The Drip, a novel by Michael Gullo
“Day two, boys.”
“Pancakes?”
“Not today. Chef Chowder’s out levying the competition’s cash drawer as we speak. Compliance at badge-point.”
“Maybe she could levy us some eggs and bacon.”
“Devin strikes again. You’re onto something though. I haven’t bought breakfast in almost a week. I’ll order up some Uber Eats.”
“I’ll take….”
“Icarus, I got this.”
“Stefanie’s nicer.”
“Go to the police academy, work the streets, earn a detective’s shield after years of optional classes then a burst of intentional ones. Interview a hundred thousand liars, and then you can go hang out with her for breakfast.”
“I’ll take whatever.”
“And those pancakes, those were your Miranda warning, kid. I hope you had enough sense to invoke properly. She blows right past I think I want a lawyer. Poor Cody over here, motive, means and opportunity and proved his learning. This time had enough sense to put those plastic jewels back in the box, but can’t resist finding the pin in the door.”
“---”
“Everyone gets eggs and bacon with French toast. So here’s the day. Fill this trailer with yesterday’s boxes. Rusty and Cody drive it to the storage unit and Tanner and Devin keep packing up the workshop.”
“And don’t spit dip out my window again. I don’t want that shit running down my door.”
“Alrightie. So bring spit cups.”
“And don’t leave those in the cup holder.”
“Okay, Tanner. Thanks for letting the boys take your truck. Boys don’t be disrespectful douchebags. No bucket rides the flavor.”
“Got it, bossman.”
“Tanner, you take Devin out to the workshop. You’ll find thirty red plastic totes ready to go. I want the two of you to pack up every last hand tool in that shop. Be careful you don’t put too much weight in any one tote so that it won’t collapse in the trailer.”
“So, do you want me to keep the groupings?”
“That will happen automatically. You’ll see. Label the totes with the sharpie I left out there for you. When the kids get back, you and I will go buy another trailer.”
“Are you shitting me?”
“No, we need them for the worksite. I can’t explain now. I called the shotcrete guy, and he replied by text. Said to call him back at ten. I have to do that, and I have to order breakfast. Get started.”
“He’s pretty intense, isn’t he?”
“Takes a lot of getting used to.”
“Not how Cody describe him though.”
“Cody don’t like him much.”
“Repeat it twice.”
“Dude acts quick. Now he’s got you twisting words. Do you like Elton John by any chance?”
“Country Comfort? I can’t believe you trust them to borrow your truck.”
“I chose to as soon as he left me no other choice.”
“I see that. Intense.”
“You live with your mom, right?”
“Yup.”
“Why do Cody and Meghan live with Lonnie?”
“I don’t know. That place is a dump. And I remember over the years that Lonnie was always on the verge of getting evicted. It’s like Mom is keeping that whole family up.”
“You don’t like Cody?”
“I do. He earns a bad rap, but he’s smart. Talked me through a lot of stuff coming up. He gets stuff, like off center stuff. But he gears it toward provocation.”
“That’s a lot packed in there.”
“Cody’s a lot. Do you remember senior year?”
“Not the way it sounds like you mean. I met Emily senior year, so I was – in another world.”
“You two just got engaged, didn’t you?”
“Yup.”
“This job is good for you. It could be good for Cody too, but it’s like senior year. Wiggins was all over him. Seemed like every day she had him up against a wall or in her office, him squirming. I overheard a lot, and she was constantly asking why he did this or why he didn’t do that all based on him like he was sabotaging his own graduation.”
“You think he didn’t graduate to spite Wiggins?”
“Not think, but like that’s plausible. He’s spiteful – but no cause for it. Just because spite is, that’s why. That’s what I meant about letting him use your truck.”
“Man, I hear that, spiteful.”
“Shit, that was quick.”
“It was easy, just like everything at The Drip. I call a guy, and a guy shows up. Only fear is whether the wishes run out after three.”
“So, he’s coming next week?”
“No, man. He’s coming tomorrow to look over the wall. Says he can pour Monday if we’re ready.”
“Wow, that is fast.”
“Says we need at least two and a half full trucks of concrete. Gotta get those up the road past the repair job on the driveway. And now we have a side quest. Get boulders. Reinforce that high-side drop off and harden the washout patch.”
“Boulders, gravel, check.”
“My truck is made for that kind of road, so I can’t tell. What’s it like in the Reading?”
“It’s rough, but I get through easy enough.”
“Like, is it bumpy?”
“Um, never really noticed.”
“We can test it out if the boys return the truck here and not the chop shop.”
“My car bounces like hell. Actually took off the flare under the bumper – if that’s where the washout is.”
“Get that fixed and give me the bill, Devin. You can’t be coming to a job to pay for the repairs caused by the job.”
“I already threw it out. I was sick of it scraping on parking curbs anyway.”
“No probs. Last chance for breakfast. Are easy eggs good?”
“I hoped.”
“Tanner?”
“Good with me.”
“Don’t worry about your truck, buddy. He’s spiteful, and he lives on plausible deniability, but I think he needs motivation to think that hard, and he doesn’t dislike you.”
“Looks like Stef’s back from her raid.”
“Not a raid. A tax man’s boot to the neck reminder. Pay up, or we’ll rob you every day.”
“I was at a Mexican restaurant one time when they came in and did that at lunch time. It’s creepy.”
“It’s not really her department. That’s Compliance, but they go in force, so it’s a few agencies on deck, which makes the whole thing theatre from my point of view.”
“They locked this place up. One lady was eating with her family, and she refused to leave. It was a scene.”
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Thanks for the text.”
“No problem.”
“So I borrowed your boys here in the shop. The other two are out with the first load. I can’t believe how much work you got out of these guys yesterday. The trailer left packed and the truck bed full, and you still have a whole rig worth ready and waiting.”
“Good try. No.”
“Can’t get shit past you.”
“Um, so, you two talk in secret handshakes. Texts, no’s.”
“She lets me know when she’s going in a thing and coming out. And no was whether I can keep you boys in here.”
“So that’s a yes on working for the nice one again today?”
“It’s a yes, and she’ll probably take credit for my eggs too.”