Houdini || A Happy Lowman Love Story

32

We walked a few steps away from the van and towards the only other guy that came with Alvarez.

"Are you the one that killed my guys?" He asked, nodding towards the bandage on my arm.

I froze, luckily Kozik stepped in.

"What do you want?"

"That wasn't a Mayans call," he said. "We've been good with the Sons for far too long."

"Don't really want a repeat of the ass kicking y'all got while these two were in grade school?"

Marcus cut a glare at Kozik. I wasn't quite sure if he was trying to provoke Marcus or what.

"I'm trying to let y'all know that there won't be retaliation. Those two double crossed me. Saved me a bit of a hassle getting rid of em," he said.

"Wasn't for your benefit," I said.

"E," Juice warned. I shut my mouth and let Marcus finish apologizing for the events of last week. He explained how the two had taken to running a prostitution ring that he was unaware of. That's what Vic owed the two on. They came in as Mayans thinking the store wasn't protected and Scuff would bow to a couple of bikers.

"Are we good?" Marcus asked.

"Gonna need to sit down with our VP on that one. One of our guys inside was shived over this," Kozik said.

"I'll give him a call, schedule a meet," he said. Kozik nodded and the two shook hands. Kozik turned and walked back to the van, already pulling his phone out. Phil was waiting for us with a prepaid held out to him though.

"Called Opie the second ya walked away."

"You did good man," Kozik said, taking the phone and pacing a bit as the two talked.

"Hey, Phil, Happy says thank you for all the help you've been giving me," I said.

"I kinda have to, but I don't mind," he said.

"Just take the thanks man, Happy's a scary dude and he doesn't thank people often," Juice said.

I nodded a bit as I leaned against the passenger door of the van.

A few minutes later Kozik tossed the prepaid back to Phil.

"That meet with Marcus is happening in twenty minutes." Kozik was already getting on his bike so we could head down. That would just about split the difference between here and Charming. Phil ran around the van as I climbed in and Juice and Kozik peeled out of the Stockton Prison parking lot.

As Phil drove we talked a bit. He had a lot of questions, some of which I had to give him work around answers on. I wasn't sure how much he was supposed to know. When we pulled into the lot, Opie and Piney were waiting. We all walked up and Opie handed over our guns that had been left at the clubhouse this morning.

"Phil, Edith, take the van and head back to Charming. The four of us will handle this," Opie said.

"Ope, Edith was with us earlier," Kozik said.

"You let a prospect in on a club meeting?" Opie asked. He was angry.

"To be fair, she's the one who was shot because of this bullshit," Juice said.

"Ope, I was the only one with a gun. It was a protection call," I said. "I snuck the one from the glove box into my waistband."

"Fine, I won't reprimand you this time," he said. "You two still need to get back into town though. Edith stop and check on Donna will ya?"

I agreed and we got back into the van. I gave Phil the directions to Donna and Opie's house and told him to sit in the van while I ran inside.

I talked to my sister-in-law and my niece and nephew for a few minutes. I guess Opie had stayed at the clubhouse last night. I explained that we were in over our heads and he'd be home soon.

I didn't stay long because she wasn't thrilled about the prospect sitting out front.