by Roy Glenn
“It wasn’t your money, baby. Sex maybe, but not money.”
Mike laughed. “We were good together.”
“She any good?”
“She’s not on your level, but nobody is,” Mike lied as Diane returned to the table with Melinda’s drink. She placed it in front of her. Melinda thanked her and took a sip.
“You treated me better than any man I’ve ever known. And I’m not just talking about sex. You always treated me with respect. Never called me anything but my name. Never raised a hand to me. You didn’t even lie to me. That’s what made me love you. You made me feel like I was somebody. Somebody special.”
“You are special, and I do care about you, but …”
Before Mike could finish Melinda said, “But you don’t love me … you never did. I knew you messed around, but you always came back. I thought that you would learn to love me. That you would sorta grow into it, you know. And you would love me, just like I love you.”
“Why didn’t you ever say any of this before?”
“I thought it would run you off.”
“Maybe.”
“I always thought I’d have more time. I just never counted on you falling in love,” Melinda said tearfully. “I gotta go, Black.” Melinda got up quietly from the table. “It ain’t over between us, Black.”
Diane brought their meal. Mike watched Melinda walk quickly out of the restaurant. He looked at Diane, who had started to serve. Mike held up his hand to stop her. “I don’t think the lady will be joining me. Take mine to the office.”
“You okay, Black?”
“No.”
Mike finished his drink, got up from the table, and returned to his office. He sat on the couch, put his feet up on the chair, and closed his eyes. Mike picked up the remote, turned on the CD player, and pressed the random button. As the music began to play, there was a knock at the door. “Who is it?”
“Diane. I got your dinner.”
“Come on in.” Diane came in carrying a tray. “Just put it anywhere,” Mike said, and Diane placed the tray on the desk.
“You want me to fix you a drink?” she asked, picking up the bottle of Remy from the credenza.
“Thanks,” Mike said without opening his eyes.
“You broke that girl’s heart; didn’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“Feeling kinda shitty about it too?” Diane asked in a very dry tone.
“Yeah.”
“Good.” Mike opened his eyes. “You should feel shitty when you break someone’s heart. I wouldn’t have any respect for you if you didn’t.” Diane handed him his drink and started for the door. “I stopped in the kitchen and got you some extra shrimp scampi.”
“Thanks, Diane. For everything.”
Diane closed the door leaving Mike alone with the scampi, the Cognac and Coltrane playing a slow melodic tune.
“This is depressing the shit out of me.” He got up and turned it off, picking up the case to see what was playing. “Like someone in love. Figures.”
He took the cover off the tray, picked up a shrimp and took a bite. Diane had hit right at the heart of it. Mike felt shitty. He really felt bad about breaking Melinda’s heart. He had actually convinced himself that she was only with him for the money. Mike felt insensitive. Since he had broken up with Regina, just about every woman he had met was all about the money. No reason to think Melinda was any different. That’s how she came off. Maybe at first that’s how it was. Perhaps as time went on her feelings changed. Now he felt as if he had used her. Although he felt badly about hurting Melinda, Mike knew he was in love with Shy. He wondered where she was and if she was safe.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
As Jack drove downtown, Shy stared aimlessly out the window. Every now and then, she would look behind her to see if Jap or somebody was following them. Although she had told Mike that she had to handle this, there was a part of her that wished he could make it all go away. Shy slowly came to the realization that this was way over her head. So far Black had saved her life twice and he intervened when Hector told her no money, no product. It was Black who sent Kenny to Detroit, providing them with the first real leads they had. This was Black’s domain, and he excelled at it.
They arrived at the studio and went inside. The studio was open to the public, and patrons of the arts wandered around admiring the assembled collection. Shy and Jack split up and walked around the studio looking at the art and checking out the people. When Jack stopped to admire a painting, Shy wandered over to him.
They stood quietly for a moment. Finally, Jack said, “This might sound like a stupid question, but I’m gonna go with it anyway. Just what are we looking for?”
