The Power: Building the Circle - Book 2 Page 6

  One of the guys followed behind the woman. He was huge. Maybe six-four or five with blonde hair and blue eyes and an exceptionally built body. He also had two guns holstered on his sides.

  The other guy was smaller by comparison. Maybe six feet even, but just as built, if not as wide-shouldered. He also had two holstered guns and something that looked like a tactical knife on his belt.

  What the fuck? They're wearing guns, I don't want Ree here.

  Lucy turned around to go back out the door, but Adrian and Ree had followed her into the house.

  "Why are you wearing guns in my house? I'm telling Mom," Adrian said with a completely straight face.

  "Am I going to Englewood? Because if I'm going to Englewood, the guns go, too. Relax Nancy. Safety's on. I'll Barney Fife it and put the bullets in another pocket," the blonde guy said. "Kid, don't touch the guns, K? We clear on that?"

  Henry nodded from behind Lucy.

  "Jerk," the woman smacked him. "You're scaring him. It's OK, Henry. They're not going to hurt you."

  "Hey kid, are you Henry?" the blonde guy asked as he knelt down. "I'm William. Will. Did you know Henry is my dad's name?"

  "It's Adrian's dad's name, too!" Henry said excitedly.

  "What a coincidence! Crazy, right? Wanna shake hands and be friends?"

  As Henry finished shaking Will's hand, Will grabbed Henry's ankle and yanked him off his feet, dangling him by one leg and swinging him. Henry squealed with surprise and delight.

  Lucy squeaked in terror. What the fuck! "Don't, don't, he can't do that!"

  "Hennessy! Go long, man!" William yelled while swinging Henry toward the other guy.

  "STOP!" Adrian bellowed. Everyone in the room froze.

  Will flipped Henry around and set him down, seated, on the couch. "You know, you're no fun at all. I feel like you used to be more fun. The kid loved it. Right, kid?"

  Henry giggled and nodded.

  "See, he's fine. Oh. Aunt Lucy's gonna lose her shit, though. I didn't really consider that angle. Come here, Lucy. I'll dangle you by your leg, too. Zero risk. I swear," William said.

  Adrian turned to Lucy. Her eyes were huge, and she was terrified. "He's not my smartest brother. But, there's no chance at all that he'd let Henry get hurt. Are you breathing, Lucy? You have to breathe. Henry, are you OK?"

  Henry nodded, still laughing.

  "Please don't do that again," Lucy gasped. "He gets hurt very easily."

  "OK. No more rough-housing. At least until the cancer's done. Once that's over, we'll throw down. Yeah?" He asked Henry. At an enthusiastic nod from Henry, William said, "We're in agreement. I'm sorry I scared you, Lucy. Stop glaring at me, Adrian."

  Adrian sighed. "Lucy and Henry, this is my elder brother William. That guy is an adopted brother named Hennessy. This is my little sister, Beth."

  Somewhere, the names registered in her brain, but for the most part, Lucy was still trying to keep her shit together.

  "Lucy, Will and Hennessy will go down to your apartment and get your stuff."

  ✽✽✽

  In the end, Lucy decided to go with them. It was hard to think through everything she wanted. She didn't plan to move out when she left the apartment that morning.

  "It would be better if you didn't go, Lucy. The strong preference was for you NOT to go with us. We'll just take pictures and text them to you," Will said.

  "Henry and I will go. It's OK. I've lived there for most of a year. It's really not that bad," Lucy said.

  "The kid can't go," Will said, in a tone that meant business.

  "He's fine. He lives there," Lucy said.

  "Not anymore. Sam specifically said Henry stays here. The kid is staying here. Beth will stay here with him."

  Beth nodded. "Milkshakes are coming soon. And maybe french fries. And whatever else looks good. Drink your juice, Ree. We'll watch movies. All good."

  "I really appreciate what you people are doing for us, and I don't want to downplay that, but I don't know you at all. I'm not leaving my kid here alone," Lucy said.

  "Then stay here with him," Will said. "Henry stays here, or we don't go at all. He was very clear about this, Adrian. He said it like six times."

  "I can just go get my stuff. We don't need to make a big production out of this," Lucy said.

