by Roy Glenn
“In a hurry to get rid of me now, huh?”
“I’m not in a hurry to get rid of you,” I promised, but I was ready for her to go.
“I know you got some place you gotta be, so you can take me back to the club.”
“Cool,” I said and drove off in that direction.
On the way there, my phone rang. I looked at the display; it was Kevon calling.
“Hello.”
“Black here over an hour waiting for you. How long ’fore you reach?”
“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” I hung up the phone and looked at Rain. “I need to get to this meeting.”
“I’m in no hurry. I got no place to be. Go on and handle your business. I hear the food is good there and I’m hungry. You can’t fuck me all night and not feed me. What kinda bitch you think I am?” Rain said with a smile.
“The kind that ain’t thought nothing about food while she was up fuckin’ all night.”
“You’re right. But right now, you ain’t fuckin’ me, so I’m hungry. So unless you planning on pulling this car over and going up in me, you need to just go on to your meeting. You talk to Black and I’ll eat.”
I was kind of reluctant to take Rain with me on the off chance that Wanda might be there. I thought about telling Rain how to play it in case she was, but I decided to tackle that when it came up.
It was after four when we got to Cuisine. They weren’t open yet, but I told Rain I’d see if there was somebody there that could fix something for her.
“You have a seat at the bar and try not to shoot anybody.”
“Very funny. You get them to feed me or it might be you I kill,” Rain said as I walked away from her.
Black was seated at a table near the bar and I made my way to him. On the way, I stopped Lexi, the manager, and asked her to take care of Rain. When I got to the table, Kevon got up and walked away.
“I was gonna ask where you been, but I see,” Black said when I sat down.
“Sorry. I left my phone in the car. What’s up?”
Black told me about Angelo and his visit to Cuisine the night before. I was surprised. Not by Angelo’s request. It was a smart move on his part. The right move at the right time. No, what surprised me was that Black was even considering it.
We kicked it back and forth for a while, each of us running through hypothetical situations. At the end, we both agreed that each hypothetical always ended the same way: In jail or dead.
“I ain’t going to jail, Nick. We already got enough problems with the DEA without this. Last thing we need right now is them crawling all over us again.”
“So what are you gonna tell Angelo?”
“I been thinking about that. How I can give Angee what he wants without actually doing shit.”
I laughed. “How you plan on doing that?”
“I’m gonna get him and Stark together and then I’m gonna tell him that I would offer advice and counsel to Stark as a personal favor to him. But for reasons that I know he understands, I can’t go any further than that.”
“You think that will satisfy him?”
“As long as I can get Stark to do business and as long as I can control him. But for that to work, you gotta be my guarantee. You gotta make sure that nothing we do touches that. We can’t have our hands dirty in none of that.”
“I’ll stay on top of it.”
“I haven’t said anything about this to Wanda. But she was there when Angelo came to Cuisine, so she knows something’s up. She wasn’t happy with the answer I gave her, so she’ll be coming at you. But she doesn’t need to know anything about this.”
“Understood.”
“Everything else all right?” Black asked.
“Yeah, everything else is fine.”
“I want you to go ahead and take care of that thing with Watson we discussed.”
“Wanda mentioned that you did. It’s already in motion.”
“Who’s your friend?”
“Rain Robinson.”
“So that’s Rain Robinson. She looks like her daddy,” Black observed.
“Yeah, I noticed. I saw a picture of her mother and she definitely looks like her father.”
“Barbara Robinson.”
“You knew her?”
“No, just heard the stories.”
“What stories?”
“One of the great thug mysteries of all time: Who killed Barbara Robinson? You never heard this story?”
“No.”
“The story goes that Barbara used to fuck around with a low-rent pimp named Eddie Mars. Then J.R. comes along, falls hard for her, and sweeps her off her feet. They get married like a couple of months later. But the word was that Barbara was still in love with Eddie and was still fuckin’ him … fucked him on her wedding day. But anyway, Barbara gets pregnant. Now when the baby is born J.R. goes crazy because the kid doesn’t look anything like him.”
