by Ricky Black
Lamont had considered skipping the funeral, not wanting to face a venue full of people who blamed him for Jenny’s murder. If they didn’t, they should. Lamont had been cleared by the police, but none of that did anything to blot the stain around his heart. Shorty was right; people around Lamont did end up dead.
Street activity was at its lowest for years. No one was making much money, and police were an almost permanent presence in the Hood.
No one had seen Shorty since his argument with Lamont, but Grace Turner was in recovery after several operations. Lamont had spoken with Amy who had been grimly pleased, stating there was a long way to go before Grace would be better. Amy hadn’t asked about Shorty, nor had Lamont volunteered any information.
People had swept all of Shorty’s known spots, to no avail. Lennox was also on the missing list, but Lamont and Delroy had teams dedicated to tracking him down.
The murder of Malcolm Powell was another talking point, as was the fact he’d been gunned down alongside Eddie Williams, a known gangster and son of Delroy.
There were rumours flying around about Malcolm’s involvement, people believing he’d been associated with gangsters from day one. Lamont believed this. A person saying the things Malcolm had, shouldn’t have been able to walk around with impunity. It was just another part of Lennox’s diabolical plan he had to admire. The man had covered almost every angle, and Lamont saw now that the plan had been to destabilise Lamont on the streets, and to break up his relationship.
K-Bar remained on remand, charged with three murders. Lamont had been unable to contact him, and had no idea what he might have said.
Regardless, Lamont had a go-bag ready, just in case he needed to flee. Proper instructions had been meted out. There would be no messing around this time; everyone would know what to do if things went south.
The OurHood Initiative was still going, yet had floundered slightly in the death of its leader and public face. Figures such as Calvin were still prevalent, calling for harsh punishment for the drug dealers responsible for the wrongdoing. More civilians were beginning to cooperate with the police, who continued to make scores of small-time arrests. The public and the police were for a time, united.
Lamont was wholesaling his drugs, letting the younger, crazier outfits take the risk of selling during a police lockdown. He couldn’t bring himself to care though. He sat around, mourning Jenny, waiting for the news that Lennox had been taken care of, but there was nothing so far.
With a start, Lamont clambered to his feet and went to finish freshening up. He had a funeral to attend.
As funerals went, the service was fairly brief. Lamont noted several people he recognised, including Jenny’s friends. Kate was there, her face already wet with tears. Lamont didn’t approach her. Nadia and several others who had worked for Jenny were present.
Even Marika had shown up, dressed in her black clothes and standing near Jenny’s friends. She locked eyes with Lamont, but neither moved to speak.
Lamont spotted two people who could only be Jenny’s parents. They were greeting several attendees, their faces heavy with their grief. Jenny favoured her mother, who had the same dark hair and cheekbones, but she had her father’s eyes and nose. He was a thin man with a lined face, chestnut eyes and a slight Mediterranean tan to his skin tone.
Lamont debated whether to introduce himself, but decided against it.
He drove alone to the cemetery after the service, watching in silence as they buried the woman he loved. Lamont didn’t move, even as others around him made their way toward a gathering being held at a prestigious hall in Shadwell. When people started to file away, Lamont noted one figure still stood by the graveside. He debated whether to approach.
‘Hey,’ he said, walking over. Kate glanced at Lamont, then turned back to the graveside.
‘If there’s one person on this planet who deserves to not be in there, it’s her.’ Kate’s voice was full of the pain Lamont was internalising.
‘I know.’
‘She loved you, L. Even after the split.’
Lamont didn’t speak. Kate looked back at him, her eyes swollen with the tears she’d already shed.
‘Was it your fault?’
Lamont didn’t hesitate to reply to Kate’s loaded question.
‘Yes.’
‘Why couldn’t you just walk away?’
‘I wanted to, but I couldn’t. Don’t ask why.’
‘Wasn’t she worth it?’ Kate’s voice rose. A few stragglers looked over, but no one approached.
