Blind Man in the Dark

By: Sam Lincoln

Disclaimer: The characters from Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling and are used here without permission. Likewise the characters from Justified belong to Elmore Leonard, Sony Pictures, and FX and are also used without permission.

Spoilers: For Harry Potter, post Deathly Hallows. For Justified this is set between Seasons 3 and 4 with no season 4 spoilers.

Chapter 4


Boyd Crowder sat alone at a table in the mostly empty bar he used at headquarters for his criminal operations. His girlfriend, Ava Crowder, stood behind the bar cleaning glasses, and his second-in-command, Johnny Crowder, sat perched on a barstool stopping a glass of whiskey. They were both staring at Boyd with some trepidation as he leafed through a ledger.

"We can't keep this up Boyd," Johnny said. "We aren't bringing in nearly enough money in Oxy sales. Hell, even the take from Audrey's is drying up."

"Why thank-you Cousin Johnny for that neat summation. However I was paying attention in school when they went over basic arithmetic. So you aren't telling me anything I can't already see quite plainly."

"So what are we going to do about it?" Ava asked Boyd.

Boyd set the ledger down and looked over at his two lieutenants. "First we are going to pay a visit to every single person dealing Oxy for us and make sure they understand I don't take kindly to people who don't pay what they owe. Second, we are going to explore new markets for possible expansion." He tapped on the ledger to emphasize his point.

"Like what?" Johnny asked. "The Dixie Mafia controls the heroin business, and I know you want no part in getting back into the meth game. Or do you want to go back to offering protections to coal company executives?"

"The protection racket did cross my mind," Boyd said. "Especially if we provide some Emulex incentive."

"Well whatever your grand plan is, I suggest you set it in motion soon," Johnny said before finishing off his glass of whiskey. "I would hate to have to support this bar on beer sales alone."

"Now calm down Cousin Johnny, the Good Lord will always provide for his true believers, or at the very least do what he can to hold off having to deal with sinners like us."

"In that case I must be the Hand of God," the raspy voice of Ezekiel Haverin said from the entrance of the bar. The three Crowders all looked in his direction and watched as the old man walked over to Boyd's table.

"I can understand the need to enjoy a libation, but I'm afraid the bar's closed friend," Boyd said.

"That's not why I'm here," Haverin said.

"Is that so?" Boyd asked. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that Ava and Johnny were both reaching for their concealed guns. "In that case what can we do for you friend?"

"It's not what you can do for me, it's what I can do for you Boyd Crowder. My name is Ezekiel Haverin, I trust you have heard of me."

"I most certainly have," Boyd said. He motioned for Haverin to sit down at the table. "What brings you out of Raven's Holler?"

Haverin sat down across from Boyd. "I have a job that needs doing and I believe you are the right man to see that it does."

Boyd released his grip on the .45 automatic sitting in his lap and slid it back into its hiding spot under the table. "And what might that job be exactly?"

"I need a man killed Mr. Crowder."

"I've been given to understand that was something you Raven's Holler folks had no compunctions about taking care of on your own. Why ask me?"

"If I were to kill this man it would attract unwanted attention on me and mine."

Boyd leaned forward in his seat. "Mr. Haverin, I don't know how you do things in Raven's Holler, but when Im looking for a patsy, I don't tell the patsy he's a patsy. It defeats the whole point of the exercise."

"As long as you know what you're doing I pormose you won't suffer from any repercussions."

"A bold claim Mr. Haverin. Alright, just for the sake of curiosity, who is it you want dead?"

Haverin reached into his jacket and withdrew a newspaper clipping. "His name is Harry Potter. He's a British policeman who is threatening certain interests of mine."

"You expect me to believe that killing a member of law enforcement, and a foreign one at that, will not bring down the full weight of the law on me?"

"The thing is Mr. Crowder, the people Mr. Potter work for have certain, shall we say, prejudices about the people of the great state of Kentucky. If they think Potter died because of a senseless act of random violence they won't investigate any deeper."

"Make it look like a mugging gone bad in other words," Boyd said.

Haverin nodded his head slightly. "Precisely."

"And what exactly do I get in return for performing this heinous deed for you?

"For starters you'll get the support of Raven's Holler in your future endeavors. I think you will find we are quite the powerful ally."

"If we need a poultice you'll be the first person we call," Johnny said.

Haverin whipped his head around and fixed Johnny with an icy glare. "You'd best not insult forces you can't even begin to comprehend boy. You never know when your heart might suddenly give out."

"And you'd do that?" Johnny asked.

"Without sparing another thought."

"I'd like to see you try with a bullet in your head," Johnny said. He raised his revolver and aimed it at Haverin.

