The Takedown

by Ricky Black

  ‘Your man contacted me again today.’

  Jenny was silent.

  ‘He didn’t sound good. He was slurring, so I’m guessing he’s been drinking.’

  Jenny’s stomach lurched. She forced herself to eat the sandwich as a distraction, hating Lamont being in distress.

  ‘What’s your move? Are you breaking up with him?’

  ‘I just need some space right now.’

  ‘How do you think L’s gonna take that? Do you think he’s gonna stay away forever?’

  ‘I don’t know, Kate. I don’t know about any of this, but if me staying with you is a problem, I’ll check into a hotel or stay with my parents.’

  ‘Go to Hell. I’m not letting you go anywhere. I need to ask these questions though. You know that.’

  ‘We had an argument, and I can’t help feeling that if we’d talked things out properly before then it wouldn’t have happened. I mean, we had a great night out, and amazing sex. That would have been a great time to get everything out in the open, but we didn’t. We went with the facade instead.’

  ‘After the time you’ve both had, is it so wrong that all you craved was that facade for a while?’

  ‘Look where it’s lead us though?’ Jenny replied. ‘I’m staying with you and my partner seems comfortable drinking himself to death and ringing and texting me to the point I have to block him. He’s not supposed to act like that, but he’s broken and I’m not sure I know how to fix him,’ She paused. ‘What should I do?’

  ‘It’s your life and you both love each other. I guess you need to ask yourself if that’s enough.’

  ‘It shouldn’t be so hard,’ Jenny sighed. Kate squeezed her friend’s hand.

  ‘When the hell have you ever had it easy where L is concerned?’

  ‘Can I come in?’ Shorty wrinkled his nose. Lamont’s eyes were bleary and his hair was more of a rumpled mess than ever. Lamont shakily stepped aside, letting Shorty in. He tottered back toward the study on unsteady legs. Staggering into his office chair he took a deep swig of brandy as Shorty watched. Lamont offered his friend the bottle, but Shorty shook his head.

  ‘You’re a damn mess, L. What the hell happened?’

  ‘You don’t know? I thought you and Jen were such good friends?’

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘We had a fight, and she left.’

  ‘What did you fight about?’

  ‘Does it matter?’

  ‘With you smelling like you bathed in brandy, it kinda does,’ replied Shorty. Lamont mockingly clapped, the bottle slipping from his grasp, liquor billowing over the expensive carpet. Shorty grabbed the bottle and headed to the kitchen, hesitating when he saw the destruction. Glasses, plates and cutlery were nestled amongst dried liquids and broken glass.

  Shorty was used to Lamont’s space being devoid of any mess or dust, so it was a complete shock to see this state. He headed back to the study. Lamont was slumped over the desk.

  ‘Tell me about the fight,’ Shorty said, jolting Lamont from his stupor.

  ‘She was seeing Rika behind my back.’

  ‘So?’ Shorty knew Lamont and his sister hadn’t spoken in nearly two years, but still didn’t understand why it was such a big deal.

  ‘What do you mean so? You remember what Rika was like, right? How she picked that piece of shit Marrion over her brother? Her family, who supported her and paid for every single fucking thing she needed for years, without ever complaining? You think it’s cool for Jenny to go behind my back and then to invite her to our house without speaking to me?’

  ‘L, Rika fucked up, but she’s your little sis and you love her. Jenny did what she thought was right.’

  ‘It’s not Jen’s place to sort things. She’s struggling with her business, you know? Ever since she took time off to look after me, Jen’s florists has been in the shitter. I offered to help; to give her the money and even treat it as a loan if she wanted, but she refused, so I let it slide. I watch her go into her office every day and come home a little more fucked up. It breaks me that she won’t let me help, but I stayed away and let it slide.’

  ‘Women are different, and you know that. They don’t look at things like we do. Sometimes that’s a bad thing. Sometimes it’s good, but it’s the way it is, and you can’t really control the two.’

  ‘Why are you here?’ Lamont didn’t want to discuss Jenny anymore. Shorty held Lamont’s gaze for a moment before answering.