Shy started to answer, but then she thought about it.
“Just follow my lead,” she said not wanting to let on that she really wasn’t sure. They stood in front of a large portrait of palm trees with the sun setting in the horizon. As Shy stood there she was taken back to the Bahamas. Her daydream was interrupted by the presence of a lady standing next to her.
“It is a fine work, isn’t it?” The woman turned and faced Shy with a smile and an extended hand. “Hi, my name is Wendy. I’m the curator here.”
Shy smiled a fake smile and shook her hand. “Hi, my name is Sandy. It’s a pleasure to meet you Wendy, and my yes, it is absolutely breathtaking.”
Jack rolled his eyes and excused himself. “That girl’s something else,” he said as he wandered away.
As Jack continued to look around, he noticed two men who didn’t look like patrons of the arts coming out of a door in the back of the studio. He positioned himself in an area of the studio where he could watch Shy and the door without drawing attention to himself. Jack looked on as Shy continued to walk and talk art with Wendy.
A white woman entered the studio and headed straight for the door. Five minutes later she came out and left. Jack watched as the pattern continued in much the same manner for the next fifteen minutes. He walked over to Shy, who was still listening to Wendy run her mouth.
“… it took him over two years. And believe it or not, the artist painted this entire canvas in the nude,” Wendy said of a rendering of two birds flying through some clouds.
“Sandy,” Jack interrupted. “Wendy, would you excuse us for a moment. There’s a phenomenal portrait that I must share with her,” he said, practically dragging Shy away.
“I think I know which one you’re talking about. It has the same effect on me,” Wendy said as they walked away quickly.
“Thanks. That was by far the most boring woman I’ve ever met,” she said trying to shake herself out of it. “What’s up?”
“I think they’re rolling here,” Jack said quietly.
“What? Where?” Shy said in disbelief.
Jack pointed at the door. “I been standing here watching people come in, go straight in there and come out a few minutes later.”
“That don’t mean they’re rolling.”
“Shy, I know a stop and cop when I see one. Just watch,” Jack said, and he walked away leaving Shy to see for herself. She watched as two black men came in the studio and went straight for the door. One of them went in while the other stood outside like a posted sentry. He stood and watched Shy watching him. The other emerged, and the two left quickly, the sentry pointing at Shy as they left. Jack rejoined Shy. “See what I mean. Them boys probably think you’re a cop and this place is under surveillance.”
“You’re right. I wonder if they’re rolling with our product,” Shy said angrily.
“Probably,” Jack replied.
“Let’s get outta here,” Shy said.
She and Jack left the studio, got in Jack’s car, and drove away. “You want me to put someone down here?”
“No,” Shy said, still fuming at the thought that they were selling her product. “I don’t want to tip our hand. I think we finally got an ace. See if you can find out who’s supplying them.”
Shy picked up the phone and called Black at Cuisi
ne. The night receptionist told her that Black had left a half-hour ago and didn’t say where he was going. She tried calling him at Impressions.
“Impressions, how may I direct your call?” The receptionist said.
“Mike Black, please,” Shy said.
“Mr. Black isn’t in, can somebody else help you?”
“Is Mr. Ray in?” Shy asked.
“Who should I say is calling?”
“Shy.”
“Hold please.”
The receptionist placed her on hold. Shy wondered if Black was somewhere with Melinda. If he was with her, was he telling her that it was over between them or had they continued their sexual relationship?
“Hello, Shy. How was your trip?” Bobby asked.
“I had the time of my life. I hated to leave,” Shy replied.
“You know Mike’s not here. So, what can I do for you?” Bobby asked.
“Please tell him it’s very important that I talk to him.”
“Are you all right? Where are you?”
“I’m fine, Bobby. I’m in Manhattan, but I’m on my way home,” Shy replied.
“Who’s with you? Do you want me to send someone?”
“Not you too. Jack’s with me and no I don’t want you to send somebody. Have you talked to Black since we got back?” Shy asked.
