The Executioner

Chapter 7: Elliot

The feeling Elliot got walking into the club house never got old. It was a sense of belonging, of home. He'd grown up running these halls, playing at the pool tables, and watching football games on the weekends in front of the flat screen smushed between his club family on the ratty pleather couches. The smell was saved in his memory banks and every now and then he would be out somewhere he would catch the faintest hint and feel the swell in his chest.
As he walked through the parking lot now of the old textile mill buildings he noticed Tanks truck already parked near the door. He'd been running late, too much reminiscing in the quarter and not enough riding.
The door to the clubhouse was propped open and as Elliot approached he could just make out guys walking by the doors. He saw Jude and Luca playing pool, laughing and taking cheap shots at each other. He smiled, nope it never got old, he thought as he walked in and was surprised to see the curves of a female body sitting on a barstool.
Her clothes were too conservative to be a hang around and as far as he could tell he didn't recognize her as an old lady, from the back atleast. Then she turned around, and he almost hit his knees.

She looked just like her father. Those light green eyes were something he'd never seen on any one other than LC until now. He would have known that face anywhere. Scarlett. He hadn't seen her since she was four, he had been seven. She looked directly at him and seemed to have the same feeling of familiarity. Maybe she remembered him too.

"My boy, Elliot. Elliot this is.." but before Tack could finish.

"....Scarlett" He couldn't help but stare, she was sitting feet from him. Waves of emotion hit him all at once. Anger, having to sit by LC's side as he withered away knowing his children didn't even know he was alive. Sadness for Scarlett that she would never know LC. And then, happiness because she had finally made her way back to her family.

"Tack told me we used to play as children, I vaguely remember a brown headed little boy stealing the ribbons out of my hair" she spoke sweetly, giving him a smirk.

He chuckled a bit, using his hand to rub down his beard. "I'm innocent until proven guilty" he said holding his hands up in surrender. "It's good to see you again, I wish it was under better circumstance. Is your brother here too?" His head swiveled trying to locate Cam.

"No unfortunately, Cam is deployed, won't be back for a few months" she said. A sadness pulled at the sides of her mouth, Elliot could tell it was a sore subject.

"Alright sweet pea, Elliot and I have to talk for a quick sec and then I'll drive you back to your old mans place for the night." Tack motioned to her bar stool. She turned and walked back, taking her seat and her drink into her hand , jack straight, Elliot noticed. And approved.

He followed Tack into the chapel.

"Kagan needs that shipment by tomorrow night, can you and Luc make it up there in the morning?"

Drugs had never been Elliot's idea of a stand up career. He wasn't proud of what he did but it paid well and he lived comfortably enough. He told himself as long as he sold them and didn't do them, he could live with it. But that had become hard to abstain from twice now in his life.

"I'll make it happen and be back for the will reading in the morning"

"I think we ought to let her handle that one on her own." Tack said looking about as disappointed as Elliot felt.

"What's she doing here anyway, how did you find her?"

"It was part of LC's will for the lawyer to hire a PI to find her. He had the plane tickets already bought and called me about it yesterday, picked her up from the airport this morning."

"She looks just like him." Elliot struggled with loss enough already. But seeing her reminded him of his old friend and it eased something in him. She sure is something. He thought as he stared, probably a little too awkwardly at the back of her head, willing her to turn and give him another glimpse at those green eyes.

"Let's just get through tomorrow, alright boy? I told her you two should talk, you can tell her about her old man. Then worry about whatever is running through your head after that. Deal?" Tack gave him a knowing look, a stern one that meant he better watch himself.

"Yeah. Deal." He turned toward the pool table. "Come on Luc, you're with me tonight."