‘Of course she was worth it! You should know that better than anyone. You were there. At the beginning. You saw how I felt about her. She was the first person in a long time that I thought could help me navigate away from the darkness.’
‘So, what happened; the darkness won?’
‘Does that answer your question?’ Lamont pointed at the graveside.
Kate didn’t speak, fresh tears rolling down her face. Lamont resisted the urge to hug her. He and Kate had been close, but it directly resulted from Jenny. Their only conversations had been about her, and she defined them.
Now, Jenny had been stripped away. She had been in the middle of a war and they’d all paid the ultimate price. The cool wind whistled through the cemetery.
Lamont jammed his hands into the pockets of his suit jacket, looking around. Akeem was a respectable distance away from them, monitoring the surroundings.
‘I’ll leave you to it.’ Lamont turned to leave. Kate’s words stopped him.
‘Do you know who did it?’
Lamont met Kate’s eyes. She had stopped crying, the recognisable fire back. He debated lying, just to spare her feelings.
‘Yes.’
‘You’re going to kill them, aren’t you?’
Lamont stared at Kate, gauging whether to reply.
‘Yes, Kate. I’m going to eradicate them.’
‘Good,’ Kate smiled for the first time. ‘Make them suffer.’
Lamont and Kate drove to the hall in Shadwell in silence. Declarations had been made, and Lamont had made a vow that he would see to fruition. Lennox would be torn apart. Lamont was putting money on the heads of everyone involved. He was tired of the waiting around.
Lamont led Kate into the hall, full of people milled around, telling stories in large groups. Lamont wanted to drown himself in the liquor but he remained composed, instead drinking water, ambling around the fringes of different groups, not getting involved in conversation. He saw Marika watching and as she made her towards his corner of the room, he didn’t move.
‘Hey,’ Marika said.
‘Hey.’
The siblings stood in silence a moment.
‘I’m sorry,’ Marika started.
‘I know.’
‘Jenny was nice. She was good for you.’
‘How do you know that?’ Lamont stared at Marika.
‘I saw you together. Everyone did. You were at peace when you were with her.’
It hadn’t been peaceful when Marcus Daniels had been murdered in front of them, or when Lamont was almost killed, but he appreciated the sentiment.
‘I’m not gonna ask about what comes next, because I know you. Just, be careful. Whatever is going on with us, you’re still my brother and I love you.’
Lamont didn’t respond, but Marika understood. She squeezed his hand, and for a moment, Lamont forgot his pain, remembering the bond they shared, and how much he loved her.
‘Come by and see the kids sometime. I’ll make you some dinner.’ With that, Marika left Lamont to his grieving, and he’d never been more grateful to her.
The event crawled by. Lamont eventually spoke with a few of Jenny’s friends, all of whom were nice, but in a guarded manner that told Lamont quite starkly that they blamed him for Jenny’s death. Lamont felt they should and didn’t argue the point. He saw Jenny’s parents and couldn’t avoid them any longer. Swallowing his courage, he forced himself to approach.
‘Mrs Campbell, I’m so sor
ry for your loss. I . . .’ Lamont didn’t know what to say, and as fresh tears formed in Jenny’s mother’s eyes, his throat tightened. ‘Your daughter shouldn’t have died, and I wanted to tell you that. I loved her more than I can put into words, but this isn’t about me. It’s about you; your loss. I just wanted you to know that.’
Jenny’s mother flung her arms around Lamont, tightly hugging him. Lamont held the embrace, pouring all the anguish and emotion he felt into the gesture. When they pulled apart, both their faces were wet. Lamont sniffed, shaking hands with Jenny’s father. He was about to leave, when he felt the man grab his shoulder.
‘I’d like to talk to you. Come to our home when everyone leaves. This is the address.’
Lamont arrived at Jenny’s parent’s home, not knowing what to expect. He’d never met them before today, but Jenny had stated she got along with her mother more than her father. The pain of losing her hadn’t diminished, but it fed the volcanic rage simmering within Lamont. He needed to absolve himself by murdering Lennox.
