Hit and Run

"First I'll have another talk with that first white boy, change his mind about the money. Then I'll lay low and do whatever your lawyer tells me too." The henchman smiled again.

"Worry about Tyler later I already agreed to pay him for now. Besides I kicked the shit out of him earlier. Got my pecker hard with that one." Kenneth bragged, clicking his blinker on and taking the next exit. "Almost had a stroke but damn if that shit didn't get me going, putting that shithead in his place."

"Oh yeah?" Marvin laughed. "He told me he felt owed something since your wife did kill someone. Thirty thousand sounds like bullshit though."

"Talked him down from forty. Felt so high after popping his nose I just agreed to it." Kenneth admitted cutting down a side street. "I guess Kim did do something unthinkable so maybe we should make some sacrifices. You were right it's better to throw a chunk of money at him than sacrifice my wife's dignity. We all fucked up."

"How the story goes my friend. I hope Sheila is up, I'm hungry as fuck. Those prison sandwiches had me shitting blood I got a gluten allergy." Marvin grimaced as the Challenger pulled into the parking lot of the housing projects where he was currently shacking up.

"Just stay in the house for a while please, probably have a lawyer contact you tomorrow to talk strategy." Kenneth advised, parking the car and waiting until the stout black man got out before adding, "Hey you wouldn't run right? I'm on the hook for thirty thousand."

"Say less." Marvin said tapping the hood of the car. "Go home and fuck your wife Kenny, please for me." He called back over his shoulder.

***

Gilbert Swatz was one half of a seasoned team of bail enforcement agents employed by Water Under The Bridge Bail Bonding. After several profitable years with the company Gilbert had become fond of and grown close to his employer Kenneth Waters. Likewise Kenneth had favored his finest bounty hunters and came to secretly covet them as his very own henchmen. Even though he would never voice that opinion out loud or the other more temperamental half of that duo, Justin Hernandez might take offence. They were by far his most effective and valuable resources with the best recovery rate, and past history of righteous violence.

"What did you say this was about again?" Justin Hernandez asked, slouched down in the driver seat of his black Ford Raptor parked across the street from the Waffle House.

"You didn't ask me what I got Carol for Christmas." Gilbert evaded the question from the passenger seat.

"Christmas was last week. Why would I even care what you got your wife?" Justin retorted cracking his window in preparation of lighting a cigarette. "Come on what did Kenny say?"

"I don't know, not much. Just said he needed a personal favor." Gilbert answered. "Just have to keep eyes on this guy for the next few days. Kenny said he looked skittish and had a few concerns. He's on the hook for thirty grand."

"Then why'd he even bond him out?" Justin asked sparking up his cigarette.

"Apparently the guy kind of works for Kenny's wife." Gilbert made a face. "Off the books was how he put it."

"You know we got a full case load right? Are we even getting paid to babysit?" He asked, taking a deep drag of nicotine. "We're down to two weeks to find that asshole Lewis."

"He the one who flashed his eighty year old neighbor?" Gilbert asked, rolling his window down too as the truck cab filled with smoke.

"No he's the one who curb stomped some porch pirate." Justin answered, exhaling smoke out of his window. "Almost lost those sex toys he had ordered for his girlfriend."

"That's what this gentleman inside that Waffle House is facing too. Aggravated assault. Put a kid in a coma."

"What's the story behind that? Because I've heard some weird shit from that prick Carlos."

"I don't gossip Hernandez. Cool it here comes our guy."

The pair fell silent and slouched down further as Marvin Woodall exited the Waffle House restaurant and whistled while strolling over to his Kia Sorento. He started the SUV and made a phone call while letting the engine warm up.

"When's this guy's court date?" Justin asked, flicking his cigarette butt out and rolling up his window.

"I told you in a few days. One of Kenny's lawyers worked their magic and got the date pushed up." Gilbert answered. "I think the issue is that this asshole might not beat the charges clean."

"What's the max fifteen years? They'll probably give him five." Justin said cranking his own truck up and putting the defrost on to knock the chill out of the truck cab. "You telling me that huge fucker can't do five years?"

The Kia slowly pulled out of the lot followed by a blue Honda CRV, the bounty hunters waited until it got to the corner stop sign before tailing behind. They crossed over to I 65 north and picked up speed, Justin holding back and blending in with the mid-morning traffic.

