The Takedown

by Ricky Black

  Darren paused, drawing Rashad in. He couldn’t react too quickly. To do so would arouse suspicion. He glanced around the club, taking a sip of champagne, watching Rashad grow more restless. His woman was looking at her phone, occasionally throwing dirty looks at her boyfriend.

  ‘Do you want a top up?’ Darren motioned to the bottle. Before she could speak, Rashad interjected.

  ‘Forget her. She’s fine. Tell me about the business. Talk to your guys Nathan and them lot. They’ll tell you I’m trusted, G.’

  Hiding a smile, Darren spoke.

  Lennox was staring into the bottom of a cup when Nikkolo entered the back room.

  ‘The kids just reported in. It’s done. Winnie came out and chased them with a bat. They were gonna stab him, but they remembered their orders.’

  ‘Good. I don’t want him touched.’

  Nikkolo cleared his throat.

  ‘People are saying Eddie Williams is lying low. Delroy has beefed up his security too. We’ve got a couple squirrels within their team letting us know their movements.’

  ‘Good. Make sure everyone keeps up the pressure on all fronts.’

  Nikkolo hesitated before speaking again.

  ‘Boss, I have to ask; why aren’t you just pulling the trigger? We took out Spinks and kept it quiet, and now we’re vandalising cars like some amateurs. What’s the point behind it?’

  Lennox fixed Nikkolo with a stony glare, freezing the lackey where he stood. He held the look for over a minute. Nikkolo squirmed against Lennox’s quiet force. He’d never in his life met a man that put out a vibe like Lennox Thompson. It was malevolent, but twistingly captivating.

  ‘I don’t pay you for your advice. Keep doing exactly as you’re told.’

  Nikkolo left the room without argument.

  Lamont and Jenny were shown to their seats. Both had dressed to impress, Lamont wearing a tailored navy suit with brown brogues and a white shirt. Jenny wore a fitted black Peplum dress, her hair teased and wavy, eyes sparkling. Lamont allowed Jenny to pick the wine, and they stared into one another’s eyes whilst waiting for their menus.

  ‘This is a lovely restaurant. Feels like ages since we’ve been.’

  Lamont nodded. ‘It has been a while.’

  ‘It feels like a while since we’ve done a lot of things,’ admitted Jenny. Lamont tilted his head.

  ‘Hopefully we can work towards changing that. So much has changed in our lives, and I’m sorry for how I’ve acted. I’ve not been considerate and I promise you that’s not the intention.’

  Jenny reached squeezed Lamont’s hand.

  ‘I know, L. I’ve never doubted that you cared. We just seem at opposite ends sometimes.’

  They sat in silence. Lamont hummed along with the soft jazz music. The place was packed, everyone in their finery and out to have a good time. After browsing the menus and placing their orders, Jenny spoke again.

  ‘Have you spoken to Shorty lately?’

  Lamont’s face tensed, but he forced his features into a smile.

  ‘No. We had a little falling out, but we’ll be fine.’

  ‘He said the same thing.’ Jenny sipped her wine.

  ‘When did you speak to Shorty?’ Lamont tucked into his grilled fish with abandon, his brow furrowed.

  ‘I saw him at that community thing I told you about.’

  ‘Shorty was there?’ Lamont scratched his chin after placing his fork on the plate.

  ‘He walked me out. He was with the nice man from the barbers, Tommy.’

  Lamont mulled it over. It made more sense now.

  ‘How did he seem?’

  ‘Less tense than when he was staying with us. I’m not sure if he agreed with everything Malcolm said, especially the parts relating to the criminal element, which is to be expected I guess. It was a good meeting though. Malcolm’s words were inspiring. He really cares, you know?’

  ‘That’s good to hear.’ Lamont hoped his words weren’t as stiff as they sounded.

  ‘I went for coffee with him. It’s refreshing to hear about—’

  ‘You went for a coffee with him?’ Lamont’s voice was low.

  ‘Yes. He’s an interesting man. Is that a problem?’ Jenny’s eyes rested on him. Lamont sighed, messing with the remaining food on his plate, feeling less hungry.

  ‘No, course it isn’t. Just be careful.’

