“Well you shouldn't have,” I said, this time standing for real. “If they're coming here I'll be going now.
“You can't,” Bryan said quickly. “You don't want to make them mad. I'm not asking you to give us the money, I would never make you do that. I can understand that family comes first, but you don't want to offend them. Trust me. Stay here and I'll explain it away so they won't get mad at you, if you leave before they get here they'll be suspicious.”
“You want me to shake hands with the people who killed my uncle?” I asked, full of disbelief.
“I knew Old Man Dunlap from back when we were kids and even if he was family to you, he wasn't worth you getting killed over. You've managed to walk the middle line, never getting on anyone's bad side, for so long that I'd hate to see you get yourself into trouble now. Your Uncle was a parasite, one who lived off of your father our whole childhood in the name of kinship. I'm not asking you to help us, just don't leave, for your own sake. Frank and Creepy are going to be upset enough with the bad news without having to add to their anger. This is going to put a real wrench in our plans you know.”
I don't know what I would have said in response to his heartfelt plea, probably something rude that he didn't deserve. He really was only looking out for me but my mind was starting to get too fogged with anger to think clearly. I didn't have the chance to say anything hurtful though, because that was the point that Frank and Creepy came through the door. I didn't recognize them at first, I'd never met them, and it didn't help that they had a little middle aged woman with them. I don't normally think of famous gangsters coming into a dive with someone like that.
“Good God, what's Ma doing here? She never comes along when we talk about jobs. She should be home right now listening to Amos and Andy,” Brian sounded actually shocked. Then the woman stood up from the table and I could see realization cross his face as the woman twined herself around the man I would learn was Frank. “That's right, I'd forgotten, with a new woman in her son's life of course Ma won't let them out of her sight for the next few days. She chased off my last girl through just talk. Any skirt a guy in the gang picks up she's sure to find a way to scare them off.”
“Good, maybe then the retched clan won't continue,” I snapped. I knew Bryan didn't deserve it but he knew I was upset and took it like a good sport. Unfortunately I said in a voice harsh enough that it carried and it attracted the attention of the group who now broke apart from one another to come over and talk to us. The look that Creepy, as Alvin is known, gave me as he came towards me from across the room made me even more angry then I had been before. I don't like being sized up.
“Is this the friend you were talking about?” he asked Bryan.
“Yeah,” answered Bryan quickly. I think he saw me about to open my mouth. “But he says that he can't help us. I guess he bailed out the Winston brothers and they still haven't paid him back. We'll have to find someone else.” This time the look Alvin gave me was even more scornful.
“What kind of bondsman doesn't have the money to do his job? I thought you said this guy's good Bryan.”
I've got money enough,” I cut in. I knew that I shouldn't, that Bryan had worked very had to make sure that I didn't say what I was saying, but my reputation had been attacked and I had to defend it. None of it is yours though,” I added. “I have standards.”
“Your friend got a death wish?” Fred asked Bryan, talking for the first time during our brief meeting.
To be continued...
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