“Miles looks like his mother.”
“Well, J.R. is convinced that the baby looks like Eddie, and he beats Barbara’s ass at the hospital and goes after Eddie.”
“Did he kill him?”
“No. They fired a few shots at each other and after that, Eddie just stayed out of J.R.’s way. Next thing you know, Barbara is pregnant again. So when your girl is born, J.R. is cool because she looks just like him. Everything is cool for a while, but J.R. starts hearing that Barbara is seeing Eddie behind his back again. Couple of days later; cops find Barbara and Eddie dead at a motel. Murder-suicide. She shot him twice; once in the dick and once in the chest. Then she shot herself. But the word was that J.R. followed them to that motel and killed them both.”
“It’s just like the man said; two-faced woman and a jealous man.”
“Cause of the trouble since the world began,” Black said finishing the line from the James Brown song then he stood up. “I gotta get outta here.” He looked in Rain’s direction and sat back down. “Look, Nick, I know this is none of my business, and far be it for me to tell you who to lay the pipe to. Especially when I’m fuckin’ every woman with a fat-ass and big titties I run into. Just don’t hurt Wanda.” Black stood up again.
“I won’t.”
I introduced Black to Rain and walked with him as he left Cuisine. Since I was hungry, I went back inside and joined Rain for a meal. I would drop her off after I was full.
Chapter 30
I went in the kitchen and had the cook make me a porterhouse steak, medium, smothered in onions and mushrooms. While I ate, I talked to Rain, but mostly I thought about what I was gonna do to Charles Watson and how I would do it. When I finished eating, I thought about Freeze. I could use him for what I had planned.
“You’re kind of quiet,” Rain said. “What you thinking about?”
“I gotta do something tonight. Something me and Freeze woulda handled.”
“You miss your road dog. I know how that feels.”
I looked at Rain. “Yeah, I guess you do. Your road dog’s in jail.” Maybe that was part of the attraction. We needed each other.
“Right.”
We left Cuisine and I headed in the direction of J.R.’s. “Tell me about your dog. What he go down for?”
“His name is Jarreau, but everybody calls him Jay Easy. He got cracked over some stupid shit. Me and him just got through taking care of a problem, you understand. When we split up, I gave him the guns because they was both hot, and I told him to get rid of them. But before he got to do it, he decides he needs to stop and get some cigarettes. When he leaves the store, he gets pulled over. Cops search the car, find the guns. Guns got bodies on them. Jay Easy goes down for murder.”
“Over a pack of cigarettes.”
“Over a pack of cigarettes. You know that nigga quit smokin’ after that.” Rain laughed. “But the nigga stood tall; never said a word about me being with him.”
“That’s how you got around to using me.”
“Shit, I think we make a good team.”
I hated to admit it, but
she was right, so I told her. “Yeah, we do.”
“In more ways than one,” Rain said and pushed her lips out at me.
“I been there for you; I been your road dog. Time for you to return the favor.”
“What you want me to do?” Rain asked eagerly.
I explained to Rain what was going on and how I wanted the night to go. She moaned when I told her what I wanted her to do.
On the way there, we stopped on Fordham Road. I told Rain that we needed to buy a black scarf, some big dark sunglasses, some leather gloves, and a big purse. “Why?”
“Because I don’t need them knowing who you are. None of this needs to link you to me. A black scarf because it will go with that sexy dress. We need the purse to carry the hardware.”
Rain smiled. “You wearing a mask?”
“No, I want them to know who I am.”
We arrived at the Watson house and waited for the lady of the house to get there. It was a big five-bedroom house in a nice neighborhood.
I parked the car down the street, but close enough to see the house. “Come on. Bring the purse,” I said and got out.
I went around to the trunk and opened it. Then I took the panel out of the back. I handed a gun to Rain.
