Miller’s face was turning red from the lack of oxygen and he was close to passing out when Viper finally released him. Miller gasped for breath as he stammered, “I-I get that. I really do, but it’s done now. It’s not like I can take it back.”
“You’re right about that.” Viper stood over him, scowling as he studied him, then he turned and looked at us. I could see the wheels turning in his head, but I had no idea what he was thinking. After several, long moments, Viper walked back over to the chair in front of Miller and sat down. As he lean forward, glaring at Miller, he cocked his head and said, “You know ... something’s just not adding up with all this.”
“What are you talking about?” Miller asked, sounding innocent. “I told you everything.”
Viper shook his head as he grumbled, “I’m not buying it.”
“I don’t know what else to tell ya, man. It was me.”
“Okay, then why all the bullshit.” Viper cocked his head to the side as he said, “Why not just fess up to it in the beginning?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Miller told him. “You know the truth. That’s all you need to know.”
“I’m the one who decides what the fuck I need to know. Not you, asshole, so cut the bullshit!” Even though I was standing several feet away, I could feel the anger radiating off Viper as he growled, “I know you got a reason for putting yourself through all this shit, and you’ve got two seconds to tell me what the fuck it is or I’m going to get that daughter of yours and—”
“Don’t!” Miller pleaded. “I’ll tell you what you want to know.”
“I’m listening.”
“You gotta understand ... You finding out what I did is one thing. I know it’s bad, really bad, and you’re pissed that I swindled ya. Hell, I know I’m not walking outta here alive”—a troubled look crossed Miller’s face as he sat there staring back at Viper—“but the boss ... Fuck. If he finds out that I fucked with his product, that I put his distribution line in jeopardy, then it won’t just be me who goes down for it. My whole fucking family will burn for my mistake. I wasn’t gonna let that happen.”
“Too late.”
“What the fuck you talking about?”
“When you don’t show up with his cash, where do you think that boss of yours is gonna go first?” Miller’s face grew pale as the realization of what he’d done finally sank in. “You fucked up big, kid, and you’ve got no one to blame but yourself.”
Viper stood up, and as he started towards the door, Miller said, “You know my boss is a smart guy.”
“And?”
“When he puts two and two together, he’ll come looking for you, and when that happens, you’ll all go down. Every last one of ya.”
“And that’s why we have Billy,” Viper replied with confidence. “He’ll see to it that that doesn’t happen.”
Then, Viper turned and started for the door. We had the answers we’d been looking for, so our time with Miller was done. We all knew once Viper brought in Billy the Butcher, he’d see to it that Miller paid the final penance for his crimes against the club. Menace, Axel, and I followed Viper out of the room and into the hall. When the door closed behind us, Axel shook his head and said, “Dumb kid’s got no idea what a fucking mess he’s made.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
I knew Billy was good. Hell, he was the best around. That’s why we used him, but this wasn’t just a simple clean up. He would have to make sure no unwanted repercussions fell back on us, and considering everything that had gone down, that wouldn’t be easy. “You think Billy can keep this thing from coming back on us?”
Viper ran his hand over his beard as he said, “He’s going to have to. One way or another, we’ve gotta see to it that there’s no blowback from any of this. Last thing we need is some fucking drug boss thinking we fucked him over ... took out one of his guys and stole one of his shipments.”
“Yeah, losing a handler is one thing,” Axel replied. “Losing ten grand is another.”
“Maybe Billy can make it look like Miller split with the cash or something?” Menace suggested. “His boss has gotta know that he was delivering another order.”
“Maybe so.” Viper took his phone out of his pocket as he said, “I’ll get with Billy and go from there. I trust him to handle it.”
Before he made the call, Axel asked, “You need anything from us?”
“Get with some of the guys, and go over and check on the remodel at the new club. I want us opening as soon as possible.” Then, he turned to me and Menace. “You two stick around in case Billy needs a hand with something.”