Page 45 of Vortex

“What does that mean?” Pres asks curiously.

“I think Percy is a reticulated python. I’m no expert, but his pattern matches that species. If I’m right, the Guinness World Record for a wild one is twenty-three feet eight inches. In captivity it’s twenty-five feet two inches. Both of these were female. In 1912 there is an unverified report from Indonesia, where these big bastards seem to be, of one measuring thirty-two feet nine and a half inches long. So, Percy could be only half his potential size, if indeed he is even a he. You might want to consider having him re-homed at some point. Probably sooner rather than later.” Bull gives us a serious look and I think he could be right on that score.

“Like the half inch makes a fucking difference at thirty-two feet nine and a half inches. I’ll talk to the guys at the crem. Mary-Lou has a new level of respect for Percy now she’s met him.” I return to my chair, and Bull plays with his laptop before changing the subject.

“I’ve been puzzling with Bank and Pens on how we’re going to get Cottonwood in the shit with their investors. We need to stay well off the radar. We might be doing the right thing, and we might be veterans who can hold our own, but the investors in this scheme we’ve stumbled upon are high-stakes players. If they find out we’ve chopped down their money tree, we could easily get wiped clean off the map.” Bull looks at his laptop and starts reeling off names. They mean nothing to me and clearly not to Pres either.

“You’ll have to be a little more specific if you want us to follow your train of thought, Bull,” Pres tells him.

Looking up, he gives both a look that says we are as thick as shit. “Cottonwood are tied in with the Mafia, several cartels, and most of the big crime syndicates in the country. Some of these names, neither Bank, Pens nor I can lock down, so could be from Europe or even Russia. We don’t want any one of them to be able to put our name to what we are thinking of doing. They could most certainly blow our house down.”

“What are you saying then? We leave it to the feds, who may or may not be involved?” Pres doesn’t look satisfied with that option.

“At the moment, I’m not suggesting anything. We’re still working on a solution, but what the three of us all agree on is that we need a secure Cottonwood location to do it from. It’s going to be something that is done via computer and the internet. We want nothing that can be traced back to us. We need a Cottonwood login and one of their terminals so the investors can see who and where the dodgy stuff happened when they realize they’ve been had. If Brandon has a personal laptop, that would be ideal. Failing that, somewhere he works from consistently.” Bull seems to think that we have the answer as he looks at us.

“Chris might have some information on that score, but I’m not sure I trust him enough to give away our game plan. Who else might have that level of intel for us?” I have a lightbulb moment as I ask this. “Candi! What about Chris’s Candi? She might know more than she realizes. Let’s get Vortex to check her out and see what she knows.”

“You’d be safer sending Allegra than asking Vortex to take on that mission,” Bull states seriously.

“You’re right on that score, Bull, but I think she’d need backup. I think I know the perfect person to go with her.” Pres has a demonic grin on his face, and I’m sure that we are not going to like what he’s going to say next. “Let’s get Allegra and Pattie to do the asking. I can’t think of two better people to get information from a woman than those two.”

“We’d have to send Vortex and Twang to watch their six while they did it, but you’re probably right in what you say,” I add to his suggestion.

“Why Twang?” Both Bull and Pres ask simultaneously.

“Pattie and Twang are like siblings. They’re joined at the hip when they’re together. Always joshing each other and teasing. If anyone will take care of Patties six, it’s Twang.”

“Right. Get those four into my office as soon as possible. I’ll give them the mission and we’ll see what information they can come up with. Keep this from the other old ladies, too. I don’t need five angry women battering my door down and screaming to be a part of the mission. You know damn well they’ll all want to be involved, even your Babs, Cannon.” Pres gives me his best you know it look.

“She ever hears you call her Babs she’ll do more than batter your door down, Pres. She told you she doesn’t like it.” I laugh as I remember it.

“I don’t do it in front of her, and if she ever finds out, I’ll know exactly who the snitch was.” Pres grins at me, but I’m not stupid enough to tell her something like that.

Chapter 27

*~* Allegra *~*

Vortex is trying to get the straw out of my hair and clothes. He seems to be trying to save my reputation from being ruined in front of Silas. We’ve had one hell of a session in the barn, and before we leave, he thinks I should look respectable. Ha! He can fook off with his respectable. I am more than happy to display to the world that I can keep my man happy whenever and wherever the mood takes us. Silas won’t give a damn either. He has told me about some of his and Estrella’s exploits.

We both receive messages at the same time. “Pres’ office?” Vortex asks me.

“Yes, apparently so, and immediately.” I run away from him and out of the barn, laughing and streaming straw as I go.

On the porch, watching us run toward him, Silas grins. “I’m surprised you two have the energy left to run. You’ve been in there almost as long as Estrella and I used to be.”

Vortex goes red and I just curtsey and say, “Why thank you kind sir. I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Explaining that we have to dash off to the clubhouse, I wait by Vortex’s hog while he grabs our helmets, but take the time to send Noah a message. Leo did a fine job of fitting my seat to Vortex’s hog. He put a nice, understated backrest on it, too. I love being his bitch, but I have hatched a plan with my friend Noah to get my own bike. Noah was over the moon that I had gone to him with such a secret plan, as I knew he would be.

Noah is on gate duty, and he gives me a thumbs-up as we ride in. Pulling up outside the clubhouse, I’m surprised to see Pattie waiting for us. “To what do we owe this honor?” Asks Vortex.

“What? Oh, I’m not waiting for you guys, I’m waiting for Twang. We’ve been mysteriously summoned before our lord and master. I suppose I should be scared, but I’m too excited to be scared. Or too dumb. One or the other.” Pattie is almost dancing on the spot as she says this.

“Well, just to add something else to the mystery, we have also been summoned by our lord and mister,” I comment.

“Master,” they both say in unison.

“Him too! What do you think it’s about? I know I haven’t been a bad girl, not in a way to upset Pres, anyway. That means it must be about something you’ve done, Pattie, and I’m going to be your jailer. I suppose being in handcuffs will be nothing out of the ordinary for you, eh?” I giggle as she looks at me surprised.