Page 24 of Small Town Beast 2: Saverin’s Duet (Sins of the South)

TEN

SAVERIN

Saverin found himself at Roman’s hill at six o’ clock sharp. He wore a dark green flannel shirt, his second best jeans, and steel-toed boots. There may have been a weapon tucked away somewhere in that getup. Only the well-trained eye could tell.

He parked his Legacy at the bottom of the hill and hiked up the oyster-shell driveway with the sunset at his back.

The cold had deepened, but his temper kept him warm enough.

The first thing he wanted to lay eyes on when he crested that hill was Tanya.

But as he gained the slope, his mind turned to his cousin, the fallen king. Roman.

It had been inevitable. Roman’s reign went off on a rocky start.

Accusations that he had killed his father Duke for the position followed him from the first day he stood on top the Harvest Hill and directed the cutting.

He was a loner type; men feared him but did not love him.

Deciding to call off the Harvest and turn the family business straight was the self-inflicted killing blow.

Saverin suspected that the Feds had finally got to Roman with their warnings.

Once Roman learned of Absalom’s brewing rebellion, he decided to cut his losses and take his newfound family out of Florin permanently before he faced prison– or a cold bullet.

And Saverin had learned from Crash Walker that Roman’s latest right-hand, Saverin’s replacement, had stolen the fabled cache of McCall gold and hotfooted it to Oklahoma just a few days past. The mutineers could no longer be bought off.

Wise of Roman, then, to take the defeat on his own terms. As for his own relationship with Roman, his cousin, his former best friend…

No regrets , thought Saverin grimly, though in the lonely corners of his heart, he mourned the past.

He reached the peak. Crowds of people swarmed the hill like a country fair. Everybody and their blue dog was here to witness the change in the regime.

There was music, there was barbecue, just like the celebrations at the end of the Harvest. The smell of marijuana lay thick in the air.

Almost in a haze. It would sink quickly into a night of debauchery.

Clearly Absalom was encouraging that. Warily Saverin eyed the tables of mash, hooch, moonshine, vodka, Natty, and a big bowl of red punch only young fools would dare to drink from.

“Saverin.”

Saverin turned; to his utter surprise Rebel McCall, Roman’s younger brother, came striding up to him. I’ll be damned.

“Rebel. How’s it?”

“Alright, man, it’s alright.” There were deep circles under Rebel’s eyes like he hadn’t slept in days.

They clasped hands; whatever Saverin’s beef with Roman, it had nothing to do with Rebel, who stayed out of clan business and always had.

The men had never been close but Rebel was easy to like.

Saverin had never noticed before, but he bore a striking resemblance to Absalom Green Tree.

“Surprised to see you here,” confessed Saverin, aware of several eyes leaping their way.

With all the Snatch Hills teeming about, one might easily try to settle a score with Rebel.

He’d killed a Snatch Hill for trying to rape his wife.

And Roman was his brother. On the other hand, Rebel was the best mechanic in Florin and that gave a man some protection.

“Figured I’d come put a face on it,” Rebel grunted.

His eyes didn’t linger too long in one place; he was nervous as a cat in a rocking chair.

“All them Snatch Hills fuzzin’ about is a sonofabitch stew.

I’ll surely be gone by the time they clear that table,” Rebel said, indicating the open bar of liquor.

“I saw one of them spike that punch, by the way,” he added.

Saverin scoffed, “No shit. Where’s your lady?”

“Not here,” said Rebel, staring down a Snatch Hill boy that gaped at him too long. “She took the kids off-mountain. I mean to have a talk with this Absalom about those rat-fucking Snatch Hills. I heard talk of a rampage over in Black Florin and that just won’t wash.”

“Any word on Roman?” Saverin asked bluntly.

Rebel’s eyes shifted to the great house. His face was impossible to read. “Roman is where he needs to be right now,” was all he said.

“I’ve got business with Absalom myself,” Saverin admitted, not pressing the matter. The less he knew about Roman’s whereabouts the better. Rebel offered his support for backup, which Saverin declined. “Best we don’t go in a pair,” he reasoned dryly. “They might think we’re plotting something.”

Rebel nodded. “Be careful, then.”

“You, likewise.”

Rebel disappeared into the crowd and Saverin turned to make his way up to the house. He avoided looking at the spot where his brother Sam had died. Head burst open by a shotgun shell. Closed casket. What would Sam think of all this?

Change is inevitable, Savvy.

Heads turned but none approached him. They’re scared . Don’t know what’s happening. Don’t want to bet on the wrong man.

He walked straight up to the front door, under the eyes of the two men standing guard, their Winchesters on full display to remove any doubt about their purpose. Green Trees, he noted. The whole hill was crawling with them.

“Give over your weapons, Bailey.”

“I have no weapons.”

“Belt?”

Saverin raised his shirt. Emptied his pockets. Brought up the hems of his jeans. Satisfied, the Green Trees let him in.

Inside Roman’s mansion, a chill of deja-vu hit Saverin hard.

He was suddenly reminded of the Christmas he’d spent here way back when Roman’s daughter Katie was still around.

The feast Roman had laid out that December met its match with the cornucopia of today.

First the dessert: a mouthwatering apple-stack cake nearly as high as his waist. Enough said.

