by Carl Weber
“So, do you think you’ll ever find that person?”
“Yes. I already have.”
“You have? It’s not Bob, is it?” I was going to be pissed if it was that loser.
“No, silly.” She laughed, hurting my feelings, but I tried not to let it show. “You’re the only person other than my sister I care about,” she said. “I’d die for you, because I know you’d die for me.”
“So, does that mean . . .”
Our eyes locked. I swallowed hard as she moved a little closer.
“Does that mean you’d kiss me?”
“That’s not something you ask a girl, Nevada,” She slowly leaned toward me, and like a magnet, my body drew closer to hers. I closed my eyes and held my breath.
“You just do it,” she told me.
“My, my, there’s a whole lotta people lookin’ for you two.” A loud, obnoxious Southern voice startled us away from each other.
I looked up, and there was a tall, fat man wearing a tuxedo and a black cowboy hat. Standing behind him were three cops also wearing cowboy hats.
“Is there a problem?” Kia asked.
“It would appear so. We’re gonna need to see some ID,” the fat man said.
Kia pulled out her ID right away, but I just sat there. I knew what this was about. My dad and grandfather had sent them. Grandpa worked with police a lot and was always making donations to their civic groups and unions, even playing golf with the police commissioner of New York City. He always joked that cops were some of the best employees he had.
“Did my family send you?” I asked.
“Come on now, son. You already know the answer to that question.” He put his hand on my shoulder. “Now, let’s see some ID. I don’t want Tyler here to have to cuff you two.”
“No.” Kia shook her head. “No need for cuffs. Nevada, give him your ID.”
Reluctantly, I handed him my driving permit. He showed it to one of the other cops, and they both started laughing.
“Nevada Duncan.” The fat man read out loud, smiling from ear to ear. “LC’s gonna be mighty surprised when I call and tell him you’re with me.”
“How about I give you a thousand dollars not to make that call?” I asked.
He laughed even harder. “Boy, you are definitely related to LC Duncan. But you’re worth a lot more to me than a thousand dollars. Let’s head on outta here and get you two where you need to be.”
We stood up and followed him out of the restaurant.
I whispered to Kia, “I told Bob’s dumb ass not to use his credit card to pay for the hotel.”
“I know. I don’t know why I listened to him,” she responded.
The fat man nodded at the people in the restaurant who were watching us as we walked out into the hotel lobby. Talk about embarrassing. Every eye in the place was on us.
“Is my dad upset?” I asked as we walked through the lobby.
“He ain’t a happy camper right now, that’s for sure. But I think he’ll be forgiving once I call and let him know I have you in my care,” he assured me. “I’ll talk to him. Don’t worry.”
“Okay, good,” I said as we walked out the door, though I was more than a little skeptical that this guy would have any influence over my dad.
LC
45
It didn’t take very long for Roscoe to accept the generous donation we offered in exchange for helping us find the kids. Within twenty minutes of us sitting down with him, every El Paso deputy, on and off duty, was looking for Bob’s van. Of course, now that word was out about my missing grandson, I had to worry that news might get back to KD. Time was of the essence.
“If they’re in this city, I guarantee we’ll find them by the end of the day,” Roscoe promised.
“I hope so,” I responded from the back of his vehicle. He’d offered to let me and Vegas ride along with him as he patrolled the area, asking around about the van.
Vegas sat up front with Roscoe. He’d been fairly quiet since our arrival, understandably. Nevada’s disappearance had everyone worried, but I was sure it was even harder for him to deal with as his father. I hoped for all of our sakes that Roscoe was right and we found him soon. Back home, Chippy and Consuela were losing their minds, threatening to hop on a plane to come search for Nevada themselves. That was the last thing any of us needed to deal with.
When I looked at my phone and saw Junior calling, I hoped it was good news, and not that his mother was on her way.
“Yeah, Junior. You all made it?”
“We just landed, Pop. I got another credit alert,” he said.
“Where?”
