* * *
Hawk hada smoke between his lips as he lined up a shot, calling the eight ball into the corner pocket. He sank it with ease and stood up, tossing the pool stick to the table.
“Pay up, motherfucker,” he said to Reese.
Reese folded his arms. “What’s the magic word?”
“I saidmotherfucker,” Hawk said with a grin.
“Funny.”
“VP… pay up.”
Reese stuck his hand into his right front pocket and took out a twenty.
Hawk snatched it out of his hand and nodded. “Some more pussy money.”
“See, that’s the problem with you,” Reese said as he leaned against the pool table. “You pay for it. I don’t.”
“Nah, that’s not for pussy,” Ellis said, carrying a beer in one hand and a folder in the other. “That’s for the antibiotics he has to give women in advance.”
“Eat shit, Ellis.”
“You know how some guys will wine and dine?” Ellis asked. “Hawk doesmed and bed…”
Reese started to laugh.
Hawk turned to face Ellis and Ellis opened his arms. “What, bro? What are you going to do?”
“Gentlemen,” Reese said, pushing from the pool table. He got between them. “Hawk, nice win. Take your cash and go find something to do. I’m sure there’s arelieverhanging around that has an empty stomach for you.”
“Fucking right,” Hawk said.
“Ellis, what’s the folder for?”
“Lawyer’s bill,” he said. “And a copy of the bullshit reports from the police.”
“Anything we need to worry about?” Reese asked.
“No. As long as the check clears for Larry, we’re good.”
“Is the check going to clear?”
“That’s my problem to worry about,” Ellis said.
“Hey, Reese, check this out,” Zac called out as he walked from the meeting room with a phone in his hand.
“What do you have?” Reese asked.
“I hooked up the outside security to my phone,” Zac said. “So, we can monitor all activity. I have cameras everywhere. Nobody does a thing without us knowing.”
“That in our budget?” Reese asked and eyed Ellis.
“No budget needed,” Zac said. “I have a friend of a friend…”
“Meaning what?” Reese asked.
“Meaning an order might have disappeared with my help…”