  "Lucy, Sam says either Will and I go and you stay here, or you come with us and the kid stays here. You don't go alone. The kid doesn't go at all. Those are the rules of engagement," Hennessy said. "We're not trying to be difficult. It's just what needs to happen. It might even make sense later."

  Lucy opened her mouth to argue.

  "I'll stay here," Adrian said. "Will that ease the worry?"

  Lucy looked surprised.

  "I sat with him all night on Saturday, Lucy. I understand the distrust, I really do. Logically, I get it. But I'm having a hard time not being offended when you'll leave him with someone like Erika but not my sister," Adrian said, annoyed again. "Let's just get this done. I'll stay here. Will and Hennessy will take you. It seems to be important that they're there with you, so I'll stay here."

  "We don't bet against Sam. Ever. Please believe me," Will said.

  Adrian didn't look happy. "There's not much to do. You're just taking what you want. No furniture or dishes or anything. Clothes. Toys that Ree really likes. Anything of value - sentimental or otherwise. Leave everything else. A service will come through and get rid of everything that's left, OK?"

  "Thanks," she said quietly, knowing that she'd offended the people trying to help her.

  "Do we need one truck or two?" Hennessy asked, unphased.

  Chapter 5

  William drove an oversized Suburban. "Is there enough space in here for the three of us and your crap? Do we need another truck?"

  "No," Lucy replied. "We wouldn't need a second truck even if we were moving furniture."

  "OK. Let's do this," Hennessy said, hopping into the front passenger seat.

  "I can give you the address-" she started to say.

  "I have it," Hennessy said.

  "Oh," Well, OK then, Lucy thought.

  "In the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you that I am a security consultant and investigator. I do a lot of work for Adrian, specifically around verifying if a need is legitimate. Monday morning, after you talked to Martha, she called and gave me your name and phone number. From that, I did a background check. The only information shared with Adrian and the Foundation was that your need is legitimate," Hennessy said matter-of-factly.

  "Between those of us in this car, is your sister going to be a problem?" He asked. "This family doesn't go half-way. You're about to fall into a shitload of fucking money, probably for the rest of your life. Do I need a contingency for her?"

  "I- I don't know. I don't know where she is. I haven't heard from her in a little over 3 years. She dropped Henry off for me to babysit for a few days and never came back. What was in this background check? Why would you do that without my permission? And, this isn't for the rest of my life. The Foundation is helping Henry and then we'll- " she stopped talking when Will chuckled.

  "Yeah, sorry if this wasn't clear, Lucy. When Darla starts huggin', you're family. It might take some time, but you're gonna be expected at Sunday dinner. They collect strays like us," Hennessy said through a laugh. "It ain't a bad thing, you'll see."

  "What about the background check?" Lucy asked.

  "What about it? You really wanna talk 'bout it? It was all publicly available data. We didn't interview anyone or pull credit reports or any of that. It's not that kind of check. You wanna see it, I'll show you later. But, you don't want to talk about it now, Lou." Hennessy said.

  "Jessup?" Will asked.

  "Na, Reap. Not like that. It's fine," Hennessy said.

  "I'll plan for Linda," Hennessy muttered with a sigh a few minutes later.

  ✽✽✽

  "Jesus Christ," Will said as he wrangled the building door open. "Fucking used rubbers and needles. No wonder he
had a shit fit. How long you been here, Lou?"

  "Last October," Lucy mumbled. She was starting to be embarrassed by what was to come. These guys were going to judge her apartment. Her life. Somehow, she wished she'd kept her mouth shut so that Adrian was here.

  "He came down here alone at night. Remind me to beat the shit outta him later," Hennessy said. "How fucking hard is it to call? And how did you make it here for eight fucking months without shit going sideways?"

  "Third floor, far end of the hallway," she muttered.

  There was a note from Erika on the door, demanding her money from Saturday. There had been a note on the door on Sunday and Monday, too. Lucy would file this note with those notes - in the garbage.

  "On the upside, I don't have to pay that bitch now. She left my kid alone," Lucy said as she pushed the stuck door open.

  Will walked through the apartment. "Clear. Lucy, start with clothes? Where do you want us to start?"

  Thirty minutes later, Lucy was dragging the last of the bags of clothes to the truck. As she climbed the stairs, Erika came out of her apartment.

