Chapter 14
CASH
THE meeting between Dustin and Bobby was a bust. They drove around doing drops and stopped for food before he took Bobby back to his car.
There’s no way that Joseph could have made a batch this fast. It takes days to get that shit lined out and start the process; which means that Phil is selling from the tainted batch that is making people sick and killing them.
Phil wants it addictive. If he is having Joseph recreate the formula to suit his needs, then it could take longer to produce.
Even then, it must be tested to ensure it’s safe, which isn’t a guarantee.
Anyone taking Snap that they get off him could possibly end their life.
I knew better than to get my hopes up, but with Phil being backed into a corner, I was wishing that he’d bring Bobby in all the way.
He didn’t. He’s testing his loyalty first. Probably the first smart thing Phil has done since all this started.
Now we play the waiting game to see how long it takes before Dustin takes Bobby to wherever they are hiding, or inadvertently gives up their location.
If it’s too long, Joseph and Hazel could both die before we get there to save them.
I take a deep breath and run my hands through my hair as I stare at Hazel’s apartment.
If only I could go back to when I first started watching her.
Tell her to get the fuck out of town until this blows over.
Save her from the monster that stole bits of her soul and almost her life.
If only. I fear what she’ll be when I find her; if there will be any part of her left to save.
Cady and Erick could have blown the whole thing up in our face before it even started.
I noticed them blatantly following behind Dustin’s car.
The fact that he didn’t see them was a fucking miracle.
Not telling them is going to get us caught, and Hazel and Joseph killed.
I grab the travel bag I keep in the truck and make my way up to Hazel’s door.
Before I can knock, the door swings open and a pissed off Cady fills the doorway.
She may be tiny, but she seems like an enraged giant right now.
“So happy you could finally grace us with your presence,” she spits.
Ignoring her patronizing tone, I pick her up and set her to the side.
Stunned, her mouth drops open on a huff, then snaps shut as I enter the apartment and kick the door shut.
Erick stands cautiously by the bar with his arms folded over his chest. I like him.
He seems to be the most reasonable one out of the two.
Cady lashes out, letting her emotions control her.
She speaks and acts before she thinks. Erick is the complete opposite.
He’ll dwell on that shit until he’s put things together, and by the time he does, he has full control over himself.
He needs to grow some balls, though, and help Cady get a grip.
“When did you get in town?” Erick asks, standing in that spot like a statue.
“Early this morning,” I answer truthfully.
Cady storms across the room and stops in front of me, craning her neck back to look at me. “Did you meet Bobby this morning?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes narrow. “Why?”
I sigh and turn to Erick, who is waiting for the lies to tumble from my lips. “Can you grab us some beers and sit down. It’s going to take a minute to explain everything.”
Erick remains there for a moment, but then turns to get the beer that I so desperately need to get through this conversation.
Well, more like a confession. They will either skin me alive afterward or go along with the plan.
Hell, they might do both. I’m not so concerned with what Erick will think.
It’s Cady that worries me. She might just rip my dick off and feed it to me.
Erick wouldn’t stop her, that’s for sure. Maybe I should be worried about him.
Cady huffs and drops onto the couch. She’s holding back everything she wants to say to me. I sit down next to her, and she scoots over, putting a cushion between us. Erick comes back with beer and sets one for each of us on the coffee table, then takes a seat on the spot Cady deserted.
“You got your beer, now explain.” Cady’s stone-cold voice could chill the air.
I tip my bottle back and chug it down, struggling to find something happy to hang onto. But the gates of Hell loom in front of me, and Cady stands behind them. Setting the empty bottle back on the table, I angle myself to face them.
“Phil has Hazel,” are the first words that fall from my lips.
Cady pulls to the edge of her seat and glares at me. “How do you know?”
“Because he took her from me,” I admit. “Along with my best friend.”
“What? How did Hazel end up with you?” Cady asks, confused.
“I took her. Simple as that,” I growl, growing impatient.
“Why would you do that?” Erick says, his voice rising. Maybe he does have some balls on him after all.
“I wanted to keep her safe, and she wouldn’t talk to me. She didn’t need to sit around here being reminded of what he did to her. And if Phil came back looking for her, he wouldn’t find her.”
