"Shakedown Street," by James D.F. Hannah, in Friend of the Devil: Crime Fiction Inspired by Songs of the Grateful Dead, edited by Josh Pachter, Down and Out Books, 2024.
This is the second story by Hannah to appear here.
Beau is a bartender, a retired boxer, and an ex-con. His big problem is Phil, who comes around regularly to collect his "taxes," which are paid to a gang boss named Swerve. His second problem is that Leigh, a woman who frequents the bar, is Phil's ex and Phil doesn't take kindly to being exed. Beau finds himself in the middle, and he gets squeezed.
There is lovely use of language in this one.
When they say you never forget your first time, they don't mean concussions.
The drinkers are recovering from weekend sins, reciting empty promises like the Rosary, vowing they'll never do again what they did last weekend -- at least until next weekend. They count on memories to be short, nature to be healing, livers to be regenerative.
Lovely.
I do have a problem with the ending of the story. It needed more foreshadowing than it got. But getting there is a nice ride.
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