Inez nodded briskly. “I’ve worked with quite a few people, many that have come and gone over the years. I’m fairly good at choosing the right person. If I’m a partner, even a very junior one, I’d like to be in on the interview before you settle on someone.”
“Of course, Inez. You let us know what you need to make this work,” Czar said.
Alena came in, followed by Ice and Storm carrying trays. “Refreshments?” Alena set a platter of lemon-raspberry tarts on the table and added coffee for Frank and tea for Inez. “I wanted you to taste these, Inez. Frank. I would love your opinion.”
Ice put coffee in front of Czar and Steele. Storm gave Absinthe coffee and put the milk and sugar on the table beside the tarts.
Alena sank into a chair beside Absinthe. “We’re getting ready to open my restaurant. I’m having more trouble finding the right people to work for me than I did getting the permits for the building and business.”
Inez sighed. “That’s the way it is here. No one seems to want to work that much, at least not unless you can pay them money you can’t afford and they’re not worth.”
“It’s a real problem,” Frank agreed.
“I really like the way you’re resurrecting this beautiful place,” Inez said. “It’s nice to finally see businesses thriving, even if there’s only a few. I see Bannister’s motorcycle parked at the bar every time I drive by. He’s a good man, Czar.”
Czar nodded. “He’s good friends with Anya. She looks after him, makes sure he eats now and then and is fine to drive home.”
“His son is not a good guy,” Frank spoke up. “Watch him if he starts coming around. He gambles, and not just a little. Borrows money from everyone and then can’t pay it back. Hits his father up by telling him someone’s going to kill him if he won’t get the money for him. Bannister sells everything and gives him the money and then his son gambles it away. It’s been an ongoing cycle for a while.”
Inez exchanged another look with her husband. “We’re not just gossiping, Czar. If your Anya has any influence, see if she can find out if Bannister’s son has moved back. We think his son has been beating on him. He’s come into the store a few times with bruises. Black eyes. Said he laid down his bike, but Bannister doesn’t do that. He’s buying groceries for two, things he wouldn’t ordinarily buy. If his son is there, it won’t be the first time he’s hurt that man.”
“You take this to Jackson?” Czar asked.
Inez nodded. “We did. He went by Bannister’s trailer and checked on him. Bannister gave him the same story, that he’d laid down his bike. Jackson checked the bike, just in passing, not making it a big thing, but there wasn’t a scratch on the bike.”
Czar sighed. “You know what it’s like interfering in family. Bannister hasn’t asked for help from us. Not sure I would know what to do if he did, but I’ll give it some thought. And I’ll tell Anya there’s a problem. She’ll keep a close eye. She has a real fondness for Bannister.”
“Are the rooms above the bar being rented out?” Frank asked.
“We’re in the process of renovating them,” Steele answered. “They needed a little upkeep and modernization, but we don’t guard any of the buildings where we have work going on, Czar. We might pay someone to sleep in one of those rooms and make certain no thieves or vandals show up in the night. Bannister might be just the man for it.”
Inez beamed. She leaned over and patted Steele’s hand. “You always come up with good ideas, Steele.”
“I think you’re snowing me, Inez, since Frank prompted me in that direction,” he replied. “But I’m good with that.”
“I have to say, Alena, I’ve never had such a fantastic dessert in my life. Not ever. You’d make a fortune selling these. If nothing else is worth eating in your restaurant, people would still come for these tarts.” Inez bit the last bite and chewed it. “Heaven.”
“I’m so glad you love them,” Alena said. “You can take the rest if you’d like to share with your friends. Maybe they’ll love them enough to come check out my place.”
“Wait,” Ice said. “You’re giving the leftovers away?”
“There’s more in the kitchen,” Alena said patiently. “You know that.”
There was a rush for the kitchen, everyone but Ice and Storm. She put her hands on her hips and faced her brothers. “What did you do with the tarts? You couldn’t possibly have eaten them all.”
Steele stood up. He pulled out his phone and sent a mass text. “I know exactly where they are. Ice and Storm hid them in their rooms.”
Phones dinged, and everyone looked down at their screens. Ice and Storm leapt up and took off running. Storm looked over his shoulder, glaring at Steele. “For that, we’re not saving any.”
Inez burst out laughing. “Those two. When they come into the store, half the female population follows them around.”
“Don’t point that out,” Alena said. “They already know they’re good-looking.”
“We would love to take the tarts home and share with our friends,” Inez said.
“I don’t know about sharing them,” Frank teased her, “but definitely take them home.”
“When is your grand opening?” Inez asked.
“Hopefully next month. I’m so excited,” Alena said. “It’s really quite small, just what I wanted.”
“You’re building up
quite a few businesses,” Inez said. “I’m so glad to see that. Your garage appears to be thriving.”
“Transporter and Mechanic are very good with motors and custom designs,” Steele said. “The word’s been getting out fast. They’ve got more orders than they can handle, but everyone pitches in to help. We’ve made it a policy to put all locals first, so if they bring their car in, even for an oil change, it gets into the lineup immediately.”
Inez nodded. “Your tattoo parlor has a very good reputation as well. So many people have come in talking about how good he is and what a great artist he is that I considered getting a tattoo.”
Frank smiled at her and took her hand. “We’d better go, honey. It was really a pleasure getting to know you. We’ll have Jackson look over everything for us and get back to you as soon as we can.”
Czar and Steele stood up as well. Absinthe pushed back his chair and leaned across the table to shake Frank’s hand. “We appreciate you considering this. I hope you’ll say yes to our proposal.” He walked the couple out to their car, chatting amicably with them so that Inez’s soft laughter and Frank’s deeper chuckle could be heard.
Czar smiled with relief. “That’s one more thing we can check off. The money’s too good to pass up and Absinthe subtly worked his magic, although I think Breezy and Zane did the trick from the beginning. How are things going?”
Steele shrugged. “Don’t know yet. I’m driving myself crazy and she’s beginning to notice.”
Czar regarded him quietly for a few minutes. He sank back into a chair and indicated Steele sit as well. Steele did. For the first time in over two weeks he was actually relaxed. He was surrounded by his brothers and sisters and they were watching his back. They were watching his family.
“Not sleeping very well. Everything’s too close. This thing with Zane could have gone either way. Donk and Bridges, well . . . all of them, were fucked up on drugs. If we hadn’t been there, Czar, Donk would have killed Zane. That was his intention. Even Candy was weird. They found drugs in the motel with her, quite a bit, and evidence that she and Lizard . . .” He broke off, shaking his head. “Let’s just say it was a close call having my son kidnapped by fuckers that far gone.”