“You look like shit, man.” Hound grabs a mug off the counter as he shoves past me to get to the pot of coffee I just made.
“Yeah, well I feel like shit.”
He sniffs near me. “Least you don’t smell like it too.”
I get one sip of coffee in before our cell phones go off at the same time. Prez called church. I already know what it’s about, but I know if I missed, he’d hang me by my balls considering this meeting is no doubt about what Bianca and I witnessed last night. I’m not looking forward to rehashing it again.
I finish my coffee and ride out behind Hound ready to get this over with.
Fifteen minutes later I’m in my seat at the table.
“About three hours ago I received a call that a body had been found in the dumpster behind the Kitty Kat. It hasn’t been confirmed but we can all guess who the body belongs to and the message it sends. Whoever is behind this Cloud Nine operation doesn’t like us shutting down their dealers. This shit is heating up fast. Keep your women and kids close. We’re no strangers to threats and violence. I’m not saying anyone is in danger but keep your guards up. Don’t go scaring your Ol’ Ladies but make them aware that they need to stick together. Want a brother on them when they go out shopping or for drinks. Whatever shit they do, make sure they are covered. Now we don’t have enough manpower to keep tabs at all times but use your judgment. We don’t know who or what we are up against at this time.”
Displeasure rumbles through the room, but it isn’t the first time we’ve faced off with an enemy.
“Each of you may be questioned as part of standard procedure with the investigation because the club owns the business where the victim worked and was found. Keep your answers honest but don’t offer up anything that could send them deeper into our affairs.”
Church ends and Prez asks me to hang back once the room has cleared.
“Right now, as far as we know there are only six people who know Mariah wasn’t killed at the Kitty Kat. You, the witch, the armed men, me, and the deceased. Did you tell anyone else what went down?”
“No.”
“Good. Need you to pick up the witch and bring her by. I’d like a word with her. Private of course. I don’t want anyone in on this but you and me. Less the other brothers know, the easier it will be for them to be honest with the police and not draw any unwanted attention on us. We both know if the police find out you were there, they’ll do anything within their power to put this on you.”
Fucking hell. He’s right. No matter what the truth is, all they will care about is that I was there, and she was found in one of our dumpsters on our property. Bianca being my witness won’t matter and even worse they could name her my accomplice.
“I’ll handle Bianca.”
“Let me know when you’ve got her. Bring her by the house. Alexa will like the company. I’ll tell her to set two extra plates for dinner.”
“Cool.” I scrub a hand over my face wondering how in the hell I am going to convince Bianca to have dinner with me at my Prez’s house.
I get my phone back from the basket and see I have a missed call from Voodoo.
I dial him back.
“Hey, man. It’s Sandman. Hope you’ve got some good news for me.”
“Heard you were cursed by a baby witch.”
“Yeah. Something like that. How do I undo whatever it is she did to me?”
“I spoke with my grandma. You aren’t going to believe this shit, but it’s the only way.” There’s a humorous tone behind his voice that I can’t tell if the fucker is being serious or feeding me bullshit. “Listen carefully. This has to be executed precisely or it won’t work. Next full moon, you need to get a chicken. At midnight take a shower and scrub with raw honey and oatmeal. After you need to light a candle for each day you’ve been cursed. At the witching hour which is three you need to be directly under the moon in a clearing while doing all this. Also you’ll need a sterling silver knife. That’s important. It has to be silver. Bet Prodigy would have something. Anyway, you need to slit the throat of the chicken and bathe in its blood while chanting, I’m an idiot.”
“I’m an idiot,” I repeat the words and realize what they are. “Fuck you. Asshole.”
Voodoo cracks up. “Admit it. I had you going.”
“Ha. Ha. You got me, dick.”
“Brother, in all seriousness if a witch did curse you, she has to be the one to break it.”
Great.
Fucking perfect.
Now not only do I have to convince her to have dinner at Murder and Alexa’s with me. I have to ask her to lift the curse she put on me.