a lot of fifties and a few hundreds as well. He straightened it all up and put it in various places on his person. He being a thief made him know where to hide money when it was necessary. By the time the taxi pulled in front of the airport, Gilbert had convinced himself that Royce had offered him a vacation and that it was going to be all paid by him. He was back to his old self again by the time he made it up to the counter.

“Jamaica. I need to get me some time in the sun and quit this here place.” He paid for his ticket and was pleased to see he’d have lots to play on. He had a second or two of thinking that he’d hit his good buddy Royce up for some more if’n he needed it, but dismissed that idea right away. “Don’t wanna wear out the welcome rug, not with him a marryin’ my daughter. Nope, I think I’ll find myself a good job and live the high life.”

Gilbert was settled on the plane before he remembered his wet pants. Hell, he thought, I’ll buy me some new ones when I get meself settled. Gilbert was going to be a happy man, he thought about himself.

~~~

Daniel had watched the man leave the cheap hotel. He was sitting in his car with his friends when his cell phone went off. He smiled when he saw who it was.

“Hello, sweetheart. What’s going on?” Kasey snorted. “You really should try and stop that before the baby comes. What’ll you say to him if you hear him do that?”

“I’ll say that it’s the easiest way to convey that the person you’re talking to knows you think he is full of shit. What have you done, Daniel Anthony Hunter? And do not tell me nothing. I’m a lot smarter than you think I am and apparently, you think I’m fairly stupid.”