Hollow (Heaven Hill Generations #4) - Laramie Briscoe Page 0,71

to today?”

He’s a charmer, and most women are flattered by him, but luckily for me, I have everything I want at home.

“Mandy.” I smile, even though he can’t see.

“It’s been forever, how are you? Doing better, I hope?”

God, how many people knew about what happened? I guess it was foolish to believe it wouldn’t get out, but I had hoped it wouldn’t.

“Doing better than I ever have.”

I realize that’s not just a line to keep people from asking me questions. It’s the honest truth. I no longer have to hide behind fake smiles and stupid empowering quotes to make me seem more put together than I really am.

I’m finally that put together.

“Glad to hear it. Is there something I can help you with?”

“Yeah, we have a file on an Owen Fitzpatrick. Is it one of yours, by any chance?”

He makes a noise of disgust.

“No, it’s not mine, but I know who he is. He’s a sleaze who thinks he’s going to be a big-time drug dealer.”

“How come he isn’t right now?”

That seems like the most obvious question for me.

“Capital. He has none. The only money he makes is what he wins in small-time street races. Nothing like what Cash used to do. And he leans on his girlfriend a lot. Apparently she makes pretty good money at Wet Wanda’s.”

I’m taking notes as he speaks.

“So if he were to want to make it to the big-time, would, say, a night deposit from Wet Wanda’s be enough to get him started?”

“Oh shit,” Damian laughs. “He stole the night deposit?”

I don’t want to speak out of turn, instead I make a non-committal noise in the back of my throat.

“Maybe, we aren’t sure yet. Signs point to possibly, but I’m doing some recon for Drew and Dalton right now.”

There, that gave him a little information without giving him all of it. Give Damian too much and he’ll run with it.

“I will tell you this. I’ve dealt with him a few times and he’s not very brave. So if he’s willing to steal the night deposit at Wet Wanda’s, it’s either because his balls have finally dropped or he’s started sampling his merchandise.”

“What does he sell?”

“Last I heard he was dabbling in weed and meth. My guess? He’s using the meth to hype himself and stay up for days at a time, then using the weed to try and mellow himself out. Either way it’s going to be a deadly combination at some point or another.”

“This has all been very helpful, Damian. Thanks for the information. I owe ya.”

“Trust me,” he laughs. “When I need something, you will definitely pay up.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Dalton

“Would you turn that damn thing down?” I yell at Jagger. He’s got the radio up so loud I can’t hear myself think.

There’s a problem with the bike I’m working on. I know there’s a solution, but I have to think. To think I need quiet, and thanks to that goddamn radio, there is absolutely no quiet in the garage bays today.

“I’m older, shouldn’t I be the one saying this shit?”

“You probably can’t hear with all the shows you’ve played anyway,” I mumble.

“I might not be able to hear but I can read lips,” he tosses back.

There are some days I hate that all of us are so close. I’m ready to tell him where to take his lipreading when a hand clasps around my arm. It’s Drew, and his face is pulled tight.

“We gotta go talk to Caelin. He got some more info on Laura and Owen.”

Took him long enough. I’m feeling particularly uncomfortable with them being around lately, and I’d like to know what we can do to get rid of their presence in town. “This have anything to do with the information Mandy and Charity were able to dig up?”

“I think so. I wanted to ask questions, but the more questions I ask the longer it’s going to take for him to get to the point. He’s at the clubhouse, so that’s where we need to meet him.”

Both of us rode our bikes today, so that’s where we head, hopping on, starting them up, and peeling out of the parking lot. It’s not very often we ride in tandem anymore; not a good idea to have both the pres and the VP together just in case something happens, so this is an opportunity I haven’t had in a while. It’s special to ride with your best friend, even if the two of you are making a trip you don’t want to