Page 61 of Wheelie's Challenge
“No. We never got along, and I don’t wanna lecture right now.”
“It’s been so many years since I heard from you. Did they treat you well in prison?”
She doesn’t have a fuckin’ clue.“It was all right.”
“You never should’ve gone there. It was just an accident. You couldn’t help it if she fell and hit her head. I still don’t understand why you took the plea agreement.”
“’Cause I knew how crooked the system was, and I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life behind bars. Let’s not talk about this, okay? How’re Josh and Sofia?”
“Josh is still in prison. Canon City is close, so I go to see him a lot. I don’t know when he’ll get out. They keep adding time to his sentence because he gets in so many fights.”
“Yeah… well… he was always a dumbass. If he played it straight, he’d probably be out by now.”
“I don’t know. They got him on second-degree murder. Remember, I told you years ago when I called you?”
Russ hated the small talk and pretending that he gave a shit about his brother and sister, or his mom for that matter, but he needed the money, so he kept listening.
“Sofia’s in Pinewood Springs.”
Elmore’s ears pricked up. “Pinewood Springs? How’d she end up there?”
“She married that man I told you about. I don’t like him at all. He belongs to one of those motorcycle gangs.”
Well, I’ll be damned.“The Insurgents?”
“I don’t remember. Anyway, I got a call from her a couple of weeks ago. It really surprised me because I haven’t heard from her in a few years. I know Scott was behind that. Anyway, she told me she’s filed for divorce.”
“The dude’s name is Scott what?”
“Eskridge, but he goes by a real silly name—Tigger. When I heard it, I remember telling Sofia it was a name fromWinnie the Pooh. Very silly.”
“I should call Sofia and reconnect.”
“That would be wonderful! You haven’t seen or spoken to her since you moved to San Diego after you married Kendra. When you left and ignored her, she was real hurt. Don’t tell her I said that, but she was. She really missed you.”
“It’s time that I make it up to my little sister. So, she’s this Tigger dude’s old lady. Interesting. Maybe I’ll head to Colorado Springs and pay you a visit, and then go see Sofia. I’ve never been to Pinewood Springs.”
“I’d love it, and I know she would too.” He could hear the smile in his mother’s voice, and for reasons he couldn’t explain, it pissed the shit out of him.
“I really wanna come, but money is an issue. I just got out so I barely have enough for a roof over my head. Finding a job is gonna be a pain in the ass since I’m a felon.”Take the bait.
“I can send you some,” she whispered. “It won’t be very much because your father controls the money, but I’ve saved a little here and there.”
Good ol’ thrifty Mom.“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Would two thousand help you?”
It’s a drop in the piss bucket, but I’ll fuckin’ take it.“That’d be great. A little more would be better, but I know things are tight.”
A pause.
“I can maybe get another five hundred or a thousand. Don’t tell Sofia I gave you the money. I don’t want her thinking I’m a bank or anything. She’s a pretty girl. I think she already found someone new. She kept talking about a man named Wheelie and how nice he’s been to her. Another man with a crazy name.”
Bingo. I just won the fuckin’ jackpot.“Can you send the money to me Western Union?”
“Who the fuck are you talking to?” his dad’s voice boomed. “Where’s my fuckin’ lunch, you stupid cunt?”
“I have to go. I’ll text you when I send it.”
