I have a hand around each of their shirts.
“Fucking stop it,” I growl. “This isn’t between you two. It’s all of us.”
“That piece of shit accused me of being short on cash,” Taz says.
“I know he did,” I say. “But I never thought for a second you were fucking around.”
“He should have never been allowed back here,” Les says. “Not after what happened with BFH. That was the line, Mac. He tried to-”
“I don’t care about that,” I say. “I care about right now.”
I release my hold on their shirts and go back to the safe.
“What happened next, sweetie?” I ask Jolie as I stick my hand into the safe.
“I thought it was maybe you,” Jolie says. “Ado jumped up and took out a gun.”
I look back at her. “He pulled a gun on you?”
“Yeah.”
“Can I go kill him now?” Taz asks.
“No,” Les says.
I ignore Taz and keep my eyes on Jolie. “A gun…”
“He just thought… whatever. He put the gun away quick. He was surprised to see me though.”
“He didn’t know about you,” Taz says. “We all decided on that.”
“So Aric and Raf know?”
“Yes, sweetie,” I said. “Fuck. Now he knows we lied to him.”
“No,” Jolie says. “He thinks it was just you, Mac.”
“We can play it off,” Les says. “We can use that to lure him in.”
I nod. “That’s good. You can call him and tell him you found out about Jolie.”
“Or tell him we have to talk,” Taz says. “Tell him we’re pissed at you, Mac.”
“Play into that angle,” Les says.
I look through the safe.
Sure enough, there’s cash missing.
This isn’t just skimming the top of the pile either. This is fucking serious stuff.
A cut on cash is like stabbing Mama in the back.
And for all she’s going through…
I slam the safe shut and stand up.
“I wonder how much he’s taken so far,” I say.
“We have to stop this,” Taz says.
I look at Jolie. “What else happened, sweetie?”
“He was just shocked to see me. I fucked up though, Mac. I said you knew I was here…”
“That’s okay,” Les says.
“It’s fine,” I say.
“Okay,” Jolie says. “He told me he was putting money in the safe. Then he tried to leave. And I sort of called him out.”
“Called him out?” I ask.
“I didn’t want to just stand there and be fake, Mac. I’m tired of fake. I’m tired of hiding.”
Jolie looks ready to cry.
I slide my arm around her and hug her. “It’s okay, sweetie. Just tell me what you did.”
“I called him out,” she says. “I told him I saw him take money.”
I’m not sure if that was good or bad.
But it doesn’t matter.
Jolie’s right.
She deserves the chance to stick up for herself.
“Then what happened?” I ask.
“He reminded me had a gun.”
“Motherfucker,” Taz says.
“But then you texted me,” Jolie says. “As soon as I said that, he ran off.”
I kiss the top of Jolie’s head. “You were supposed to be safe here. You’re supposed to be safe with me.”
“I am, Mac,” she says.
“You’re not,” I say. “All these things fucking hitting at once…”
“We can handle Ado,” Les says.
“Call a meeting, bro,” Taz says. “Let us all figure this out together.”
I look at the safe.
I shake my head.
“We can’t hurt him too much,” I whisper.
“Why not?” Taz asks.
“I have a plan…”
I stand at the table and wait.
Jolie is safe back in my bedroom at the house.
And I’m here back in the warehouse, putting things in motion.
Nobody knows what’s about to happen.
Les and Taz come to the table.
Then Aric and Raf.
And last is Ado.
He’s lucky he’s shown up.
If I had to go looking for him then the plan was going to change.
But he’s here.
“Mac, what’s wrong?” Aric asks. “You look…”
“Just sit down,” I say.
Everyone sits.
“We have a problem,” I say.
“What kind of problem?” Raf asks.
“An operational problem,” I say.
I look at Ado.
He has a terrible poker face.
He looks ready to sweat and cry.
That’s when I lower my head.
I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“What’s wrong, bro?” Taz asks.
“Give him a second,” Les says.
I lift my head and look up. “I have to tell you guys something. And it’s going to change everything.”
“What is it?” Ado asks. “Are you okay?”
I look right at Ado again and shake my head. “I feel like someone has stabbed me in the back.”
“How so?” Aric asks.
I push from the table and rub my chin.
“What I’m about to say cannot leave this table. Got it?”
Everyone nods.
“This is going to change… fuck it. There’s something wrong with Mama.”
The table is silent.
Taz and Les are surprised by my announcement.
But it’s all part of the plan.
“Mama?” Raf asks. “What’s wrong?”
“Jolie brought it up to me and I pushed her away,” I say. “I was a damn fool for that. What I’m saying is…” I look at Taz and Les and nod.
“Mama keeps fucking up,” Les says.
“Forgetting things,” Taz says.
They’re both sad.
I’m hitting them all in the heart.
I have to though.
“Forgetting things?” Ado asks.
“She almost got Les and I killed,” I say. “Taz too. I’ve been playing it off. But I can’t anymore. She went to the doctors. She’s…” I take a deep breath. “She’s got Alzheimer’s.”
“Fuck no,” Aric says. He stands up. “Fuck no. No.”
“Shit!” Raf yells. He slams his hand on the table.
I look at Ado.
There’s a sense of relief in Ado’s eyes.
That’s exactly what I want.
“I’m so sorry, Mac,” Ado says. “Are you sure?”
“Doctors, bro,” I say. “And I’ve seen it myself now. It’s like she’s there one second and then gone the next. Like a wave or something. I don’t know how to explain it. But we aren’t in the kind of business where that’s acceptable.”
“Does she know you know?” Aric asks.
“No,” I say. “I mean, maybe. She had Jolie drive her to the doctor. I don’t know what she’s going to do. When she’s going to say something. But one thing I know for sure, we aren’t going to say anything. To her. To anyone.”