Page 5 of Ruthless Consequences

He shrugged. “I’m thinking about killing all of you.” He saidall of youlike,all of yuse. He touched the back of his head and winced.

“How much does he owe?”

“Why? You gonna pay his debt?”

“How MUCH?” The flashlight and gun trembled in my hand.

“Be careful with that,” he said. “The light and the piece.”

I took a step forward and he put his hands up.

“I’m going for a cigarette. That’s all.” He slowly put his hand in his pocket and came out with a pack of cigarettes and a packet of matches. He lit it up, put it to his mouth, took a drag, and then released a cloud of smoke. “Fifteen grand.”

“Fifteen—” I stopped myself from repeating his words. He might as well have said fifty million.

“I know you don’t have it. Or he would have already given it.”

“The house?” I said.

“No good.” He blew out more smoke.

“We don’t have anything else.”

“How much cash you have here?”

“Five hundred.”

Fucking bill money!

He laughed but stopped like it hurt his head. “That’s not even interest.”

“I could shoot you right now,” I said. “Erase everything.”

“You could. But people know where I’ve been today. People always know.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “They’ll come looking. Here.”

“One less loan shark…”

“…is one less that brings in the blood money. I’m good with payments, honey. I mean something to some people. Besides that, the entire neighborhood knows you’re a churchgoer and all. That’s against the rules, right?”

“I can make payment arrangements,” I said.

He pulled his knees up, leaning over them. He let the cigarette burn, knocking the ashes on Sonny’s back, before he took another drag. He eyed me seriously.

“Sonny here has a beautiful daughter.” He looked me up and down and then turned his eyes toward my little sister. He scrunched up his nose. “Not that one.” He felt his head again. “You sure she didn’t hit me? That’s Mean Sally’s kid. Looks like her. Mean eyes and all.” He shivered.

My finger itched to pull the trigger, to hurt this man. But I knew he was right. Too many people knew who he was, and if he brought in money regularly, he meant something to someone. I didn’t need that kind of heat coming back here. Especially with Minnie. I ignored the second part of his reasoning, because it was none of his business.

“Payment arrangements, or no?”

“No.” His eyes swung to mine, remembering that I held his gun. He put out the cigarette in Sonny’s hair. It made ahisssound against his scalp. Then he tried to stand, but he was too unsteady.

While he tried to get his shit together, I backed up some, taking position directly in front of Minnie.

Mo cursed as he stumbled. He righted himself finally, but then he tried to kick Sonny. His coordination was still off, though, because he kicked right over him and almost fell backward. He caught himself, then turned to face me.

“I know where you work. Valentino’s. You could never pay me back. And if Michele found out, which he’snot—” he gave me the mean eye, a clear threat “—he’d never allow his money to get to my hands. Michele calls the cops on his own son.”

“I can save.”

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