MC: LaPonte (19 page)

Doc opens his arms, I walk
into them. "Unfuckinbelievable Kate." He hugs me to him, pats my
back and releases me. "You know where to find me. We need more
staff, when you wrap your head around all this call me, we need to
get moving on it." He walks out the door.

I look at Danny, "did that
really happen? Is this a dream?"

"My beautiful chairwoman
K, it happened, everyone is in awe of your ability and compassion.
Kevin showed the video a few minutes before you got here. You kept
those assholes from doing more damage to that little girl. You
spend your money on the most important things without batting an
eye. Simply amazing is what Jamie said. Mitch was in tears. Simply,
fuckin amazing. I love you my beautiful K." He kisses me long and
slow. “Baby I want to lay you across this table…”

“NO!” I laugh cutting him
off. “Anita won’t leave until everyone is settled for the night.
Karen is still out with a late delivery and the night staff will be
here any minute, plus there's video.”

He looks devastated.
“Fuck, is nowhere safe anymore?”

I laugh pulling him out.
Anita smiles as we walk over to my desk. She heard. Danny picks up
my briefcase while I write a quick note in my log and bring it over
to her. “We need to have another staff meeting. I want all staff
here for this one. Post it tomorrow and we’ll meet the next day,
make it early and see if you can get two fill-ins to cover. They’ll
be needed for court transportation.” She nods. “Pull the recent
applications and get an add ready; we’re in desperate need of
social workers. You know what we’re looking for. We’ll also need a
receptionist.”

“Am I not doing my job?”
She looks hurt.

“You do your job so well I
want you to be my assistant. You know more than anybody in this
office. I’ll need your help, your compassion and work ethic. You
get a raise and a new title starting tomorrow. Get business cards
for both of us as Director and Assistant Director. I’ll give you
the new address in the morning.” I give her a huge smile. She
screams scaring the shit out of me then gives me a bear hug. She
turns to Danny and throws her arms around him, shocking him. He
moves his hand quick and laughs. “Have a good night and see you
tomorrow. I have to get some logistics before I come in, but I will
be in. Leave my number with the night staff and take Jerry’s name
and number off all lists. I don’t want any more missed
calls.”

“All right Kate,
congratulation, thank you and good night.” She says with tears in
her eyes.

Walking to the parking lot
Danny asks, “Is she qualified to be the assistant
director?”

I snort a laugh. “She’s
qualified to be the director. She was abused, went to school as a
social worker, kept going to school at night for everything. That
woman has more degrees, but she was beaten down, on top of that
she’s black. She isn’t like Mitch and Jess. I want her to be, but
she’s been held down for so long because of her color she lacks of
confidence.”

“Being black shouldn't be
an issue anymore Kate.”

I stop short. “Racism
isn’t shown out in the open here, but it is alive and kicking.
There just aren’t many black people in this area that it’s noticed
as much. My boss knows Anita is more than qualified to be a social
worker but he hired her as a receptionist. She has worked here
since the place opened, as a receptionist. She very rarely gets
raises; I think she makes a little over minimum wage right now. She
applies every time there is an opening but never gets a shot. She
already does the assistants work, my boss has been dropping it on
her for years. She might as well get paid for it.”

“Fuck, what the fuck is
wrong with people? I’m glad you’re giving her a shot. I can’t
believe that asshole held her down.” He says genuinely
shocked.

I kiss him. I don’t know
what else to do, so I kiss him. “I love that this bothers you. It’s
another thing we can make right. Let’s go celebrate, you can tell
me where my new buildings are and when they’ll be done.”

He smiles, “We could go to
Newport.”

I crack up. “I’m not going
back to the Wharf.”

“Just kidding baby, I got
the perfect noodle place.” He helps me into the truck and takes me
to the perfect place.

Chapter Twenty
Four

Church - Sunday

Ben walks in. "Brothers,
Baxter's gave me a tip on an ATF search warrant. We need to get our
Brothers up north to get the trucks out of our fuckin warehouse.
Tiny hit Hammer. Let him know what's going down and that we need
those trucks moved today. Kevin says ATF's going to the judge
tomorrow."