“There’s a charge at the Marriott Downtown El Paso.”
“Roscoe, where is the Marriott?” I yelled so he could hear me over the radio.
“About three miles up the road.” Roscoe looked at me in the rearview mirror.
“We need to be heading there. I think that’s where they are,” I said.
“See you in a few, Pop,” Junior said.
Roscoe radioed for backup, then turned on the flashing lights and sirens. Within seconds, another sheriff’s vehicle was right behind us as we sped down the road. I could see the tension in Vegas’s jaw and squeezed his shoulder to reassure him that everything was going to be okay.
By the time we pulled in front of the Marriott, there were two other cruisers already sitting out front with the official seal of the Texas Highway Patrol displayed on the doors. Roscoe parked directly behind them.
“Pop!” Vegas shouted, bolting out of the car.
I looked at the entrance of the hotel, and my heart was seized with fear. Nevada was being led out of the building by the man I found it hard not to hate—KD Shrugs. Because there was no handle on the rear door, I was unable to get out on my own.
“Open the fucking door!” I commanded. Roscoe quickly moved to open it, and I pushed it so hard that I knocked him backward.
“Nevada!” Vegas ran toward his son. He quickly found himself facing the barrels of multiple guns aimed at him. He stopped, raising his hands.
“That’s far enough,” Tyler Shrugs shouted.
Roscoe and I rushed to his side. Nevada, Kia, Tyler, and KD now stood between the two patrolmen who had drawn their guns.
“Dad!” Nevada yelled. He tried to run to us, but KD snatched him back. Seeing that man touch my grandson sent a wave of anger through me.
“KD, I’m telling you right now, get your hand off of him,” I warned.
“Calm down there, LC. I ain’t hurting the boy. Yet.”
KD’s evil grin turned my anger into pure rage.
“Let my son go right now,” Vegas yelled.
“Now, why in the hell would I do that?” KD taunted.
That’s when I saw the little .38 he had pointed in Nevada’s back. I could see Vegas pick up on this, and it was obvious he was about to make a move, guns or no guns.
“KD, let the kids go,” Roscoe pleaded. “We ain’t lookin’ for no trouble.” He really was trying to defuse the situation, but he didn’t have long, as a blue SUV pulled into the parking lot with Junior and the rest of my family.
“Roscoe, you was looking for trouble the minute they showed up and you didn’t call me,” KD chastised him. “I always knew you were slow, but now I’m starting to think you’re just plain stupid.”
“Let them go,” Vegas growled.
“I can’t do that,” KD replied.
“Why not?” Roscoe asked.
“Because these two young people are under arrest. Ain’t that right, Tyler? Now, we’re taking them into custody, and they’ll call you when—”
“Under arrest? For what?” Kia yelled. “We didn’t do anything.”
“Dad. Grandpa!” Nevada pleaded.
“Now, KD, you know just as well as everybody else you don’t have no jurisdiction to do shit. You ain’t the sheriff no more,” Roscoe told him. “I am. So let those kids go.”
If looks could kill, then Roscoe would have been a dead man after
the dark glare that KD gave him. “Fuck you, Roscoe. Highway patrol supersedes your jurisdiction. Tyler, put them in the car.”
“That ain’t happening,” Vegas stepped up and blocked their way. Tyler pulled out his gun.
“Or what?” KD said.
“We should be asking you that.” Vegas suddenly smiled, raising his arms in the air. “What are you gonna do, shoot two unarmed black men and the El Paso sheriff in front of two million people?”
“Two million people?” KD questioned.
“Smile, bitches!” Sasha yelled. “You’re on Facebook Live.” She was holding her phone and aiming it straight at KD and his crew as she approached them. Junior and Paris stepped up near me.
“The state of Texas and the highway patrol will be hit with a lawsuit so big they’ll have to sell half the land in it to recover,” I added. “And you don’t know how many more witnesses might be watching you from the hotel lobby right now. Sounds like a slam dunk lawsuit to me.”
