Chapter 3
Nefertari pulled up to the curb alongside the Rockford Police Department and sat for a moment. The minute the officer called her cell phone, she knew they had finally made it to the staged murder scene and were calling her to break the news even though over the phone he hadn’t said much. Grabbing her purse and cell phone out of the car, she shot a quick text message to Chase before entering and requesting the Detective who had personally called her.
A few moments later, a middle-aged Detective sporting khaki colored slacks, a white button-up and suspenders came to meet her out in the lobby and together he led her up to his office where he shut the door and offered her a seat.
“Given this God forsaken hour, I want to thank you for coming down here, Mrs. Stevens.” He said to her as he rounded his desk and took a seat in his swivel chair.
“You mentioned my husband on the phone, of course I came.”
“Mrs. Stevens, about your husband –” the detective started but Nefertari stood from her seat and questioned him.
“Can I see him? As a matter of fact, where is he because I didn’t see his car parked outside anywhere?”
“Please have a seat, Mrs. Stevens.” He asked almost in a tone as if he were begging her too and slowly Nefertari sat back down and eyed him with suspicion.
“Is my husband okay?” When the detective said nothing, Nefertari’s suspicion turned to fear as she began to frantically call Trent’s name.
“Mrs. Stevens, at about 4:30 this morning, first responders arrived on the scene of Stevens Moving and Hauling from reports of gun shots in the area. When they arrived, your husband Trent Stevens was found fatally shot about ten feet from the business’s front door. I’m sorry, ma’am.”
“Oh my God what?” Nefertari shrieked. While Nefertari knew about Trent’s murder before the detective, the pain etched in her eyes was truthfilled.
“Ma’am I know this has to be hard to hear but it is true. It looks to have been a robbery, probably a bunch of young stick-up kids. Your husband’s wallet was emptied out, all but his identification card. I’m so sorry. One of the officers on the scene found his cell phone a few feet away and saw that he had several missed calls from you and we called the number back here. I am truly sorry for your loss.”
“Trent was staying late at the office to finish up some contracts. He was supposed to be on his way home. My husband is not dead, Detective. Trent! Trent!” Nefertari began screaming her husband’s name in the police station and sauntering around as if she was looking for him. Her actions quickly drew attention and other officers rose from their seats to try and help calm her down.
“Mrs. Stevens, I assure you we’re doing everything in our power to find your husband’s murderer. The anonymous call we got hasn’t helped much because there were several cameras in the area that were all out. But I promise you I’m going to have my man searching around the clock until his murderer is brought to justice.” Nefertari said nothing. She flopped back down into her seat and began sobbing.
“I know this time is very hard for you. I’m going to step out to get you a cup of water, okay?” The officer was trying to be as accommodating as he could given the circumstances. Nefertari’s act was spot on and he couldn’t help but feel this young widow’s pain. As soon as the office door closed behind him, Nefertari broke down and let out real tears. This wasn’t part of her plan but she couldn’t fight them back. The fact of the matter was, although the murder scene was staged everything else was true. Trent was robbed, left for dead and now the burden fell on Nefertari’s shoulders. Her cell phone buzzed in her hand and glancing down at the screen she saw it was Chase calling her back. As soon as she finished at the police station, her next stop would be the Hennessey residence.
Chapter 4
Chase greeted Nefertari at the door with a strong hug. She had been through a lot in the last couple of hours and she could tell her friend really needed to feel the comfort. Nefertari released a heavy breath that she didn’t even realize she was holding as she savored her friend’s embrace for a moment before pulling away.
“Where’s Kiyan, Chase? I really want to see my baby.” Nefertari said with a hint of sadness and defeat in her voice.
“Sure thing, Tari. He’s upstairs in the guest room. Jason and I will be downstairs if you need us.” Chase said as she walked her friend over to the spiral staircase and watched as she went up. Nefertari gave her friend a smile before turning to head up to the room where Kiyan was. For a moment she stood in the doorway watching as he slept peacefully. He was lost in lala land, oblivious to the fact that his life had just changed dramatically and rather than wake him up and expose him to the current craziness, Nefertari quietly entered the room and kneeled down at the side of the bed where Kiyan was sleeping and kissed his forehead. She was nervous about how she would break the news of Trent’s death to her son once morning came and he saw just her and not both of his parents. He was at that age where the concept of death was something he might not fully understand but he still knew what it was and that scared her. Nefertari rested her head on the same pillow Kiyan was sleeping on and a faint tear fell from her eye and a small voice gave Nefertari the shock of a lifetime.
“Son I promise that no matter what, nothing and no one will ever take me away from you and this is a pain you will never know again.” She whispered into his ear.
“Mommy, don’t cry.” Kiyan said with his eyes still closed. Nefertari snatched her head up off the pillow and eyed her son.
“I could feel you crying. Don’t be sad, mommy. Everything is going to be alright. I love you.” The young boy said to his mother before suddenly snoring once again, alerting Nefertari that he was talking in his sleep.
