Johnny was lying awake in his room, listening to his father and grandmother carry on a conversation in the living room. It was supposed to be a hushed-tone conversation, spoken in discreet words and soft voices. But no one in the Valentine family had ever been very good at hushed-tone conversations.
"Whaddya mean money is tight? We had a cushion, Frank. What happened to the cushion?"
"Someone is trying to take the cushion and rip it into little shreds."
"You getting' squeezed Frank? Who's trying to squeeze you? I'll take care of 'em. I'll give 'em a piece of the ole Dago backhand."
"The old Dago backhand isn't going to work with these people, Mom."
"Who we talkin' about here Frank? We talkin' about the mob? The law?"
"Little of both actually. They're in cahoots out here in the desert. And they're on to us ever since you pulled that Good Samaritan act over at the country club."
"Criminy!"
"That's right. They made you. The only reason we didn't get reported is that the local sheriff is totally corrupt and compromised. He is working for this big-time gangster called El Hefe. They got the goods on us. And the only way to keep them quiet is to pay."
"So that's how it is. Dang it, Frank, I am so sorry."
"It's alright, Mom. I am figuring it out. We're just in a bit of a cash crunch right now. We got to lay low."
Lay low? Johnny wondered to himself. How could they lay any lower than they were already laying?
Johnny went into his bed room, nestled under the sheets and logged in as the Captain's Disciple. He sent a message to The Seer.
I NEED HELP.
He waited. A second. A minute. An hour. The Seer responded.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?
CASH CRUNCH.
DON'T YOU WORRY, JOHNNY. I'M GOING TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING.
YOU ARE READING
The Fugitive Grandma Lives
AdventureIn the second book in the series, the Valentine family struggles to survive, living under fake identities. Their hidden existence is threatened when a mysterious Silicon Valley billionaire takes a special interest in Johnny and Stella.
