by K Elliott
“Inell,” the restaurant manager called from behind the counter.
Echo and Brian stopped laughing and saw the tall white manager pointing to his wrist watch. Echo waved the man over. The manager said, “No. Break’s over, Inel. Let’s get back to work.”
Echo felt as if the manager had fronted on him, and there were too many customers in the restaurant for that. So he raised his voice when he said, “Mr. Crowley, at this time I wish to tender my resignation. I’ve watched you spit in people’s coffee, sneeze over their fries and rub their burger patties across the bottom of your shoes. You have a lot of malice in your heart, and I no longer wish to work for a man like you.”
Several customers were getting up now, preparing to leave.
“None of that’s true, Inell, and you know it. I have to ask you to get your things and leave this establishment immediately.” Brian wanted to laugh but kept a straight face. He watched as customers left.
Echo got up and said, “I’m leaving. Everybody should leave. And as long as you work here, we would all be sacrificial fools to come back. This experience has been the worst five months of my life. The Lord will probably punish me for not revealing to your superior what I have witnessed.” Then, Echo crossed himself and looked up as if toward heaven. The dining area had been reduced in occupancy significantly, from twenty-two to six now, and that six included Brian and Echo.
The manager looked embarrassed and defeated. “Those are lies, Inell, and I could sue you for slander.” Echo looked around and appreciated his own work. He said to Brian, “I’m riding with you, cuz.” “Alright, but what happened to your car?”
“Transmission. Couldn’t afford to get that shit fixed.”
Brian got up and they were on their way out.
When they were closer, the manager said to Echo, “Good luck finding another job as a negro ex con.” “Watch that mouth, boy. Don’t forget what made me a convict in the first fucking place.”
Chapter Eight
Marissa displayed a set of perfect white teeth then said, “Are you serious?”
Gerald sat across the dining table laughing. “Swear to God. I was ten years old when two girls beat me up because I wouldn’t do the nasty with them.” They were now on dessert in a German-Italian restaurant called Perfekt Sapore. “I was still living in Allentown back then.”
Marissa was wearing a long business skirt, sexy heels, and a custom blouse that teased the eye with three slithers designed for cleavage exposure. Her long coat was being tended by the hostess. Gerald was dressed just as nicely. He wore a thick, baggy sweater, designer dress slacks, and a leather Philo Cartini dress shoes. They had both been lying to one another: Marissa, as Susan Winters, was a sales executive at a large pharmaceutical company in Knoxville; and Gerald claimed to be a silent partner in Missouri’s third largest construction company.
She said, “So when did you move to Missouri?” She was toying with the remainder of her peach cobbler.
“When I was twelve, that would be twenty-five years ago.”
Their general, exploratory conversation continued another twenty minutes. Then, Gerald said, “What now? Where do we go from here?”
Marissa said, “Well, I’m going to my car and then to my hotel room. I suppose you’re going to one of your homes you told me about here in Branson.” He said, “You know what I mean. Can I see you again?”
“I’m leaving tomorrow. You’d have to drive al the way to Knoxville to see me. You’d never find time for me.”
“I’ve already found the time. I need a woman like you at my side.”
She shot him a sarcastic look. “You want to finish this conversation at your place?”
That surprised him. “Sounds like a good idea to me.” He asked the waiter for the check and eventually left three hundred dollars on the table.
When they were in the parking lot, Marissa sat in the driver’s seat of her Charger while Gerald kept her door open, right forearm resting on her roof. He said, “Follow me, and please don’t get lost.” He looked to his left and saw a black man approaching, so he closed Marissa’s door and hurried to his own car, which was only ten cars away.
Gerald usually packed a firearm, but he hadn’t brought one inside the restaurant. There were two inside his Mercedes. He looked back and saw the black man getting inside of a black Durango SUV, so he calmed himself.
Gerald reached the rear end of his Mercedes and pressed a button on his key chain to unlock the door. As he rounded the corner, a black man sprang up from the driver side and rushed him with a handgun. Gerald froze-up and took one step back.
