“I’ve got your back.”
“No, you’re gonna stay put,” I said. “I need you to take care of any security cameras in the area. Knock out every ATM and doorbell camera in the damned city if you have to. I’ll take care of Cletus.”
“That doesn’t work for me, brother,” Rabbitcountered.
“And I don’t give a shit. Last time I put a soldier in the line of fire, people died, and I’m not making that same mistake again.”
“From what I understand, Scrappy got killed because Jekyll left him alone while the rest of you went inside.”
“What you understand about that night is exactlydick all. You weren’t there, I was. And you’re not the senior Road Captain here, I am.”
“That sick piece of shit in there hurt my sister. I want justice and you’re not going to stand in my way.”
I jabbed a finger into his shoulder blade. “Jette may be your sister, but she’s my old lady, and if I say I’m going in there alone, I’m going in alone. Now, I respect you, Rabbit. But I’ll knock your dick in the dirt if you test me.”
“Then I won’t,” Rabbit said. “I’ll ask you, man to man. Please let me deliver justice.”
“Justice isn’t my plan, kid.”
“Goddammit, man, you saidwe’dtake care of him,” Rabbit rasped.
Just then, a compact Honda backed out of the driveway, and drove off down the street.
“That’s Marva’s car,” Rabbit said, impatiently.
“Jesus.” I dragged my hand down my face. “You can come with me, but Doc and Sundance never find out. You got that?”
Rabbit nodded.
“And I fuckin’ mean it about the cameras. If so much as a fucking polaroid of your dumbass showsup on the eleven o’clock news, I’ll do you worse than Cletus. You understand?”
“Give me seven minutes,” he said, typing away on one laptop while I checked the video feed into Cletus’ house on another.
“Aw, Jesus Christ,” I said, turning away from the computer screen.
“What is it?”
“Cletus is jacking off,” I said. “And to god only knows what.”
Rabbit scowled. “Promise me it’ll be the last time he ever does.”
“I swear it.”
After ten minutes, we checked the monitor and Cletus appeared to be dozing in his recliner.
I grinned, slapping Rabbit’s shoulder. “Show time.”
We were dressed in all black, moving as slowly and as quietly as possible, confident Rabbit had the neighborhood doorbell and security cameras dealt with. I let us into the house, locking the door behind me.
“Darlin’, ’dat you?” Cletus called out, rubbing his eyes. “You forget somethin’?”
“Not your darlin’ and I didn’t forget a goddamned thing,” Rabbit said, before landing a vicious right hand, knocking Cletus unconscious.
Cletus slumped into the chair, and I took the time he was out to duct tape him to it, then we waited.
He came to with a groan and tried to stand. “What the hell’s goin’ on? Who are you?”
“Who we are isn’t as important as who werepresent,” I said.