Page 5 of Bourbon & Blood

“Her name,” I answered, knowing he wouldn’t let it the fuck go until he dragged something outta me. I knew how he worked.

“You mean all this time you ain’t learned her name?” he asked after barking a laugh.

I kept my mouth shut. The prospect’s boot tread loud on the concrete floor out in the hallway.

“I say goddamnprospect!” Hex shouted, taking the bourbon from the kid. “You keep walkin’ around like that, ain’t a fuckin’ soul in NOLA ain’t know you comin’. Good way to get yourself shot, dipshit.”

“Shit,” the kid said chagrinned. “My bad.”

I frowned.

“Take off your boots,” I ordered. “You can have ‘em back when you learn t’ be quieter.” Wordlessly, the kid complied, pulling off one then the other as I jerked my head at the empty corner of the room. He tossed ‘em there and I said, “Now get out.”

Hex brought the glass of bourbon over and set it in front of me. I sipped it and stared off into space, thinking about Alina,Alina Bouchard.

“I know that look,” Hex said sighing. “You ain’t fixin’ to do something foolish now, are you?” he asked. I flicked my gaze from that indeterminable point in space back to his and growled.

“Fuck me,” he muttered. “You want me to put a call into Radar? Have him do some o’ dat hoodoo magic computer shit he do?” he asked.

I shook my head.

I’d do it myself.

Later.

Some things were just too personal, and for whatever reason, Alina had become personal for me. Never mind I didn’t actually know her from fuckin’ Eve.

“What business we got to attend to?” I demanded, changing the subject.

Hex chuckled and cocked his head.

“Not a damn thing,” he said. “We’re gravy.”

I grunted.

“Then get the fuck out,” I told him and he barked a laugh.

“Alright, then. Have fun.” He waved over his shoulder dismissively on his way out and shut the door behind him.

I sat for a while, in the stale warmth of the small office and frowned slightly when the swamp cooler in the painted-over window kicked on to try and cool it. It was struggling, the press of summer hot and heavy. Reminded me of the time I pressed a motherfucker that owed us money down onto the grill at this joint off of Rampart. The way the cooler rattled in its frame bringing me back to the hiss and pop of his flesh and the sweet smell of pork filling the small kitchen as his face cooked.

I smiled. That’d been a lesson he’d never forget. He’d see that shit every time he looked in the mirror.

Truth be told, I don’t even remember what he owed us money for – drugs, more than likely. Maybe he got behind in the books? I didn’t care. Ruth pointed; I did my thing. It’d worked; but now I was in the uncomfortable position of having to point and sit back – and Ihatedsitting back.

I picked up my phone, the good one, and scrolled through the numbers. I smiled in a bit of irony when I found hers… Justice was something I hoped never caught up to me, at least, not citizen justice. That wasn’t real justice, though. Any man lived the life we did knew that. No, it wasn’t justice, it wascontrol.We made our own justice out here in the street and it was far more reliable, a hell of a lot quicker, and usually, a hell of a lot fairer.

I put the call through and waited as it rang. I hated talking. I wasn’t much of a talker; but this wasn’t something you sent in a text.

“Hey, you! Long time no talk. How have you been?” She sounded… better – more vivacious, brighter – and shewasa sweet woman. Brave. Seen some shit and been through it but hadn’t let it change her. Hadn’t given into it. I had a lot of respect for that. Of course, ithadbeen a while. How long, I didn’t know. Time did funny things in my head.

“Doing good,” I said roughly, and I took a sip of what was in my glass, appreciating the soothing burn going down.

“Oh, yeah?” Justice asked, a sly tone to her voice. She was sharp, and I had to think her own healing journey made her keen on wanting to fix everybody. Problem with that was there wasn’t any fixing the kind of broken in my head. There just wasn’t. Didn’t mean I didn’t appreciate her tryin’ but the woman needed to learn that some things were just a lost cause.

“Yeah,” I said and couldn’t help but smile. “Actually, I need a favor from your man,” I said. “Somethin’ low key, just lookin’ someone up for me like he does.”

“Oh,” she said and sounded a bit guarded now. “Nothing bad, is it?”

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