CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“Who are you people? Why are you interfering in family business?” squawked Josh. They’d kept him at the diner, locking the doors behind him.
“You’re confused buddy. See, this is our family business because Blake is our family. A man doesn’t come to a meeting with a woman carrying a loaded gun unless he has ill intent. So, tell me, what ill intent did you have?” said Gator leaning over the smaller man.
“She’s my stepdaughter. Blake! Tell them!”
“I am your stepdaughter but we haven’t spoken since mom’s funeral other than you begging for money now and then. And we barely spoke even at the funeral. I have no wish to have a relationship with you.”
“You little bitch!” he snapped. He regretted it immediately feeling rough, callused backhand of Ham. His head snapped back so ferociously, he thought he might lose consciousness.
“If you speak to her, you will do so with respect and if you don’t the next hit will be much, much worse. Clear?” asked Ham. Josh said nothing, so Ham raised his hand to emphasize his point. “I asked you a question. Are we clear?”
“Yes! Fuck, yes. Who the hell are these people, Blake?”
“He told you,” she said taking the hand of Zane beside her. They linked their fingers, smiling at the others. “They’re my family.”
“Whatever bullshit you want to believe. But you don’t have anyone you little freak,” he sneered. “Do they know your secret? Do they know that the weird little redhead talks to animals?”
The entire room erupted in laughter and Josh frowned, looking around the room.
“Everyone talks to animals, dumbass,” grinned Cowboy.
“Who the fuck are you people?”
“Doesn’t matter,” said Ham. “What do you want with Blake and so help me God, if you even think about lying, my friend behind you is going break your neck.”
Standing directly behind Josh was Kane. One touch and he would know if the man was telling the truth or not. He’d been able to sense truths and lies since he was just a boy. Like many of those he’d come to Belle Fleur with.
“Now. Why are you here for Blake?” asked Ham.
Josh wisely thought before speaking. Something was different about these men. Even the two women standing behind the counter were different. Lean muscles on their arms, a look in their eyes that said, ‘you’d better not’.
“I need her help.”
“With what?” asked Zane.
“Wait,” frowned Blake. “You said you heard I had a job at the feed store. How could you have possibly known that? I didn’t speak to you or anyone about it.”
His face paled and he men around him grinned at the fear in his eyes.
“Well, well, well, looks like you’ve got something to tell us,” said Kane. He gripped his shoulders nearly to the point of indescribable pain. “Now, talk. How did you know that?”
“I just heard!” he screamed out. Kane squeezed harder and he yelled in pain. “Stop! Blake, make him stop.”
“Tell them the truth or I walk out now and let them do what they want!”
“Fine! Fine you little…” The pain radiated through his body as Kane squeezed both shoulders.
“Don’t make that mistake again. The truth and believe me, I will know,” said Kane.
“I owe this guy, a bad guy, a lot of money. More than I can possibly repay. I told him about you.”
“You did what?” cried Blake. “Why would you do that?”
“Because you could make me fucking money!” he growled.
“This wouldn’t happen to be Marco Rodriguez that you owe the money to, would it?” asked Ham. Josh’s face paled and he shook his head.
“H-how could you know that? How is it possible you knew that?” he asked.
“Keep talking,” said Kane.
“They were bringing drugs through the feed store and were starting to worry about the drug dogs at the docks and truck loading centers.” Ham stared down at him.
“And you just happened to offer up information about Blake. Like, maybe that she could tell the dogs to not sniff the drugs?”
“Something like that,” he frowned. Kane touched his shoulders again and looked at the others, shaking his head.
“There’s more and you’d better fucking tell the truth,” said Ham.
“Fine. Fine, you’re probably going to kill me anyway.” He looked up at them, as if hoping for denial from someone. When they didn’t answer, he proceeded. “It was everything. Race horses, greyhounds, tigers, lions, all of it.”
“Lions and tigers? What the fuck was he going to do, play Roman coliseum with the gladiators?” growled Gator. Josh looked up at him, fearful to respond, then he nodded.
“Yes.”