Perhaps Jenny’s father wanted to shout at him about the murder?
Lamont wouldn’t mind.
Shortly after knocking, Lamont was shown into a study. It was at least three times the size of Lamont’s, filled with books, a fine leather sofa, a roll-top desk in the far corner, and a liquor cabinet. Jenny’s father stared out of the window. He turned, motioning to the sofa. He sat in an armchair facing Lamont.
‘So, you’re the famous L?’
Jenny’s father seemed dwarfed by the simple brown chair. Watery brown eyes and rumpled hair were the main signs of grief. Lamont had the impression he was a man who knew how to manage his emotions. Lamont could relate.
‘Lamont is fine.’
‘My daughter spoke of you. Mainly to my wife. I was always protective over her. But, I knew of you. She said you were special.’
‘I think she was the special one, sir.’
‘Call me Stefanos.’
Lamont nodded, but didn’t try the name. Stefanos was testing Lamont, trying to gain the measure of him. It was a tactic Lamont had used in the past.
‘Do you have a code, Lamont?’
‘Pardon?’
Stefanos cleared his throat.
‘Do you have a way of life that you adhere to?’
‘I try to do what I believe is right in order to survive.’
Stefanos nodded. ‘Survive. I like that. My daughter may have been right about you. From what I’ve gathered, you are a man of means. You dress well, you lived with my daughter in a large house that you paid the rent on. You drive nice cars. I can spot a pretender, but you’re the real deal. So, how are you surviving?’
‘I live in a world I shouldn’t. I wanted to take the steps into another world with your daughter, but I wasn’t able to do that.’
‘Are you telling me it was your fault she died?’ Stefanos’s expression and tone were unchanged, which surprised Lamont.
‘Yes.’
‘How?’
‘I brought her into my life and I shouldn’t have. I realised a long time ago that people who grow close to me seem to end up broken. Like I am.’
‘You’re broken?’
Lamont met Stefanos’ eyes. ‘More now than ever.’
‘Because of my daughter?’
‘Yes.’
‘So, why go after her? You wanted a pretty girl on your arm, to sit with in the clubs? To take lots of little photos with?’
‘Are we speaking freely here, sir?’
‘Stefanos, not sir.’
‘Okay, Stefanos, sir. Are we speaking freely?’
‘Yes we are,’ Stefanos replied, his eyes glittering.
‘You’ve had me checked out, which means you know I’m not the sort of person who sits in the clubs posing for photos. I went after Jenny, because she made sense.’
‘Explain.’ It was a request that came out as a command, and they were both aware of the fact.
‘I was searching for the way out. Your daughter was that way out and when I first spotted her, I knew she was different. She didn’t even have to open her mouth. She was extraordinary. I had to get closer to her. Jen didn’t make it easy. She never made anything easy. I jumped through hoop after hoop to grow close, and I don’t regret that.
‘I don’t regret telling her I loved her. I don’t regret telling her my deepest secrets. I regret that I was stupid enough to bring her into my life, but not do everything in my power to keep her safe. I was at war. Still am. I know my enemy. I knew them before they became my enemy, but I still thought they would leave her alone. I’m still here. She’s dead. I can’t let that stand.’
Stefanos cleared his throat, but still said nothing. After a moment, he opened his mouth.
‘I don’t doubt that you loved her, Lamont. The fault doesn’t lie with you. It lies with me.’
Lamont frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Answer another question; do you know exactly who was responsible for my daughter’s death?’
‘Yes, I do. I will handle it.’
Stefanos didn’t speak for a long time. Lamont strangely enjoyed the silence. It was comfortable, similar to the silences Lamont had shared with Jenny once upon a time.
‘You have . . . ways of handling this situation?’
Lamont slowly nodded.
‘I won’t pry. Please, make sure you punish them, and leave with my blessing.’
Lamont’s brow furrowed, but he rose to his feet, shaking hands with Stefanos. His grip was like iron.
‘Hopefully we will speak again soon, Lamont. Stay safe and watch the surrounding angles.’