"I thought you said he stayed in one of those projects in Nashville." Justin asked tucking himself behind an Amazon delivery van.

"That's what I was told. But look at that Honda, they could have passed him at least five times. Looks like it's hanging back too." Gilbert said pointing two traffic lanes over. "You don't think..."

"One problem at a time." Justin stated, slowing down and cutting over to get two cars behind the Honda CRV.

It was a grueling forty five minute drive through stop and go traffic to get from Nashville to a sketchy neighborhood in Madison, Tennessee. The Honda had long since broke off and went it's own way after the three vehicles got off the interstate. Marvin parked in the crumbling driveway of a modest fifteen hundred square foot house with bars on the windows. As soon as he cut the engine off a young thick Mexican woman stormed out the front door cussing at the top of her lungs, while angrily stalking up to the SUV.

"Oh boy." Gilbert said watching the angry woman smack the Kia's windshield, taunting it's driver to get out.

"We're just observers right?" Justin asked, parallel parking three houses down.

Marvin gave her a minute to rant before he dared opening the door and stepping out. She paused with her hand raised to strike him. Marvin stuck out his chin defying her before she broke into a smile, playfully hitting him on the chest.

"Well that was stupid." Gilbert said with heavy disappointment, watching the stocky black man hoist the slightly taller Latina over his shoulder and smack her young firm ass.

"What do you think Gil?"

"Don't know but did you see the ass on that young filly? I guarantee they're gonna be fucking in the next five minutes." Gilbert stated excitedly with his hand on the door handle.

"So what, you want to watch you perv?"

"Simmer down now Hernandez. Gonna just take a peak in the Kia right quick. Might get lucky and see something we can violate his ass on like drugs or a pistol." Gilbert answered casually stepping out of the truck and faking a phone call while he carefully scanned the neighborhood. "If I see something we report it and get his ass locked back up before supper, and be done with this."

Justin Hernandez turned in his seat to watch his heavyset partner stroll down the sidewalk with the phone still to his ear, looking around as if lost and getting directions. Marvin had carried the laughing woman back into the house allowing Gilbert Swatz to creep up to the end of the driveway, where he stopped and dialed an actual number on his cell phone.

"Yeah." Justin answered.

"Feeling a little exposed. Why don't you come up on foot and keep an eye on the windows for me?" Gilbert asked, waving his arms pretending to be frustrated with his call.

"Fuck that. This whole play feels like a dry ass hand job." Justin quipped. "Get back in the car please and just observe like we're being paid to do. Wait, how much are we getting paid for this?"

"Five grand a piece for the duration of this assignment. So if we can send him back today we still get paid in full." Gilbert explained. "Nothing wrong with a dry handy every once in a while, gets more friction. It just becomes a problem if you do it too often, all the chaffing and shit."

"Alright, coming in hot. But you're buying supper tonight, and it doesn't count if you invite me over and make poor Carol cook."

The younger Hispanic bounty hunter didn't wast any time as he exited the truck and swiftly walked past his partner without acknowledging him, before sprinting down the side of the house.

"No. What are you doing?" Gilbert hissed into the phone. "Just need you to stand out front and keep watch."

"Might as well do it right, like the detectives on those cop shows." Justin whispered putting the phone back to his ear.

He stopped just short of a living room window before crouching and duck walking closer to peek inside. Confused by what he was seeing he knelt down and cupped his hands over the glass to block any reflection, giving him a better view.

"Talk to me." Gilbert said, walking past the house to avoid any suspicion. "Are they still in there?"

"Yeah. But they're just sitting on this frumpy couch with a shelf full of angel figurines and a giant Crucifix behind them." Justin slowly described. "Wait a severe older woman just walked in the room and offered our guy a cold drink."

"Sounds like this filly lives with mama and she don't allow fornication under her roof." Gilbert chuckled.

"This might be his baby's mama, just noticed a kid laying down asleep between them." Justin went on. "Make your move now, this old lady has their full attention and she looks pissed he's even there."

Gilbert Swatz made a slow lap around the Kia Sorento, looking through every window for any signs of illegal activity. He even tried the passenger side door knob but it was locked, abruptly ending his investigation. One more glance at the neighboring houses and he darted to where his partner was knelt beside the window.

"Nothing visible from the outside, and the doors were locked." Gilbert reported, cupping his hands and daring a look through the window for himself.