“Bersa Thunder .380 compact pistol, semi-automatic; single or double action, 3.5 inch barrel, seven-round capacity. Start with that.”
“Sweet,” Rain said and put one in the chamber. I put the rest of what we’d need in the purse and closed the panel. I handed the purse to Rain. “That’s not too heavy is it?”
“No,” Rain said and flexed her muscle.
We got back in the car and watched the house. While we waited, Rain found creative ways to pass the time. I looked at the clock.
“She should be here soon.”
“What’s she driving?”
“Silver C class Benz.”
“Coming down the street right now.”
We watched Watson’s wife go inside the house.
“Give her some time to get settled,” I told Rain and she began tying the scarf around her head. When nothing but her round face was showing, Rain put on the sunglasses.
“How do I look?”
“Famous. Can you see?”
“See enough to do what I gotta do. You ready?”
“I’m right behind you.”
We put on our gloves, Rain got out of the car and we made the short walk to the house. While I stood off to the side, Rain rang the bell. When the door opened, Rain smiled.
“Mrs. Watson?”
“Yes.”
Rain shoved the .380 under her chin. “Step inside. And do it quietly. If you scream I will kill you right now and not give a fuck.” She backed Mrs. Watson in the house. I looked around and closed the door behind us.
When I got in the house, Rain had Mrs. Watson backed up against the wall and had the gun to her head. “I don’t have much money here,” she said.
“Do I look like I came here for money? You say anymore dumb shit like that I swear I’ll put a bullet in your eye. Understand?”
“Yes,” Mrs. Watson said quietly.
“Understand!” Rain yelled.
“Yes!” Mrs. Watson yelled back, and she began to cry.
“Now go in the living room and sit down.”
Rain walked Mrs. Watson into the living room, and I followed quietly behind them. She shoved her into a chair, while I took a seat on the couch. Rain put the purse on the coffee table in front of me. I made sure Mrs. Watson was looking at me before I opened the bag slowly. I took out a Kel-Tec PLR-16 semi-automatic pistol: single action, .223 Remington caliber shells, 9.2-inch barrel, with ten-round capacity. I put the magazine in and set it down on the coffee table in front of me.
Then I took out a Smith & Wesson 1911 .45 pistol, with a black and silver finish and handed it to Rain.
“Thank you,” she said and returned her attention to Mrs. Watson. “Do you wanna die tonight?” Rain asked and pointed the gun at her head.
“No.”
“It’s a good day to die, so if you do, tell me now.”
“No, no. I don’t want to die,” she said shaking her head and the tears began to flow again.
“Good. The only way to keep me from killin’ you is to do exactly what I say. Understand me?”
“Yes.”
“You be a good girl and do what I say, and you might live through the night. But I gotta tell you, there’s more to it than just you.” Rain picked up the phone. “See, you’re gonna call your husband and tell him anything, but get him to come home right away. When he gets here, I need him to be a good boy, so it’s up to you to make sure he does. Of course, that ain’t always the easiest thing in the world because you know how boys get? They gotta man up, you know. Act all tough and shit. Beating their chest, you know what I’m saying. Let their balls hang,” Rain said and laughed. Mrs. Watson cracked a smile too.
“But that’s the wrong thing for him to do. Because you see, that shit will get both of y’all killed. The last thing you see will be your husband getting two to the head before I shoot you. So you need to convince him that he needs to pay attention. Listen very carefully to what is being told to him and make the right decision. Okay?”
“Okay,” Mrs. Watson said and shook her head.
“But making the right decision is important because make the wrong decision and I’ll kill y’all.” Rain looked at me. “I don’t give a fuck. I’m just the hired help.”
Rain stepped closer and put the barrel of her gun between Mrs. Watson’s eyes.
“You think you can do that?”
Mrs. Watson shook her head with her eyes closed tightly.
“Good. But first I need you to call Clay Barksdale and tell him that your husband wants to see him at the house, right away.”
“What should I tell them it’s about?”