  "You owe me something, honey," Erika said.

  "Yeah, I owe you a call to the cops. You left him alone. I'm not paying you. Give it up," Lucy called over her shoulder.

  "Bitch, you're going to pay one way or another. I need that money," Erika yelled up the stairs.

  "Ain't happenin'," Lucy called back.

  Back in the apartment, Hennessy was in the bedroom, moving the furniture to make sure nothing was left behind. Will was in the kitchen, moving the fridge to check for anything that might have been missed.

  Lucy heard Will start laughing, "Here's your fucking schedule, Lou. With the bar number. You should fucking frame-"

  Someone shot at and then kicked into the wood around the door. They did it well; the door opened.

  Before she could react, Lucy got hit in the face with the gun. It went off as the gun hit her, shooting the couch as Lucy fell to the floor. "You're gonna pay my-"

  And then Will was there. Before the guy with the pistol realized what was happening, Will ripped the gun out of his hand, ejected the clip, dismantled it, and tossed it over his shoulder for Hennessy. With a sickening crunch, the guy's knee joint cracked the wrong way as Will backhanded him to the ground.

  "Will. He's down," Hennessy said.

  William didn't move, standing over the guy.

  "Reap! He's out. Down. Job's done," Hennessy said, "I'm callin."

  "Oh, my God," Lucy cried. Nose broken and bleeding, Lucy looked around the apartment. The gun went off. Did it go through the floor? Was anyone screaming?

  When Lucy saw the couch, her blood went cold.

  As William handed her a kitchen towel, he followed her gaze. "That Ree's spot?" he asked.

  At her nod, Hennessy said, "See? Sometimes it even makes sense."

  "Police will be here soon. Then we'll go, OK?" William said.

  She didn't make it to the bathroom before she vomited.

  ✽✽✽

  After Lucy left with Will and Hennessy, Adrian paced.

  "Are you going to pace the entire time they're gone?" Beth asked.

  "Probably," Adrian said with a little smile. "Don't judge. Did you come here with them to babysit while we went down to the apartment? Sam got that wrong?"

  "Pfft. Is Sam ever wrong? No. I just came to hang out. Nothing going on right now," Beth said.

  "Henry, do you want a snack? Want to go raid the pantry with me?" Beth asked. "We can have more ice cream!"

  "No, thank you," he mumbled from the couch.

  "Tired, buddy? It's OK to nap. It's not even two. Your aunt will be back when you wake up." Adrian asked.

  "K," Henry said.

  About two hours later, Sam showed up.

  "She went with them?" Sam asked, upset. He walked the circle of the living room to the kitchen without finding Lucy.

  "Yeah," Adrian said. "Why?"

  "I told them not to take her! Why did she go?"

  "She wanted to. What's wrong?" Beth asked.

  "Just go call them," Sam snapped. "I told them to avoid taking her."

  ✽✽✽

  One of the cops that showed up was former military. That helped things along. Erika came upstairs, crying and screaming from the stairway entrance. He never had a gun. They attacked him (in Lucy's apartment). Lucy broke her own damn face. And the bitch still owed her a hundred bucks.

  "Enough with this fucking place," Will muttered as he shoved a hundred-dollar bill into Erika's yapping mouth. "Can we go? You have our contact info. She's gotta get to a hospital."

  EMTs were loading the guy onto a stretcher, still unconscious. "What'd you hit him with?"

  "My hand," Will said with a completely straight face. "Wasn't even a fist."

  The cop calling in the IDs and gun permits yelled over his shoulder, "Hey, He-man. Trellis? You one of those Trellis's?"

  Will nodded.

  "Here's your shit, man. Get gone. What are you doing down here to begin with?"

  "Getting Lou moved," he said with a smirk.

  When Hennessy opened the door to lead the way out, Erika was by the stairway, still yelling.

  "I will dump your ass over this railing. Shut it. Move. Now," Hennessy said.

  ✽✽✽

  As they were turning out of the rougher part of town, Hennessy's phone rang to the tune of Black Magic Woman.

  "That's new," he muttered. "Yeah, boss."

  Lucy could hear a female voice on the other end that might have been Beth.

  "We're out. Her face is broken," Hennessy said.

  "Nah, no fatalities. OK." He hung up. "Northwestern."

