*Author's Note*
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Devil Owns Your Soul
Cap POV:
Its been a couple days since the cars were torched in our driveway. I talked to pa 'bout Moses offer of helping by hacking into computer systems and whatever records we needed. He wanted to meet the boy, feel him out first before having him help us find the man behind the attack. Mhm, we were having a hard time finding the suspect even with our resources. So that's why I was sittin' in pa's office with him and Uncle Jim at the lumber yard waitin' for a meetin' with Moses to start. Actually, we were waiting on him to get here since he was coming after work at Perry Cline's firm.
I was leanin' back in my chair, smokin' a cigar, while Uncle Jim was lookin' around the room studiously as he chewed on his wad of tobacco as he sat in the chair next to me. Pa was puffin' on his pipe, his ice-cold eyes flitterin' to the window once in a while, as he sat behind his desk. The room was so silent the sound of a pin droppin' could be heard. The noise of the saws and machines runnin' outside could be heard in the office, not loudly, but enough to make the walls vibrate.
Workers were running the mill, and other things, so I knew that somebody would tell Moses where to go once he got here. Most likely Selkirk or Skunk Hair since they were on and would know why he's here to see us.
"So, what's the honor I got with meetin' ya Devil Anse?" Moses asked as soon as he walked into the office, makin' us all look at him with arched brows. That boy sure did know how to break the ice. The man looked more fit to be a lumberjack then a law clerk in his red-black flannel shirt and Wranglers.
Pa took a long puff off his pipe before telling Moses, "Cap says you're a hacker, offered your services to help us."
"Yea, that's what I told him the other day." Moses confirmed, crossin' his arms over his chest as he stood tall like a large oak tree in front of pa's desk.
"Why?" Pa asked in a hard-clipped tone, his teeth slightly bitin' his pipe so it wouldn't fall from his mouth.
"Why what?" He yapped back, a brow slightly raised.
Uncle Jim rolled his eyes and let out a small groan. "Why ya wanna help us, boy."
"Don't call me boy, I'm 20." Moses told Jim, glarin' his cerulean blues at his. Turnin' to pa he had a grin on his face and said, "My loyalties lie wit' my sister. Blood's thicker then water. McCoys went after my sister, I'll do what I can to help keep her safe."
"But your uncle sides with the McCoys. Isn't he blood too?" Pa asked, his face a hard mask showin' nothing, as he stared down Moses.
A dark twisted look full of aggravation, annoyance, and anger crossed over Moses' brown bearded face before he snapped out, "Uncle Perry's stuck so far up Randallicious's ass that it's not funny. He's so worried 'bout what the old drunk thinks that he's pushin' my sister's safety to the back burner." His cerulean eyes sharply looked at all of us as he remarked, "He wants Novella back in Kentucky, but I don' easy for somethin' to happen to her there." In a deep scoff he added, "Plus Tolbert's there."
"Tolbert a problem to Nova's safety? Ain't the man in love with her?" Jim cackled loudly, a sarcastic look on his age-worn face. His stained teeth curled over his lip while tobacco juice glistened and slowly dripped onto his straggly grey beard.
"He can't get it in his hard head that she's moved on, he's too attached to her." Moses explained, tappin' the side of his head.
"Tolbert won't bother Nova, none of them McCoys will." I vowed, my voice deep and hard, before taking a long drag off my cigar.
"What my son means is that your sister's living with him as a legal West Virginia citizen. Her truck and id are West Virginian issued, she won't be found by Bad Frank."
Moses cocked his head and raised a brow skeptically. "Don't he know where the house is?"
"Good luck gettin' near it. My nephew, Devil Anse, had a wooden cattle fence wit' bobbed wire put 'round the place." Uncle Jim blurted out in his rough drawl of a voice, a smirk on his face.
"Oh, okay, that works." The brick of a man nodded, showin' his approval of the fence that pa had sanitation around my land.
Moses POV:
Devil Anse Hatfield was sitting straighter then if he had a puppet string holdin' him up. Takin' his pipe out of his mouth and pointin' it at me he said in a deep emotionless tone, "Moses, if I let you do hackin' work for me then it won't just be a one-time deal. You'd be apart of the Hatfield fold, you'd be family. Family is for life."
