No More Tears In The End

“About two hundred dollars.”

Rain laughed just like her father did. “I can tell you right now that we wouldn’t be involved in no small-change robbery like that.”

“All the same, Lorraine, I want you to talk to Jeff Ritchie about it and ask around. Two people were killed: Innocent people, just waitin’ to get their food.” JR turned to me. “See Nick, this is exactly what we was just talkin’ ’bout. There was a time when something like this would never happen. Killin’ civilians over some chump change, shit, every player in town would be all over this, tryin’ to make it right ’cause it makes all of us look bad,” JR said angrily.

“I knew you would understand, JR I’ve taken up enough of your time. If you hear anything let me know,” I said and started moving toward the door.

“I’ll do that, Nick. You have my word on it.” JR turned to Rain. “See Mr. Simmons out, would you, baby, and tell Jeff Ritchie that I need to see him.”

Rain kissed her father on the cheek. “I’ll see you later, Daddy.”

Rain looped her arm in mine and walked with me out of her father’s office. As we passed the bar Rain turned to me. “You in a hurry, Nick?”

“Not especially.”

“Good. Then you have time to have a drink with me.”

“Sure,” I said and Rain led me to a table near the back of the club and signaled for a waitress.

I had Johnnie Black of course, she had straight tequila. After we ordered, Rain took a deep breath. “I wasn’t exactly honest with you back there in the office.”

“Honest about what?”

“The robbery.”

“What about the robbery?”

“I heard the same thing. That it was some of our people that did it.”

“Why didn’t you say that then, and the better question is why are you tellin’ me now?”

“You probably couldn’t tell it to look at him, but my father ain’t in the best of heath. He’s been sick a lot lately.”

“I couldn’t tell. What’s wrong with him?”

“Doctors don’t know. Bunch of fuckin’ quacks. All that fuckin’ money we give them and other than him havin’ high-blood pressure, they can’t tell us shit.”

Rain stopped talkin’ when the waitress returned with our drinks. Once the waitress left, Rain shot her tequila. Not wantin’ to be punked by this young girl, I shot mine.

“I don’t like to bother Pops with shit like that. I ain’t tryin’ to make his pressure go up. You see how upset he was gettin’.”

“I can understand that. But my question is what you gonna do about it?”

“I can take you to the place where they hangout.”

“I don’t need you to take me anywhere. You just need to tell me who they are and where to find them.”

“No deal.”

No deal?

Has this little girl lost her fuckin’ mind?

“What you mean no deal? This ain’t no fuckin’ negotiation. You’re gonna tell me what I need to know and I’ll take care of it.”

“Good luck findin’ them without me then.”

I had to admit, the little girl had heart, I just wasn’t gonna admit it to her.