Haverin ignored Johnny and instead turned his attention back to Boyd. 'Mr. Crowder, tell your cousin to put his gun away before he does something he might regret later."

"Cousin Johnny, would you please put the gun down. Mr. Haverin came here in good faith to parlay, and we do not shoot such men now do we?"

Johnny lowered the revolver. "No we do not cousin," He said as he continued to glower at Haverin.

"Mr. Haverin I do apologize for my cousin's uncouth behavior, but not for his attitude. I'm afraid I'm going to need something a little more concrete than vague promises of power."

"What if I could offer you Oxy. Not the new reformulated stuff, but the original easy to abuse variety. Would that be worth something to you?"

Boyd leaned forward in his chair, rested his elbows on the table and tented his fingers together. "Why that would be worth quite a lot, assuming you can produce the merchandise."

"Oh don't worry Mr. Crowder, we can most certainly deliver," Haverin said.

"I would so dearly love to know how you intend to pull that trick off."

A smile slowly crept across Haverin's face. "A man has to keep at least some of his secrets."

"Now I do appreciate that sir, but you have to look at this from my perspective. What you are claiming is a little, shall we say, farfetched. If you are sitting on cache of old Oxy then why aren't you selling it yourself?"

"Because we aren't drug peddlers, we merely collect things, and occasionally give them away. But I understand your concern, what if I were to do something to prove that Raven's Holler makes good on its promises?"

"Well you could provide us with samples of this Oxy you claim to have," Boyd said.

"Can't give you something I don't have yet," Haverin said. "But I can take care of another problem of yours."

Boyd cocked his head to the side. "And what problem might that be?"

"US Deputy Marshall Raylan Givens. I'm taken to understand the two of you have butted heads in the past?"

"Raylan and I have had our share of differences. Am I to assume you mean to 'take care' of him for me."

"I do."

Boyd leaned back in his seat and laughed. "This here's turned into a regular old 'Strangers on a Train' situation. Don't you think that will look more than a little suspicious?"

"Not at all, people keel over and die all the time. Trust me, the law won't figure it out."

"Seems like you're asking me to place a lot of trust in your Mr. Haverin."

"Mr. Crowder, you are aware of my reputation are you not?"

Boyd nodded his head slightly. "That I am."

"Then you know when Raven's Holler looks for a favor we get the favor. What you have to ask yourself Mr. Crowder is what will you get out of it?"

"So I only have the illusion of choice then?"

"Not the illusion Mr. Crowder. You do have a choice, only there is one correct choice and one bad choice. Do this thing for me. Kill Harry Potter, and you will get riches beyond your wildest dreams."

"And if I don't?"

"If you don't, any and everything you hold dear will wither and die before your very eyes." Haverin glanced over at Ava before returning his attention to Boyd. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Why Mr. Haverin I believe you do," Boyd said. He picked up the newspaper clipping. "And when did you want the thing done?"

"Today would be best," Haverin said. "No sense in putting it off for later."

"That's a tall order considering I don't even know where this Harry Potter is. However since you were the one to mention Raylan I'm going to hazard a guess and say that the two of them are working together and so is liable to be wherever Raylan is?"

"You are a perceptive man Mr. Crowder."

"Which also means you fully intend to kill Raylan whether I help you or not."

"Consider it a win-win for both sides. Now how about it Mr. Crowder, do we have a deal?" Haverin reached his hand across the table.

A smile flashed across Boyd's face. "Untold riches or untold devastation, with options like that what choice do I have? It's a deal sir." Boyd shook Havern's outstretched hand. The expression on Boyd's face hardened and he jerked Haverin across the table. "But know this, I don't care if you are the Lord God Almighty himself, Boyd Crowder is nobody's lapdog. So don't think you just bought yourself a common gun thug. We are full partners in this. Do I make myself clear?"

"You certainly Mr. Crowder," Haverin said, not flinching under the weight of Boyd's gaze.

"Oh and one more thing Mr. Haverin," Boyd said as he pressed Haverin against the table. "If you ever threaten me and mine again I will burn your little shithole of a holler to the ground. And you can mark that down as both a threat and a promise." Boyd tightened his grip on the old man's hand.

"I believe we understand each other Mr. Crowder," Haverin said. If he was in any pain he did not show it.

"Good, glad to have that settled then." Boyd released Haverin and the two men returned to their seats. "Ava why don't you get me and Mr. Haverin each a glass of the good stuff to toast our newfound alliance." Ava poured bourbon into two shot glasses, then stepped out from behind the bar and placed them on the table. Boyd picked up his glass and tipped it towards Haverin. "To new friends and old problems, may one solve the other." The two men downed the shots and Boyd stood up from the table. "Now then, to help get you started. Raylan is currently living above a bar in Lexington called the High Note. If I was looking for him, that's where I'd start."