"On it Pres." Tiny says
walking out the door with his phone to his ear.

"We'll need two decoys,
and double the security so we can get Hammer's loads out. VP, get
with Tiny and work that out. Give me High Security and an officer
with each truck, they need to move today. Geek, get me transport
logs and paperwork for all four."

Geek is typing away on his
laptop. "Just about done Pres." He looks up and smiles.

"Fuckin show off." VP
says.

"Danny and Rob check the
inventory in the holding cells. Make sure everything there has the
bill of sale to match. VP will get you the file. If it doesn't have
a bill of sale, it goes in the safe room."

"Got it Pres." I say, Rob
nods.

"Don't let the Prospects
anywhere near my fuckin room. Who knows what those motherfuckers
with play with? They could blow the whole fuckin block." VP says. I
just nod. I have no fuckin clue if he's kidding or not which makes
me nervous. I'm leaning toward not.

Tiny comes in. "If we can
get the trucks moving toward him, he'll have security and drivers
meet up with us Pres."

Pres looks at his watch.
"Church is about to start. VP, Danny and Rob, head over to
security. VP, get back here so we can get this moving within the
hour." We get up and head out.

"Tiny find four drivers
out there." Tiny follows us.

At security Steve hands me
a file. "No fuckin Prospects."

I make a show of looking
around then nod. "Only me and Rob here VP." He smiles walking out
the door. I call Kate and let her know I'm hung up today. She's
good hanging with the old ladies. We get the inventory done with
only one trip to the safe room behind the old evidence rooms.
Locking everything up we set the alarms and check with the security
office making sure we got it right.

Pulling into the clubhouse
we notice the bikes are still here. We walk in looking around. Tiny
comes up to us, "we need a driver, you know anyone?"

"I had my CDL but didn't
renew it when I tested out for the patch. If you can't get anyone
else, I'm willing to drive. I'd need someone to make sure my right
is clear." Tiny smiles.

"Tiny, find someone else.
Putting him in a truck could be fuckin dangerous." Rob
says.

Fuck I'm all for staying
safe but the Brothers need help now. I keep my mouth shut. Tiny
goes to Pres. He looks my way then starts walking over. "Brother,
can you drive back roads with an escort? We'll keep bikes with you
clearing your way. The trailer is empty."

"I need someone in the
truck, someone that pays attention. I won't be able to see anything
on the right." I hope they give me someone that doesn’t talk my ear
off.

"How about Rob? It will
keep you two away from the loads." He looks from Rob to
me.

Rob nods but doesn’t look
right. Fuck, "Ok. I'm in." I tell him.

He slaps my back. "VP,
Tiny, we got a driver set him up with security. Keep everything off
his right."

VP comes up, "got it Pres.
Casper, get him on crew four. Tiny can watch his six."

"On it VP, Danny come on
over to four." I walk over to the side of the bar. "What do you
need?"

"I can't have cars on my
right. Can you keep it clear?" He nods. "Rob will ride with me to
navigate the right and help with distance. Don't ride up on me just
in case."

"We'll keep you clear and
give you room." He tells me. I nod.

"Listen up Brothers, we
got our fourth driver. We're ready to roll." Pres says turning and
walking out the door.

"Danny, Rob you ride with
me." VP tells us. He drives us up with Geek following on his bike.
Geek will drive his truck to pick us up. When we stop he hands me
papers. "You’re taking a drive, about an hour and a half. End
outside the city airport. Geek will be waiting. This doesn't work
for you, drop the trailer in a lot, take the truck and meet Geek.
Yeah?"

"Yeah. Thanks VP." That
relieves some stress.

"Follow the bikes." He
says as he gets on his bike. I lift my chin.

I walk to Casper. "Crew
four you're in the blue Kenworth. You're out first, following Tiny.
Crew three, red Kenworth, out second following VP. Crew two blue
Freightliner, out third following me. Crew one red Freightliner,
follow Pres and Doc last out."

