by Carl Weber
“Everything has a price. What’s your I-don’t-wanna-sell price?” He looked like he wanted to hit me. I loved getting a rise outta this nigger.
He was right. Everything did have a price, and I’d already lost a whole lot of money this week when Slick killed three of my girls.
“A million dollars,” I said.
“Half a million,” he countered.
“Two million.” I laughed, and he just stared at me angrily, then looked back at his grandson. “What the fuck, LC? Should I go over there and talk to the kid?”
“You son of a bitch. I’ll give you a million, but I want her at the airport in thirty minutes.”
“I have a party to go to, but these two nice troopers over there will deliver her. I expect the wire will be sent directly?” I smiled, thinking about the nice profit I’d just made.
“You’ll get your money.”
“Nice doing business with you, LC,” I said, heading back to the car.
“What was that all about, Daddy?” Tyler asked as we got in the car.
“I need you to have the boys bring Celeste’s Asian friend to the airport.”
Tyler’s eyes went wide. “You’re giving her to him?”
I chuckled. “A million dollars isn’t free, son, and from what Lizbeth tells me, that girl’s no good to us now that we drained damn near seven pints of blood from her. She has acute anemia.”
Vegas
47
I’d never been so happy to step foot on a plane. We were in Texas for less than twenty-four hours, but it was still too long. All I wanted to do was take my son home, shower, eat one of my mom’s home-cooked meals and get into bed.
As soon as I entered the jet cabin, the eyes of my sister, cousin, son, and his friend were on me. I could sense the anxiety and anticipation.
At that moment, Junior entered, carrying Kia’s sister, who was so weak that she could barely walk.
“Kia.” The girl’s voice was weak.
“Oh my God, you found her!” Kia jumped up and ran to her. She tried to hug her sister in Junior’s arms, but the girl didn’t even have the strength to hug her back.
Kia stepped back, looking scared. “What’s wrong with her? Is she sick?”
“It appears so. This is how they gave her to us. Don’t worry,” Pop said. “We’ll make sure she gets some medical attention when we land. But right now, we’ve gotta get the hell out of here. Sit down, buckle up, and let’s go.”
He didn’t have to tell me twice. I made my way to the back of the plane and sat in one of the leather seats. I looked up and saw Nevada hugging my father.
“Thanks again, Grandpa,” he said.
“You’re welcome, Nevada. We’re still gonna have a little chat when we get home, though.”
I should’ve warned my son that it was probably not going to be a cheerful conversation, but Nevada was smart. He would figure that out soon enough.
Kia and Nevada got settled into their seats, and Junior placed her sister in the seat next to her sister. Then he came to the back of the plane with Pop. Within minutes, we were in the air.
“Pop, I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” Junior said about fifteen minutes into the flight, “but I got a call right before we took off. We have another problem.” Junior kept his voice low so that the kids wouldn’t hear him.
“Of course we do.” Pop groaned, pouring himself a drink. “What now?”
“Lex is dead,” Junior said.
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Lex the fence?” I asked.
“Yes.” Pop looked over at me. “I hired him to find out what KD was doing. He was supposed to hijack his truck. What the hell happened to him?”
“He was found dead, shot execution style.”
“By who?” I asked.
“Nobody knows who the shooter was, but I have an idea who was behind it,” Junior replied.
“KD,” Pop and I said at the same time.
“The crazy thing is that his body was found along with the bodies of three women,” Junior explained.
“What about the truck?” Dad asked.
Junior looked at my Dad seriously. “There was no truck, Pop.”
“They killed four people and then took the truck? What the hell was in the truck?” I asked.
Junior shrugged, and Pop went into deep thought for a second. Then he turned to me and said, “You think Johnny could have been the person driving that truck when it was stolen?”
“I don’t know. It’s possible.”
“As soon as this plane lands, I’m gonna need you to find Johnny Brooks.”
“I’m on it. Let’s just hope he’s still alive when I find him.”