Haverin stood up and nodded at Boyd. "Thank-you for the advice. I look forward to our next meeting." He then walked out of the bar.

Boyd waited until the door shut before taking a few steps over to the bar and sagging against it. "Johnny who do we know in Lexington who can take care of our Englishman? Preferably not a hitter who would immediately point back to us?"

"I think I can find someone that fits the bill," Johnny said.

"So what are you sitting around for? Get to it." Boyd glared at Johnny until he hopped off his barstool and hobble into the back room.

Ava walked over to Boyd and rested her hands on his shoulders. "Boyd are you sure you want to do this?"

Boyd turned around to face Ava and caught her hands in his. "Ava baby, I can't exactly say I'm proud of the choice I made just now, but Raven's Holler! My daddy always told me if ever anyone from there came around looking for a favor I was to do it no questions asked. And you know if they could scare a mean cuss like Bo Crowder then they aren't to be taken lightly."

Ava pulled her hands free and leaned against Boyd. "I know, I remember the stories my momma would tell me, but I thought they were just that stories."

Boyd shook his head. "That's the thing baby, my daddy had first hand experience. Fellow who used to run with him and Arlo back in the old days tried to swindle the Haverins. What was left of his body weren't fit for burial."

Ava propped her head on Boyd's shoulder. "So what do you intend to do about it?"

Boyd reached up and cupped Ava's head in his hand. "I will do what I always do. Whatever it takes to survive." Johnny emerged from the back room and handed boy a slip of paper with a number written on it. "Is this our guy?" Boyd asked.

"He's the guy who knows a guy," Johnny said.

"He knows a guy? Johnny if you haven't been paying attention I am about to take out a contract on another man's life. And you want me to call a guy who knows a guy?"

"You said you didn't want this coming back to us. I figure this way there's a bit more of a barrier between us and the man pulling the trigger."

Boyd paused to reflect on Johnny's thought process. "You know what Cousin Johnny, that is not a half bad idea." Boyd reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. "Yes hello, I was told this is the number to call if I want to have certain problems removed. My name? Why I think it's best for both of us if I don't tell you that, don't you agree? Yes I thought so too. I was recommended to you buy an associate of mine, a man by the name of Johnny Crowder." Boyd paused. "Is that so? I will be sure to tell him that." Boyd took the phone away from his ear and cupped his hand over the mouthpiece. "Johnny, you owe the man forty dollars. What's that?" He said back into the phone. "No I'm still here. Now listen the name of this problem is Harry Potter. Yes, it does sound like a name from a dirty limerick. Do you have a fax number I can send the rest of the information to? Fantastic. Now if I want this problem dealt with tonight how much? Fifteen thousand? That sounds fair. We can discuss how to deliver your payment when the job is done. Don't you worry none, I'm good for the money. You just be sure your man does his job and I'll do mine. Thank-you very much for your time." Boyd snapped the phone shut with one hand then rested it against his head.

"Do you suppose they'll manage to kill this Potter fellow?" Johnny asked.

"I suppose it is in our best interest that they do. I would not imagine we will be able to take a second bite at this particular apple if our chosen assassin misses."

"Then why aren't we taking care of this ourselves if it's so important?"

"Because Johnny, as you well know, I do not believe in putting all of my eggs in one basket."

"So you don't trust Old Man Haverin," Ava said.

"Of course I don't trust Haverin. He's just look for an easy mark to do his dirty work. He has no intention of cutting us into whatever criminal enterprise he's getting up into." Boyd paused as he poured himself a glass of bourbon. "No see the way I figure it our best bet is to do what we do best."

"And what's that?"

Boyd opened his cellphone and punched in a text message. "We play both sides against the other and see what shakes out." He closed the the phone with a snap. "If Raylan and this Potter survive they'll come down on Haverin like a sack of hammers and we pick up the pieces."

"And if they don't?" Ava asked.

Boyd shrugged his shoulders. "Then we hold our noses and work with Haverin for a spell. Either way, a win-win for us."


Author's Notes: Boyd Crowder is so much fun to write. I never intended this scene to take up the whole chapter, but that loquacious bastard just kept talking. I don't think I quite got all of Boyd, but it's close enough. Thanks again for taking the time to read this crazy thing. The next chapter will be posted when it's written, and at the moment I don't even have an outline written, so I should get on that. Until that time.

-sam, 2013-12-03