Chapter 13
Hawk
“Igotta say, that motherfucker has balls,” Rafe announced.
It had only been a few days since he’d been shot, but he wasn’t the kind of man who’d let a couple of bullet wounds slow him down.
His shoulder was up in a sling and he was moving a little slower than usual, but Rafe looked like he was holding his own as he stood outside of one of Shotgun’s rooms. Miller’s tortured cries were penetrating into the hallway as Shotgun continued to work him over, and a mischievous smile crossed his face as Rafe motioned his head towards the door.
“Well, at least he had ’em. After that round of screaming I just heard, I’m not so sure anymore. ”
“I take it Miller’s not talking?”
“Fuck no, but from the sounds of it, he’ll be singing like a canary before long.”
“I hope you’re right about that.”
“Me, too.” He shook his head. “I don’t know if I can stomach much more of this shit.”
“Rough in there?”
“Fuck, yeah. Dude looks like he’s been through a fucking meat grinder.
Turns my stomach just thinking about it.
” A pained expression crossed Rafe’s face as he continued, “Hell, I would’ve started spilling it the second I saw Shotgun coming at me with a fucking sledge hammer, but this guy’s being all stubborn and shit.
He hasn’t said a fucking word about what went down with the take. ”
“Gotta wonder why he’s trying so hard to keep it under wraps.”
“I was thinking the same fucking thing.”
The screams continued, and I was considering going in to check on things when Viper and Axel walked up.
I figured they were like me and eager to find out if Shotgun had managed to get him to talk, and I had no doubt that they’d both be just as disappointed as I was that Miller still hadn’t.
Viper turned to me as he asked, “Anything?”
“Not a word.”
“Fuck,” he grumbled. “I’m about fed up with this bullshit.”
“I’m sure Shotgun feels the same. He’s been at it all fucking night.”
“I think I’ve got something that might help,” Menace interrupted as he come rushing up the hall. As he offered Viper a folder, he told him, “Here’s the information you wanted on Miller.”
Viper opened the folder, and after reading it over for a moment, he said, “It’s time to put an end to this shit once and for all.”
Without a moment’s hesitation he reached for the doorknob, and as he opened it, we were all hit with a foul odor of vomit mixed with shit.
It was enough to turn my stomach, but the smell was nothing compared to the sight of Miller.
Much like Danny, he was strung up with his hands over his head, but he was sitting with his feet bound to the legs of a chair.
I had to fight back my gag reflexes as I looked down at his bare feet and shins.
They were all broken and mangled from where Shotgun had worked him over with the sledgehammer, and I found it doubtful that Miller would ever walk again.
His face was barely recognizable, and I was surprised that the guy was not only conscious but seemed completely aware of his surroundings.
Viper grabbed a chair from the corner and took it over to Miller.
As he sat down in front of him, he open the folder and said, “Scott Miller. Son of Donna and Hamilton Miller. 129 Tigrett Street, Texarkana, Arkansas. Age thirty-four.”
“Yeah...so?”
“Nicole Miller. Daughter of Scott Miller. Age seven. Living at ...”
Before Viper could finish, Miller spat, “What the fuck does my daughter have to do with this shit?”
“That is entirely up to you.” Viper held up the folder, showing Miller the picture Menace found of his daughter. “Cute kid. Sure would hate to see anything happen to her.”
“Look here, motherfucker. If you lay one finger on her, I’ll kill you! I’ll kill every last fucking one of you!” Miller barked, making it clear Viper had hit a nerve.
“I think we both know you’re in no position to make threats, so why don’t you just save us both some trouble and tell us what we want to know.
” Viper closed the folder and leaned back in his chair.
“Otherwise, me and my boys are gonna make another trip to Arkansas, and that sweet little girl of yours is going to find out what monsters are really made of.”
“Fuck you!”
“All right, then. Have it your way.”
Viper stood, and when he started towards the door, Miller shouted, “It was me. I’m the one who did it.”
“Any particular reason why it was our shipment you decided to fuck with?”
“I didn’t know it was yours. I just get the orders and fill ’em. I figured since it was such a big take, no one would be the wiser.”
