Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
Eight
A girl and a boy only a few years older than Henri and Oscar emerge from the shadows.
I’d put a bullet in Renfrew’s head for exploiting children, but I’m dumbfounded by the kids’ appearances.
They’re both shirtless. The guy, Benji, is wearing tights that cling to him so much so that nothing is left to the imagination.
The girt, Lola, is wearing a skimpy bra that barely covers the goods.
Selkie reacts first. “What the fuck! What kind of sick shit are you into?” She bolts towards the two kids, then skids to a stop as Oscar emerges.
“Nothin’s going on,” Oscar says as he stands next to the girl. “We were just hanging out.”
He’s wearing a bright red coat with tails.
The coat is embroidered elaborately and adorned with sequins.
He looks like a fuckin’ circus ringmaster.
Henri follows him out, wearing a long-sleeved oversized white dress shirt that she’s buttoning up.
She’s also wearing a gold vest and has a top hat on her head.
“What the fuck?” Selkie says. Whatever fear she was feeling for Oscar and Henri’s well-being is replaced by confusion.
I turn to Renfrew. “This is your gang initiation? Embarrass them to death?”
Renfrew can’t stop snickering as he shakes his head. Trigger and Rocky are laughing their heads off.
Benji turns to Henri. “Why are you wearing my top hat?”
She struts around him like she’s in a fashion show. “Because it looks good on me.”
“Give it back.”
Selkie says, “Take it off. You might get lice.”
“Hey!” Benji protests. “I showered last week!”
“Spoilsport,” Henri says as she takes off the hat and tosses it at Benji who misses the catch.
Lola rolls her eyes, then picks it up and dusts it off. “He’s got no hand-eye coordination,” she explains as she sets the hat on top of Benji’s head, steps back, examines it, then adjusts it slightly.
“Why the fuck are you dressed like that?” I say to Oscar. “I thought you were too old to play dress-up.”
Henri takes offence. “We weren’t playing dress up. We got cold and Benji lent us some clothes.”
“I never get cold,” Benji interjects.
“Then where the fuck is her shirt?” Hangman says nodding towards Lola.
“Ummm,” Oscar says, but Lola rescues him.
“I don’t like shirts. They restrict my breathing and I can’t do yoga.”
“Jesus Christ,” Joker mutters. “This isn’t a shit show, it’s a fuckin’ circus.”
Benji gives him a wide smile. “Thank you, sir,” he says as he bows.
“These are kids,” Hangman growls at Renfrew. “All of them. What the fuck’s wrong with your head?”
Renfrew’s smile drops from his face. “They wanted in. They come from fucked up homes and shit parents. I’m just helping them out.” He nods at me. “Oscar says you kick him around.”
I throw a dark look at Oscar. “Not yet, I don’t.”
Selkie gasps. “That’s not on, Oscar. Your dad doesn’t mistreat you.” She says to Henri, “What the hell did you tell them about me?”
“That you’re batshit crazy,” Renfrew says.
Hangman nods to Henri. “Bang on, kid.”
Henri shakes her head. “I never said that!”
I rub my temples. It’s almost six in the morning. I can’t believe the shit that’s happened in the last 24 hours. “Christ,” I mutter.
“We’re done here,” Hangman says. To me, he says, “You get your fuckin’ life in order. We don’t got time for another clusterfuck like this.” Then he heads towards the door. The rest of the guys fade into the shadows like they were never there.
“Get over here,” I growl at Oscar and Henri.
They shuffle towards me exchanging nervous glances.
I almost have them out of the building when Selkie says, “Wait.” Everyone stops and turns towards her. She’s still standing near Renfrew.
“What?” I say, tired and impatient. “What now?”
Selkie looks at me like I’m stupid. “Sadie’s here. I finally caught up to him. He’s my payday.”
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Hangman bellows. “Who gives a fuck!”
“I do,” Selkie exclaims. “I’ve been chasing him for over a week now! I deserve the bounty!”
I tense as Hangman storms up to Selkie and gets in her face. “You deserve a long walk in the desert, you crazy bitch. We’re leaving the cocksucker here. End of conversation.”
I almost snort. No one ends a conversation but Selkie
Selkie proves me right. “It is not the end of the conversation. You may get your worldy goods through nefarious means, but I make an honest living.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Hangman snaps back. “I’m not nefarious, I’m a fuckin’ criminal.”
“Step back, Hangman,” I say.
Fortunately he steps back.
Sadie’s sitting up by this time, holding his stomach and groaning. “Don’t let them take me, Renfrew. They’ll kill me.”
Hangman grins like the devil. “Now there’s a plan.”
“You’re not killing him,” Selkie says to Hangman. “He has to come in alive.”
I try to be the voice of reason. “Jesus, Selkie. Where we gonna put him?”
“In the truck,” she replies.
“In the truck with the kids?” I say blandly.
“Why not? Just last week you were more than willing to put Oscar in my car.”
I rub my eyes. “We’re not putting the kids in the back seat with Sadie.”
“For fuck sakes,” Joker says impatiently. He nods towards Sadie. “Take the fucker out of here. We’ll take the kids to the clubhouse on our bikes. You can pick them up later.”
Selkie gives Joker a wide smile. “I like you.”
“Don’t.” My voice is deadly and I’m not sure who I’m talking to: Joker or Selkie.
“Don’t take them?” Joker says.
“Don’t be nice to Selkie.”
Joker shakes his head in exasperation, then turns to Oscar and Henri. “Your parents are nuts.”
“Can’t deny that,” Henri says.
Oscar elbows her. “Shut up.”
“Out,” Joker says to the kids as he throws his thumb over his shoulder towards the door. “Catch a ride with Trigger and Rocky.”
“Yeah!” Henri says as she pumps a fist in the air.
“No fuckin’ way,” I say. “You go with King and Coyote.”
“Why?” Henri asks.
“I’ll explain later,” Oscar says gruffly as he grabs Henri by the elbow and heads toward the door.
“Don’t forget,” Benji calls. “I want my clothes back.”
Henri looks over her shoulder as she trots alongside Oscar. “Don’t worry. We’ll get them back to you.”
“Stay the fuck away from Oscar,” Hangman says to Renfrew. “And this lunatic.” He points at Selkie. “If you take her out, the Jury will probably get stuck with her kid. So let this one go and I’ll forget you kidnapped them.”
“I didn’t kidnap anyone.”
“Fuck off, asshole.” He turns his back and stalks out of the warehouse.
Stark hangs back. “You need help with the clown?” he asks me.
Selkie is headed over to Sadie but stops and turns to him. “He’s my bounty. So no.”
“But you don’t have Brambles with you,” I observe.
“But I have you,” she says as she grins. She yanks Sadie to his feet and pushes him towards me. “Do your goon thing.”