Breaking the Habit - The Devereaux Case Files, Book 7

Chapter 4

It was just a week before that Hawkes had seen Lorell in action himself. There had been a dispute with another gang about territory and he had taken on the matter personally. He was brutal, stomping, slashing and attacking the other gang leader until his wrist and elbow on the same arm were broken. The same shoulder had been dislocated and he had a massive knife wound in his chest, side and thigh. Lorell had been a machine, showing no emotion, no anger, no hatred, but dealing with the rival gang leader effectively. The whole gang had taken off shortly after Emerald had patched up the leader and called an ambulance anonymously. They didn't want him to die, since Lorell had just won territory from them, but he had been in a coma for three days before he woke up and agreed that the fight was fair.

"Whatever happened that night went so far beyond what he wanted to be a part of. The very next day, he broke off with Daryl's gang, since he wasn't initiated yet, and started his own. He said he called us the Crazy 15 because there were originally fifteen members and each one was as crazy as the next. But no-one was ever as crazy as Daryl." Emerald conceded the point Hawkes had made. Lorell was quite violence orientated in the gang, but no-one could blame him really.

His father had been abusive since the first day he discovered he couldn't control his youngest son when he had caught Lorell and Emerald snogging in the back seat of his car in the garage. From that day on, Lorell was forever showing up with bruises, cuts, burns. Whatever anyone could think of as a punishment, Lorell suffered it. Emerald figured that after that, and after what Daryl had made him witness, he was kind of immune to the travesties of violence, or how wrong it was sometimes. "That's always been important to him. There are things he won't tolerate...needless violence, hurting innocent people, any sex related crimes are a complete no-go. Anyone caught doing anything Lorell strongly disapproves of is shot."

Hawkes wasn't sure he had heard correctly, so he asked. "Like...dead, shot?" He wondered, surprised that Lorell took such a serious view of things. But also, slightly relieved. He didn't want to be asked to do anything his conscience couldn't live with. Back at his initiation, similar cases had popped into his head where the initiates had been forced into some God awful sex games. He had been terrified of such a thing happening to him when Lorell had said that he wasn't allowed to fight back against anything that they would 'do to him'. And he certainly didn't want to have to do any of that stuff to someone else, either. He's rather get killed for disobeying the gang than stand by and allow it to happen. So he was beyond relieved to hear that Lorell would never let it even be considered.

"Yeah. He won't tolerate it. And he knows that cops are too scared of his association with Daryl to ever convict one of his boys. So the best justice is the one he offers." Emerald nodded to herself before taking another long drink. She looked sadder than before. "The world is a messed up place." She complained. Hawkes tried to think of something to say that would cheer him up.

"Let's drink to that...a world of our own making." He suggested, making Emerald turn to him and smile. It was exactly the kind of toast she needed, so she raised his beer bottle, butted it off Hawkes's and enjoyed a quiet moment to appreciate that there was someone other than Lorell who knew the world sucked. So it was a shame when a few moments later, Lorell walked into the little office where they were talking.

"Get out!" He snapped at Hawkes, ordering him to leave.

"Sorry?" Hawkes was confused.

"Why? We're having a chat." Emerald protested in frustration. This jealousy thing was getting a little out of hand and she was annoyed with it. But she tried, for everyone's sakes, not to let on.

"I want my girlfriend back." Lorell argued. She knew he wasn't just making a confession, he was making a claim that didn't need made.

"Sorry. Long term boyfriend trumps new friend." She smiled at Hawkes, who passed it off as unimportant. He didn't want Lorell getting angry at him again, just for not wanting to leave when Emerald was being so accommodating. And he certainly didn't want to use that argument with Lorell, who would take it badly. He just wanted more information about Daryl. But, he figured his good luck had finally run out. So he glanced at his watch and pretended that he had somewhere else to be, hoping that Lorell would take the bait and realize he was worrying over nothing.