“For starters, I think we should talk to Annie’s people here at Babylon. They probably know everyone at the Gaming Commission and might even know Meadows, or at least something about him. Ted, you and Espinosa might be good at that. You want to take a crack at it? Just for the hell of it, Abner, check the guy’s financials. Go back to the day he fell out of his mother’s womb.”
“Sure, we can do that right now. We’re done eating,” Ted said as he slung the backpack he was never without over his shoulders. Espinosa did a quick check before he slid his arms through his own backpack. He grabbed two egg rolls on the way out.
“Abner, hack into that guy’s bank account and see what you come up with,” Jack said, as he bit down into a crusty egg roll. “We also need to find out everything we can on those two gangs. Well, maybe one gang and one . . . whatever Lionel and the Cavaliers are.”
“I can do that part when I’m done eating,” Dennis volunteered.
“Where’s Harry?” Jack asked.
“He left with his friends right before you two arrived,” Charles said. “He said to call him if we needed him. He indicated that he wanted to spend some time with his friends but was just a phone call away. I think they would all like to see some action, but that’s just my opinion.”
“We’re good for now. Let Harry enjoy his friends,” Jack said, as he peeled the shell off a shrimp and popped it into his mouth. “Listen, if it’s okay with the rest of you, I want to take a shower and try for at least a two-hour nap. I’m about dead on my feet here.”
Charles made shooing motions with his hands, which meant, Go already, we can look after things here fine without you and Cyrus.
Jack looked over at Dennis, who was oblivious to what was going on as he tapped and tapped on his laptop. Ah, to be that young again and know what I know now, Jack thought wearily as he trudged to the door, Cyrus on his heels. “Call me if something goes down.”
No one responded.
“Guess it’s just you and me, big guy. You can sleep on the bed with me since we don’t have your bed with us.” Cyrus barked to show that he loved the idea.
Chapter 4
Once upon a time, it had been a decent neighborhood with families. Kids played outside on the manicured lawns and picked flowers for their moms, while neighbors chatted over their back fences or just sitting on their front steps. As the families grew, one by one they moved out slowly, and with that an influx of undesirables appeared almost out of nowhere until there was nothing left of the old neighborhood but run-down houses, many of which turned into crack houses in the blink of an eye. Gangs formed, then multiplied at dizzying speed.