  ‘I’ve waited long enough. I want back into the game, and I’m not taking no for an answer.’

  Lennox Thompson parked up in Miles Hill and strode towards a door, knocking and entering. The man he’d come to see was in the living room, his face heavily bruised. He glanced up when Lennox walked in, but said nothing. Lennox surveyed the pitiful specimen, struggling to control his annoyance. He was about to speak when a woman sashayed into the room, handing Lutel a drink. Noticing Lennox, she beamed.

  ‘Hey, Len. Is everything good?’

  ‘Everything is fine, Nicole. Do you mind giving us a minute?’ It wasn’t a request and everyone in the room knew it. Kissing Lutel on the cheek, Nicole smiled tightly at Lennox and went upstairs. Lennox waited a moment before speaking.

  ‘Are you suffering from some disease?’

  Lutel frowned. ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘I’m asking if you’re suffering from some illness that stops you from listening. I specifically told you to stay away from Shorty. You can imagine how funny I found it when I heard that not only did you not do as ordered, you were also beaten unconscious in a room full of people.’ Lennox clapped his hands. ‘Well done.’

  ‘My rep was on the line, Len. I needed to do it.’

  ‘How?’

  ‘Huh?’

  ‘How was your rep on the line? You’re not with the silly bitch you were fighting over anymore. You’ve moved on.’

  ‘Shorty violated. He was warned not to step on toes and he did it anyway. Whether or not I’m with Nicole doesn’t mean shit. You’ve never had two girls at once before?’

  Without warning Lennox sprang forward and slapped Lutel, the sound echoing around the room. Lutel leapt to his feet with a roar, but Lennox didn’t move. Coming to his senses, Lutel backed away, wincing.

  ‘You’re an emotional idiot. Look at you, jumping to your feet, ready to fight despite getting fucked up the last time,’ Lennox gripped Lutel by the chin, his nails digging into the injured man’s face. ‘If your stupidity has messed my up plans, I’ll have you pulled apart at the joints while your pretty little girlfriend upstairs watches. Understand?’

  Lutel nodded. ‘I’m sorry, Len. I got caught up but it won’t happen again. I promise.’

  ‘Good. It better not.’

  Lutel sank back onto the sofa, looking up at his boss.

  ‘What are we gonna do now?’

  Lennox turned, looking out of the window for so long that Lutel started to wonder if he had even heard the question.

  ‘You need to clean your plate. Get yourself sorted, then take out Shorty. Don’t fuck it up.’

  Lamont looked at Shorty, the determination etched into his friend’s face. He rubbed his temples, trying to blot out the impending headache. His mouth was like sandpaper, and he felt the nausea of too much alcohol swimming around his stomach.

  ‘We’ve already discussed this—’

  ‘And I listened. I didn’t agree with what you were saying, but I still followed orders and kept my nose clean. Now, I want back in. I can work with K-Bar.’

  ‘Shorty, there’s nothing wrong with being patient.’

  ‘Don’t give me that bullshit, L. You’re just stringing me along.’

  ‘You’re letting emotions get away from you. Just like when you fucked up Lutel. Yeah, I heard about it directly from Jukie. You’re lucky the police didn’t come for you.’

  ‘Fuck Lutel. I’m tired of hearing about him,’ said Shorty.

  ‘What about Lennox Thompson? Are you tired of hearing
about Lutel’s boss, because I bet you he knows about the situation.’

  ‘I don’t care. Lutel came for me, or did Jukie not fill you in about that part? He started it and unlike you, I defend myself when someone attacks me.’

  ‘You’re a fucking idiot,’ Lamont slammed his hands on the desk. ‘Is having multiple people aiming guns at me and being shot something to be ashamed of? What about you, Big bad Shorty? You got arrested and carted off to prison like some little runner. What does that make you?’

  In the silence that followed, Lamont saw the veins in Shorty’s thick neck throbbing. Shorty clenched his fists, nostrils flaring.

  ‘You’re a drunken mess, losing your shit over your woman like some pussy. You’re not in the right frame of mind to lead, so stop preaching, and put me back in.’