“I was just thinking the same thing,” Pop said.
I settled back in my seat to take the nap I knew I’d need. Being a Duncan sure didn’t make for a restful, easy life.
I slept for the majority of the flight home. When we arrived, my mother was there, waiting along with Consuela.
“Grandma.” Nevada hugged my mother first. It made sense since she was the only one with a friendly face. Consuela didn’t look too pleased as we descended from the plane. No doubt she was ready to whip Nevada’s ass for disappearing like he did.
“We were so worried about you. I’m glad you’re safe,” Mom told him.
“Me too,” he said.
My father walked over to my mother and gave her a big kiss. “I missed you.”
“Is there something you want to say to your mother?” I said to Nevada, motioning toward Consuela, who stood nearby, watching the family reunion.
Nevada’s head hung low as he walked over to her. “I’m sorry I ran away, Mom.”
Consuela pulled him to her and held him tight. “Mi amor. Thank God you’re okay. Estaba tan preocupada por ti, hijo mío.”
Nevada wiped the tears from her eyes and said, “I love you too, Mama. I’m sorry you were worried.”
“Duncan family, let’s go home,” Pop announced.
Nevada looked around and asked, “Where’s Uncle Rio?”
I hadn’t even noticed my baby brother’s absence until then. It was odd, because he and Nevada were so close. I would’ve expected him to be waiting with my mother and Consuela.
“I tried calling him when I found out you all were on the way home, but I couldn’t reach him. He should be at the house by the time we get there,” Mom said.
We all headed toward the various vehicles waiting to take us home. Consuela kept staring at Kia and her sister, who was being carried by Junior.
I walked over to her SUV.
“That’s the girl who caused all of this?” she asked me.
“Yes, that’s her. But it’s not her fault.”
“It’s not?”
“How about I explain it all to you tomorrow night over dinner?” I asked.
She looked surprised by my invitation. “Dinner?”
“Yes, just the two of us. How about Tavern on the Green? We have a lot to discuss. What do you say?”
“I say yes, I’d like that.” Consuela smiled. “And, Vegas, thank you for bringing my son home.”
“Our son,” I reminded her with a smile. Then I turned and called out, “Nevada!”
He ran over to me. “Yeah, Dad.”
“Ride home with your mother.”
“But I was gonna go over to the hospital with—”
“No, Uncle Junior and Aunt Paris will make sure she’s good. You need to go with your mom,” I told him, reading the disappointment on his face. “Listen, I’m proud of you, son. You did the right thing and handled it like a Duncan.”
“Thanks, Dad. Are you coming home with us?” he asked.
“Not right now. I got something to handle for your grandfather. But I love you.” I hugged him again.
“Love you too, Dad.”
“Thank you, Vegas,” Consuela said softly.
I looked at both of them and said, “Don’t worry. It’s all going to work out for all of us.”
KD
48
“And so, I’d like to thank you all for coming here tonight, and for your support over the years. I’ve enjoyed representing this great state up in D.C. and working hard beside our fine president to make America great again. But now it’s time to rid the statehouse of the corruption, outrageous overspending, and the kiss-ass policies toward immigration—which is why, tonight, I’m announcing that I’m throwing my hat into the ring to become the next governor of New Mexico. I’m gonna make sure nobody gets in here that ain’t supposed to be here!”
The room erupted in applause, and the band began playing “Born in the USA.” Wesley walked through the crowd, shaking hands and giving hugs. It was very clear why we’d been gathered here. If Wesley was running for governor, he was gonna need money. Based on the reaction to his announcement, he would have no problem getting it.
“Wesley Bell, governor of New Mexico. How ’bout that, Daddy?” Tyler gave me a knowing smile. One thing was for damn sure: if he won, he would definitely be one of the most powerful allies in my corner and good for business.
“Sounds like music to my ears. His ass got my vote, or at least the ones I plan on buying, since technically I’m not from New Mexico,” I said with a hearty laugh.