“No,” Bobby answered.
Shy started to ask if Melinda was there but thought that was a little pushy. “Well, like I said, I’m on my way home. Just give him that message for me.”
“You got it. Hey, what are you doing for dinner tomorrow?”
“I don’t have any plans. Why?”
“If you’re not doing anything, why don’t you come to my house for dinner? My wife Pam is dying to meet you.”
Shy smiled. She wanted to meet Pam anyway. “I would love to meet your wife. But let me talk to Black first.”
“What; you can’t come without him?”
“It’s not that.”
“Then we’ll see you tomorrow,” Bobby said.
“Okay, what time?” Shy asked.
“Seven okay?”
“See you at seven. Tell Pam I’m looking forward to meeting her.” Shy hung up the phone and looked at Jack.
“Going to meet the family?” he asked.
“Ha, ha, ha, he, he, he. Very funny. Just shut up and take me home. I wonder why Tony hasn’t called?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Tony drove along the winding road of the Hutchinson River Parkway on the way to Ricardo’s White Plains home. Freeze sat listening as Tony tried to impress him. He talked about his being robbed and what he was gonna do when he found the bandits. It wasn’t working. Finally, Freeze grew weary and asked, “So, what’s the deal with this Ricardo guy anyway?”
“He used to go with Shy,” Tony said as he drove. “They came to a parting of the ways about a year ago.”
“I know that. Black wouldn’t send me out here for nothing. What happened?”
“He got married.”
“And?”
“He waited until the week before to tell her.”
Freeze started laughing. “Oh shit.”
“He broke that shit on her one night at the club outta nowhere.” Tony began laughing too. “Shy didn’t even know he had another woman.”
“Must be more to it than that?” Freeze asked.
“Hold up man, it gets better. After he tells her that, kid says that she can still see him on the down low after he’s married.”
“I know Shy must have freaked,” Freeze said.
“Yeah, Shy was about to shoot him when we got to her. When she told us that shit, Jack snatched him out his chair, and we beat him down. Dragged him outside, and then beat him down some more.”
“Yeah, I remember hearing about that. Where was E while all this beating down was going on?” Freeze asked.
“He grabbed the gun from her. Then he stayed inside with Shy. She was tripping pretty hard for a while behind that, crying and shit. E helped her get through a lot of that. He got a real type a thing for Shy, even though he’ll never admit it.”
“Oh really,” Freeze said, making a mental note of that comment and continued, “I think that gives Ricardo a reason to want to get back at her.”
“Yeah, we fucked him up pretty bad,” Tony replied.
“Alright, so we know he got some heart. Takes heart to say some fucked up shit like that to a woman. Especially one that’s armed. What else you got?”
“He was like this smooth talking businessman. Had a little job on Wall Street. He was paid though, always had mad cash on him. But the more I think about it, he used to always try to involve himself in our business. Almost cost us big time one night.”
“Wannabe gangster,” Freeze said shaking his head.
“That was him, real wannabe,” Tony said.
Like you, Freeze said to himself.
Freeze didn’t have a lot of respect for Tony or any of Shy’s boys for that matter. Although they knew one another from junior high school, they weren’t cool. Well, there was the time that girl came in the boy’s bathroom with them, but other than that, they rarely spoke. Freeze always thought Tony was too soft.
They arrived at the house just after 8 o’clock. Tony rang the bell as Freeze looked around the outside of the house. Ricardo’s wife, Susan, answered the door.
“Hello. Is Ricardo home?” Tony said.
“Wait just a minute, I’ll get him,” Susan said, leaving the door cracked while she went for her husband.
Freeze joined Tony at the door. Shortly thereafter, Ricardo came to the door and stuck his head out.
“Tony, what are you doing here?” he asked.
“We wanna talk to you man.”
“Well, let’s talk out here.” Ricardo started out the door. “I don’t want …” Before Ricardo could finish what he was saying Freeze pushed Ricardo in the house.
“Nobody asked you what you don’t want. Get inside.”