“God, I hope so baby.” Nefertari placed a gentle kiss on the crown of his head before standing to her feet and easing the door closed. She knew Jason and Chase were both waiting on her to come down so she headed downstairs to the family room where they were waiting. Chase’s husband and Trent’s right hand man Jason was sitting on the loveseat with his head cradled in his hand. Jason had grown up with Nefertari and Trent out in Rockford but back then he was known as a nobody. The son of a traveling musician father and a never home mom left young Jason to fend for self. He often got teased for his ginger-colored hair and pale skin but not when Trent was around. Trent was known as Mr. Popularity but he always treated Jason as an equal and before long they became best friends. His murder hurt Jason not because he had lost his business partner but because he had lost his brother.
“How did it go at the police station?” Chase asked Nefertari reentering the family room with a cup of coffee.
“The sanitation guys did another amazing job. Rockford PD bought all of it. They don’t think anything other than a robbery gone wrong happened to Trent. But the three of us know the truth, Trent was murdered tonight and whoever did it was somebody Trent trusted.”
“How do you know that Tari?” Jason asked picking his head up and raising his eyebrows in confusion.
“I didn’t just find Trent on our front steps. He was in his office bleeding to death and you and I both know that Trent doesn’t conduct business with anyone in the same place he rests his head. I went through the house what feels like a million times already, but I keep coming up empty. I can’t think of anyone who would want him dead or even why for that matter, this doesn’t even make any sense.” Nefertari’s tone was filled with solemnness. Between her heartache and her confusion, she was slowly breaking down.
“We need to be on our P’s and Q’s then sis. This shit doesn’t seem random and Trent was one of the most straight up guys I’ve ever met. If somebody was bold enough to touch Trent in his own home then they’ll surely come after the rest of us to finish the job… Nefertari, you were always our voice of reason. You could always make sense out of things whenever they got hectic and me and Trent got irrational. What’s our next move?”
“As much as I wish we could bring everything to a standstill, we can’t. S
ven Power is growing every day and if we stop now it’ll only tell whoever the murderer is that we’re weak without Trent so for the time being, its business as usual but this time around, we have to add a twist, an element of surprise.”
“What do you have in mind, Tari?”
“I say we have to implement some changes. With Trent gone, we’re technically down a man but we don’t have to be. I already know the ins and outs of the business and I already handle all of Sven’s financials and contracts. Now I just have to be more hands on than ever before.”
“Tari, there’s a significant difference between legitimizing funds and being in a room full of cold blooded killers. You’ve been to a few shakedowns before but that was all on a much smaller scale and to be honest with you, sis I’m not willing to put you in that position. Especially not now.”
“Jason, you know I love and respect you but I’m not asking. Sven Power is more than just some business, it’s the business and the foundation of what our families have survived and thrived off of but tonight, the game changed. This shit became personal. And I refuse to let any more bullshit get by us. It’s all or nothing now.”
“Nefertari, I’d never be able to forgive myself if something were to happen to you.” Jason spoke truthfully.
“I know and I appreciate that but I became involved the day Trent came home and first told me what he wanted to do. My family is broken now and somebody has to pay for that.”
“Speaking of family, who’s going to tell Terrence about Trent?” Chase asked. Trent and his father were close and even though he was incarcerated, he still had a right to know his son had been murdered.
“I will.” Nefertari sighed heavily and mentally tried to prepare herself for the day in front of her.
Chapter 5
Nefertari shifted uneasily in the hard-plastic chair inside Cook County Jail. She had barely gotten any rest last night because every time she closed her eyes she saw Trent all but choking on his own blood and begging for her to help him before everything went silent. She had woken up twice in a cold sweat and from that point on, she had been on edge. Trent’s murder was eating at her for more reasons than one. Trent was a fair businessman, he knew the game and he played it well however he was nobody’s doormat. If somebody got out of line he had no problem with helping to straighten them back out. Maybe it was someone who had found their way to Trent’s bad side who had ultimately caused his demise. Either way, Nefertari was hell bent on finding out who the culprit was.
“If it isn’t Little Tari from the block.” Terrence chuckled making his presence at the table known. Nefertari stood from her seat to embrace her father in law in a hug and for a moment, she savored his warmth because it reminded her of her husband. “How’s my favorite daughter-in-law?” Terrence asked once they both took their seats at the table in the visitation hall.
“My days have been better.” Nefertari said with her voice drifting to some faraway place.
“Uh uh, Tari, I know that voice. What’s wrong? Is that son of mine acting up? Don’t even trip off that, baby girl, Trent ain’t letting you go nowhere. That boy would lay down and die before he left your side.” The moment Terrence mentioned death, tears welled up in Nefertari’s eyes. She bit down hard on her lips to try and keep them from quivering but after a few seconds the floodgates opened.
“Trent was murdered Terrence. Somebody killed him.” She cried loud enough for Terrence to hear but not loud enough to draw attention to them.
“What did you just say, Tari? No, not my boy. Not my fucking boy!” Terrence was crying and talking through clenched teeth. “Who was it Nefertari? Give me a name.”
“I don’t know. I honestly don’t know. I walked in the house and found him lying on the floor dying. He said whoever it was, was a snake.”
Terrence pinched the bridge of his nose as he fought back the pain he was feeling.
“Wait a minute, Tari, you said you found him in the house? Where was Kiyan? Is my grandson okay? Where is he now?”