“Well, we got something else to tell you that I think you’ll be happy about.”
From the way Tyler was grinning, I just knew he was about to tell me that Duncan’s plane had crashed and LC and his brats were dead. I prepared myself to hear the great news.
“What’s that, son?”
He pulled Elizabeth into his arms and held her close to him. “Lizbeth and I are getting married. She’s moving into the house.”
“Well, now, that’s wonderful news.” I was a little stunned; nevertheless, I was happy for my son. He’d been a man-whore long enough, and it was time for him to settle down with the right woman and give me some grandkids to carry on my legacy. Besides, I liked Elizabeth. She was smart, sexy as hell, and knew how to keep her damn mouth shut.
“Congratulations, you two. I’m happy for you. For both of you. Welcome to the family, Lizbeth.”
“Thank you, KD.” She hugged me, and though it was hard, I tried not to enjoy the feeling of her melon-sized breasts against me. After all, she was about to be my daughter-in-law.
“Tyler, you made a fine choice. I’m proud of you.” I grinned. “Go grab us some champagne so we can have a proper toast.”
“We’ll be right back,” Tyler said as they walked away hand in hand.
I sat alone at the table, observing everyone and everything around me, until I was surprisingly joined by Leo Greer. He took the seat beside me.
“Leo, I wasn’t expecting you to be here. I thought you’d be with your daughter. How is she anyway?”
“She was doing fine until last night.” Greer’s voice was as serious as his face.
“I’m sorry to hear that. What exactly is the problem?” If his daughter wasn’t well, what the hell was he doing in New Mexico? He sure took this political shit seriously.
He looked around at all the people in the crowd. “Can we step outside for a moment?”
We got up and walked into the lobby of the hotel to find a spot where no one could hear our conversation.
“I came to see you. I need to talk to you about my daughter.”
“You’re not blaming your daughter being sick on us, are you?” Even though no one was nearby, I lowered my voice. “’Cause we busted our asses to get you that blood. That girl looked like a walking corpse after we drained her. You got what you needed, right?” I asked him.
“I’m not blaming you at all. The blood transfusion saved her life, but I’m finding out now it was just a temporary fix,” he said.
“Shit, I’m sorry to hear that.”
He was tearing up again. “Yeah, the prognosis isn’t good, but there’s still some hope.”
“I’m sure glad to hear that,” I said.
Greer stared at me and said, “I need that girl. The one that’s a perfect match?”
“I don’t know if that’s possible, Leo. She’s in pretty bad shape to be honest with you.” I hated to hear that this was happening to Greer’s daughter, but I needed to be honest and let him know what he was up against.
“But she’s alive?”
I shook my head, unwilling to tell him she was with LC Duncan. “I guess, if you wanna call it that. The girl looks like a living corpse. We couldn’t drain enough blood outta her to fill a Band-Aid right now.”
“You’re not hearing what I’m saying. My daughter’s in organ failure and will need a liver and possibly a heart. I ain’t asking for more blood. I want the girl.”
I was so stunned by what he was suggesting that I needed to sit down on the cushioned bench against the wall. “Do you know what happened the last time I helped someone like this? What you’re asking me to do landed my ass in jail. I took the fucking fall for everyone. No one went down for that shit but me, and I wasn’t the only one involved.”
“So I’ve been told. But this is my daughter we’re talking about, and I got way more resources than the person you helped, and you know it. I promise you won’t be going anywhere you don’t wanna go,” Greer insisted. “I’ll pay whatever. Do whatever.”
“You already owe me a favor,” I reminded him.
“True, but I’m a man who likes to get what he wants. You seem to be the same.”
“There’s a lot of truth to that,” I replied.
“So, how’d you like to be sheriff again?” He grinned like he could make it happen. “I heard it’s your dream job.”