Echo shoved the gun up against Gerald’s left rib cage and said, “Your retarded, horny ass is in a lot of trouble.”
Gerald saw Marissa cruise by in the Charger and she waved at him. Then the Durang
Chapter Nine
Gerald was now in the rear compartment of the Durango, cuffed at the wrists and ankles. A third set of cuffs connected the first two sets, forcing Gerald to find comfort in the fetal position.
Brian readjusted the rearview mirror of the rental SUV and said, “Can you hear me good enough?”
“I hear you. What the fuck is this about? You robbing me?”
“Uh, yeah. I’m robbing you for information. If you claim you don’t have it then I’m killing you for fun. So get ready to rattle your brain as I make my way to your fancy home.” The SUV was leaving the restaurant’s lot; Echo was following in the Benz two car lengths back. Brian had punched one of Gerald’s addresses in the SUV’s navigation system for destination directions. He said, “And don’t worry, I’m not going to the home where your girlfriend and 11-year-old daughter live. You don’t need the distractions.”
Gerald wondered how the man knew so much about him.
“Yesterday when you met Susan at the gas station, she snapped a good photo of you with a cheap phone. The photo was emailed to the parent of a missing child. You wanna guess what happened next?”
He sighed but did not answer.
“The woman identified you as the person who attacked her in the parking lot of a daycare center not far from here in Springfield. Bring back any memories?” “Wrong man. Al blacks look alike to white people.”
Brian laughed. “That might be true, but I never said the woman was white. I guess next you’ll tell me that black men don’t kidnap bi-racial babies. Stereotype that one.”
Gerald returned to silent mode.
“Now, I understand the cops never questioned you about that case. In fact, the FBI doesn’t know a whole lot about you. Your dad had money and you beat a serious drug charge some years back. What they don’t know is that you work for the Cocodrilos through a corny muthafucka named Julio Gomez. They pay you to do work that they’re too damn sloppy to do. They obviously make a lot more, which means you’re probably getting twenty percent at the most.” Brian was watching the Navigation screen while waiting at a traffic light.
Gerald squirmed and shuffled for more comfort.
“Sit your ass still back there.” He continued driving again. “You wanna tell me who you delivered the little girl to? A year and a half ago might seem like a long time, but important events are easy to remember.
“Say, I don’t fuck with kids. I got one myself.”
“Okay. You think I’mma beg your ass for some info that I know you’re gonna give me anyway? When my partner is done with your ass, I might have to back this truck up in your mouth just to get you to shut up.” Then, Brian laughed. That was funny to him.
Echo was enjoying the big luxury car as he kept up with the SUV. It was quiet inside the car, and he concentrated on helping Brian find Rochelle Davenport. He used his cell phone to call Brian up ahead. “Is he talking yet?”
“Not yet, but that’s exactly where I have great expectations of you,” Brian said.
Chapter Ten
When Brian pulled into the driveway of the large brick home, soft lawn lights got brighter. Brian stopped the SUV at the door of the two-car ga
rage that was part
of the home. He was about to ask Gerald how to open the garage but the doors automatically opened when Echo whipped the Mercedes into the driveway. The two vehicles eased inside and the door automatically closed behind them seconds later.
Brian and Echo got out wearing clear latex gloves. The inner-garage area was simple and clean. A riding mower. A few yard tools. A trash can. Some empty shelves.
They met at the rear end of the SUV and Brian opened the door. He said to Gerald, “I know about your Brinks Security system, so let me give you the guidelines: You’re gonna give me the entry code and tell me exactly where the keypad is. If I punch in the wrong number because you lied or because I made a mistake, you’re getting shot and we’re leaving.”
Echo said, “Shot right there on that tight spine.” He felt the ridges in Gerald’s spine using a knuckle. Gerald’s back was to them and he was still confined in the fetal position.
