Free Missy's Gentle Giant by P D Miller Page B

at Ben with love spilling from her eyes to the point it was disgusting.
    “You did just fine, honey.” 
Ben nuzzled her neck.  “Tell you what; why don’t you run over to the mall
and buy some of those things we need.”  Ben reached in his pocket and
pulled out his keys.  “I’ll even let you drive my car, and if you want,
just because you’ve been so good to me this past week, you can buy something
sexy to wear for me later.  We’ll have some special fun.”  He winked
and handed her a credit card.  Gonzalo felt heat rush to his face. 
Still standing uncomfortably he watched Ben nuzzle the girl again and blow
kisses to her as she left.  The door closed silently but it might just as
well have been a grenade going off for all the tension in the air.  Both men
were filled with anger near exploding.
    “So I hear you have a problem not
involving drugs.”  Ben coldly moved toward a table holding a quart of
scotch.  “Care for a drink?”
    “No, don’t like anything but
beer.”  Gonzalo nervously rubbed his hands together.  The time for killing
him wasn’t now, not when he needed help.
    Ben’s attention went to the
phone.  “Might as well sit.”  Taking a big swallow of scotch he
pointed.  He shrugged and picked up the receiver.  “Yeah, Spinelli
here, how about sending down a six pack of—”  He glanced at Gonzalo. 
“Oh hell, a six pack of some kind of beer.  Yeah, it’s okay.”  Ben
clamped his teeth shut so the muscles in his cheeks rippled, dropped the
receiver and took another big swallow of scotch.  “So did you follow my
directions and get your sister home?”
    “Yeah, sent her with Juan—told her
Mom wasn’t feeling well.”
    “Good.”  Ben didn’t look at
Gonzalo.
    “How did you know Missy was at the
shop?”
    “Someone’s been keeping an eye on
your business.”
    “The DEA?  Not you?” 
Gonzalo glared.
    “Maybe you should be a concerned
son and call to see if they made it and your Mom is just not feeling
well.”  Ben ignored Gonzalo’s question, handed him the phone and walked
off.  Standing at the window, he closed his eyes and fought the pain and
anger growing inside him as Gonzalo called and checked.  While Gonzalo
talked to Juan, Ben smoothly answered the door and took the beer.  He
didn’t turn around until Gonzalo dropped the handset.  “Here have a
beer.”  He went to pour more scotch.  “Now tell me about the call.
    “I—I answered the phone and he said
‘Too bad you’ve got a cute little sister you can’t take on runs with you. 
Told you we’ll get you where it really hurts’.”
    “And so now you suddenly worry
about Mis—your sister?”  Ben bit back his anger.
    “Look Charger—”
    “I was Charger before; I’m Ben now,
so don’t call me anything else.  My charging days ended a couple of weeks
ago when I learned Missy died.”  Ben winced and stared through the window.
    “All right.  Ben, I told you
about the call—”
    “Why do they want your sister?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “That was your only call?”
    “No, there were three others. 
They just said they’d get us—had lots of time.”
    “Nothing else?”
    “Marie took one call, and it scared
her because he said Tony might get hurt.  In one he asked if we thought we
were smart and said he’d get us where it hurts.”
    “Is getting your sister where it
hurts you most?”
    “Ben—”  Gonzalo looked down
and rubbed his hands again.  “None of us can stand the thought of
something happening to Missy again.”
    “Oh, it’s okay not to be honest and
let me stomp in and hurt her like I did; right?”
    “But the way you are—the girl just
now—”
    “Yeah, your right.”  Ben
swallowed down the rest of the scotch.  “Missy’s your kid sister,
right!  I mean all I had were letters from her.  We were pen pals—no more.” 
Ben turned, back to the window to hide the pain slicing through him.  “Who
the hell cares about a little sixteen