“Yes, sir. Another year or two as sheriff and a couple of grandkids, and I could die a happy man.” I glanced at Tyler and Elizabeth. “But even a man like you couldn’t make that happen. I’ve got too much baggage. Those pussies in the party will take my money, but they’d never let me on the ballet.”
“You’d be surprised what I can do with the help of my friends—like POTUS. We could have a rally right in El Paso here. He’d endorse you. What the fuck are they gonna do then?”
“Kiss my lily white ass, that’s what they’d do.” I laughed then stared at him hard. “You could really do that?”
“I don’t say things I can’t do,” he replied. “Now, what about the girl?”
“Tell you what. Let me think about it, and I’ll let you know by tomorrow.”
“Sure thing. But what’s there to think about . . . Sheriff?” Greer grinned.
Roman
49
My mother’s hospital room provided a safe haven for us while we tried to figure out our next move. After witnessing Lex and those women get killed, we’d gone underground, staying as far away from the streets as possible. Li’l Al had already heard rumors that some crazy-looking white guy was spreading money around, looking for the driver of the truck. If he was looking for the driver, then no doubt he was looking for the guys that stole it. I’d done a lot of shit with Denny and Al over the years, most of it illegal, but usually it was pretty low risk. Now we’d gotten into something that truly put our lives in jeopardy. To say we were concerned was an understatement.
“You think Lex told him it was us that stole the truck?” I asked.
“Lex wouldn’t sell us out. He was a stand-up dude,” Denny said for the fiftieth time, which pissed me off.
“Dammit, Denny, even if Lex was a standup guy—which I don’t think he was—he had a gun to his head. Whatever the fuck that dude wanted to know, he told him,” I snapped at my friend. “That gangster code of silence you be watching on TV is just Hollywood bullshit. Life on the line, motherfuckers be tellin’ it.”
“Not me. I’m true to this. I ain’t snitching for shit.” He tried to sound hard.
“Bro, I love you, but your pretty ass will be the first to talk if the time comes,” I said, and Li’l Al laughed his ass off. Denny glared at both of us, but deep down, he knew it was true.
When he finally stopped laughing, Li’l
Al said, “I don’t know about y’all, but I’m about to steal me a car and go see my people down south. This shit is a little too hot for me.”
“I might just take that ride, too,” Denny replied. “What about you, Rome?”
“Man, you know I can’t leave yet. At least not until . . .” My words drifted off as I looked over at my mother, who was asleep. I could tell that she was getting worse by the day because she was sleeping almost all the time, and when she was awake, she was becoming more and more incoherent.
As if she could sense me talking about her, she moved her arm slightly and opened her eyes. “Roman?”
I slid my chair closer and grabbed her hand. “Yeah, Ma, I’m here.”
“Oh, baby, I’m glad you’re here. I told your brother you would be here so you could talk.”
“Brother?” Denny whispered.
I shook my head at him. “She’s out of it, man. It’s the medicine, probably.”
There was a tapping on the door, and then Dr. Ford walked in the room. He washed his hands at the sink and then came over to check my mother.
“How’re you doing, Ms. Johnson?” His voice was calm and soothing.
My mother didn’t speak. She just nodded at him, and then closed her eyes to go back to sleep.
I stood up and asked, “Man, Doc, what’s going on?”
“Right now, we’re doing everything we can to keep her comfortable. She’s very sick.”
I shook my head angrily. “I need you to do more than make her comfortable. I want her better. Do you know how much fucking money I just paid this hospital? I got the other money for the transplant, too, once we find a donor.”
“Why don’t we talk over here so your mother can rest?” he said as he stepped into the far corner of the room.
I went to stand with him. “What’s going on?”
Dr. Ford took a deep breath and released a sigh. He couldn’t even look me in the eye. “Mr. Johnson, I’m sorry, but your mother’s name has been removed from the transplant list.”
I felt like he’d just punched me in the gut. “What? Why would you do that? You said that’s the only way she would survive.” I began to panic. “I told you I could pay. I got the money.”