  "Yes, Miss Daisy," Will muttered. "Anything we need to talk about?"

  "Na, that's all she said," Hennessy said.

  Stitches and a pain pill prescription later, they were back at Adrian's house just in time for Ree to wake up.

  "I TOLD YOU NOT TO TAKE HER," Sam yelled for the sixth time.

  "No. You said it'd be better if she didn't go. You told me not to take the kid. And I didn't take the kid. See? He's fine," Will said.

  "YOU KNEW WHAT I MEANT," Sam continued to bitch.

  ✽✽✽

  There was deep dish pizza for dinner, a rare treat for Henry. Lucy ate as much as she could, but the pain was settling in. The adrenaline was fading. Fatigue was hitting hard.

  "Where are we sleeping tonight?" She mumbled to the room at large.

  "Here. Take this." Adrian squatted down next to her and handed her a pain pill. As she swallowed it, he whispered, "Everything's OK. Lucy, rest now."

  As she faded out to oblivion, she heard Will clear his throat.

  ✽✽✽

  Just a little push. A tiny one, so she could sleep, Adrian thought. No harm done.

  Lucy's head wobbled as she nodded off. Adrian caught her as she tipped sideways out of her chair.

  "Want me to take her?" Will asked.

  "She's not heavy," Adrian replied as he stood with her cradled in his arms.

  "Aunt Lucy?" Ree asked, eyes huge.

  "She's just sleeping, buddy. She needs to rest. You'll stay here with me tonight, OK?" Adrian said as he walked out of the room with Lucy.

  "I'll get their clothes and stuff out of the truck. There's not much," Hennessy said.

  When Adrian came back into the kitchen, Will was staring at him. "What?"

  "I can take them with me, or bring them to Hank and Darla," Will offered.

  "Eh, we'll figure it out in the morning. She's sleeping now," Adrian replied.

  "Amazing how quick that medication kicked in, huh?" Will said, still staring at his little brother.

  ✽✽✽

  Lucy woke up the next day in an unfamiliar bedroom. It took her a minute to remember where she was and what happened. As soon as she moved her head, her face reminded her.

  She wanted a shower. And a toothbrush. And Ree. Where was Ree? The last thing she remembered was eating pizza.

&nb
sp; She got out of the bed and walked into the hallway. She could hear people talking in the living room. She walked in that direction to find the short, middle-aged woman from the hospital on Saturday coloring with Ree.

  "Aunt Lucy!" he called as he ran for her.

  "Holy cow," the woman exclaimed, looking at Lucy. "There was a mishap."

  "Hi, baby," Lucy muttered. "You OK? Did you take your meds?"

  "Yes, Adrian gave them to me earlier," he said.

  "Good boy, thank you," she mumbled.

  "Hi, Mrs. Trellis, I'm so sorry for snarki-" Lucy started to say.

  "Sweetheart, I'm Darla. And I have NINE children. You have no idea what my definition of snark is. Go get cleaned up, then I'll make us some lunch. With an ice pack to go with it. And maybe some drugs. There's a bigger, fancier walk-in shower upstairs if you want that. A tub, too. Probably not a bad idea to have a soak."

  "What time is it?" Lucy asked.

  "12:30. Adrian thought he'd be home by 2 or so. So, probably 3:30."

  "Thank you for-"

  "Lucy, go get cleaned up," Darla said in a flat tone of voice.

  A warm shower and a good tooth brushing later, Lucy was exhausted. Darla fed her hot ham and cheese sandwiches with tomato soup. She fell asleep in the living room chair before she was finished eating.

  When she woke up, Adrian and Henry were cooking in the kitchen.

  "Hey guys," she said as she wandered in.

  Adrian glanced up and flinched.

  ✽✽✽

  Lucy's nose was broken. Both eyes were severely bruised. One of the blood vessels in her right eye broke, so her eye was bloody. Her upper lip was torn and swollen. Adrian could almost see the shape of the gun in the bruising.

  "How do you feel?" Adrian asked.

  "Like I got hit in the face with a gun over a hundred bucks," she admitted.

  "Well, that seems wholly accurate," he said with a smile.

  "Smiling makes my face hurt. Don't make me smile," she said, trying to relax her mouth.