"This varmint belong to you folks?" Joe thought the sheriff looked rather smug with satisfaction. "Him? That's old Luke Evans from across the river, he's always drunk these days. But who ain't?" Replied Al. "Good law abiding people, that's who." The Sheriff said puffing his chest out a bit. "And you'll do nicely to stop your business in this town, Mr. Connor." Joe noticed Al's eyes quickly glance towards the boat, the Sheriff had evidently noticed, too. "I know these are tough times," a dangerous smirk creeps its way onto his face, "So I'd be willing to negotiate a price for a little rule bending."
"You hear that Evans? This straight laced man of the law thinks he can stiff arm a couple of city boys like us." Al, always the agitator.
Now Joe had been in quite a few of these confrontations. A local cop or two would see money to be made and try to bully their way into the bootlegging business. But it's rather hard to bully a bigger bully, Joe had always thought. A sheriff, on the other hand, was something new - something exciting. And Joe knew Al would be hankering to try him out.
A sterner look presented itself on the Sheriff, "I've watched you two for a while now. I know what you are, I know what you do."
"Great! No surprises then!" Al flung out his right hook and landed it square on the the sheriff's jar. "Giddy up Joe, let's go!" Joe raced behind his partner and jumped into the boat. The engine let out a howl and took off just as the sheriff collected himself.
Joe could tell this is what Al lived for. The adrenalin, the rush of life. Joe knew this was only a step in his life. And one hell of a step it's become. The boat's front kicked up as it picked up speed. "Woooo! How about that?!" Al was clearly enjoying himself.
The ride was bumpy, but they were out of harms way with the shipment intact. Another day, another adventure for Joe Kennedy.
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