I walk to the truck and
climb in. Fuck it has been forever, my heart is beating double
time. I start it up for my air to build. I climb back out and do a
check. Lines are in, trailer is hooked, tires look new, and lights
are good. Lock is on the door. Climbing back in I check the
mirrors. "I'll need you to move the mirror. It has to come in to me
quite a bit." Rob moves the mirror. "Perfect. The distance isn't
working for me. I'll need help with that, as I'm going around
corners watch the back tires. When they reach the corner tell me,
I'll know my turn is done." He nods. "You ok Rob?"

"Not liking riding in a
truck when you're not 100%. My father died in a truck." He talks
low.

Fuck. I get out and look
for VP. Everyone is watching me. "Rob's father died in a
truck."

"Fuck!" He gets off his
bike and looks around. He pulls his phone and dials. Need you in
the truck with Danny. Rob will wait for you. Monitor from the
fuckin truck!" He hangs up. “Geek will switch places.”

I jog back and climb back
in. "Geek will ride with me. You’re in VP's truck meeting us at the
airport. I need to park on the left or in an open lot. Make that
happen for me."

"Fuck, thanks Brother. I
didn't know this would hit me so hard." He lets his breath out and
climbs down. Geek climbs in with his laptop.

I release the brakes and
start inching forward. Tiny pulls out with two bikes, three follow
me. "Distance isn't working for me. When the back tires reach the
corner you need to tell me so I know to end the turn. I see very
little on the right, the bikes will keep me clear but people are
fuckin nuts, watch that for me."

"We're on back roads, not
many turns or intersections. I got your back Brother. Tires on the
corner."

Tiny keeps an easy route.
The bikes are keeping me clear. Geek is monitoring and watching my
right. It's an easy ride and I relax enjoying the driving, even if
it is with help. We get to the airport, I see Rob at the back of
the lot. Thank Fuck. I pull in on the side of him, pull the air
brake and let out a breath.

"You did fine Brother."
Geeks says as sirens sound, cars and trucks surround the truck and
bikes. "Fuckin hell." He dials his phone. "ATF surrounding us. I
already hit Hammer." He's typing as he talks.

My door is opened, I'm
asked to step out and open the back. I step down telling the agent
I don't have a key. He asks for my log. I tell him it's in the
truck. He yells for Geek to come out the driver’s door with the
log. Fuckin Geek laughs.

"Right away officer. I got
the log right here. Do you have a warrant to search this truck?" He
asks as if he's Santa with a big fuckin smile chuckling the whole
time. Fuckin guy, I hold my face and laugh. He holds the log out of
reach.

"What's in the truck?" The
agent asks.

"Where's your warrant?"
Geek asks.

"It will be here." The
agent spits out.

"In that case, we got shit
to do. Unless you have cause to be annoying us, we got shit to do
that has nothing to do with standing here talking to you." He
climbs back into the truck, locks up and climbs down with his
laptop. He walks over to VP's truck and puts the laptop on the bed.
I walk over and look at what he's doing. The agent stands beside
me. I can't help but laugh, I bend holding my face again. It's
going to be one of those fuckin days. He's got the video feed of
the parking lot. "Just keeping watch, you know, keeping the agents
honest."

I look over at Tiny, the
Brothers are standing watching the agents. I yell over, "Let's Roll
Tiny." He looks over at us and nods. He swings his finger in the
air. The brothers climb on their bikes and roll out. I hop in the
truck with Rob and Geek. Rob drives us back to the clubhouse. Fuck
that was close. I put my head back and try to relax, so fuckin
happy they didn’t ask for my license.

"How'd you do Danny?" Rob
asks as we're pulling in the lot. The bikes follow.

"He drove like a fuckin
trucker. No cops, no casualties." Geek tells him. I couldn't see a
fuckin thing on the right but I keep my mouth shut. We pile out and
walk through the doors. A fuckin cheer goes up.