  Lamont took a deep breath, surpassing the urge to retort. His head was pounding, and he wished Shorty would leave so he could throw up.

  ‘You can’t aggravate things with Lennox Thompson. We’re not in a position to fight that war. We’ve hired soldiers, but we’re still getting everyone into shape. I need you to keep calm.’

  Shorty rubbed his eyes.

  ‘L, I can do it. Please, just put me back in, and I’ll stay calm. I’ll be distracted. Cool?’

  There was another long silence, both men sizing up the other. Lamont broke it this time.

  ‘Fine. You’re back in. You and K-Bar can work out what’s happening, but make sure I’m kept in the loop.’

  Shorty grinned, looking ten years younger in an instant.

  ‘Thank you, L. I mean that. For starters, let’s get you some coffee so you can tidy up. You’re looking like some drunken loser.’

  Lennox and Nikkolo were clad in all black as they entered a restaurant near the Hood. When he saw them, the owner scurried into the back as the pair pulled guns, aiming them at the men in the room. Without warning they fired, two of the three men falling with cries of pain.

  Lennox and Nikkolo were unfazed, focusing their guns on the other man, hunched over his plate of food. Lennox assessed the large man, respecting the fact that he was trying hard to hide his terror.

  ‘You’re an unfortunate casualty, Winston. Your daddy is at fault, but that falls on you now.’

  Winston itched to reach for his pistol. Both men had him in their sights though, and the fact they had coldly dispatched of his guards showed they had no qualms about killing. He searched Lennox’s bloodshot eyes, noting they looked devoid of emotion. There were tired lines around the man’s face, but he seemed composed.

  ‘You don’t have to do this. We can still work something out. Kill me though, all bets are off. You’ll be hunted down like a dog. You won’t be able to make any money. My pops will see to that.’

  Lennox nodded at Winston’s words.

  ‘You’re not wrong, Winnie. I’ve respect the fact you always try to be practical. You’re always looking at the big picture. Your daddy ain’t the man he was twenty years ago though. The fact he thought he could point you at me proves that. He’ll learn once everyone dear to him is gone. Please don’t take what happens next personally.’

  Lennox fired four times, each bullet slamming into Winston, his chair toppling backwards and sending the big man to the floor. Winston spluttered, his tongue lolling as he choked on the torrents of blood billowing from his mouth.

  Lennox looked at him without pity, then signalled to Nikkolo, who put his gun to Winston’s head and fired, finishing the job. Dropping the guns on the restaurant floor, they hurried from the premises.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Friday 13 March 2015

  For days after Winston’s murder, Chapeltown awaited the explosion they were sure would follow. The murder was being investigated, but the police were simply going through the motions, trying to stop a war from escalating.

  The owner of the restaurant had been questioned. No one had spoken with or seen Delroy. The streets suspected Lennox Thompson was responsible for the hit, but a small crew from Seacroft were stupidly claiming responsibility.

  Malcolm Powell held court outside the health centre on Chapeltown Road, where he spoke at length about the drug war tearing apart the community. Speaking only to a few people at first, others quickly convened to hear what he had to say:

  ‘Thank you all for coming. Another week passes, and there is more strife and bloodshed for us to overcome. What happened to the Williams family was a tragedy and my condolences go out to them. I don’t condone their alleged business, but Winston didn’t deserve to die.

  ‘How many more though? How many more soldiers have to die in this pointless war, caused by greed and the sale of illegal goods. The same illegal goods that allow police to storm into our ends like overseers and beat us at will.

  ‘This is all linked — a home linked to Delroy Williams was raided recently, the largest drug seizure in years that I can remember. It all needs to stop, and we need to continue working together to allow that to happen. It needs all of us working collectively.

  ‘To Delroy Williams directly, I again apologise for your loss and if you see the light and wish to speak to me in confidence, contact me and I will do my best to help you, I promise.’

  ‘It’s only a matter of time until Delroy goes on the attack.’

  Rigby and Murphy were eating a quick lunch consisting of wraps from a local bakery and containers of coffee. They’d worked through the night leading up to their current meeting. So far the progress had been pathetic.