Tyler walked over and leaned closer to his father. “Daddy, we can’t be taking no chances with this social media stuff. Texas law enforcement got enough problems right now. They’ll hang me and the boys out to dry.” He turned around and spoke to the patrolmen. “Put down the guns, boys.”
“You’d better listen to your son, KD. Sounds like he’s giving you some good advice,” I said. “Let them go.”
KD finally removed his hand from Nevada’s chest. “I was just havin’ fun with the boy.”
Nevada ran to Vegas and threw his arms around his neck.
“All right, LC. You got your kids. Now, I would advise you to get the hell outta Texas. All of you,” KD said.
“That’s exactly what we plan on doing.” I turned to my niece. “Okay, Sasha, you can stop the live feed as soon as we’re all in our vehicles safely,” I said. I knew she was lying about Facebook Live since our family didn’t need that kind of attention, but she was recording a video just in case. With her free hand, she reached for Kia, who was standing to the side, looking unsure about what to do.
I could hear KD murmuring to Tyler, but at that point, the immediate threat was over. All I wanted to do was get home.
Nevada ran over and gave me a hug. “Thanks, Grandpa.”
I rubbed the top of his head. “Glad you’re safe, Nevada. You had us worried.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. Can we just go home now?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.” We were going straight to the plane and getting the hell out of this godforsaken place. KD saying we should get out of Texas wasn’t a suggestion. It was a warning, and one I knew could not be ignored.
“Come on, Kia. We’re going home.” Nevada waved his friend over.
She walked over and grabbed his arm. “Nevada, I can’t go. What about my sister?”
He turned to me. “Grandpa, I never ask for anything, but I promised I’d help her. That’s why I’m here. You always told me a man’s only as good as his word. I gave her my word.”
I glanced over at KD and Tyler, who didn’t look like they would remain passive if we hung around too much longer. “Tell me what’s going on, and tell me fast,” I said.
He gave me the short version of the story, and my first instinct was to tell him there was nothing I could do. But then I remembered what I’d told Vegas a few days ago: sometimes you have to do things for your family even if it makes you uncomfortable.
“What do you think?” I asked Vegas.
“I think we should help her, but not from here. It’s not going to take them long to regroup.”
Vegas put his hands on his son’s shoulders and looked him in the eye so he understood the severity of what he was about to tell him. “Did you hear when that man told Pop we needed to get out of Texas? He was not playing. The moment we pull out of this parking lot, we are moving targets for Texas law enforcement. We gotta go.”
“But Dad . . .”
“Hold on a second, Vegas. It’s a long shot, but let me try something.” I turned to KD, who was about to get in a car. “KD! Can I speak to you for a moment, please?” I hated to say it so politely, but it was possibly the only way we would get out of there without a major confrontation.
KD
46
LC shouted across the parking lot just as I was about to get in the car. I hesitated, wondering what the fuck he could want. Considering the fact that we were just pointing guns at him and his family, it surprised me to hear him say please—and it made me curious.
I looked at Tyler with my eyebrows raised. “What do you think?” I asked.
He nodded. Obviously he was just as curious as I was about what LC wanted. It must have been something important for LC to waste even a minute getting his black ass out of Texas like I’d told him to. I took a few steps toward him in the parking lot.
Maybe there was something left to say between us; something that would salvage a day that had turned to shit after that two-faced asshole Roscoe showed up before I could get the Duncan kid into Tyler’s car. It really would have been something to get that kid back at my ranch. The ultimate negotiating chip against LC Duncan.
When Tyler had first told me that LC Duncan was in town looking for two teenagers, I didn’t know who the kids were. I just knew that if LC wanted them, then maybe I should be looking for them too. So, I had Tyler make a few calls, and sure enough, we found them. When the kid handed over his driver’s permit and I realized he was LC’s grandson, I thought I’d hit the fuckin’ jackpot. Unfortunately, LC and some more of his unruly brood had shown up and ruined all the fun. Things could have gotten ugly if I hadn’t let the kid go.