The two bail enforcement agents took turns sneaking quick peeks through the window, watching the young woman's mother erupt in a tirade delivered entirely in Spanish. Marvin kept his head down, enduring the verbal abuse and taking small sips of lemonade.

"Is that how your mother-in-law treats you?" Justin laughed.

"Hell no." Gilbert snapped defensively. "She is chewing his ass off. What's she saying anyway?"

"Fuck if I know, never learned Spanish. Even took French in high school." Justin admitted. "Bonjour, je m'appelle Justin."

"Are you fucking with me right now?"

They both snapped their attention back to the window as the old woman switched to English. "This is the last time Daniella I mean it. I don't want him around my house anymore. Just hurry up and go, I'll watch my grand baby." Her muffled rage carried through the double pane glass.

"Shit they're leaving run and go get the truck I'll wait here and keep watch." Gilbert said, watching the heavily muscled black man slink past the old woman despite his size, thanking and offering her the empty glass back.

After another twenty minute drive across town Justin followed the Kia into the parking lot of a Budget Inn.

"What are they doing?" Gilbert asked confused by the SUV blowing past the office and parking in front of a room door. "They already have a room or something?"

"You see how those jeans hiked her ass up? He probably has a year round rental at this dump." Justin said backing into a parking space across the lot from them. "Need somewhere to bring her and enjoy all that meat back there."

They enviously watched Daniella hop out of the Kia, tugging her pants up and sweeping a few curly locks of hair out of her eyes. She waved a bottle of Hennessy in Marvin's face cackling obscenely, while he checked his pockets for the room key.

"Crime does pay." Gilbert lamented, watching Daniella's breast bounce as she hopped up and down excitedly. "My kingdom for a boob."

"You either need to stop reading so much Shakespeare or start watching more porn." Justin said, cutting his eyes at his partner. "He is going to fuck those walls down though."

Gilbert's cellphone chirped just as Marvin swiped his key card and ushered his prize inside the room with his hand firmly cupping her jiggling ass.

"Hey Gil, ya there?" Kenneth asked, panic making his voice higher.

"Yeah buddy calm down." Gilbert answered, while exiting the truck and walking over to the vending machines near the office.

"You got eyes on Marv? Kim called me freaking out, saying the police came to see her about that kid who was in a coma." Kenneth gasped. "They said the kid's mother reported him missing last night."

"Shit. You don't think..." Gilbert trailed off to punch in the code for a bag of Hot Cheetos.

"Yes I think!" Kenneth screamed into the phone. "That's why I'm running to my car right now. Where the fuck are you? I'm gonna brace that asshole and hopefully send him back to county tonight."

"Budget Inn over on Clairemont Ave. in Madison. Just pulled up, your guy literally just stepped into his room with some hot Mexican chick." Gilbert answered, tugging his bag of chips open and popping a few into his mouth. "Blood sugar is fucking with me."

"Madison? That's probably his first baby's mama, of course that cocksucker would be a cheater too." Kenneth griped with the raucous sound of his engine growling to life in the background.

"Want us to sit on him and back you when you get here?" Gilbert asked, crunching on his chips.

"You got Justin with you? I want you both to kick his door right now. I've seen Daniellla once, don't want him enjoying any of that." Kenneth demanded.

"We can't really kick his door before he's issued the arrest warrant." Gilbert began.

"Don't fuck with me right now you know what I mean. Break that shit up ASAP." Kenneth barked. "And stop crunching in my ear. Get it locked down before I get there, see you in thirty."

"Well damn." Gilbert muttered as the call ended.

Justin Hernandez adjusted the straps on his soft body armor he had thrown on over his hoodie as he lead the way across the small motel parking lot, shouldering his Mossberg 590 shotgun stoked with double ought buckshot.

"Really?" He giggled pointing at the room number. "304."

"Stop it." Gilbert scolded, holding his snub nose.357 magnum revolver pointing at the ground. "I'm gonna knock. When he opens put that Mossberg right in his fucking face."

Justin sobered up and nodded while watching his partner cover the peep hole with his hand, and loudly rapping three times on the door with the butt of his revolver.

"Night manager sir. Need to talk to you about the way you parked your car sir." Gilbert lied knocking twice more.

