Defining Darkness - K E Osborn Page 0,72
store, and Trix could sell her baked goods, but out the back, we can have a section for ‘special’ clientele. Even have an internet shopping cart if I can figure out a way to get the point across without alerting the authorities.”
I let out a half-laugh. “It could work. We have to get Trixie on board. Good thinking, Voltage. Now let’s go find our club girl.”
We stand, exiting the Chapel to go in search of Trixie and head for the kitchen. As always, she’s inside whipping up something fucking good as we approach.
“Trix, you got a second? We wanna run some stuff by you.”
She stops stirring the mixture in her hands, focusing her attention on me. “Sure, Prez. What’s up?”
Voltage leans against the countertop as I fold my arms across my chest. “The club’s in a jam. We need some help moneywise.”
“I’m not following?”
“Our thought process is the club creates munchies, something delicious packed full of green product. We could buy a store where you can sell your baked goods, maybe even a small café like you’ve always wanted, but then we could store and sell the gourmet munchies for a higher profit and start bringing some income to the club rather than dealing in packages. Of course, the more ‘gourmet’ products would be hidden from the public… this would be more a word-of-mouth venture.”
She places the bowl on the countertop with a heavy exhale. “You’re gonna buy me my own café?” I wink at her, and she huffs. “Well, that’s all well and good, but where are you getting the weed?”
That’s the part we haven’t thought about.
Voltage steps forward. “I have an idea. The back part of the lower bunker next to the Brick Cell is unused. It’s full of junk. Brick it off, turn it into a lab. Sure, it’s not a massive area, but it’s definitely big enough to keep us in crop. We could have plants growing at different rates, so we always have product. All we need is some good quality lighting, air and water circulation, hydroponics, and then harvest.”
“I can brick the wall off, so if we’re ever raided, it will just display like a wall the same as the Brick Cell.”
“Exactly.”
“Sounds perfect to me,” Trixie gushes. “I’m so in.”
I glance at Voltage. “Get everything we need. We have to kick this off as quickly as possible. Obviously, our crop won’t be viable for a while, so get on the line to Venom from Ankeny, get whatever we need shipped down from him. Tell me when the livestock trailer is in town, and I’ll make sure to send a couple of brothers out to the meeting point with the van to bring in the product.”
“Sure thing, Prez. I think this is gonna work,” Voltage offers.
Trixie flexes onto her toes. “Me, too. I’m excited to trial the recipes to see what I can come up with.”
“This isn’t just your typical brownies here, Trix. We need to think outside the box.”
“Got it, Prez. Leave it with me… and thank you. I can’t believe I’m getting my own café!” She walks off.
“Better place a call to Venom.” He turns, walking off to call the president of Ankeny. Those Iowa brothers really know how to hide shit. Just like I hide bodies behind walls, they hide their bodies inside of boars. People might think I’m strange, but at least I don’t let my pigs eat people. Who am I kidding, if I had pigs, I’d probably do the damn same thing. I guess us Royal Bastards are all as twisted as each other.
Right now, though, I need to find Void, tell him the good news—that I’ve found a way to bring money to the club. I should have run it by him first, but Void’s been distracted lately. I’m sure he doesn’t care about the choices I’m making.
Heading downstairs, I figure if Void is anywhere, it will be with Ivy, but as I approach her room, he’s not there. Ivy’s on her sofa watching television on her own.
I tip my head at her. “You know where Void is?”
“Haven’t seen him today. He’s being weird. Gone back to one-word answers and avoiding me after he came in here last night. I can’t tell what I did wrong.”
Yeah, right! I’m pretty sure I know what’s happening. Void doesn’t like to emote. If he’s started to feel something toward Ivy, and he’s realized it, he’ll be shutting down. Closing off his emotions. Becoming a void.
No one really knows why he does