Dream Catcher

Chapter 5

"Eddie Vasquez, you have quite a pretty history here." Jax whistled as he read through the tattooed man's rap sheet. "You really like the gang life, huh?"

Eddie jerked his shoulders back and pushed his lips out. "I ain't part of no gang. I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a good guy, man."

"Right," Jax said, extending the word for a few beats. "This must be another Eddie Vasquez. Instead of Los Lobos Locos gang, it should say Boy Scouts of America, right?"

Eddie smirked. "Do you wanna see all my merit badges?"

Jax shook his head at Eddie's ignorance and sat across from him in the interrogation room. He watched Eddie's eyelids lower and leaned forward. "Your mother still in the hospital, Eddie?"

Eddie squirmed in his seat like a fish caught on a hook. Jax smiled.

"I hear the hospital bills are pretty high for heart surgeries. She doesn't have insurance. I looked into it. She doesn't even have Medicaid. That necklace could've paid off all of her bills."

Eddie turned his head away from Jax, biting his bottom lip.

"Yeah, I bet your mother's health means nothing to you. I've been told Los Lobos Locos considers themselves a family. They expect you to leave your old life...and your old family behind. So, your mother...you probably don't even know how your mother is doing after last night."

This got Eddie's attention.

"Last night? Did something happen to my mom?"

Jax grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Stop messin' with me, man, and tell me the truth. What's wrong with my mom?"

Eddie futilely tried moving against the handcuffs that secured him to the chair bolted to the ground.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you nothing comes for free in this life?" Jax asked. "I'll tell you about your mother if you tell me about the necklace."

Jax could see Eddie struggling to decide if he should give himself up or find out information about his sick parent. His freedom won and Eddie bit his lip again to keep himself from talking.

"That's okay. I didn't really think you'd care enough to know, anyway. You're not the type." Jax sighed. "Your poor mother probably went through hell trying to raise you and your sisters. You're the only boy, right? How sad for her. Knowing her only son turned out to be a gang banger."

"You don't know me, man!"

"I know enough to know that you're guilty. Your prints are on that necklace. It's only a matter of time before your DNA shows up at the crime scene. Your days are numbered."

"Screw you, pig," Eddie sneered.

"That's it? That's all you have to say to me? Screw you? I know Girl Scouts who are tougher than you. Maybe I really do have the wrong Eddie Vasquez."

Eddie licked his lips and looked away, clearly itching to say something back.

"What really makes me laugh is the fact that even if you're cut loose, you're still going to have to face Los Lobos Locos. I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to keep what you take."

"You don't know anything."

"I've heard stories about your leader. What's his name again? Joseph? Joe? Ahh...that's right. Johnny. Johny Joe."

Eddie bit the inside of his mouth.

"I heard he runs a tight crew. No one is allowed to steal from him. If they do, he cuts off their hands...or worse."