BOOTLEG LOVE

7

The club was full of life, and Wanda was heating up the makeshift stage. The booze was flowing, and the boys were living it up. Colton was making eyes at Wanda, which was fine with Payton; he didn’t feel like taking her home tonight; he was still ticked off about seeing Evangeline with Hamilton earlier that day. Trenton was on the dancefloor swinging with a brunette cutie, and his father was yakking and drinking with the bartender.

            Everyone was having a good time, everyone but him. He just sat at his table, drinking down a bottle of moonshine, fuming over the events of the day. He wanted so badly to see Evangeline again, but his father would never hear of it. Of course, he was a grown man, and he didn’t really need his father’s permission to see her if he wanted, but he had never defied his father before.

            Not that it mattered; she was seeing Hamilton. God, that burned his ass. What did she see in that uptight flatfoot? Payton lifted the bottle to his lips and then lowered it when he noticed Evangeline coming down the stairs and looking around. Payton happily came to his feet, and Evangeline noticed him. She quickly came through the crowd, and she looked worried.

            “Evangeline!” He greeted her happily.

            She grabbed his hand and pulled on his arm, trying to get him to follow her. “You need to get out of here and quickly.”

            “Why?”

            “Quincy is raiding this place tonight.”

            Payton stopped short, and, holding her hand tight, he spun her around to face him. “Hamilton is coming here tonight? Are you sure?”

            “He will be here any minute; you need to get out of here.” She stressed.

            Payton released her hand and turned to face the club. “Raid!” He yelled above the music, and suddenly the club broke out into chaos. He saw his father and brothers rushing the cellar door with the rest of the club. The basement door busted open, and in flooded the police.

            Payton grabbed Evangeline’s hand and ran for the cellar door, dragging her behind him. He shoved her up the stairs, trying not to get trampled by the fleeing customers. Once in the alley, Evangeline tried to run with the mob, but Payton pulled on her arm, dragging her the other way. “Come with me. This way… quickly.” He said, rushing down the alley to his waiting car.

Payton opened the door and shoved Evangeline into the passenger seat. He slammed the door and rushed around to the driver’s door. He climbed in and hit the accelerator, tearing out of the alley. He wasn’t worried about his family; he was sure they had gotten out ok. They were professionals and, like him, always had an exit plan. He would go by tomorrow and see how they did, but he had to get Evangeline out of harm’s way for now. Those cops had come in guns drawn, ready and eager to shoot anyone that posed a problem.

            He didn’t want Hamilton to find her there. If he knew she had warned him, she would go to jail the same as him. As they left the alley, he spotted a whole squad of police cars outside the coffee shop. He turned the other way and hoped they hadn’t spotted him. When he didn’t hear sirens behind him, he sped up and got them the hell out of there.

            Evangeline turned in her seat, looking out the back window. “Did they see us?” She asked breathlessly.

            “I don’t think so.” He said, turning down a side road. “But just to be safe, we will take the long way. Stay off the main roads.”

            Evangeline sat back in her seat. “That was a close one.”

            “What possessed you to come down if you knew there was going to be a raid, you could have been arrested.” He scolded her as he tried to focus on the road ahead of him. His headlights were the only thing illuminating the moonless night. There was nothing above them but dark black clouds, and the smell of rain was in the air.

            “I couldn’t let you get arrested. When Quincy told me about the raid, I could think of nothing but warning you.”

            He appreciated her concern, but she still risked a lot by coming to him. “Where do your folks think you are?”

            “In bed with a terrible headache.”

            “Will they check on you? Discover that you are gone?”

            “No, they never bother me once I go to bed. At least not until the morning and only if I sleep in.” Well, that was good to know. Payton pulled over to the side of a rural road and turned off the car but left the headlights on to light up the night. “What are we doing?”

            “We are waiting. We will stay here for a while, and then when things die down, I will take you home. It is not safe for you to be out here, not with that crazy cop looking for me. If he finds you here with me, he will take you in as an accomplice.”

            “Do you really think so?”

            “I do, just by warning me you were breaking the law, aiding and abiding. You will do time.” She looked worried. Payton took her hand in his and gave her a little squeeze. “I won’t let that happen, I promise. I would never let any harm come to you. You know that, right?”

            Her smile suggested she did. “Why don’t we go back to your place? Surely, they can’t arrest us for being there. You can claim you were home all night, and I will alibi you. Surely, they won’t call me a liar, not given my family’s influence in this town.” He didn’t know if that was a good idea. He didn’t want her any more involved than she already was. Her mother was right, he was a rogue, and he would do nothing but bring her down with him.

            “Evangeline…” He began looking into her eyes, those bright, innocent eyes gazing up at him. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t tell her he didn’t want to see her again, not when he did and so very much. He knew it was better for all involved if he cut ties with her, but he didn’t want to. Maybe he was being selfish, but why not? He did everything his parents asked of him without question. So when was he going to do something he wanted? Now, and he was going to start with Evangeline. “Ok, let’s go back to my place.” Nothing good could come from taking her home, but so help him, God, he could deny her nothing when she looked at him with those big doe eyes.

***

            Quincy walked through the cellar as the others tagged the evidence. Cases of illegal moonshine were ceased, and the room was being searched. There were overturned tables and broken glasses. Everything was destroyed as the people fled the raiding party. They had captured a few people, but so far, no one was talking. They could book them on illegally drinking, but not one of them was the bootleggers, nor did any of them know or admit to knowing who the supplier actually was.

            The Kingston boys had gotten away yet again. Damn, they were fast. Way too clever to get caught. He couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was warning them. This meant there was a mole in his department. Somehow, they always knew he was coming.

            “Is this everyone?” He asked an officer as he looked over the handful of people they had arrested.

            “Afraid so, Sir. The rest got away in the confusion.”

            “Any sight of any of the Kingstons?”

            “No, Sir, they must have gotten away. Some of the guys say they saw a few cars taking off in every direction. There is no way to tell who got away.” Oh, he had a pretty good idea of who got away, and he was sure he knew where to find him. The problem was if he couldn’t prove Payton Kingston was here tonight, the bastard would walk again. Luckily, he knew just where to find him.