Page 48 of Thick

He stroked his goatee. “What’s the beef?”

“Him and those three he’s with gang raped a girl. He’s trying to cut a deal with the DA by snitching out my MC.”

“Which fucking one?” he growled.

“The leader. The one with the white beard.”

He glanced toward the Savages and then met my gaze. “The short one? He’s a fucking snitch?”

“And a rapist,” I said.

His eyes thinned. “Got a shank?”

“Two of ‘em.”

“Shit,” he said, drawing the word along much longer than needed. His southern accent became apparent. “Give me one of those motherfuckers. I’m getting ready to do me a little ol’ life sentence. I’ll do it. Hell, I’ll enjoy it.” He chuckled. “What are they gonna do if they catch me? Lock me up?”

For a fleeting moment, I considered it. My pride soon caught up with me. “Appreciate it, Tink. But, I can’t let you do that. I need to take care of this.”

He glanced at the Savages. His eyes thinned to slits. Worried that he was going to give hint as to what we were planning, I cleared my throat.

“Can you help me out?”

“Killing a rapist?” He stroked his beard and then chuckled. “Sure can. What’s the plan?”

I scanned the yard, and then looked at him. “Three men beside me, between me and the girl. I’m going to cut that prick’s throat, drop the shank at his feet, and try to get the second one in one of his brother’s pockets. They’ll find it when they search us.”

“Not a bad plan.” He folded his arms over his chest and let out a breath. “Give me one of the shanks. I’ll have Deuce take it inside and put it under the red-headed fucker’s bunk. When they shake us down after you do that fucker, they’ll find it.”

It aggravated me that I hadn’t thought of simply placing the second shank under someone’s bunk. I pulled the shank from my pocket and then casually reached toward Tink.

“Here.”

He took the shank and gave it to one of his men. After spending considerable time talking to them, he turned to face me.

“The cameras are too far away to get much.” He shifted his eyes toward the building. “All of them are on that building wall. Problem is that him and his men are facing ‘em. I’ll get Little Matt to get the four of ‘em turned around. When he gets halfway to ‘em, you and me will walk the other direction. Four of the fellas will go between them and the cameras, and four will go between us and the girl. As long as you don’t take a swing at him, nobody’ll see nothing.”

I gave him a confused look.

His gaze met mine. “You cut a man’s throat before?”

I shook my head. “Nope.”

“Not tellin’ you how to run your business, but if you roll by and make a swipe at him, it’ll stand out like a turd in a fucking punch bowl when they look at the film.” He raised his clenched fist to his chin, holding his forearm tight against his chest. “Step up to him like you’re going to kiss the prick, hold your arm like this, and flick your wrist. Press hard and make it quick, so you’re not covered in blood.”

He reached into his pocket and then offered his hand. It was a typical prison hand-off. I slapped my palm against his as if we were on the street.

The ‘handshake’ transferred the piece of cloth he was holding to my hand. I slipped it into my pocket and gave him a look.

He nodded toward my hand. “Wipe that shank down with that handkerchief, then use it to hold it when you cut that son-of-a-snitchin’-bitch. Drop everything at his feet. We’ll keep walkin’ past. Cops will find that shank, and then they’ll find one in Red’s bunk. It’ll look like an inside job on their club’s part.”

I let out a long breath.

“Ready?” he asked.

I swallowed nervously and gave a slight nod. “Let’s do it.”

He made a clicking noise with his tongue. One of his men began walking in a loop around the crowd. When he was half the distance to the Savages, Tink turned away.