Page 114 of Nuts

I couldn’t believe my ears. It was exactly what I was going to say. My mouth curled into a smile.

“That was my next one.” The four words that followed flowed from my lips readily. “I love you, too.”

Chapter Forty-One

Joey

He took a bite of his enchilada, swallowed it, and then lowered his fork. His lips parted slightly and I hoped he’d say something. While I sat, suspended in wait, his eyes fell to his plate. Our discussions had been sparse throughout dinner. I could tell something was troubling him, but I got the same response every time I asked.

He’d gone to see his mother in the morning, and although he’d planned on giving a bid on a baseball card later, he never made it back in time to do so.

He poked his fork at his food and then looked up. “What are your thoughts on cops?”

“In general?”

“Sure.”

I considered my response. I had very little respect for police. Most of my contempt came from my mother, who I suspected obtained it from my father.

“I think they’re creepy, especially if they have mustaches.”

He chuckled and then set his fork aside. “Do you trust them?”

“No.”

“Do you hate them?”

“I try not to hate anyone. I hate what they do, sometimes.”

He cocked his head to the side. “Like what?”

“Lying. Doing x, and then claiming they did y. They get by with it nine out of ten times, and it makes me sick. Then, someone comes out with a video and says, ‘hey wait, you actually did this’.”

“So, you think they can’t be trusted?”

“I’d say that’s accurate, why?”

“Just making conversation.”

I was glad we were talking about something, even if it was cops. I offered a cheery smile. “Okay.”

“What about feds?”

“What do you mean?”

“FBI, ATF, DEA. Those guys.”

I’d heard far too many stories about the ATF and their lies from my mother. She told me of their infiltration into what they described as OMGs, or Outlaw Motorcycle Groups. They arrested, killed, and set up more club members than any other government faction.

“If the ATF said the sky was blue, I wouldn’t believe them,” I said.

His eyes slowly widened. “Why?”

“They’ve proven over and over that they’re willing to lie. They murdered hundreds in Waco, Texas when all they had to do was back off and wait. I’ve heard far too many stories. I just don’t trust them, sorry.”

“Interesting.”

“What’s interesting?”