Dirty South Drug Wars Read Online Free PDF Page A

the man where he lay. He walked over to my mother and hovered over her trembling frame pointing one beefy finger in her face.
    “How could you? How could you do that to my brother, in the house he built for you and your family? He’s dead because of the Montgomerys! And you let one between your legs? Filthy whore.”
    Pressing my fingers to my ears, I tried to drown out my uncle’s words because they weren’t true. My mother would never do that to my father. She’d never let a Montgomery touch her. She would never betray the memory of my father by sleeping with someone who was his possible murderer.
    But the words ran through my mind on a loop, forever embedded there as the now-soundless argument between my uncle and my mother continued.
    Davis Montgomery scooted backward on his ass against the dirt, springing up and darting to his truck. He wrenched the door open and leaned inside, momentarily disappearing as my family continued to squabble. Davis emerged with a sawed-off shotgun clutched in his hands.
    I dropped my hands from my ears and screamed, “No!”
    Aunt Maggie froze beside me. Davis flinched and cocked the gun. He spat blood from his mouth. The bright red liquid splattered against the concrete drive.
    “You let Christine alone, you hear?” Davis aimed the gun at my uncle. “If I find out you hurt her, I’ll come back and I swear I’ll rid the Earth of all you Monroe scum.”
    “You broke some major rules, Montgomery,” Uncle Saul said, ignoring the man’s words. “The first was crossing that river. The second was touching one of our women. And you know the rule about involving children.”
    “Christine’s not a Monroe, at least not anymore,” Davis said. “And her daughter is hardly a child. But you’re right about crossing the boundary. I did that shit. What are you gonna do about it, Monroe?”
    “Since the rules mean nothing to you, how about all rules are off the table from now on?” Uncle Saul said in a menacing tone, in a voice that implied he wasn’t making any negotiations. “That means Amos, Matt, Alex, and I will cross that bridge and do business in Birchwood anytime we want. And if you find a Monroe boy in your daughter’s bed … there’s nothing you can do about it. How does that sound, Davis?”
    “I think it’s a good thing I have a son and not a daughter.” Davis laughed and placed the safety back on the gun. He tossed it in the passenger seat and slid behind the wheel. “My brother’s kid is taking over the business in a couple years. He’ll love to find out he’s allowed in Mayhaw. There’s something he just adores about Mayhaw.”
    He smirked at the confused frown on my face. His grin was tinged pink with blood from his busted mouth. Laughing, he slammed the door and cranked the car, flooring the gas and swerving around the vehicles. The same huge grin remained on Davis’ face as he peeled out of the drive.
    Silence engulfed us until Saul spoke.
    “You are no longer considered family, Christine,” Saul said as Mama raised herself from the flowerbed. “You’re dead to me now.” He spit on the ground near Mama before turning to me. “Rue, nothing that happened here changes the way I feel about you and Lucy. This is not your fault, in any shape or form. You’re my brother’s child, now and forever, but your mother is no longer family. Maggie, let’s go.”
    Aunt Maggie gave me a sad smile and hugged me tightly, muttering, “Feel better, baby.” She shot my mother a murderous glare and entered her truck as well.
    I stepped off the pavement and stood beside the driveway, tugging on a lock of my hair. There was a long, bloated silence as I stared down the lane. Tall pines cast shadows along the vehicles as my aunt and uncle drove away.
    “What are you doing home so early?” Mama’s angry voice caused me to turn to her in surprise. She crossed the distance between us, glaring at me. Grabbing my shoulders, she shook me and screamed. “This is your fault!