Six-Gun - Winter Travers Page 0,22

they were, but I was around for the occasional party or whatever.”

“So what happened between the two?”

“Her name was Charlene. She started out dating Menace, but things went south between the two of them. She found herself in Barracuda’s bed,” Mick explained.

“And I’m assuming Menace wasn’t exactly happy about that,” Six-Gun guessed.

Mick nodded. “He was fucking pissed about it. Charlene left him because she didn’t like the path he was headed down, but then she ran straight to Barracuda who was doing the same exact things that Menace was doing.”

“So what did Menace do about it?” I asked. I probably should have kept my mouth shut, but I needed to know what happened between Menace and Barracuda. This was like a soap opera and I was waiting for the big dun, dun, dun moment.

“Right off the bat? He did nothing. Just sort of sat back and watched. Observed what was going on with Barracuda and Charlene. About two months after those two hooked up, Barracuda popped the question to Charlene.” Mick laughed. “Menace went through the fucking roof. About lost his damn mind.”

“No shit,” Six-Gun muttered.

I couldn’t tell if Six-Gun knew all of this about Barracuda, or if he was hearing it for the first time like I was.

Something had to have happened because Barracuda wasn’t married to Charlene and neither was Menace from what I knew.

“So, one night when Barracuda and Charlene were out, Menace followed them. Right behind them. Barracuda spotted him and tried to lose him. Hopped on the highway and weaved in and out of traffic. Menace stuck to them like fucking glue.”

I had a feeling this wasn’t going to end well. Not well at all.

“They hit about one-twenty and the highway was wide open. They were ahead of all of the traffic and start climbing a hill.” Mick inhaled and blew out a cloud of smoke. “Right when they get to the peak of the hill, traffic is stopped. Bumper to fucking bumper.”

“Oh, no,” I gasped.

“Barracuda slammed into a Toyota Corolla while Menace managed to miss hitting any cars but went careening into the ditch.” Mick shook his head. “Charlene was killed instantly, and Barracuda was in a coma for three weeks.”

“Fuck,” Six-Gun muttered.

“Menace had two broken legs and a huge gash on his forehead. It took paramedics and fire an hour to get him out of the tree he had been catapulted into.”

“Oh, no.” There were so many other things I could have said, but I was in too much shock to think them.

“So, Charlene was dead and those two idiots were still alive and kicking. Menace started the Devil’s Rebels, and Barracuda was able to start the Sacramento chapter of the Royal Bastards.”

“I heard Barracuda talk to Menace. While he wasn’t overly friendly to him, he wasn’t a dick.”

Mick shrugged. “Maybe they learned to bury the hatchet. That was over fifteen years ago. You can only hold a grudge for so long before it starts eating you alive.”

“It wasn’t completely Barracuda’s fault, right?” I asked.

Mick shook his head. “Nah, Menace took partial blame for it, too. Barracuda wouldn’t have been going so fast if it hadn’t been for being chased.”

“But you said they were fine, right? At least, eventually.” I’m sure I was supposed to be quiet, but this was to juicy to not say anything.

“For about five years after, they were constantly back and forth with each other. Menace would do something to piss off Barracuda, then Barracuda would get back at Menace. It was never ending until Menace almost killed Barracuda. They called a truce and were able to be amicable with each other. They weren’t back to being friends or anything like that, but they at least weren’t trying to kill each other.”

Six-Gun nodded. “Okay. There anything else you could tell us? Anyone who might have something against Barracuda?”

Mick shrugged. “For a long while, Barracuda didn’t give a fuck about anything, and that included pissing people off. Hell, he pissed off half of Woodland by the time he was twenty-five. Pick a name out of a hat and you have someone who he got on the bad side of for a bit.” Mick ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m not sure why you’re asking me all of this, but that’s what I know. Number one person who might try to hurt him that I can think of? Menace. After that, who the fuck knows.”

“What about Charlene? Did she have any family who might be upset?” I asked. Might as