Dear lord this is like some Godfather or SOA shit. Family is for life, once you're in you're in forever. Holy shit, I'm supposed to be a law clerk and studyin' to be a lawyer one day, but now I'm gettin' pulled into the life of crime. My sister's apart of the Hatfield family, doubt Nova knows how deep or serious bein' made their family means, and she wouldn't be if I didn't encourage her to pursue her relationship with Cap. My sister, who I just got back, is with these people so then I'll join her and get in with them to. If I gotta be a hacker, helpin' gun runners that hide behind a legit lumber business then so be it.
"I understand. I want in, to be a part of the Hatfield family." Actually, I didn't really want in, but it was the only way to protect Novella. I had to have my sister's back. She was in some real dangerous and messy shit, I doubt she even knew how bad it really was. Hell, I doubt ADA Cap's gonna tell her the truth bout the illegal arms business and shit…I gotta sell my soul to the devil to ensure my sister's safety. Oh, my life's never gonna be borin' again.
Devil Anse told me, noddin' his head, 'fore stickin' his pipe back into the corner of his mouth. "I'll bring ya in, but first find out who Bad Frank sent to follow them an' torch the cars."
"Oh, that's easy 'nough." I could find anything If you don't mind I need your computer for a minute and then I'll get that info for ya." I told him, pointing to the Dell that was on his oakwood desk.
"You think you can find it that fast?" Devil Anse sarcastically asked, takin' a puff of his pipe as he rose from his desk chair.
"Hell ya." I confidently said, brushin' by the devil and takin' a seat in front of his computer. "I grew up with a squeamish germ-a-phob for an uncle that bought me a deluxe computer with all the bells and whistles when I was 8 or 9. I spent a lot of time in my room on the 'puter. Viola, taught myself how to hack. Hell, that's how I graduated high school in the top 25, hacked some grades." I explained as I worked my hacking magic on the Dell desktop.
"Oh…" The head Hatfield trailed off, noddin' his head before puffin' on his pipe.
"Boom!" I eclaimed, pointin' at the screen in front of me. While clicking on the print button I told everyone, "Dude's name's Lester Grant. Got his address and shit, printing it off now."
"How'd ya find it so fast?" Cap, who knowin' my luck was gonna end up bein' my future brother-in-law with hoe fast shit's goin' with him and my sister, asked around the Cuban cigar in his mouth.
"Hacked into Bad Frank's phone records. He's got the ATT/Direct TV bundle like most people 'round the Tug. Just looked in the records and pulled up the last call he made 'fore midnight of the day the cars got blown up. Took the name and worked my magic til I got his address." I explained against the sound of the large printer workin' to spit out a copy of what was on the computer screen. I took the printed page from the printer tray and handed it over to Devil Anse while saying, "Dude lives in the holler known for thieves and drunks up in North Eastern, Kentucky."
"Very well, you're in the family." Devil Anse told me, his hand curlin' over the edge of the freshly printed paper. His pipe dangled in the corner of his mouth as he firmly warned, "But, Moses, one slip up and you're gone."
"Got'cha." I nodded, my messy bun no doubt bobbin' on top my head.
"Also, anythin' you hear in that law office of your uncle's that you feel we need'a know ya tell us." Devil Anse told me with a dead serious look in his cold blue eyes.
A wicked smirk crossed over Jim Vance's face. "Yea, boy, you're gonna be our spy now."
"Just get on home, Moses. I'll have Nova call ya later." Cap told me in what I could only describe as a deep unmovin' tone as he tipped some cigar ashes into the tray on the small table in the middle of him and his uncle's chairs.
Cap looked imtimidatin', just like Jim and Devil Anse did in this room, and I knew that my sister had gotten herself in over her head. Novella had gotten herself with a man that could be dangerous, a wolf in sheep's skin. If only I knew what him and his family were really involved in, why both him and his judge uncle really got their jobs in the Pike County judicial system, before I told my sister the relationship was fine to pursue. Oh well, no goin' back now. We're all 'part of the devil's family now.
I just nodded, stood up, and left. I knew that they needed the office to talk bout how to whack the idiot that set the cars on fire. Poor goon, he's gonna get some crazy hillbillies on his ass. Shit, and I thought people in Kentucky could be a bit titched in the head…
Novella POV:
I flopped my back down on Cap's, well our bed, in annoyance after getting off the phone with him. Turns out he's staying out late tonight to help Jim Vance with security at the saw mill. I get to eat dinner with his family by myself since Devil Anse is on his way home, like right now. Oh, and the fact that we can't go home cause the devil's getting a fence installed around the property's bullshit too. I'm so tired of living at the Hatfield house. Cap's siblings are nice and Cotton's sweet, but it's not like I can spend all day hanging with them since they have school and jobs. Hell, I'm kinda tired of having to help Levicy cook and clean in the house. Dear lord it's like Groundhog Day with that woman when it comes to cleaning. Same shit gets cleaned every damn day. Safe to say I loathe the smell of Pine Sol, Clorox, and Old English right now.