“Honey, is everything alright?” Susan said hearing the commotion. Freeze took out his gun and pointed it at Ricardo’s head.
“Everything’s fine, Honey,” Ricardo said, fearing for his life.
“Smart man. Now get in there,” Freeze said, pushing him into the living room. “Sit down.”
“What’s this all about, Tony? I don’t have much money here.”
Freeze pulled a wad of money out of his pocket and slapped Ricardo in the face with it. “If I wanted your money, I’d be counting it now and you’d be dead,” Freeze said calmly.
“Who are you?” Ricardo asked.
Freeze sat down on the couch next to Ricardo. “We gonna cover this one time, okay.” Removing the silencer from his pocket. “Next time you say something, and nobody asked you nothing, we gonna have a problem, understand?” Freeze put the silencer on the gun. Ricardo nodded his head.
“You know James Kerns, runs a chop shop in Brooklyn?” Tony said.
“No,” Ricardo said, without taking his eyes off Freeze.
“What about Leon Thomas? You know him, don’t you?” Tony asked.
“No, I never heard of him either. What’s this about?” Ricardo asked, and with that Freeze chopped him in the head with the barrel of his gun.
“Look, Babalu, you ain’t paying attention. You don’t ask shit here.” Ricardo nodded his head again. Tony continued to ask Ricardo questions for a while, always receiving the same answer.
“I told you, I don’t know anything about it!”
Appearing bored by it all, Freeze got up. He began to look around. “Nice artwork. You buy through a broker?”
“No, my wife bought all of it,” Ricardo answered.
“You remember that night in Jersey when you almost blew that deal for us? You always wanted to play the role. Hey, you still carry around all that cash, Ricardo?” Tony asked.
“I knew that’s what this was about,” Ricardo said. Freeze began to move toward him. “No!” Ricardo said quickly. “I do all my transacti
ons via credit card. I was just fronting with that money. I would skim some of the interest off my client’s accounts at night and put it back in the morning.”
Freeze said to Tony, “Go get Lucy. Get her purse too.” Ricardo started to speak. “Don’t say it, Babalu.” Freeze leaned over the couch and tapped Ricardo on the shoulder. “Hey, Ricky Ricardo, if you really love Lucy, you’ll make sure she behaves herself. It’s on you,” Freeze said, pointing his gun at Ricardo.
Tony went upstairs, returning shortly with Susan and her purse. Seeing her husband sitting on the couch with a gun pointed at him, Susan ran and sat beside him.
“Are you all right, Honey?”
“I’m all right. Just be quiet and do what they say,” he said to her.
“Lucy … I’m sorry, what’s your name?” Freeze asked.
When Susan didn’t answer him right away, Ricardo yelled, “Answer him!”
“Susan!” she cried out.
“Chill out Susan, I’m not gonna hurt you,” Freeze said calmly. He put away his gun. “I’m just gonna ask you two or three questions. Then I want you to get something for me. After that we up outta here, okay.”
“Okay. Can I ask you what this is all about?” Susan asked.
“Come here, Susan. I’ll be happy to tell you,” Freeze said, taking her purse from Tony. Freeze waved her on as he walked into the dining room.
Ricardo looked at Susan. She looked at him. He looks terrified, she thought to herself. Susan got up and followed Freeze into the dining room. Freeze pulled out a chair for her at the table.
“Please, sit down.”
Susan sat down at the table. She looked at Ricardo and smiled, seeming to enjoy seeing him so unsettled at what Freeze would tell her. Freeze spoke softly, “A former associate of your husband is having some problems. I need you to help me prove that he doesn’t have anything to do with it.”
“I understand,” Susan said.
Ricardo yelled out, “He’s lying, Honey!”
Freeze smiled. “Now see, you might wanna ask him about that and think about who’s been lying to who.”
“You can tell me,” Susan said.
“No, I can’t. That’s between you and your husband. And I don’t go there. Now, who buys your art? It really is a nice collection.”