“You thought we wouldn’t notice that over half of it was fucking trash?” Viper went over and reached for his throat, gripping it tightly as he growled, “The Ruthless Sinners don’t deal fucking trash, asshole. Not now. Not ever.”
Miller’s face was turning red from the lack of oxygen and he was close to passing out when Viper finally released him. Miller gasped for breath as he stammered, “I-I get that. I really do, but it’s done now. It’s not like I can take it back.”
“You’re right about that.” Viper stood over him, scowling as he studied him, then he turned and looked at us.
I could see the wheels turning in his head, but I had no idea what he was thinking.
After several, long moments, Viper walked back over to the chair in front of Miller and sat down.
As he lean forward, glaring at Miller, he cocked his head and said, “You know ... something’s just not adding up with all this. ”
“What are you talking about?” Miller asked, sounding innocent. “I told you everything.”
Viper shook his head as he grumbled, “I’m not buying it.”
“I don’t know what else to tell ya, man. It was me.”
“Okay, then why all the bullshit.” Viper cocked his head to the side as he said, “Why not just fess up to it in the beginning?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Miller told him. “You know the truth. That’s all you need to know.”
“I’m the one who decides what the fuck I need to know.
Not you, asshole, so cut the bullshit!” Even though I was standing several feet away, I could feel the anger radiating off Viper as he growled, “I know you got a reason for putting yourself through all this shit, and you’ve got two seconds to tell me what the fuck it is or I’m going to get that daughter of yours and—”
“Don’t!” Miller pleaded. “I’ll tell you what you want to know.”
“I’m listening.”
“You gotta understand ... You finding out what I did is one thing. I know it’s bad, really bad, and you’re pissed that I swindled ya.
Hell, I know I’m not walking outta here alive”—a troubled look crossed Miller’s face as he sat there staring back at Viper—“but the boss ... Fuck. If he finds out that I fucked with his product, that I put his distribution line in jeopardy, then it won’t just be me who goes down for it.
My whole fucking family will burn for my mistake. I wasn’t gonna let that happen.”
“Too late.”
“What the fuck you talking about?”
“When you don’t show up with his cash, where do you think that boss of yours is gonna go first?” Miller’s face grew pale as the realization of what he’d done finally sank in. “You fucked up big, kid, and you’ve got no one to blame but yourself.”
Viper stood up, and as he started towards the door, Miller said, “You know my boss is a smart guy.”
“And?”
“When he puts two and two together, he’ll come looking for you, and when that happens, you’ll all go down. Every last one of ya.”
“And that’s why we have Billy,” Viper replied with confidence. “He’ll see to it that that doesn’t happen.”
Then, Viper turned and started for the door.
We had the answers we’d been looking for, so our time with Miller was done.
We all knew once Viper brought in Billy the Butcher, he’d see to it that Miller paid the final penance for his crimes against the club.
Menace, Axel, and I followed Viper out of the room and into the hall.
When the door closed behind us, Axel shook his head and said, “Dumb kid’s got no idea what a fucking mess he’s made. ”
“No, he doesn’t.”
I knew Billy was good. Hell, he was the best around.
That’s why we used him, but this wasn’t just a simple clean up.
He would have to make sure no unwanted repercussions fell back on us, and considering everything that had gone down, that wouldn’t be easy.
“You think Billy can keep this thing from coming back on us?”
Viper ran his hand over his beard as he said, “He’s going to have to. One way or another, we’ve gotta see to it that there’s no blowback from any of this. Last thing we need is some fucking drug boss thinking we fucked him over ... took out one of his guys and stole one of his shipments.”
“Yeah, losing a handler is one thing,” Axel replied. “Losing ten grand is another.”
“Maybe Billy can make it look like Miller split with the cash or something?” Menace suggested. “His boss has gotta know that he was delivering another order.”
“Maybe so.” Viper took his phone out of his pocket as he said, “I’ll get with Billy and go from there. I trust him to handle it.”
Before he made the call, Axel asked, “You need anything from us?”
“Get with some of the guys, and go over and check on the remodel at the new club. I want us opening as soon as possible.” Then, he turned to me and Menace. “You two stick around in case Billy needs a hand with something.”
“You got it,” Menace answered. “Let us know when he gets here.”
“You know I will.”