“But he did find her,” Cady yells.
“Yes, he did!” Cady cowers at my shout, and Erick pushes himself more in front of her. I run my hand through my hair in frustration and grit, “But she wasn’t what he originally came for, just a bonus prize.”
“Quit beating around the bush and get to the fucking point.” Erick stares at me like it’s the first time he’s ever met me.
I nod and begin pacing in front of the coffee table, wondering where I even begin and how to tell them everything. Cady and Erick watch every move I make. I would be suspicious too.
After a moment of silence, Cady asks, “You said Phil took her and your best friend. Why would he take your best friend?”
I stop mid-step and swivel around to face them. “He wanted the formula for Snap.”
“And how does your best friend know where to get it?” Erick asks, seeming even more confused by the second.
“Because he created it.” They peek at one another nervously. “We sell it.”
“What does Bobby have to do with all this?” Erick asks uneasily.
“He’s going to team up with Phil to help me get them back. You two,” I wave my finger between them, “are going to act like you know nothing about it and stay out of the way.”
Erick shakes his head and stands. “I don’t like any of this shit! You are gonna get him killed!”
“Phil will kill them if we don’t do something! Bobby is close with Dustin. If anyone can find where Phil is, it’s Bobby. And he will.”
“What happens then?” Cady’s trembling voice interrupts our shouts.
“Bobby gets Hazel and Joseph out of there while I deal with Phil.”
Erick wraps his arm around Cady and says, “And by deal with Phil, you mean—”
“Kill him,” I say without hesitation.
CADY
Cash is a drug dealer. He plans to kill Phil.
No if’s, and’s, or but’s. I prop my elbows on my knees and drop my face in my hands to try to regulate my breathing as Cash starts from the beginning.
With every word he speaks, I grow to despise him more and more.
He let all of this happen to keep his empire.
Hazel almost died so he could keep his secret and his money.
Cash may act like he cares now, but that’s all it is.
A fucking act. Now Hazel isn’t the only one trapped in this shit, we all are.
How are we supposed to trust him? Will he kill us too?
When Bobby gets back, we are having a long talk.
I can’t believe he jumped in the middle of this.
He is not only going to get himself killed, but the others as well if Phil discovers why he’s there.
I want to help get Hazel home, too, I just don’t want anyone to die in the process. Except Phil. That fucker needs to burn.
Cash stops talking, and I raise my head to see him staring at me. He’s worried and doesn’t know what else to do. He doesn’t look dangerous, but appearances can always be deceiving. Phil is the perfect example.
His phone rings before I can respond to anything he said, and he answers it.
“I’m at Hazel’s,” he says into the phone. “Bring him here.”
The menacing way he ends the call proves we haven’t seen the real him yet. He taps some buttons on his phone, and then tucks it into his back pocket.
My body stiffens with worry when there’s a knock on the door. Erick doesn’t seem to be taking all of this very well. He’s on edge, too, and I can see his anger below the surface.
Cash walks over to the door and opens it.
A man is shoved through the doorway and stumbles over the threshold into the living room.
Erick immediately shoots to his feet and yanks me up with him.
He backs me into the corner and stands in front of me, blocking my view.
I peek around Erick’s arm to see a thug and an underwear model standing in the middle of the room next to Cash. What the hell is going on?
“Samuel, Samuel, Samuel,” Cash chimes as he steps toward him. “I gave you a get out of jail free card.”
The man edges back and bumps against the hot blond guy standing there. Disgusted, he pushes him back toward Cash and rolls his eyes. I move to step out from behind Erick to get a better view, but he stops me.
“The plan was already in motion, sir,” Samuel, the thug, whimpers. “Please, I was leaving town like you told me to.”
“It’s too late for that, Samuel.” Cash’s face contorts in rage as he pulls his fist back and punches Samuel in the face. I grip onto Erick as he pushes me further into the corner and watch in terror. Samuel screams out and drops to his knees holding his mouth. “I warned you about him, did I not?”
“Yes, sir,” Samuel says, blood dribbling down his trembling chin.
“And yet you continued on with it,” Cash spits. “Because of you, Phil took two things very precious to me.”
Samuel registers Cash’s words and shakes his head. “He was only supposed to get the formula and leave.”