Page 87 of Agony

“I don’t know, a guy and a kid live there.” The guy wiped at his nose.

“What’s the address?”

Chester darted his eyes around and mumbled off an address. “Are we good? Can ya spot me a redback?”

Justice gestured to Steel. His friend rolled his eyes and pulled out his wallet with an annoyed sound. Tugging out a twenty, Steel handed it to Chester, but didn’t let go when the man tried to take it.

“If you’re lying, we’ll be back and this time, you’ll be dog food.” Steel gestured to Axel.

Chester finally tugged the twenty free and shoved it away. Nodding quickly, the guy hurried away.

“What do you think?” Steel asked.

Justice pulled the hair on his chin and scratched his fingers at his unshaven jaw.

“I think Skid Row is worth checking out since we’re close and then we can swing by that house.”

“Sounds good,” Steel agreed.

“I wonder if Boston or Azrael know about this Crow guy. Chester seems pretty scared.”

“You thinking Crow might be in charge instead of Tanis?” Steel asked.

“I don’t know. Let’s head to L.A.”

Forty minutes later because of fighting traffic, they arrived near the Row. He hated leaving his truck close, so he parked it several blocks away in paid parking.

“Heel,” Justice told Axel.

Skid Row hadn’t changed since the last time Justice had come through there a year ago looking for Rip.

Wrath had told him that their father had died and there was no sign of Rip in the house. That conversation had been painful.

“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me you knew where dad was?” He couldn’t keep the hurt from his voice.

“Because he was a sick fuck and you were in the service when he passed,” Wrath said and shrugged.

“I’m going to find him,” he snarled, glaring at Wrath.

“I hope you do.” Wrath’s expression turned sad.

From then on, he’d started searching in earnest and he’d heard through the grapevine that Rip was an assassin. However, a few months later, he also heard that the information on his brother might be bogus. The misinformation had led him to search for Ripley in a lot of other areas.

As was his habit, he began looking at the faces of men who might be around his brother’s age.

“You looking for someone?” Steel asked when he stopped to check out another man on the streets.

“Why would you say that?”

“Because I doubt this Crow guy is going to be covered in grime smelling of booze.”

Justice sighed and moved on. “Yeah, I’m looking for my little brother.”

“I didn’t know you had a brother other than Wrath.”

“I don’t talk about him much.”

“J…we’ve known each other for years and you’ve never mentioned you had another brother.” Steel gazed at him with a concerned frown. “Why are you searching Skid Row?”

---