  ‘Was it definitely Thompson who took out Winston? Maybe Teflon got his hands dirty?’

  ‘I don’t think so. Teflon and Delroy get along, according to intelligence reports. They’ve definitely done business together, I’d stake my pension on that.’

  ‘We need to speak to Holdsworth again. He’s leading that investigation, and it’s like he doesn’t care.’

  ‘He doesn’t, Rig. You know that. We need to make sure it doesn’t spill over. If you’re finished eating, let’s talk to our friend in there.’

  The pair of them left the bakery and headed to an apartment building in the heart of the city centre. After announcing themselves and riding the elevator to the 6th floor, they knocked.

  The woman warily stared at the pair. Rigby smiled, but this didn’t seem to reassure her.

  ‘Can we come in, please? We just have a few questions.’

  ‘About what?’

  ‘About your friend Naomi.’

  This startled Adele enough for her to pull away from the door. The flat was one bedroom, but appeared lived-in and comfortable. They sat, pen and notepads out.

  ‘What about Naomi?’ Adele folded her arms, her eyes darting around the room.

  ‘We’re investigating a spate of incidents around the time of your friend’s murder, so we apologise if it seems like we’re treading old ground. Did anyone speak with you at the time of the murder?’

  Adele shook her head.

  ‘Do you know why it occurred?’

  ‘Why would I?’

  ‘Naomi was murdered with two other people. One of the men, Xiyu Manderson, was in a relationship with your friend, putting her in the middle of it.’

  ‘That fucking cunt. It was his fault Naomi was involved. All of it was his fault.’

  Rigby and Murphy shared a look.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘He broke my friend’s spirit. Naomi was special; she was beautiful, and she had this quality that made her stand out. Chink . . . Xiyu broke that. She wasn’t the same when she was with him.’

  ‘How?’

  ‘She was nervous. They argued a lot, and she was feisty and liked to run her mouth. Then she just stopped.’

  ‘You think Xiyu was beating her?’ Rigby realised. Adele nodded.

  ‘I saw bruises once. I tried asking her, and she just looked right through me. Even when I suggested getting some help, she just ignored me. She wasn’t even mad; it was like she’d shut down.’

  ‘We’re trying to understand the crime. Polo,
an associate of Xiyu’s who we believe was his bodyguard, was shot outside. We believe that it was a planned hit.’

  Tears streamed down Adele’s cheeks as she choked on her sobs.

  ‘They treated her like trash. She was murdered for the sake of it.’

  Rigby nodded. ‘I agree. Your friend didn’t deserve to be murdered just for being there.’

  Murphy hung in the background, making notes and watching Rigby work. This was their thing. Rigby was better at making people feel comfortable. Murphy found it easier to intimidate. Adele was slowly becoming comfortable around Rigby. She slumped onto the chair facing him and he offered her a tissue.

  ‘Why are you really here?’ She softly asked.

  ‘We want your help to catch the people responsible. You know about the situation, and I think you know why it happened. We’ll find out everything. This lovely flat you’ve got; is it above board? We’ll be thorough in checking everything, including finances. Help us out. Don’t let Naomi’s killers get away with it.’

  Wiping her eyes and blowing her nose, Adele finally nodded.

  ‘If you can guarantee my safety, I’ll tell you what I know.’

  Lamont waited for the electronic gates to open, allowing him access to a sprawling property on the outskirts of Leeds. Driving up a long, winding path, he parked in front of a multi-room mansion.

  Even as he climbed from the car, Lamont spotted at least eight armed men patrolling the premises. Lamont was quickly patted down and led into the main room. Delroy and a woman Lamont recognised as his wife were sat there. Both were quiet, the grief far more obvious on the face of Delroy’s wife.

  Lamont gave Delroy’s wife a hug and offered his condolences, yet received very little reaction. Delroy shook Lamont’s hand, and they traipsed towards another room to talk. He poured two glasses of whiskey and gave one to Lamont without even asking. Silently, they toasted and drank.

  ‘Winston shouldn’t have been caught up in it,’ Lamont finally said, clearing his throat as the hot liquor attacked his chest.