Forever Driven: Forever Bluegrass #4 Read Online Free Page B

certain way, but Matt had discovered that wasn’t always true. Underlings, yeah, they looked a certain way. But the actual brain behind the operation of illegal drugs was not your average street criminal. He, or she, was smart and focused on business. They were often part of the community. They were members of a church, the president of the PTA, and local business owners who coached Little League. And Jared fit the bill just as Levi had. When Matt busted Levi, it was after he’d finished volunteering at the soup kitchen with his son’s Boy Scout troop.
    Jared had pictures of his family lining the wall behind him. Pottery made by his children sat on his desk. He was in his late thirties. Styled hair, khakis, and not a single piercing or tattoo in sight. He was your average suburban father.
    “So you’re Levi’s client,” Jared said with a smile and stood up to shake Matt’s hand as if they were at a bank meeting instead of a drug deal.
    “That’s me. I’m Matt Wilson.” Matt shook his hand and looked around. “Your kids are into soccer?”
    “Yes. They love it. Every Saturday morning at eight we’re at the fields. Do Levi’s kids play soccer?”
    Matt shook his head. “Basketball and ballet.”
    “Eddie said you were looking to leave Levi,” Jared said as if Matt were simply looking to change brokers.
    “I’m down here for the next year working on this highway. I’m getting tired of driving back and forth. In full disclosure, when I move back to Lexington, I’ll probably switch back. You know, it’s a matter of convenience.”
    Jared nodded. “I can understand that. What’s your budget while you’re here?”
    “Ten grand a month.”
    Jared’s eyes widened. “You have that kind of money?”
    “Nah, man. I have friends I go in on it with,” Matt laughed. “Damn, I’d be dead in under a month if it were just me.”
    “Is this what you’ve been buying from Levi?”
    “Yup. Varies on our employment, of course. But lately, I’ve held some pretty steady jobs. A year working in Versailles, a year on a project in downtown Lexington, and now another potential year or two on this highway job.”
    “Why you?” Jared asked as he motioned for Matt to take a seat in the sitting area.
    “Why me what?” Matt sat down and Jared sat in a chair near him.
    “Why are you the handler?”
    “Oh, because I ain’t married. Wife and kids get nosy. We learned that after Carlos got married, and his wife found the stash when she was spring cleaning.”
    “Unless you have a very understanding wife like I’m blessed with. She decorated my office for me,” Jared said with pride.
    “Nice.” Matt took the opportunity to look around again. “I like the basket organizer thingies. I had a girlfriend once who had those in her closet for all her laundry.”
    “These hold things more valuable than laundry. Now, Eddie said you wanted a pound.”
    “That’s right.” Matt knew the deal was coming.
    “Then you have a problem. I normally charge $15,000 for a pound.”
    “Then you’re overcharging,” Matt said immediately before pausing. “No disrespect.”
    Jared grinned. “And you’re either smarter or dumber than most of my clients. They wouldn’t dare question my price.”
    Matt held up his hands. “Like I said, no disrespect, but they’re the stupid ones. I can get a pound from Levi for ten grand. If I bother to drive a little farther east, I can get it for eight. But since I heard your product was purer, I thought I’d go with you.”
    That caught Jared’s attention. “Who would you go to?”
    “One of my buddies has a contact in Beattyville.”
    Jared shook his head in amusement. “You don’t want to be buying from Skunk. He cuts his drugs with antifreeze. Why do you think it’s so cheap?”
    Matt shrugged. “We all know bigger cities have bigger price tags. Like I said, I want to do business with you. However, I’m not going to be taken advantage of either. Ten grand is fair.” Matt stood up