I knew that any second now Levicy would be calling me downstairs to help cook dinner. I mean it's what's been going on for the last couple of days, why would the woman change her routine now.
"Nova, it's 'bout time to get started on dinner!" Levicy shouted, no doubt from the bottom of the stairs, right on cue.
"Coming, Levicy!" I shouted back right before sitting up.
I hope the older girls are helping out tonight. The last two nights they didn't due to having homework or being tired from work. When I say work what I mean is waiting tables in some mom & pop diner that Anse knew the owner of. Apparently, from what Cap said, his sisters where only working in order to find a man to date and marry. Yep, typical back hills logic.
Quietly and quickly I got off the bed and left the room. I felt a bit, I dunno how to say it, blah as I walked down the hall and to the stairs. I couldn't put my finger on it, but something just didn't feel right.
Meanwhile Miles & Miles Away…
Cap POV:
I was sittin' in the passenger's seat of Uncle Jim's old bronco as he drove us out the large gate the surrounded the lumber mill. We were headed to pay Lester Grant a visit. Bastard lived a bit north of Harlan so it was gonna be a long ride, won't be back home til late.
Lookin' over at me Jim asked, "Miss Nova a'ight wit' ya bein' gone til late tonight?"
"Yea." I nodded, lightin' myself up a cigarette. Takin' my first long drag I explained, "I called and told her that I had'a run some late security wit'cha at the mill." Smirkin' I assured Jim, "She's fine with it."
"Y'know ya do a good job on this an' your pappy'll make ya his lieutenant."
Holdin' back a smile I told my uncle, "I know, Jim."
"I told him I'd keep watch over ya, make sure you're up to bein' his right-hand man." He reveled, lettin' me know that he was gonna make sure I stepped into my rightful role as my pa's lieutenant.
"Thanks, Uncle Jim." I told him, blowin' smoke outta my lungs.
"Ah, it's nothin'. I think you'll do just fine, your pappy'll see that soon 'nough too." Uncle Jim shrugged me off, his voice cracklin' an' dismissive. "So, what's your girl gonna do 'bout work?"
"Go back to her job, but give most of her duties to her uncle."
"Ah, guess that's a compromise 'tween ya'll?" Jim asked in a chuckle, a knowin' tone hidden in his rough voice.
"Yea, but if she gets pergant she'll have to quit do to stress." I explained, tippin' some ashes off my smoke out the half-cracked window.
Jim gave me a sideway glance. "If she gets pregnant? Ya'll tryin' to start up a family, son?"
"Not tryin', but not preventin' neither." I informed my grungy back-hills uncle, blowin' a waft of smoke outta my lungs.
He just shook his head, makin' his messy hair slip out of his low ponytail. "Hatfield men got strong seed, 'xpect her pukin' her head off in the shitter next month."
"Thanks, Jim, just what I wanna hear." I sarcastically scoffed before draggin' on my smoke. As the second oldest of thirteen kids, I knew how mornin' sickness worked so I didn't need my uncle givin' me a mental picture of my girl havin' it.
"Welcome, boy." He chuckled, some tobacco juice drippin' over his lip an' down his matted stained beard. "You've always been smart an' wit' a good head on your shoulders. You'll make a great pa, bring the youn'in up the right way."
"Yea." I nodded in agreement. "Funny thing is I never even thought bout settlin' down til I got wit Nova. Just thought bout youn'ins recently too."
"That girl's good for ya." Lookin' between me and the road he waggled a finger at me and smirked, "Bout time ya got tied down, stopped messin' wit' all 'em whores."
"Yea, wouldn't want me endin' up like Johnse." I sarcastically japed, tossin' my butt out the cracked window 'fore rollin' it back up.
"Amen to that." Uncle Jim loudly chuckled, turnin' us onto the road that'd bring us to the bridge crossin' the Tug into Kentucky.
We had a good 2-plus-hour drive 'head of us. Might as well turn up the radio, only thing to do to pass the time is listen to music and talk.
