An hour later, I had confirmation that David had Jackson.
I took Alex’s car and drove back to David’s house, parking two blocks away. I got out and walked up the street and was a block away when I saw Red at the end of David’s driveway. I was three McMansions away when he headed toward me, the bulge of a gun on him visible even from that distance.
“Can’t let you go in, man,” he said, meeting me half way.
“That right?”
He nodded. “Yup. I ain’t got no issue with you, dude, but I ain’t working for you.”
“You like working for an asshole like Hanson?”
He shrugged. “It’s a job. If not him-I work for some other asshole. Know what I’m sayin’?”
I nodded. “Got it. You okay with him taking the kid?”
He glanced away from me and didn’t say anything.
“Yeah,” I said. “That’s what I thought. Takes a different kinda asshole to take a little kid, doesn’t it?”
His eyes shifted back to me and held mine.
“I mean, taking a kid’s a bit different then shaking down some junkie who owes or some mule that’s skimmed,” I said. “Special kinda asshole right there.”
Red’s mouth twitched.
“That’s the kinda asshole that’s gonna end up dead,” I said. “Soon. Be a shame for someone just pulling a job to go down with him.”
Red stared past me down the street before looking at me again. “Kid’s fine. Got chips and ice cream up there. I bought it myself. Played video games with him. He’s alright.”
“Oh, yeah, sounds way fucking better than, you know, being with his mom.”
“He ain’t gonna get hurt,” he said.
“Fucking A right he’s not,” I said. “He does, everybody in that house is dead. That’s a promise. Last thing you’ll see is me feeding you a gun. So you better pick a side. Fast.”
Red raised an eyebrow. “That right?”
I stared at him and nodded.
He tried to hold my gaze, but finally blinked. “Look, man. I work for Hanson. He wants his money. That’s it. He’s just trying to scare the girl, but he wants the money. Give him the money back and he’ll let the kid go.”
“And he’ll still be all over the girl’s ass,” I said, shaking my head. “This is going to end. All of it.”
“You sure you know who you’re messin’ with?”
“Hanson?” I asked.
He nodded.
“I’m not afraid of Hanson,” I said, smiling. “If he knew anything about me, he’d be afraid of me. Begging me to keep the money and tripping over himself to give the kid back.” The smile died. “He has no idea about me. And neither do you.”
Red’s gaze wavered and he looked unsure of himself.
“All I wanna know is the kid’s gonna stay safe,” I said.
Red nodded. “He’ll be safe.”
“Okay,” I said. “And when I come calling, you can either get the fuck out of the way and we part friends. Or you can go down with the ship. Because I’m taking it down.”
“How you know I’m not gonna go back and tell him all this?” he asked.
“I really don’t give a shit if you do,” I said. “Either way, I’m coming. What you do is your choice. You were cool with me the other day so I’m returning the favor. Only thing I’m asking is that you keep the kid safe.” I paused. “Because you don’t seem like that special kinda asshole.”
I turned and walked away before he could respond.