Shine (Kentucky Outlaw Book 1) by Rayna Bishop Read Free Book Online Page B

cops don’t have much of a lead, but they’re looking into it.”

    “Hate to say it, but it’s doing us a favor.   Cops are looking for a murderer, they don’t some much care about a bunch of moonshiners,” said Ged.

    “You hush that talk before I slap the taste out of your mouth, boy,” Zeke said.   “The Butlers are good folks and I’m not about to take pleasure in the death of their boy.”

    “Hell, Dad, I didn’t mean nothing by it,” said Ged.

    “Then keep your damn mouth shut.”

    “I don’t think it’s a simple as a robbery,” said Ethan.   “When I was down at Traxler’s earlier I ran into Julie Prescott.   She was arguing with Kenny Salo about Nick.   I only caught the tail end of it, but it sounded like Julie thought there was more to it than that.”

    The two older Dalton’s looked to Ethan.

    Ged said, “What’re you doing hanging around a Prescott?”

    “I wasn’t hanging around her.   I ran into her when I went to talk to Traxler about tonight’s run.”

    “Prescotts never did us no favors.” said Zeke.   “Best to keep away from them.”

    Ethan was reminded of the social divide in Remington.   There was a very real and sometimes violent difference between certain families in town.   On one side were families like the Prescotts and the Butlers.   They all lived up on Buffalo Hill in their big houses behind their iron gates.   On the other side there were families like the Daltons.  

    The divide wasn’t about money.   The Daltons had a fair amount stashed away, not as much as the Prescotts, but enough to live without punching a clock.   The divide didn’t even come from how the money was earned.   It was a well-known fact that Prescotts got their start in bootlegging as well.   The real social divide came from buying respectability.   The Prescotts moved to Buffalo Hill and started buying their way into political parties.   They gave money to the right people and from that came extra protection from the cops.   Ethan knew that the real power in the community wasn’t the mayor or the chief of police but all the rich folks on that Hill.

    Zeke checked his watch and said, “I don’t know where the hell that boy is, but we can’t wait any longer.   Ethan, you’re going to have to do the run.”

    “I ain’t done it in years.   You got to give him another few minutes.”

    Zeke stood up and tamped out his pipe.   “You forget how to drive?   You know we can’t be late.”

    Ged stood up as well and brushed off the back of his pants.   “Come on, little brother, I know you still got it in you.   ‘Sides, you do this and you’ll get Jackie’s cut.”

    Ethan went to the Mazda and ran his hand over the hood, just like every time before going out on a run.   The metal was cool, but that would all change as the car sped through the Kentucky back roads.  

    Ged tossed him the keys and said, “We’re doing route number three tonight.   You remember which one that is?”
    “Hell yes,” said Ethan.   “Down by Marshal’s field over to the river.”

    The sun was nothing more than a faint glow below the horizon and Ethan watched as his father and brother started up the truck, then he climbed in behind the wheel of the car and started the engine.   Just as Jackie said, it ran as smooth as ever.  

    When they pulled out onto the paved road Ethan dialed up Ged’s mobile phone and put the call through the car’s speakers.   He’d need to communicate with them while having his hands free.

    “You ready to do this, little brother?” said Ged.

    “Try to keep up,” said Ethan.

    Ethan heard his father tell the boys to get their asses in gear, so Ethan checked that no one was coming, flipped on his headlights, and got moving.   He was up to seventy miles an hour inside of ten seconds.

    A coursed through Ethan, not just from the speed, but from knowing he was earning money by breaking the law and he knew when he got his cut it would feel