What If

It was pure coincidence that Derek walked into the bakery that day and Helga set him up with Jessie. What happened after that, somehow Derek told Les who his date was and they took advantage of knowing her past and used that to get her to make a run for them. Only, they got caught and for the second time in my sweet girl’s short life, she got the blunt end of the stick.

The world is small, way smaller than most think but having these two be connected only made my job easier.

“Who the fuck are you?”

I exhale and grip the back of his neck again, and he raises a hand. “Okay. Wait.”

I’ve learned a few things in my years on the job. One, is this guy and Derek are not in this for the lifestyle. They’re not hard. They’re here for an easy buck and to pose.

Both of them have the same schtick.

They prey on weak, naïve girls, either by tricking them to carry for them or getting them somehow to fall for them and coercing them into doing their dirty work.

Either way, they are bullies and bullies are easy to drop. They have no real skin in the game besides the paycheck. As well, they have other weaknesses, and I know what they are.

The door opens, and Derek comes in, followed by my guy who does as planned and turns to lock the door behind him with the key the bartender gave him at my request. It draws Derek’s eyes, but as he turns to see what his buddy is doing, he gets a sidelong glance my way, and I make sure he sees what is held at his partner’s head.

“Have a seat.” I nod toward the table closest to us, then reach over and grab the arm of the guy next to me, jerk him off the bar stool and toss him toward a chair. “You too,” I order and watch as they look at each other than comply, keeping their eyes my way.

“This is going to be simple.” I start holstering my gun and crossing my arms. “You,” I nod at Derek, “are going to have a sit down with the D.A. today. You will waive your right to counsel, you will give a new statement that you planted the package of coke in Jessie’s purse.”

Derek laughs. “No fucking way.” He shakes his head, and I’m not sure whether to sigh or cheer. Part of me was hoping we could do this the easy way, but part of me wants what’s coming.

I reach out fast, giving him no time to react, and give his face the same treatment on the top of the table as his buddy had with the bar. The crack of gristle against wood is satisfying, even if we’re wasting time I don’t have.

“Not your turn to talk.” I shake my head. “You will do what I say. Because,” I pull up my phone and tap a video, starting it playing. “I have evidence of you accepting delivery of a pound of pure cocaine and about fifty videos of you selling it out the back window of the house you two share on Cooper Avenue.”

“I want my lawyer.” Les starts, and I raise my eyebrows.

“Sure. I’ll call your fucking lawyer. I’ll also make sure your baby mama goes down for distribution. You know where that’s going to leave your daughter?”

His eyes tell me he’s right where I want him.

“That’s right. Foster care. The system.”

I’ve done my homework. He cares about his daughter. That’s his weakness, and it’s my job to exploit it.

“And you, you piece of shit.” I turn to Derek. “You won’t last a day inside. See, the last girl you had run your shit for you?” He looks up at me with fear in his eyes. “Yeah, you know the one. The young one. She’s the fifteen-year-old granddaughter of Salvatore Como. Happens to be an acquaintance of mine. She’s waiting and ready to go to her grandfather and let him know what you made her do for you. All the things you made her do to you. That you told her if she didn’t, you were going to turn on her, give her up with a half-pound in her purse the same way you did to Jessie. Won’t matter if it’s true, you two have a pattern and Mr. Como, see, he loves his granddaughter. So even if you make it to prison, don’t think for a second, he doesn’t have a long reach. All the things you made her do to you are going to feel like a ride at Disneyland compared to what waits for you.”

“This is bullshit.” Les shakes his head, leaning back in his chair like he’s a badass.

“Maybe. Maybe not. You want to risk it?” I tip my head toward the guy they came in with. “Your buddy here is willing to cooperate. Isn’t that right, Ricky?”