  ‘Don’t you trust me?’ Jenny glared. It was Lamont’s turn to squeeze her hand.

  ‘Jen, if there’s one person I’ll always trust, it’s you. Malcolm is a target though; you said it yourself. He’s playing with fire talking about reforms. I don’t disagree with his methods, but even you can’t deny that it’s a worry.’

  Jenny smiled, draining her wine.

  ‘If you’re finished, let’s get out of here and head to the hotel.’

  Lamont gave Jenny such a look that she shifted in her seat. Her face flamed, stomach tingling.

  ‘Yes. Let’s.’

  Lamont paid the bill, leaving an exuberant tip. They took a black cab to the hotel, at the bottom end of the city centre, and checked into their room. The door closed, and Lamont forced Jenny against the wall, cupping her face and capturing her lips.

  The kiss was slow and tender, and Jenny melted on the spot as Lamont applied more pressure. His hands skimmed her body, everywhere he touched seeming to flame. Jenny gasped and pressed her body against Lamont’s. They spilled to the bed, Lamont rearing up and kissing Jenny’s exposed neck, her dress askew and hanging from her shoulders. He pulled back, panting, his eyes still on hers as he undressed, flinging his expensive shirt to the floor and kicking out of his trousers. Jenny mirrored his actions and shimmied out of her dress, removing the black lingerie she had picked.

  Lamont surveyed her entire body, his eyes gleaming. She was perfection, and he felt like the luckiest man alive. All the doubts about the future seemed to drift away as he drank in her features. Jenny stared at Lamont’s ripped frame, the jagged scar from his surgery visible. Lamont looked down at it, then at her.

  Jenny padded towards him, dropping to her knees and worshiping the mark with her mouth as Lamont hissed and gritted his teeth. When Jenny reached for him, Lamont came to his senses, pushing her back onto the bed and entering her with one fluid motion. They quickly found their rhythm, their mouths and bodies meeting as they pushed the world away for the night.

  Shorty and K-Bar entered the spot on Greek Street, surrounded by bright lights and loud music. K-Bar quickly commandeered a table and started checking out the talent, Shorty bullying his way to the bar. They had phoned ahead to check Blakey was working. He was handing cocktails to a group of giggling girls who appeared very taken with him. Shorty made his way over.

  ‘Yo, B?’

  Blakey turned, recognising Shorty’s voice over the music. He grinned, coming from behind the bar to greet Shorty.

  ‘Fucking hell, bro. Look at you! You look healthy, man,’ He shouted over the music. They moved back towards the bar.

  ‘You too. Heard you were working here, so I thought I’d come check you. How’s things?’

  Blakey shrugged. ‘I enjoy what I’m doing now, y’know? Feels less serious. After you went away, the game wasn’t fun anymore. Too much blood, so I ducked out and went legit. K-Bar and everyone else needed to change and adapt to survive. I couldn’t do it.’

  ‘You need money or anything?’

  Blakey shook his head. ‘I had a bit saved up. I was dumb with my money, but I didn’t spend all of it. I realised things about myself after I stopped hustling. I was never the same when you weren’t around. I thought you were gonna go away for life,’ he admitted.

  Shorty nodded. ‘Me too,’ He didn’t admit how much that thought terrified him. Freedom was something everyone took for granted, but Shorty had almost lost his for good ‘I’m glad you’re doing well.’

  ‘Me too, bro. You look proper healthy though. You back working with Tef?’

  ‘Sort of.’ Shorty still needed to speak with La
mont and clear the air after their last discussion. Blakey was about to reply when a woman sauntered towards them, placing herself in the middle.

  ‘Blakey, babe, can you get me and my girls more bubbly and bring it to the table please?’ She met Shorty’s eyes for a minute, and he didn’t back down. She was an inch or so shorter, with milk chocolate skin and curly dark hair. She wore a black blouse and tight trousers, outshining everyone around her with ease.

  ‘Don’t worry, Sienna, babe. I’ll get someone to bring it over,’ Blakey noted that the pair hadn’t taken their eyes from one another. ‘Shorty, Sienna. Sienna, this is my day-one brother, Shorty.’