“I don’t give a fuck what you tell them,” Rain said and pressed the gun to her forehead again. “Just get them over here now!” Rain screamed and handed her the phone.
Mrs. Watson did as she was told and called Barksdale. She was surprisingly calm about it for somebody that had a gun to her head. When he said he was on his way, I took a few pairs of plastic handcuffs out of the purse and handed them to Rain.
I stood up with the Tec-16 in my hands and pointed it at Mrs. Watson while Rain put the cuffs around her wrists. Rain left the room and when she came back she had a chair from the dining room. She positioned it in front of the couch, and then told Mrs. Watson to go make herself comfortable.
While we waited for Barksdale to show up, Rain took the chair Mrs. Watson was in and talked shit to her. I stood by the window and watched out for him. I looked at Rain. She got up and was wandering around the living room … talking shit. I liked the way she worked. I would definitely use her again.
Rain stopped in front of a picture of two teenagers.
“These your kids?” she asked.
Mrs. Watson nodded her head quickly. “They’re away at college,” she informed us.
“Good looking kids.” Rain brought me the picture. I glanced at the boy and girl and handed it back to Rain.
When I saw Barksdale’s car pull up in front of the house, I signaled for Rain to cut Mrs. Watson’s cuffs and walk her to the door.
She opened the door slowly and Barksdale came in.
“Hey Frankie, how you doing? I see Charlie ain’t here yet.” It was at that second that he felt the barrel of Rain’s gun at the back of his neck.
“You just keep walking,” she instructed.
I stepped out so he could see me with the Tec-16 in one hand and a .9 miller in the other, just in case he thought about trying Rain.
“Sit down in that chair and don’t make a fuckin’ sound,” she demanded.
Barksdale complied with Rain’s request and sat in the chair in front of the couch. I kept my guns on him while Rain put duct tape over his mouth and cuffed his arms behind his back and his ankles to the chair.
Rain han
ded the phone to Mrs. Watson. “Call your husband.” She too, complied with Rain’s request. Rain cuffed Mrs. Watson’s hands in front of her and sent her back to the couch to wait. Then we made ourselves comfortable.
It didn’t take long before Watson walked through the front door. “Frankie, Frankie.”
Rain was in place and put a gun to his head. “Not Frankie. Why don’t you go inside and sit down next to your wife.” She walked Watson into the living room.
“What’s going on here?” Watson said and Rain hit him so hard in the back of his head that he dropped to one knee.
Rain pressed the barrel against his forehead and got in his face. “You don’t say a mutha fuckin’ thing, unless I mutha fuckin’ tell you to! You got that?”
Watson nodded his head.
“Now get up and go sit down like I told you to.”
Watson got up and Rain pushed him in the direction of the couch. “You better tell this mutha fucka what time it is, Frankie. This mutha fucka wanna get y’all niggas killed.”
“Just do what they tell you, Charlie, please.”
“What’s going on, Frankie?” Watson said quietly.
“Just sit down and be quiet, Charlie, please,” she pleaded with him. Watson did as his wife said and sat down next to her.
After Rain put plastic cuffs on Watson’s wrists and ankles and duct tape over both their mouths, it was time for the show to begin. I stood up and ripped open Barksdale’s shirt. For the next hour or so, the Watson’s watched in horror as I beat Barksdale and burned his chest with acid.
When Barksdale finally passed out, I went and got another chair from the dining room and placed it close to the Watson’s. Once I sat down, I looked at Rain.
“Wake him up.”
Rain reached back and backhanded Barksdale. His head snapped back, and his eyes jerked open.
“Now kill him.”
Rain put the gun to his head. You could see the fear in his eyes and terror in the Watson’s. She fired once. The impact knocked the chair over.
I told Rain to take the duct tape off Watson’s mouth.
“Do you know who I am?”
“No.”
“My name is Nick Simmons. Howard Owens works for me.”
“I was going to pay him his money. I just need a little more time.”