Page 520 of Devil’s Disciples

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Crip asked.

“Guy on Mission Beach,” I responded. “He’s having a party tonight. I was supposed to deliver those weapons so he could distribute them to his clients. If I don’t, I’m going to lose the money, and lose a damned good customer.” I looked at the clock. “I don’t have a phone. I can’t call him. I need to get there before ten.”

Alacrán stepped between me and the door. “You want to pay me for a shipment and then rush away, Mister Tiddlewood?” His face went stern. “This deal is beginning to smell like a set-up.”

“It’s not a set up. I fucked around and got mixed up on—"

“Stop taking,” he demanded. “As soon as you leave here with the drugs, will the police break down the door?”

“Fuck those drugs,” I snapped. “Keep the money and the drugs both here. Fuck, if you’re that worried about it, come with me. We’ll come back and do the deal in a few minutes.”

He seemed confused. “I don’t like this.”

“Look,” I said, giving him my best evil-eyed stare. “You took a fucking hour and a half counting that money. That’s your fault. I somehow lost a day this week, that’s my fault. The bottom line? If I don’t get to this guy’s house by ten o’clock, I’m going to lose three million bucks and a good customer. I don’t know his number, or I’d use your phone to call him. My only way to reach him is to go to his place. It’ll take twenty minutes. Take the money with you. Leave it here. Leave the dope here. I don’t give a fuck. But, I’m walking out that god damned door and going to make this gun deal right. When I’m done, I’ll come back here and make this deal right. What do you want to do?”

“No offense intended, Mister Tiddlewood, but I don’t fully trust you.”

“We’ve been through this.” I looked him up and down. “I don’t fully trust you, either.”

He studied me for a moment. Then, he looked at Manos. “Get the money.”

It was exactly what I’d hoped for. I looked at Manos. “You coming?”

“As soon as I geet the mahney.”

By the time we loaded the money in the car, it was ten after ten.

I needed to make sure the cop didn’t arrest Alacran while he was with us. If that happened, he’d know it was us that set him up, and I’d be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life.

After everyone was in the car, I looked at Crip. “I’m taking a different route out of here, just in case there was a cop that followed us.”

He gave a nod. “Gotcha.”

In fifteen minutes, we were at Goose’s place. The music was blaring, the lights were flashing, and people were on the rooftop dancing. The place looked like a mansion from Million Dollar Listings in Los Angeles, and was sure to impress Alacrán, making everything look that much more legitimate.

My only hope was that Goose followed my lead.

I parked the car and glanced over my shoulder. “Coming with me or staying here?”

“He’ll stay with the money,” Alacrán said. “I’ll come with you.”

“Understandable,” I said. “I’ll leave Rex with him. C’mon.”

Alacrán and I took the staircase to the roof. Goose and the rest of the fellas were right where we left them. I gestured to the bar. “Grab a drink, I’ll be just a minute.”

“I’ll come with you,” he said.

Fuck.

I took my time walking to where Goose was standing, trying to decide how I was going to talk my way out of the mess I was in without Alacrán knowing what was going on. Everyone knew where I was going, and I hope like hell they recognized Alacrán from the pictures we’d seen.

When I reached the group, Tito stepped between Goose and I, and pointed at me. “Tyrone Tiddlewood,” he said, loud enough that Goose could hear. “Is that right?”

The little fucker remembered every detail, every time.

I grinned. “Good memory.” I gestured to Goose. “I need to talk to your partner.”

I walked up to Goose and raised my right hand to chest height. He raised his. We slapped our hands together, and I pulled him in for a hug. While I patted my hand against his back, I moved my mouth to his ear.