  They smiled, still taking in the other’s appearance. Blakey excused himself to fetch champagne for her table and Shorty continued speaking with Sienna. He learned that she worked in an office in town and that they’d met years ago at a party. Sienna laughed, saying that Shorty had been drunk and passed out in the corner, which tickled him.

  They’d just exchanged numbers when K-Bar sauntered over, giving Sienna a hug.

  ‘Easy, Sienna. Where are your friends?’

  ‘At the table over there. They’re all spoken for though, so leave them alone.’

  K-Bar laughed. ‘You’re always spoiling my fun. Everything cool though?’

  ‘I was just re-introducing myself to your boy here. I’ll leave you both to it.’ Sienna sashayed away, both men watching.

  ‘I’m gonna smash that,’ Shorty said, feeling the old hunger returning. He hadn’t had sex since leaving prison, not counting the random girl from his second night out. He was attracted to Sienna and looked forward to getting to know her.

  ‘You need to watch out. Her man doesn’t play.’

  ‘She didn’t mention having a man.’

  ‘They rarely do, bruv. You know that. Did you speak with Blakey?’

  ‘Yeah, he’s cool. Enjoying his life.’

  ‘Good. Let’s enjoy yours now. You can buy the first round.’

  Lamont woke the next morning, Jenny’s arms tightly pinioned around him. He grinned, remembering the activities the night before. They’d had sex since Lamont’s recovery, but none he’d enjoyed as much. They’d completely let themselves go in a way they hadn’t since they first met, and he liked that.

  Reality was looming though, and Lamont still had a mountain of business he needed to handle. He thought about Jenny meeting with Malcolm, annoyed. He remembered Jenny meeting with him at a coffee shop once and finding him interesting.

  Lamont didn’t believe Jenny was cheating, but the fact she wanted to spend time with another man made him jealous, and he hated that. Lamont wondered if Jenny had kept her meeting a secret because she was worried about how he would respond. It was galling. He was supposed to be bigger than that.

  Lamont disentangled himself and went to take a shower. When he was finished, Jenny was awake. She smiled, but it seemed strained.

  ‘Do you want to take a shower, or maybe order some breakfast?’

  Jenny shook her head. ‘I’ll get a quick shower, then we can check out.’

  The hotel ordered them a taxi, and they sat in silence the journey home. The energetic driver tried making conversation, but other than a few bland remarks, they stared out of their respective windows.

  When they reached home, Jenny headed straight upstairs. Lamont watched, wanting to call after Jenny and say something. He understood her reaction though. A single passionate night wasn’t enough to erode their problems, and he wondered if suggesting the night had been a good idea.

  Sighing, Lamont trudged to his study, ready to close off from his world.

  Chapter Eleven

  Monday 9 March 2015

  Rigby and Murphy sat in the canteen, food untouched as they devoured the awful work coffee.

  ‘K-Bar then,’ Rigby said.

  ‘People are saying he was the Head Chief while Teflon was laid up. He was making all the decisions and I’m sure he was behind Bernette’s murder.’

  They had looked into the Manchester murders of 2013. Marrion had been gunned down, then several of his associates were killed in separate incidents months later.

  ‘Just Bernette’s? Others were dropped during that period. Daniels, the other Carnival shooter. Schemes. The guys from Manchester that Shorty killed. His little cousin. They were all connected, right?’

  Murphy scratched at his stubble, frowning.

  ‘Chink was murdered too. He was Teflon’s number two though, so hard to include him. Looks like we had a war between the two cities. The Manchester lot murdered Chink, that Polo character, Timmy, and the girl we found with Chink. Lots of tit-for-tat murders in retaliation. Teflon and Shorty were the main prizes though. Shorty killed his attackers, then Teflon nearly died.’

  Rigby thought about Murphy’s words. It was plausible, but they had no concrete proof.

  ‘We need to talk with people; anyone connected with the murders. We’ll shake a few bushes and see what we find. The chief won’t like us going off base for long, so we better find something quickly.’

  Shorty lifted the barbell in the air, breathing out as he held it up for a few seconds, arms straining under the large weight. He lowered it back to his chest and repeated the motion twelve times before stopping.