Brian said, “If the police coincidentally show up, you still get the spinal tap. I don’t want you dead; I want you paralyzed neck-down for life.” Echo said, “Start talking, boy.”
Gerald said, “The code is 9-5-1-9-8 and a pad is next to the light switch in the living room and in the kitchen.”
Brian retrieved Gerald’s keys from Echo. He held them in front of Gerald and said, “Which one opens the side door?”
He craned his neck and said, “The sec- the third one. Say, man, I’m cooperating with yawl. Can you at least take this extra cuff off me so I can stretch out?” Brian left to enter the home without responding.
Echo said, “Them cuffs ain’t coming off until we know for sure that little girl is still alive. So I’mma make myself comfortable in your nice house until my partner can verify the information you gonna give us.”
Brian stuck his head out the side door of the home and said, “Everything is straight. Bring him in.”
Echo dragged Gerald a few inches then picked him up off the floor of the SUV. Gerald must have weighed at least 195 pounds, but Echo was ox-strong at six feet, 220 pounds. He carried the man to the steps without faltering once. Then, he carefully carried him up the three steps while Brian held the door open. Echo turned and worked his way through the entrance and quickly set Gerald on the kitchen floor.
Brian stepped back inside and locked the door. “Check the rest of the house out while I pick up where I left off with Gerald.” When Echo left the kitchen Brian began looking in the refrigerator. “Tell me something: Who did you deliver the child to?”
Gerald lay with his face to the kitchen tile. “I told you, I don’t mess with kids. Now, I do dirt, I won’t lie. But I don’t mess with kids.”
Brian looked in the cabinets. “Okay, I’ll be back in the morning. You’ll be glad to talk to me by then.” He closed the cabinets. “Damn, you don’t eat cereal and milk?”
Echo returned. “Bad-ass house. Technology shit everywhere. A safe. Porn DVDs. I ain’t gonna get no sleep tonight.”
Brian said, “I need to check with my assistant and contact my official source. I’ll be back in the morning at six-thirty. “
Chapter Eleven
Gerald was in his hallway, lying on the carpet, cuffed at the wrists and ankles, and still forced into fetal by the third set of cuffs. Echo walked out of the den and stepped over his body.
Gerald said, “I need to use the bathroom.”
Echo stopped and said, “Fuck you telling me for? This ain’t my floor; piss on it. You need to take a dump? Dump. Ain’t nothing to be shame of; you tied up like a hostage. What you saying, you rather do it in the bathroom?”
“Yeah.”
Echo grabbed the third cuff and dragged his ass to the main bathroom.
Gerald’s whole body was aching, but the pressure and the gnashing steel cuffs brought water to his eyes.
Echo closed the door. “Holla at me when you’re done.” Then, he thought he heard the sound of a vehicle puling onto the property.
He raced to the front room where the light was off. He saw a small car come to a stop in the driveway. The driver got out, leaving the car running and the lights on. It was a woman, a black woman, throwing much ass when she walked. Echo bit his bottom lip and grabbed his crotch area. He was contemplating. Answer the door. Don’t answer it. Brian would probably fire him.
Then he clearly saw the woman’s face. She looked about twenty-five and perfect. The doorbell rang once and Echo answered it. He opened the door, licked his lips and said, “Gerald stepped across town. He should be back in a few minutes.”
“Is my sister with him?”
“What’s her name?”
“Sharla.”
“Yep. That’s who’s with him in his Benz. You wanna wait inside until they get back?”
He turned the room light on.
“I can wait in the car.”
“Not a good idea. The neighbors will probably cal the police on you. Cut your car off and come inside.” “Alright, but can you cal Gerald so I can talk to Sharla?”
“I can do that.” When the girl stepped away to cut her car off, Echo rushed to the bathroom and opened the door. “Check this out. I’mma try to fuck something. If you make one noise or sound in the next hour, I’m coming in here to tap that fuckin spinal.”
Gerald said, “I’ll tell you who I delivered the little girl to.”
