To Love A Criminal

TWELVE

"What are you writing down?" Jamal asks, emptying his bottle of beer.

Nico pens down an address that he has had at the back of his head for a year now, he knew he would need it the minute it was told to him.

He pushes the address to Jamal's corner of the table.

"Whose address is this?"

"KB's,"

Jamal looks down at the address and looks up at his friend in shock, "No way, KB ran away 5 years ago. No one knows where he is, not even his father."

"You remember his facial tattoo?"

"The butterfly? Yeah, I found it weird."

"Imagine my surprise when my cellmate talked about a weirdo with a butterfly tattoo on his face that lives a house away from his. I asked for a description and it matched KB's." Nico smiles, "He said, "that weirdo must have called the police on me, when I get out I will kill him." Then I told him to give me the address, that I will kill KB for him."

"Holy shit," Jamal laughs picking up the piece of paper. "What do you plan to do with this?"

"Staybridge is almost a day drive, I can't leave town yet because of my parole officer..."

"I will drive there after my shift tonight," Jamal says immediately.

Nico smiles at the energy Jamal is giving to the whole thing. This is why they have been best friends since diapers.

"I don't want you to have any contact with him. He shouldn't see you. Just take a clear picture from a distance and come back home."

Jamal already knows where this going, "You sick son of a bitch." Jamal shakes his head grinning from ear to ear.

"I think it's time we solve our police problem."

~~~
Nico walks into the dining room where everyone is having dinner. "What smells good in here?" Nico says leaning on Sarah's chair. He attempts to pick up the chicken on Sarah's plate, she smacks his hands.

"Violent," He comments holding his right hand dramatically as he feigns hurt.

"Go get your food," She mutters with her mouth full.

"Beth cooked," Jonah says.

Beth makes the best food. She always had a dream of being a chef but then reality set in. She fell for the wrong guy, she got pregnant and now she hustles just enough to feed her baby.

"There's some in the kitchen," Beth says.

"You weren't at the shop today." Jacob starts.

"I was with Jamal, lost track of time." Nico mutters, "Gonna resume early tomorrow to make it up to you."

"Your Parole office came over, I had to cover for you." Jacob continues.

Beth sighs loudly hoping Jacob will take the hint and not start shit this night.

"Thank you," Nico says with a tight smile.

The room falls silent for a few seconds before Jacob starts again, "I don't even think you take work at the garage seriously, you still don't know shit about repairing a car."

"He said he will start work early tomorrow, can you drop it?" Sarah drops her fork in frustration.

Nico knows that Jacob wants a fight. He has always wanted one for a long time even before he went to jail.

"It's okay." Nico taps Sarah's chair, "Jacob is right, I am not good at mechanics but I am good at marketing. I bet you have noticed more customers coming in, apparently Brad's auto shop...."