  Shorty was spending more time in the gym lately, working off his frustration. They had cleared the air, but Lamont hadn’t changed his mind, only choosing to give Shorty more money. He wasn’t doing much with the cash. He purchased some new clothes and gave money to both Amy and Stacey. The urge to splash out like back in the day eluded him. He’d taken Sienna out for dinner and gone back to her place, but nothing transpired other than some kissing. Shorty didn’t mind, which was a change. He enjoyed being around her.

  K-Bar was back in business, the heat from Kev’s murder subsiding. He and Lamont remained frosty, with more orders being relayed through Akeem.

  Darren was progressing with his mission, but K-Bar and Shorty remained in the dark. Lamont was stuck on Shorty’s arrest, hammering home the point that the police would loathe the fact they hadn’t been able to put him away. Shorty understood, but resented the fact that Lamont believed him to be sloppy.

  When he’d finished at the gym, Shorty went home and ate a quick meal. Slouching in front of the television, his eyes were closing when his phone chirped.

  ‘Who’s this?’

  ‘It’s B. Listen, have you been spending time with Sienna?’ Blakey asked. Shorty sat up.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Listen, her man has been around the club, asking people about you.’

  ‘So what?’ Shorty scoffed. Sienna had mentioned her ex’s anger issues. Shorty wasn’t phased by Lutel Forde or his so-called crazy reputation.

  ‘He’s a rugged guy, Shorty. He’s not afraid to make a problem. Even knowing your rep, he’s still not backing down.’

  ‘B, I’m an easy guy to find. I’m not studying Lutel.’

  ‘Okay. I just thought you’d wanna know.’

  Shorty hung up, sniggering at the thought of someone asking around about him. He assumed people had seen him and Sienna at community meetings. Trinidad was another regular fixture, but Shorty hadn’t seen Jenny since the first meeting. Dropping his phone on the nearby table, Shorty quickly fell asleep.

  Jenny hurried through the doors of the nail salon, rubbing her arms from the outside chill.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, spotting the person she was here to meet.

  ‘Don’t worry about it,’ replied Marika. ‘I haven’t been here that long myself. Had to beg my boss to give me some holiday.’

  Jenny grinned. She’d met with Marika several times, learning a lot about Lamont’s younger sister. She worked part time in a contact centre and had taken an interest in finance, which made sense. She’d relied on Lamont to fund her for years and had seen the importance of managing her own money.

  Marika had asked Jenny for financial advice, and Jenny did her best to help, but her situation differed. Struggling business
aside, Jenny was born into wealth, and financially, hadn’t struggled for anything.

  ‘I’m glad you were able to persuade him. Have you looked into that thing we were talking about?’

  Marika nodded, her infectious grin making her features shine. Jenny thought Marika was beautiful, but when she truly smiled, she was in a different league. Jenny noticed other patrons beaming at them. By now, they were being seen to, talking with one another as their nails were taken care of.

  ‘I’ve seen a few online courses, so I’m debating between those, or going to a physical night school to get qualified. It’ll take a few years, but I’ll be more established, and I can think more about a career.’

  ‘What about the kids?’

  ‘Keyshawn can look after his sister. He’s old enough,’ Marika hesitated. ‘Auntie is always a last resort, depending how many days a week I’d have to study, but the kids don’t like her. The online course might be the best.’

  Jenny smiled. ‘I’m thrilled you’re taking this step, Marika. It’s never too late to start a career.’

  ‘Thanks, Jen. I’ve always messed around, but money is kinda fun when you look beyond how quickly you can spend it. There’s something I need to tell you though . . . it’s kinda personal.’

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘I’m seeing someone.’

  ‘That’s great; who is it?’

  Marika paused. ‘K-Bar.’

  ‘K-Bar as in L and Shorty’s K-Bar?’

  Marika shifted in her seat.

  ‘How long?’

  ‘A year, maybe longer.’

  ’Seriously?’ Jenny’s eyes widened.

  ‘I know . . . at first he was just comforting me after Marrion, but then we started to like each other.’

  ‘Does your brother know?’

  Marika shook her head.

  ‘You’re the only person I’ve told. K can’t really tell anyone, not in the position he’s in.’

  ‘He needs to talk to L directly about it if he’s serious.’