“Kiyan is fine. He wasn’t home. He was with Chase and Jason when it happened… Terrence, what am I supposed to do without Trent?” Nefertari looked Terrence straight in his eyes and asked. Terrence looked back at her and saw the heartache and pain she was feeling. But behind all of that was a sparkle, and that glitter he saw was the sparkle of determination to avenge her husband’s death.
“Right now, baby, you plan my son’s funeral… And after that, you plan for payback.”
“Times up!” A prison guard yelled. Terrence rose to his feet once more and kissed the crown of Nefertari’s head. Puling her in for a hug, he whispered in her ear.
“Expect a call from me tonight.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Terrence Stevens paced the 8x10 cell for hours. His visit with Nefertari truly had his head fucked up. Trent was his only child and although he had been physically absent from his everyday upbringing didn’t mean it stopped him from being a part of his son’s life. He always wanted Trent to be better than him because the potential was always there. But Trent had other plans in mind. Terrence laid back on the bed with his hands propped up behind his head and stared up at the ceiling, thinking back to the time Trent told him about his first “job”.
Terrence was ushered to his seat inside the visitation hall and immediately pushed into the seat. He started to go off on the rookie guard who manhandled him but Trent’s voice stopped him.
“Cool out, daddy-o,” he chuckled. “Let that man live.” He smiled.
“Yeah he lucky it’s yo ass sitting here because if it was anybody else they couldn’t talk me out of delivering him a grand ass whopping. New Motherfucker don’t even know I run shit in here yet.” Terrence was rambling at this point and Trent just continued to smile. He folded his hands on top of the metal table and adjusted the French cufflink, finally catching his father’s attention.
“Oh! Check you out my boy! I see you must’ve gotten that job you were telling me about before. You done went and switched your whole style up; new threads, fresh cut, couple jewels. You really doing it boy. That would definitely explain why I haven’t seen you in over a month.” Terrence said with a mixture of proudness and sarcasm in his tone.
“I’ve been putting things in motion, Dad. You know it takes time to grow a business. I learned that from the best.” Trent gave his father a knowing wink and Terrence leaned in to talk to his son a bit more privately.
“So you gone tell me what this new venture entails?” Trent scooted his seat in a bit more and leaned in to the table as well.
“I’m a third-party buyer for some well to do people.” Trent spoke in codes but Terrence was a legend in the streets and he knew exactly what his son was getting at.
“Are you fucking crazy, Trent? You’re going to get yourself killed doing that shit!” Terrence was yelling through clenched teeth but the glare in his eyes showed both his anger and worry.
“Dad, I’ll be good. Jason is working with me and we’ve made some pretty good connects with people. We’re super careful so don’t trip.”
“Like anything you just said makes me feel any better.” Terrence threw his body back into his seat and pinched the bridge of his nose. A few moments later, he leaned back in to his son and asked if he was sure this was what he wanted to do. When he assured him it was, Terrence ran down the game to his son the only way a man of his street stature could; real, raw and gritty.
“Stevens.” A guard said from the outside of Terrence’s cell jarring him out of his flashback. Terrence sat up from the bed and watched as the guard slid a disposable cell phone across the cell floor to him.
Terrence threw his arm over the side of the bed and snatched the phone up. He got up to make sure the coast was clear before dialing Nefertari’s cell phone number. The phone rang four times before Nefertari answered.
“Hey, baby girl, it’s me. How you holding up?” Terrence genuinely asked her.
“I’m doing as well as can be expected. You know Trent is
basically all I’ve known my entire life, it’s going to be hard now moving forward without him… But what about you though?”
“I’m still processing the shit myself. No lie, that shit ripped my heart out earlier when you told me but truth be told, I almost knew it would come to this. The day Trent told me he was dealing with firepower I told that boy to be careful. I wanted him to be better than me, Tari, I really did. That boy had the brains and the potential to be a damn surgeon, but he didn’t want that… You can’t tell grown folks what to do, I guess.”
“I hear you.” Nefertari listened intently to what Terrence was saying to her. “Terrence, I want to find out who murdered Trent. What they did to him was uncalled for. Whatever deal he turned down couldn’t have been that serious for them to murder him in cold blood in his own damn house!” Nefertari was screaming just thinking about the way her husband’s life was stolen from him.
“Tari, I know you mad as hell right now. You have every right to be but if you’re serious about finding the Motherfucker that did this to my boy, I need you to be level headed…” Nefertari apologized for her outburst and dried her face while Terrence continued to speak.
“In about a week from now, Trent’s funeral should be taking place. Whatever funeral home is doing the arrangements will normally post it on their website as well as in the paper. Trent was a pillar in the Chi so that should get him some local press as well… With all that attention, best believe some of his clientele is going to come even if those Motherfuckers stand in the back for ten minutes. Study faces, Tari. Notice mannerisms and the way they’re dressed. If need be, set your own surveillance equipment up. The ones you’ve never laid eyes on before, those are the ones who you need to be zeroing in on… I take it Jason is going to be taking on the business now as a one-man operation, correct?”
Status Quo_The Last Ones Standing Page 2