“What do you want, LC?” We’d both walked halfway and met in the center of the parking lot. “You got three minutes. I’ve got a party to attend.” I’d been getting ready for Congressman Bell’s event across the border when Tyler told me he’d found the kids.
“Nice tux.” He gave me a smile that I could tell was fake. He was trying so damn hard not to be his usual arrogant self.
“Stop beating around the bush. What the fuck do you want? It was pretty disrespectful for you to show up in my city to do business without letting me know.”
“I didn’t come down here on business. It was personal. We’re looking for a girl,” he said.
That didn’t make much sense. I’d been told he was looking for the two kids, and now he’d found them. What was I missing?
“There’s a lot of girls in Texas, LC.”
“Yeah, I know, but I’m looking for one girl in particular. She’s in the sex trade.”
“The Horseshoe Ranch is right down the block.” I pointed south. “I’m sure you’ll find plenty of whores there.”
“We’ve been told this girl no longer works there. I’m hoping she’s still in Texas. If anyone could find her, you can.”
For the first time in twenty years, this arrogant prick was acting like he needed me. Ten minutes ago, I was ready to blow him and his whole damn family away, yet now he was kissing my ass because he needed a favor.
“Who is she to you?” I asked, pulling on my tuxedos suspenders.
He looked back at his grandson and the girl. “She’s the girl’s sister. My family promised to help find her—which means I could be down here a few more times if I don’t get some help.”
“I see.” I wondered if I should call his bluff. Would he really be stupid enough to come back to my neck of the woods knowing I’d be gunning for his ass? Then I realized, yeah, he probably would. If nothing else, LC Duncan was one persistent nigger.
“So, she’s no kin to you?” I asked.
“No, she’s not.”
“Then she must not be worth much to you.” Putting a dollar amount on the girl would tell me exactly how important she was to him. “Which means she’s not worth much to me either. You’re familiar with the old phrase, time is money?”
“I’ll give you fifty grand if you find her,” he said.
That surprised me, but I wasn’t about to tak
e that deal. If he was willing to give up fifty grand that easy, then he would be willing to pay much more.
I laughed. “I don’t get outta bed to take a piss for fifty grand.”
I could see the wheels turning in that pea-sized nigger brain of his. He’d beat me today with the brats, but whoever this girl was, she was going to cost him dearly if he really wanted my help.
“A hundred grand,” he said, and I shook my head.
What the fuck was I missing? He really wanted this girl.
He looked back at his grandson and the girl again and sighed. “Two hundred and fifty thousand.”
“Two hundred and fifty, huh?” Hell, if I could get him up another hundred and ten, I could make up for those girls that Slick shot. “You got a name and a picture?”
“Hold on a second.” He walked over to the kids, and the boy smiled at him like he was Jesus Christ reincarnated. He said something to them, and then the girl wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. This girl might not be important to him, but she was definitely important to them.
“Her name is Myesha,” he said when he came back.
He handed me a phone that had her picture on the screen. I had to bite my tongue to keep from shouting. I knew this girl—oh, too well. Unfortunately, I didn’t hide the recognition in my facial expression.
“You know her?” LC asked.
“I might, but I can tell you right now she’s gonna cost you a hell of a lot more than a two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.” This girl Myesha was the one with the AB negative blood we’d given to Greer. I thought she wasn’t worth shit to me now because we’d drained six pints of blood outta her, but LC had just upped her value significantly.
“Let’s stop bullshitting each other,” he said. “Obviously you know her because she’s part of this secret sex ring you’ve got going on down here.”
“You have no idea what I’ve got going on, LC, otherwise you would have gotten in a long time ago,” I said smugly.
“What do you want for the girl?” He was back to his old ways, arrogant and direct.
“I don’t know if she’s for sale. She’s one of our best moneymakers. You’d never believe how much she made for me this week,” I bragged without giving any detail.