Page 86 of Jingle Belle's Biker

“They can’t afford it. I did some calculations based on incomes and there’s no way they can pay the rent and the fees.”

“Not even Belle?”

He sends me a sharp look. “She doesn’t need to.”

I leave that be. “I’m not using weapons. This . . .” I wave a hand over the mess. “This is not what I signed up for. I’m not doing it.”

“Now, now, we have a deal and I need some help. Look.” He heads out and locks the door when we hit the night air. Then he tosses me the keys. “Not asking you to do anything illegal. You’ve got friends here. I’ve seen the bikes that appear in the courtyard of the Gardens. Come the set date, you might appreciate help to get these people out.”

I grind down on an answer, keeping it to myself.

The guy’s up there with pond scum. “I’m not crossing lines.”

“Don’t.” He checks his watch. “Oh, I’ve got to go. Just take care of it, and in case any of your friends feel like they might need something from the building? You can’t get into it from down there.”

“I’m not crossing the line.”

“Then get some people who will.”

Frederick Jones thumps my back when I step into the bar. Time’s running out, but if Lance wants help . . .

“Need to talk to Gravel.”

“This way.” He leads me in to the office where Gravel’s talking it up with the pretty little Mellie.

“Mel,” he says, “gonna ask you to run that errand you need.”

She nods and scurries off.

“You don’t work here.” I lean on the desk.

Frederick disappears then returns with beers.

“Neither do you.”

“Sunk some money in here,” Frederick says.

Gravel smirks. “You don’t get to be me, young Saint, without having fucking privileges.”

“You’re not that much fucking older than me.”

He counts out three fingers. Then narrows his eyes. “Older, little Saint. By fifteen fucking years. And I know your old man.”

I’m bigger than him. “Can you look over Mellie’s lease?”

“Not a fucking lawyer, duderino.”

Grav’s had a few.

“Both of you?”

“Why?” Frederick asks as I toy with the bottle. “Something up?”

“You could say that. Might have a Christmas job. For those that’re interested.”

Belle’s scent’s got a Christmas edge today. Cinnamon. Spice. Warmth and eggnog. The sugary goodness of cookies and cakes.

Even though the tree’s visible from a few streets away, when I pull up, I take it in, and the crowd of people, the little kids running about.

---