Then came a potato salad, fried catfish filets, salted ham, fried chicken, fried steak, collard greens, crab cakes, funnel cakes, and doses of cheese, grapes, melons, cucumber and tomatoes.

And, of course, cornbread. Saverin was so hypnotized by the food he nearly overlooked the curly-haired girl sitting aside by herself, staring down at the floor.

“Tanya,” he said.

“Saverin!” Tanya leapt out of the chair so fast it toppled over. Saverin crushed her in a hug and growled in her ear, “ Did they hurt you ?”

“No,” she breathed. “But we need to get out of here. These people are monsters. They killed your friend— Wilks Johnny.” Her eyes filled with tears; she wiped them away quickly. “I couldn’t stop them. They came out of nowhere and—”

“I know, sugar. I know. We’re going home, alright? And I have good news for you.”

“You do?”

Saverin nodded, but decided not to tell her about Amari just yet. Not until they were out of here safely.

“Where’s Absalom?” he asked Tanya instead.

“The one with the blue-blue eyes? He’s their leader. I don’t know. They just parked me here and told me not to move.”

They were attracting attention. None of the women said anything, busy whispering behind their hands.

He saw his cousin Eliza Jane and gave her a cold nod.

Somebody had to have told Hiram where he’d put Tanya that morning, and Eliza Jane lived right above Wilks Johnny up the holler road.

The treachery of it all left him speechless, and he had no illusions why she’d done it.

She had made her opinions on racial mixing plain to him.

“Wait!” Tanya pulled on his arm as he began leading her outside.

“What?”

“My ticket,” she whispered.

Double fuck. “Who’s got it?” Saverin demanded.

“The one named Hiram. I don’t know where he is, but he took my wallet, he saw the ticket… Oh, no.” Her gaze moved over Saverin’s shoulder.

“What?”

“It’s Kyle. My manager. Could this day get any worse?”

A slouchy creep in a black baseball hat parked himself at the food table and began loading up a plate with his bare hands.

“Didn’t I kick his ass yesterday?” Saverin wondered.

“I wish you had killed him,” said Tanya, in a dark mood.

“I just might, the way he’s getting his paws all over that cheesecake. OI!”

Kyle jumped about two feet in the air and turned sickly pale as Saverin approached.

“Muh-muh-mister Bailey,” he cringed.

“Didn’t your Ma learn you any manners?” Saverin grinned, shoving the serving fork into Kyle’s chest. “Shove your digits into that confection one more time, so help me God I’ll make you eat everything on this table.”

Without even looking at Tanya, Kyle dropped the serving fork and fled.

“Bastard,” said Tanya, watching her bullying ex-boss scurry out of the house like a cockroach. “I can’t believe he’s related to you.”

“Distantly,” corrected Saverin.

“Look, I need that ticket back, Saverin. Is there any way to get it without getting killed?”

“No.”

“But–”

“Tanya. Hiram is gonna defend that ticket like any broke ass hillbilly would defend half a billion dollars. It’s good as gone. What the hell possessed you to give it to him?”

“I didn’t give it to him — do I look like an idiot?”

“Why didn’t you stash it in your bra or something?”

“Because of last night. You took my bra off? And then I lost it in Gwen’s bedroom floor,” she hissed.

“I figured I always know where my ID and money are at so better I just keep it in my wallet. How was I supposed to know all these goons would come shake me down?” Her eyes clouded.

“Hiram told me he would rape me; that they would all take turns on me. What was I supposed to do, ask for it back?”

“That’s what he said?” asked Saverin dangerously.

“I just can’t leave without trying to get it back.”

“Tanya, what’s more important is getting out of here alive.”

“That ticket is my key to Amari,” Tanya said stubbornly. “I can’t leave without it. I don’t have another way to find my son.”

“I got money, Tan. I told you that whatever you need, I’ll give it. Fuck it; we’re leavin’ right now.”

“You’ll let that dirty motherfucker run off with half a billion dollars ? What do you think he’s gonna do with that money? These people are fucking crazy, Saverin!”

She had a point. Hiram and his Snatch Hill posse throwing around that kind of clink was a damned sour prospect.

“You head down the hill to my truck,” Saverin said, handing her his keys. “Take it to my house, and hunker down until I get back.”

“I’m not leaving you here.”

“Your son needs you alive, and this is a viper’s nest. A lot of people don’t want you here.”

“Yeah, I figured that out,” she said sarcastically.

“Let me deal with my people. You go home and stay safe. Tanya, just this once. Will you listen?”

“I listened to you and stayed with Wilks Johnny,” she said, voice catching. “Look what happened then.”

“You know where my guns are,” he said. “And you’ll be driving my truck. I got bulletproof glass in that sucker, but don’t tell the government.”

Tanya reluctantly allowed him to walk her to the door. But the Green Trees stopped them cold. “Not until the boss allows it,” they chorused.

“Nice guns,” sneered Saverin. “Roman’s, I presume?”

“Snatch Hill issue, Bailey. Get back inside.”

“Where is Absalom anyhow?” Saverin demanded, at the end of his patience. “I’d like to have a word with our new supreme leader.”

The guards exchanged a wordless glance. “He’ll see you when he’s ready,” the rougher-looking one barked. Then he looked over his shoulder, and behind Saverin. His voice lowered. “Take my advice, Bailey. Don’t drink anything here. That goes for your lady, too.”