Chapter 29
Penn
Ipace the living room as I wait for reinforcements. We’re going to start the first phase of taking care of this bastard, and I’m not anxious for myself. I’m anxious that he’s going to somehow weasel his way out again and get to Dixie.
“Relax,” Zep says. “You really think I’m letting anyone get into my home? With my woman? And our kids? And your woman?”
“He’s sneakier than he looks,” I admit.
It’s hard to admit. And it tastes like vinegar to say. I should’ve been able to kill him where he stood in my fucking house, but he got away.
Again.
Engines outside make us all look at the front door, and Rooster steps inside. “Your chariot awaits, man.”
“Watch them,” I say. “Please.”
“I’ll guard them with my life,” he says.
Zep slaps a large hand on my shoulder. “Jethro says to do what needs to be done. Whatever you do, he’ll support.”
“Might wanna shoot him a quick message,” Pacino says, walking into the house. “Guess what I found out.”
My stomach flutters. What would he have found that we need to talk to Jethro about first? “What?”
“He’s no normal drug rep,” he says. “Give you one guess who he’s working for.”
I can’t stop my jaw from dropping, and Zep says, “Venom?”
“Yep.”
“Wait, he’s the asshole setting up pipelines for them to distribute further?” I ask.
“You got it. He’s the one we’ve been needing to get out of the way. Especially because he’s pushing the newer, more lethal version of the drug. That’s why he had so much cash on him.”
Dixie forces her way onto her feet in the most-adorable-but-uncomfortable way possible. “Wait, you’re telling me that Stephen’s not a pharmaceutical salesman, but a drug dealer?”
“Well, he is technically in pharma. Just not… legal shit,” Kannon says. “And he’s not the one peddling the drugs. He’s connecting the Venom with dealers as the middleman, gaining a profit for every new network line he sets up.”
“I think I’m going to be sick,” she says.
“Come, sit back down,” Misty says, helping ease Dixie back. “It’s okay.”
“Nothing about this is okay. And I’ve brought this problem right to your front door.”
Moving to crouch in front of her, I take her hands. “He was a problem before I fell in love with you, Dixie. You just gave us even more of a reason to take this asshole out.”
“And he’s going to see how big of a mistake he’s made,” Rooster says.
“No, he’s going to learn the consequences of making a series of bad mistakes. Specifically going after one of our girls,” Pacino says. “And working with the Venom is just basically a guaranteed early death. That’s on him.”
I kiss Dixie and leave with Pacino and Kannon, meeting Capone on his bike. “Let’s do this.”
“Let’s ride,” Capone says, pulling his helmet over his head.
We ride out to Castlerock with purpose. That purpose: to start the first phase of taking him down. I want him begging for mercy before I kill him. I want to hear him beg for death because I’ve ruined everything else in his pathetic life.
It doesn’t take long to reach the wealthy suburb of Castlerock, and it’s strange to handle business in the middle of the day. Normally, the darkness helps us like an ally, but we need daytime for this one.
We park our bikes in the driveway and walk up the front walk like we own the place. Hell, I might buy the house when it goes into foreclosure after I make sure he has next to nothing to his name and can’t afford the mortgage payments. Just because I can.
Kannon begins snapping his fingers as we walk up the front steps, and I elbow him. “This isn’t West Side Story.”
“Might as well be at this point. That’s what it looks like,” he says with a laugh.
“Watching TCM when you can’t sleep again?” Capone asks.
“They just don’t make shit like they used to. Everything these days is crap. And don’t get me started with television or music.”
“Can we focus?” I ask, even as I fight the smirk.
We’re approaching the fifteen-year anniversary of his wife and child’s death. Kannon doesn’t sleep much around this time of year. And his alcohol consumption doubles, if not triples.
Knocking on the door, I don’t bother to soften the approach. I want it to sound like cops.
The curtain in the window beside the door moves, and a frightened blonde’s eyes widen. I half-expect her to leave the door locked and call the cops, but the lock clicks before the door swings open.
“Can I help you?” she asks, her voice surprisingly strong compared to the way her hand shakes as she holds the edge of the door.
“Caroline Patterson? Stephen’s wife?” I ask, keeping my tone flat and not overly angry.
“Yes, I’m Caroline. Is Stephen okay?”
I almost roll my eyes. Who would send a group of bikers to deliver bad news to a woman about her husband?
“So far, he is,” Pacino says.
“If this is about business, you’ll need to call him. He isn’t home right now.”
Figures he isn’t here. “We actually came to speak with you.”
Her shoulders slump. “What has he done now?”
Apparently, this isn’t the first time strange men have come knocking at her door. “He’s living a double life, and we thought you should know.”