The door was thrown wide and in the center was Daniella completely topless and giggling. "What's the problem now?" She slurred, gently swaying her supple c-cup breasts with the upswept nipples. "Come in it's freezing out, see. look at my nipples."

Gilbert froze, mouth working soundlessly while staring into the soft tempting flesh in front of him. The four inch blade whistled over her shoulder striking Justin on the right side of his kevlar vest, causing him to stumble backward. Daniella was launched forward out of the door frame slamming into Gilbert as Marvin shoved past her in a mad dash to escape.

"He's loose." Gilbert shouted after hitting the cold tarmac with the screaming woman landing on top of him. "Careful."

Stunned by the knife attack Justin barely heard his partner's warning, straightening up and firing off a deafening blast from his shotgun. The buckshot blew out the rear window of the Kia, narrowly missing Marvin as he scurried around to the driver's side door.

"Don't shoot!" Gilbert hollered shoving the flailing temptress off of himself.

Justin dropped the shotgun and sprinted around the front of the SUV clashing with the muscular brute head on, tackling him hard to the ground. The young bounty hunter was the same height as his adversary but twenty pounds lighter. Marvin scrambled and shook loose from the smaller man's grip, getting back to his feet.

"Done fucked up now." Marvin sneered putting his fists up to box.

Without hesitation or fear Justin charged the larger black man, ducking at the last second and catching him with a stiff rabbit punch to the ribs. Surprised Marvin gasped and wrapped Hernandez up redirecting his momentum and slamming him up against the Kia's driver's side door, and landing a few quick body shots of his own. Struggling in the clinch, Justin reached up to hook his hand's behind the stronger man's neck, locking him in a Muay Thai clinch and dragging him off balance. The bounty hunter pulled Marvin's head downward as he repeatedly slammed his knee up into his face in quick succession.

"Let him go you fucker!" Daniella drunkenly screeched leaping onto Justin's back, clawing at his face with her nails.

That was enough of a distraction to allow Marvin to get a hold of Justin's leg and yank him backward off his feet. He landed with a sick smack, the howling woman on his back absorbing most of the blow. Then angry black hammer fists blitzed Hernandez in the face causing him to blink out of consciousness momentarily. Gilbert was there suddenly in a stinging cloud of pepper spray.

Kenneth Waters was parked across the street from the Budget Inn at a Shell gas station, with his phone to his ear absorbing every venomous insult his wife could hurl at him.

"I didn't tell them to go in guns blazing." He said defensively. "They were supposed to make contact to see if he had the kid, then sit on him until I got there. I had to drive all the way to fucking Madison."

"Well did he have the kid?" Kim Waters snapped. "Because if he did we can't let the cops take him back in. I need him out here with us."

"Only had a quick rundown of what happened from Gilbert before the cops showed up. He said your boy started it by slinging a knife at them. A shot was fired in self defense, then a full on brawl broke out." Kenneth relayed over the phone. "Hernandez might not be as big but he is shredded, I heard he went head up with Marv. Almost got over on him too."

"I'm sure you're proud. Focus baby please. How many units are there right now?" Kim asked with a forced calm to her voice.

"Well it was a shots fired call so there are four squad cars now and I'm sure a few more are on the way." Kenneth said glancing over at the red and blue illuminated parking lot through a cheap pair of binoculars.

"Can you find out who the commanding officer is? We might be able to spin a story if we get the right guy." His wife plotted. "You go over there and start throwing some of that white privilege around we need to get on top of this quick. Keep them out of that fucking room, just in case Marvin actually did stash that kid there."

"Look I only had my guys keeping an eye on him because I know what a liability he is, and look what happened? Let him take the hit for snatching that kid that he fucked around and put in a coma." Kenneth reasoned. "We tried to help him. The guy's a menace; walking, talking herpes even. Let the authorities do their job."

"Okay, then whose going to keep Tyler in check?" His wife asked bitterly. "I haven't been fucked since that day in my office..."

"Don't." Kenneth warned through clenched teeth. "I kicked the shit out of that fake hoodlum remember. I'm more worried about Marvin giving us up since you filled him in on everything."

"Marvin has always been loyal, and I'm not abandoning him now." Kim stated, leaving no room for further argument. "Go see what can be done and call me back."

After Kim Waters hung up the phone she popped two weed gummies and chewed rapidly, taking deep calming breaths to regain her composure. Everything was slipping out of her control and the threat of incarceration seemed imminent.