Echo said, “Later, man. Give me an hour.” He closed the door and met the young woman at the front door again. The woman entered the home and looked around the front room as if she’d never been in it before.
Echo locked the door and marveled at the fatness of her ass.
She turned around and said, “Can you cal him? My momma wants Sharla to come get her kids.” “What’s your name?”
“Adesia.”
“Adesia, I’m Gerald’s cousin from Georgia. I have to be honest with you. Sharla and Gerald won’t be back until tomorrow evening. It’s 10:33 and he ain’t answering no calls. You know what they’re doing.”
“Well, why did you lie and tell me to wait?”
“As fine as you look, was I supposed to tell the truth and let you go so fast?”
She smiled. “That ain’t a good excuse. I still need to be leaving.” She thought he was cute, though. “What can I do to make you stay for just an hour?”
“I don’t know. What’s in it for me?”
“I don’t know. You need money?”
“Damn right. How much?”
His erection jumped. The woman was too damn easy. He said, “Five hundred dollars for one hour.” “Stop playing,” she said.
Echo reached in his pocket and retrieved Gerald’s wallet.
Chapter Twelve
When they reached Gerald’s bedroom, Adesia said, “Can I use your bathroom?”
“Yep. Right there.” He pointed at the door on the other side of the room. It was a full bath for the master bedroom. Echo smiled as she walked off. She made throwing her ass look natural.
He stepped out of the room to check on Gerald again. He opened the door and said, “Not a fuckin sound.” He closed the door then looked at his hands, knowing he shouldn’t have taken the clear latex gloves off. He knew his prints were all over the house, but he could backtrack and wipe them down later. Besides, if he could get Gerald’s confession on Brian’s digital recorder, nobody would listen to Gerald’s claim that he himself was kidnapped and held hostage in his own house.
When Echo returned to the bedroom, he saw Adesia sitting on the bed. He closed the door and took one step towards her.
Adesia brought one hand from under her ass and aimed a sleek black handgun at Echo. “There are four more guns stashed in this house; it’s obvious you don’t know where any of them are. Where the fuck is my brother?”
Echo’s hands were up in surrender near his chest. “Calm down, baby. I’m his friend. I...I work with him.”
“You’re a fucking lie. You said you were his cousin from Georgia. We don’t have any relatives down there. I want to know how your
ass got in here and beat the security system.
“That’s right. Think about that. Gerald let me in. I came in with Gerald but he left.”
“And I guess he left his damn wallet with you, too. I know you thought I was some desperate hood rat with no damn sense, but you can think differently now.” “Listen.” Echo took a step closer to her.
“You take another step and it’s judgment day for you, bitch.”
“Why you gotta call me that? I didn’t cal you anything but fine.”
“That’s because you thought I was gonna give your flaky ass some pussy.” She aimed the gun at the floor, near his feet and pulled the trigger, piercing the carpet and floor.
Echo jumped, damn near skipped, on one foot. “Whoa! Whoa! Okay. The muthafucka’s in the bathroom.”
“You’re a fucking liar.” She aimed at his face again.
“No I ain’t. He’s in the bathroom right now, tied up.”
“Open the door.”
He opened the bedroom door. His gun was inside his coat pocket, but his coat was in another bedroom where he’d been stealing peeks at DVD porn. Adesia shouted, “Gerald! You in the bathroom?”
“Yeah,” Gerald said.
Echo said, “See?”
“Shut up, bitch,” she said. “Empty all of your pockets real slow. If anything comes out fast I’ll bust your ass.”
Echo slowly retrieved Gerald’s wallet and dropped it on the floor. He had nothing else in his pockets except his own cell phone. He held his phone in his hand and said, “My partner is the only one with the keys.”
“What fucking keys?” she said.
Chapter Thirteen
Echo was standing up inside the dry bathtub while Adesia was squatting down over her brother. She said, “What am I suppose to do about al these handcuffs? He said the other dude got the keys. When is he supposed to come back?” She still had a gun in her hand.