“Again? Great. Who is it this time?”
“Her name is Dixie, and she’s a bartender in Gravelton. She’s also pregnant.”
She gasps. “Tell me he didn’t kill her.”
“Why would you say that, Mrs. Patterson?” Pacino asks.
“Because he killed his last mistress who refused to get an abortion. I’m guessing you’re here because this Dixie woman didn’t.”
I turn to Pacino, who shrugs. Clearly, this was covered up enough to not pull up on the dirt Scotty ran. “No, she didn’t. And he burned down her house.”
“Then he said he was leaving you for her and their child, but when she told him no, he threatened her,” Kannon says.
“Then broke into my man’s house here and tried to hurt her. Nearly killed a dog in the process,” Capone adds.
Her eyes widen, and she presses a hand to her chest. “Is the dog okay?”
The fuck? “She’ll be okay. Emergency surgery saved her.”
“And the pregnant woman… she’s okay?”
“She is.”
“Are you aware he’s a middleman setting up the pipeline for a well-known drug-dealing club out of Gravelton?” Pacino asks.
Sighing, she shakes her head. “I know what he does isn’t legal, but he swears he’s not hurting anyone. Is he hurting anyone?”
This entire conversation has thrown me off my game. I’d had two expectations: denial and defensiveness. Not acceptance. It’s a little disconcerting, to be honest.
We all turn to see the garage door opening, and Stephen’s battered face comes into view as he pulls in, nearly taking out our bikes. Luckily, he’s worked with enough bikers to know that it’s the wrong move to make.
“Did you do that to his face?” Caroline asks.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“He always did know how to take a punch. And give them.”
Stephen hurries over, shouting, “Get off my property, or I’m calling the cops!”
“Like they’re going to help you much,” Caroline says. “You promised you were done with messing around. And you tried to kill another mistress?”
“Caroline—”
“You hurt a dog, Stephen?”
Shaking his head, he holds his hands up. “I didn’t. These guys came and attacked me for no reason, baby. I swear it.”
“Why not show her the bite marks on your leg?” I offer. “Where my dog bit you when you tried to hurt Dixie after breaking into my home.”
“I have no idea—”
Pacino grabs the fabric of his right leg and rips it like it’s tissue paper to reveal bloody gauze wrapped around his calf.
“Does it hurt?” Caroline asks.
“Like a bitch.”
“Good.” Shaking her head, she glares. “Get out.”
“Caroline—”
“Fine, I’ll get the kids, and we’ll get out. But this is done. You’re not only a murderer, but you’re helping drug dealers. How could you?”
“I support this family!” he shouts. “You never seem that upset when you have the money to get your hair done. Or those injections that aren’t fooling anyone.”
She gasps. “You’re in bed with drug dealers, and you’re going to condemn me? The lives of our children are at risk because of who you work with, and you’re going to try to insult me? You’re pathetic, Stephen.”
“Caroline—”
“My attorney will have divorce papers drawn up by the end of the day. We’ll repurpose the last ones I drew up after you killed that poor woman in Reno.”
“But—”
“And don’t forget that you signed a prenup, baby,” she says. “You won’t see a cent of my father’s money. And you’ll never see our kids again.”
“You can’t do that!” he shouts. “I built this life! Everything in this house is mine!”
Pacino holds a hand up. “Technically, your wife’s trust fund paid for the house.”
“That’s right!” Caroline says. “I’m not leaving. You are. Can you men keep him out here while I pack the few things of his he actually paid for?”
“Gladly,” I say.
“You think you’re so smart,” Stephen says. “This isn’t over.”
Moving into his space, Pacino and I tower over him. “It’s just getting started, motherfucker,” I say with a smile.
“I’ll call the police and have you arrested for assault. One look at my face and your knuckles, and you’ll be locked up where you belong.”
“Then I’ll have to tell them about Miranda,” Caroline says, tossing out a single suitcase. “Call the cops. See what happens.”
“Plus, we know you’re in bed with the Venom, and they’ll probably be more interested in how to get rid of the drugs than a simple assault on a man who tried to hurt a pregnant woman,” Pacino says. “We have receipts.”
“Or maybe we should just send the proof that he’s skimming off the Venom to line his pockets. We all know Butch isn’t the greatest at math, but I wonder how he’d react to learning he’s been shorted three million dollars in the past year,” Kannon says.
Stephen pales, and he stumbles backwards. There’s real fear now. The threat of prison didn’t scare him. Nor does the idea that he’ll lose everything he has when his wife leaves him. But he knows as well as we do how the Venom handles people stealing from them.
Now we have him by the balls.