It was dark whenever we pulled up to a small shithole in the woods in the middle of nowhere 'bout a half hour outside of Harlan, Kentucky. Only a truck was parked in front of the older modeled trailer, a clear sign that Mr. Grant was most likely single an' the only one home. Jim turned off his bronco an' we got out. After slammin' the doors to the old Ford shut we made our way to the house of Lester Grant, wearin' black hoodies an' gloves wit' loaded guns tucked in our waistbands. Lester wasn't gonna give us answers then he was gonna be dealt with and a message was gonna be sent to the James brothers.
Uncle Jim banged on the white peelin' front door of the trailer as soon as we set foot on the small front stoop made of old splinterin' wood. "I'm comin', I'm comin'! Quit yer bangin'!" Was the loud drawling command comin' from the house as Lester was walkin' to the door, that Jim had no intention to stop bangin' on.
The door opened and before the man could say a word Jim pushed him inside. "We're gonna have a lil chit-chat, Lester." I sneered, closin' the door behind me after I crossed over the threshold.
"Who the hell are ya t'be orderin' me 'round?" Lester asked as me and Uncle Jim closed in on him, much like a wild predator does to it's prey.
Jim pointed to me while sayin', "That there's Cap Hatfield, Devil Anse Hatfield's son and lieutenant." Looking at Lester he added, "And I'm Jim Vance, the Hatfields' uncle."
"What does Devil Anse Hatfield want wit' me? I'm just a foot soldier for Frank an' Jesse James' gang. I don't know shit." Lester remarked as Jim pushed him into the kitchen, I followed right behind them.
"No, you're wrong there." I coldly told the man, grabbin' a chair from the kitchen table and puttin' it in the middle of the floor. Jim pushed Lester into the chair while I told him, "Now we're gonna talk 'bout your last job."
"Didn't have any recent jobs." The skinny man lied as I began to tie him to the chair with some duct tape that Jim tossed to me.
I tossed the roll of tape back to Jim before starin' into Lester's lime eyes and harshly tellin' him in my deep rollin' timbre, "Don't lie, we know 'bout that job ya did late Sunday night, early Monday mornin' over in Logan County."
"Job weren't nothin' big. Not even gang business, don't see why Hatfield's got ya'll here askin' 'bout it." Lester told me, clearly lost on why his 'nothin' big' job was a big deal.
"Oh, you're wrong bout that." Uncle Jim chuckled, his yellow stained teeth curling over his lips.
"Woman who's car ya torched, Nova Landon, how ya find out 'bout her?" I asked, grinding my teeth, as my face was mere inches away from Lester's. My icy eye and it's milky twin bore a deadly gaze into his lime eyes, showin' him that I wasn't playin' and wanted an answer.
His eyes got as big as quarters as he asked out in a long realization, "Nova Landon? Oh shit…you know her don't ya?"
Jim cackled uncontrollably while I grabbed Lester's collar, bringin' him to lean closer to me, and told him in a deep hiss, "Nova's my girl and lives with me. You were on my property and torched her car. The flames jumped onto my car, blew that up too."
Lester's eyes widened in absolute horror as I let his shirt go, makin' his back hit his chair. "I didn't know. If I did I wouldn't 've done it, honest t'God."
"Who told ya to do it?" I snapped, nostrils flarin', as I cut him a cold look.
"If I tell can I get untied?" He asked before quickly adding in a jittery, "I'll live, right?"
"Sure." I nodded with a shrug. Uncle Jim just tilted his head at the man tied up in the middle of the kitchen. "Now who told ya to do it?" I asked, makin' my deep waving timbre as steady and non-threatening as I could.
Trembling the bound man opened his mouth to lengthy pour out in a quick and rambled tone, "Stace Miller, he does surveillance jobs for the gang. He did a job for one of the old street bosses, Bad Frank. Called me up sayin' that Bad Frank had a family problem with somebody close to his wife's cousin and needed the girl's car scorched to scare some sense back into her. Miller gave me the address to find the car cause I'm a pyro, can set anythin' on fire. If I knew she was the girl of Devil Anse's lieutenant-son I would've turned down the job. Honest t'God man."
Arching a brow I asked, "Do the James brothers know that Stace Miller's followin' my girl?"
"Reckon they do. Miller don't do nothin' without either Frank or Jesse's say so. Bad Frank's runnin' for sheriff down in Pike County and he's in good with a shyster lawyer there, the James brothers'll do favor for him to keep him on their good side and keep the heat off them runnin' pills an' openin' up cook houses 'round that county."
Uncle Jim looked at me while scoffin' out in a deep groan, "Hmm, I always knew Perry Cline was a snake."