‘What’s the update then?’
Rigby and Murphy were in the office of their superior. They had been up most of the night, and it showed in their rumpled clothing and haggard expressions. Their cases seemed to grow harder every day, with little breakthrough, and it was causing the pair a lot of stress.
‘K-Bar still isn’t talking. We’ve remanded him and he hasn’t tried to get in touch with anyone. He didn’t even react when we read the charges.’
‘Do you think he might be innocent?’ Superintendent O’Hara asked. Rigby shook his head.
‘He’s definitely guilty. He’s also loyal, and either doesn’t think we’ve got a case, or he’s more scared of the people he’s working for than us.’
O’Hara rubbed his eyes, looking just as bedraggled as the men who worked for him. His job wasn’t any easier than theirs at the moment. There was such a spotlight on Leeds and Chapeltown that the past year alone was a blight on their administration. Multiple assaults, riots, demonstrations and murders had made his role more tenuous than ever.
‘No word on Jones?’
Rigby again shook his head.
‘There hasn’t been any retaliation for the death of Jenny Campbell, but it’s coming. Unfortunately, our informant is low in the pecking order. He overheard just enough to get us to K-Bar, but Teflon is different. He’s far more organised and hands-off, though the word is that he’s depressed over her murder.’
‘Wouldn’t surprise me,’ Murphy mumbled. ‘Did you see his face when we had him in here? I’ve never seen a more broken man.’
O’Hara clutched his mug of cold coffee, staring at the liquid.
‘Broken or not, he’s one of the most dangerous men in our city, and must be taken down. Lamont Jones, Teflon, or whatever his name is, is key to this situation. He has the power, the clout, and a tremendous amount of resource. If we can smash his organisation, we can save our city, gentlemen.
‘Get me something, anything that we can use to go on. Put more pressure on K-Bar, squeeze his people. He has a wife, a girlfriend, a brother, anything. Use it. All eyes are on us, and we need to make something happen, and quickly.’
Chapter Twenty
Saturday 28 March 2015
Lamont trundled out of bed. Strangely, speaking with Jenny’s father had helped. Lamont still felt the same level of guilt, but the fact Jenny’s parents didn’t out
right blame him had boosted his mindset. After a quick shower and two cups of coffee, Lamont left his house flanked by Akeem. They drove toward Chapeltown.
‘Anything?’
Akeem shook his head. ‘We’re slapping his runners and middlemen around. This is Lennox we’re talking about though. He wouldn’t tell them anything and even if he had, I’d think twice before acting on the information.’
Lamont mulled this over, knowing Akeem was right. Lennox had been one step ahead of Lamont so far. Lennox had been trained by Marcus, but had none of Marcus’s obvious weaknesses. As far as Lamont knew, Lennox didn’t take any drugs, and if he drank, it wasn’t to excess. He couldn’t think of any women Lennox had been linked to. That was a problem.
‘Could you reach out to Vincent? Let’s cast the net further if needed. There’s no guarantee that Lennox is still in Leeds.’
‘I’ll make some calls down south and around, but Lennox won’t leave Leeds. He’s not hiding. He’s waiting for something.’
‘Is this how it’s gonna be then?’
Darren continued ironing his hooded top. Realising she wasn’t keeping his attention, Clarissa stood and turned him toward her.
‘Watch I don’t burn you,’ Darren warned, placing the iron on the ironing board.
‘Daz, please don’t avoid the question.’
Darren sighed. He knew Clarissa cared, but he still had a job to do. With everything transpiring, she worried every time he left the house.
For the first time though, Darren had real responsibility. He had been picked up by the police along with K-Bar. The police interrogated him for hours, even getting a warrant to search his place. They found nothing, but the events scarred Clarissa.
The game was wide open though. Money was low, but it was just a period Darren was determined to ride out. Lamont had given some of K-Bar’s responsibilities to Darren, and he was doing his best to act on them.
‘Babe, I know you’re worried, but you don’t need to be. I’m fine, and I’m not moving sloppy out there. I promise.’