Hugo looked over at him as he leaned against the wall near Danny’s desk. “I know what you mean. It had to be done, but I know exactly what you mean.”

 

“That was the problem,” Danny replied. He showed his age as he slowly sat down in his chair. “It wasn’t called because Leo here wanted it called. It wasn’t pure. Crash stumbled into our plans, and because of his own personality, he had to be removed. The tribunal was a sham, really. Crash had to be discredited and put down so hard that no one would give what he said a second thought.” Danny nodded to himself and looked at Hugo. “That’s why it feels so wrong.”

 

Hugo grunted agreement and looked to Leo. “So, what now?”

 

Leo got more comfortable in the chair and said, “I’m back in there on Thursday. I’ll have more freedom of movement than I have had. I’ll spend more nights at home, at least, and a few days. But really, it will be more of the same.”

 

“What do you see in Crash’s future, shaman?” Danny asked Leo.

 

“I don’t know. We just took the last shreds of restraint from him. It had to be done, I agree, because of the public level of his actions. However, while we have controlled the fold, we have unleashed the wolf. The rumor will not spread, but Crash has even more grist for his mill.”

 

“What can he do?” Hugo said has he spat.

 

Danny looked at him. “He can go to Nomar Vasquez and tell him the story. He can name Leo as our man, and Leo’s life will be violently and very painfully ended.”

 

Hugo was aghast by this possibility. “But, no, but how could he? Oh shit.” He looked at Leo. “How can you safeguard against this?”

 

“I don’t know if I can, but I am certainly in too far to stop now. They know where I live, who I see — I have to show up Thursday. There is no question about that, or all is lost anyway.”

 

“Who you see … yes,” Danny emphasized, with a sad smile. “Perhaps not the best timing there.”

 

“In my experience, it has never been good timing,” Leo countered.

 

“In your experience, were cartel death squads involved?” Danny pressed.

 

“No, not so far. And I am praying I’ll be able to say that two weeks from now,” Leo admitted. “How goes the short list of men for the drop?” Leo asked, changing the subject.

 

“So far, it consists of Hugo, Preston, Jonny Vargas, and Angel. That’s five. I need five more, if what you suggested was true.”

 

“Then you definitely need five more,” Leo assured him.

 

“Should we, like, I don’t know, keep an eye on Crash? Or something? Realizing what he is capable of now really has me nervous about this whole thing,” Hugo said. He looked at Leo. “I mean, hell, you and I have never been close, and you rub me the wrong way more often than not, but … shit. I wouldn’t wish this on Crash, for crying out loud.”

 

Leo rubbed his temple with his right hand, “There’s no way we can have men watching Crash’s movements without adding credence to his claim and starting up what we just finished putting down. Besides, he could just call. He doesn’t have to go over.”

 

“There’s got to be something we can do. This is too fucking important,” Hugo said, crossing his thick arms and looking even more brutish than usual.

 

“There is,” Leo assured him. “There is, and we’ll come up with it. Probably not tonight, since not one of us is thinking as clearly as we should, but soon.”

 

“What is your biggest threat right now with the Vasquez situation, setting aside the possible workings of Crash?” Danny asked.

 

“A man named Ernesto Morales. He’s an enforcer who by blood is very close to Nomar. A cousin, if I read things right, by his mother’s sister. Ernesto doesn’t like me. I scare him. He didn’t like my tricks of observation. I not only set him on edge. It gave him the unshakable belief that I was there to do harm to Nomar and the cartel. Nothing, not even Nomar ordering him to stop, has deterred him from digging further and further into my life.” Leo added, “I may require a sanction on him.”

 

Danny drummed his fingers. “A sanction to break the guidelines and kill him, you are saying.”

 

“Yes,” Leo told him calmly.

 

“Perhaps a red herring will work? Give him a scent to follow, and let him run until his heart bursts?” Danny asked.

 

“Possibly,” Leo agreed. “He was in Lakeside on Saturday morning, searching for me. As luck had it, he found me as well, at the farmers' market.”

 

“Wow, that’s some bad luck, bro.” Hugo laughed softly in amazement.

 

“Extremely tenacious, then,” Danny mused.

 

“Extremely, with rather low intelligence. Dogged and literal. A dangerous combination to go up against with red herrings.”

 

Danny met his eyes and sighed. “I see your point, yes. It is difficult to tantalize the imagination of a man who has no imagination.”

 

“Yvette,” Leo suddenly sighed with a small smile.

 

“Yes? What about her?”

 

“She’s close with Bev. In fact, I’m sure she gave Bev the heads up about tonight just before I got over there. Bev told me that Yvette caught her up on the Woody and Emma story, and going over the short conversation, I believe she was attempting to reconcile me with the idea that I was working for Don Vasquez.”

 

“Really? And she came riding in here with you anyway?” Hugo asked, duly impressed.

 

“Yes.” Leo smiled at him. “Apparently I passed the test, whatever it was. More importantly, I think Yvette will keep Bev informed with what Crash is up to. Bev told me they talk every day on the phone, sometimes more.”

 

“That sounds promising. Yes,” Danny agreed. “At least we won’t be completely in the dark.”

 

“So,” Hugo started hesitantly, “you’re thinking about bringing Bev in a little on this? I mean, so far, how often has she relayed to you what she and Yvette and have girl-talked about?”

 

“Not at all, except for what I believe was a feeler earlier tonight. Bev — well, I don’t think she’s the type to mix friend streams much, unless the friends in question do it as well. She’s not a gossip at all, I’m afraid.”

 

“But when she was given something like the Vasquez matter,” Danny said, “she talked to you about it. Yes, indirectly, and while keeping the faith with Yvette, but she did come to you. I think if she were told that Crash was going to harm you or the club with actions Yvette witnessed, Bev would tell you. On her own.”

 

“If it is the club, she may come directly to you. After all, I’m just her boyfriend; you’re her president,” Leo pointed out.

 

Danny explored that idea with a warm smile. “Did you see her? With Yvette while the tribunal was going on? I tried to give her a warning shot, a glare, to encourage her to distance herself from Yvette. She gave me one right back.” He chuckled. “She might as well have shouted at me that Yvette did have someone to stand by her, and that someone had a knife.”

 

Hugo joined him with the humor. “She did look fierce, I’ll give her that.”

 

“I think there’s more than looks there, and Leo, I would give serious thought before cheating on her.” Danny laughed. “Very serious thought. Not saying anything, just pointing out some bloody obvious facts.”

 

“Thanks for the advice, but I’ve already been warned, more or less, by her.” Leo grinned.

 

“Have you noticed how she wears her knife?” Hugo asked, more subdued.

 

“On the left, yes,” Danny agreed.

 

“My grandfather wore his like that,” Hugo mused, “and the stories were that he was fucking merciless with that blade in combat. He was a merchant marine and fought against actual pirates more than a few times.”

 

“Well, I did get the impression that the knife wasn’t there as an accessory,” Danny agreed. “This is the first time I’ve seen her with it as well,” he pointed out thoughtfully.

 

Leo lifted an eyebrow. “You think she came in expecting it might be necessary to fight her way out?”

 

Danny gave that some thought, and said carefully, “I think that if Crash’s witch hunt tonight had gone in the direction he planned, Crash would have discovered he had bit off more than he could chew, yes. I suspect that it would have taken more than a strong word or threat to get her from your back. She rode in with you, and she intended to ride out with you.”