"I told ya all I know. Am I gettin' let go?" Lester asked, lookin' so hopeful. What an idoit. He's duct taped to a chair with Devil Anse's right and left-hand men questioning him and he really thinks he's gonna go free. Hope's a funny thing ain't it?
Me and Uncle Jim shared a look before I grabbed my gun from my waistband. I cocked it and shot the rat bastard right 'tween the eyes. I couldn't let hi go, as soon as we left he'd be singin' like a canary to his gang bout what happened. Leaving Lester Grant alive was a liability.
Pointin' to the man slumped over, hole in the head, Jim casually remarked, "Reckon we gotta bring him back to the mill, dump him in the woodchipper."
"Yep." I popped my tongue.
It was gonna be a long night. Real long, I wasn't getting home til late. At least the excuse of working security covers for my lateness. Nova's not a clinger, she won't be too upset ot at least I don't think she'll be since I'm working late helping Uncle Jim. Eh, if she knew what working late security really meant in my family she'd shit a brick, but she don't need to know.
Novella POV:
It was a little past midnight and I was laying in bed, alone, watching tv in the dark. I had no idea when Cap would be back and that drove me nuts. I wasn't a clingy person, but on the other hand it would be nice to have my boyfriend in bed with me at midnight or just be with me at a decent hour in general.
The CSI: Miami rerun I was watching cut to a commercial for Buick whenever the door opened and in walked Cap wearin' a hoodie. I don't remember him having it when he left this morning to go help out at his daddy's lumber mill, but I guess he might've had it in his truck or something and I didn't know. I reckon it'd be chilly walkin' the grounds of a large logging yard, he'd need to wear it to stay warm.
"We'll be goin' home in the mornin'." Cap announced as he unzipped his hoodie, tossin' it on the floor by the dresser.
"Okay. So, I can get back to work too?" I asked while watching him pull off his t-shirt.
"If ya want, but I don't see why'd you'd go back on a Thursday tho. Week's shot to hell already." Cap told me, his deep rollin' timbre a slight sigh, as he threw his shirt by his hoodie before toeing off his shoes.
"Really?" I arched my brow. Watchin' him take off his jeans I asked, "You want us to take the entire week off?"
"Why not?" Cap shrugged. Walking over to the bed and getting in next to me he reasoned, "My boss knows that I've been dealin' with a family emergency and let me take some emergency time off. Plus, your uncle already knows why you're not in anyways."
"Fine, I won't go back til Monday, but only cause you've taken the week off and I've already been out for most of the week." I gave in, snuggling up to my boyfriend.
"Mhm." Vibrated out of the back of Cap's throat. While toying with the spaghetti strap of my pj-tank loosely on my shoulder he asked, "So, babe, what'cha watchin'?"
"CSI:Miami reruns." I told him, a small smile hinted in my flowing voice.
"Well enjoy your reruns, I'll prolly be dozin' off soon."
"Had a long night doin' security with Jim?" I asked, even though I knew that answer would be yes. Guess I just asked cause that's what a good girlfriend's supposed to do, inquire about her man's work and stuff.
Cap's deep rollin' timbre echoed out tiredly in our room with, "Yep, too long. Haven't done it in a while, forgot how time consumin' it is."
"Cap, you're the ADA in Pikeville, you can't do security with him regularly."
"Babe, I'll freelance my security service as long as Pa needs me to work with Jim. I can put in a few hours after work if need be. Wouldn't be all the time either."
"Oh." I simply said since there wasn't much else to say. Cap was really family oriented. I couldn't tell him that working his legal day job in Kentucky and then doing security night jobs for his family's business in West Virginia was too much cause it was clear he didn't view it that way. He didn't feel that doin' a favor for his pa was too much and he was close to his uncle so he'd jump at the chance to help out.
Without a word Cap threaded his long fingers in my copper hair, languidly playin' with it as we watched the show come back on the tv after seeing some wrinkle cream commercial end. I could help, but feel relaxed and settled in his arms with him lazily runnin' his fingers in my hair. In this moment he felt like the best fit for me, like the man that I could spend year after year lazily watching tv in bed with and just spending quiet time with.
AN:
Oh boy, things are heating up…
Next chapter Novella will be back at work. Also, Tolbert will make an appearance. Johnse's joint custody paper filing for Sarah Elizabeth will be rearing its ugly head up soon along with the Pikeville High reunion and the jury selection. Still up in the air on whether or not I'm going to write Novella actually attending her 10-yr high school reunion so…