Candice opened her mouth to respond, but a bloodcurdling scream cut through the air, forcing the words down her throat like hard marbles. “What the fuck!” she mouthed, instinctively moving toward the door. She recognized the voice behind the scream all too well.
Tuck spun around like a man possessed. More screams prompted him to pull his weapon out of his waistband and race through the kitchen doors.
Candice was hot on Tuck’s heels. “Oh my goodness . . . Shana,” Candice whispered breathlessly.
Tuck and Candice rushed toward the commotion against a wave of people heading for the nearest exits. No one, apparently, wanted to be a witness to anything going down.
“Junior! Stop it!!” Shana screeched, her voice sharp like nails on a chalkboard, her eyes stretched wide with fear.
“Fuck!” Tuck huffed, rushing over to the tangle of bodies.
“Tuck! Help him!! Get him off of him!!” Shana screamed, jumping up and down.
Candice was finally able to make out the identity of the individuals in the twisted heap of arms and legs. It appeared to be a fight as old as time—Cain versus Abel.
“You ain’t so fuckin’ tough now, you pussy!” Junior growled, his left arm wrapped tightly around his brother’s neck in a headlock that threatened to crush Broady’s windpipe. In his right hand, Junior gripped a .357 Magnum and held it to his brother’s temple. Broady’s huge body was slumped against Junior’s smaller frame, but with his air supply being choked off, his size wasn’t helping him.
“You’re gonna choke him to death!! Ahhhhhh! Don’t shoot him!” Shana bawled hysterically as she jumped up and down, flailing her hands like a crazy person. Her face was now a cakey mess of smudged makeup, salty tears, and sweat.
“Get her the fuck out of here!” Tuck hollered at Candice.
Candice rushed over to take Shana away from the fracas, although she didn’t appreciate Tuck screaming at her. “C’mon, girl,” she said calmly, cutting an evil eye in Tuck’s direction. She felt like she was the only sane person in the room at the moment.
Tuck knew he needed to get Broady’s head out of Junior’s death grip. Broady’s body was already going slack, like he was being put to sleep. He tried to place his hands on Junior’s arm to loosen his grip, but it only made matters worse. Junior not only tightened his grip, but he pressed his gun into Broady’s head even harder.
Fuck! Tuck screamed inside of his head. “C’mon, Junior, man. It ain’t worth it.” He couldn’t afford to grab Junior’s weapon and cause an accidental discharge. That would put the last nail in his career coffin.
Meanwhile, Candice tried to persuade Shana to leave the upturned family room.
Tuck tried his most compelling argument. “Junior, man, he is your brother. I know you mad, man, but—”
“I’m not leavin’ him! He’s gonna kill him!” Shana squealed, her voice a high, keening pitch, her body trembling. She was running in place now and screaming for Junior to release Broady.
“I said to get her the fuck outta here!” Tuck barked again.
Candice shot him another glare. Don’t this motherfucker see I’m trying to calm her ass down first? What am I supposed to do? Pick the bitch up over my fucking shoulder?
“Stop fuckin’ screaming at me! I’m doing my best!”
Tuck quickly got the message. Now he had two angry women to deal with. Things were going from bad to worse. The situation was spinning out of control, and he had to put things back in order. If Junior killed his brother and went to jail, Tuck’s case would be over. It would also mean, no big takedown, which also meant no redemption in the eyes of the DEA for him. It wasn’t a risk he was willing to take.
“You slapped a nigga’s wife and didn’t even tell me? You goin’ out of borough, startin’ a fuckin’ beef, and didn’t even tell me? Huh, motherfucker? You can’t keep it one hun’ed?” Junior barked, still applying pressure to Broady’s neck.
“Cuh! Cuh! Cuh!” Broady struggled for breath. His windpipe was on fire and would surely buckle under Junior’s grip.
Broady’s vision was narrowing; he would soon lose consciousness if Tuck didn’t act fast. Junior had been holding him in the dope fiend sleeper hold for too long.
“You embarrassed me!” Junior belted out, his words coming out in raggedy, clipped breaths. All of the liquor he had consumed during Razor’s funeral services didn’t help the situation either.
“Junior, man! You gon’ fuck around and kill this motherfucker! He turnin’ blue and shit.” Tuck touched the outside of the arm wrapped around Broady’s throat.
At Tuck’s touch, Junior jumped. His eyes bugged out, and sweat dripping off his face, he was like a rabid dog, foaming at the mouth, and looking to take a bite out of a helpless victim. “Back the fuck up!” he hollered, moving his gun from Broady’s face and pointing it at Tuck.
Tuck threw his hands up in surrender. He didn’t have a choice. He thought of his father dying in the line of duty and what it did to his mother. He couldn’t do that to his wife and kids.
Junior turned his attention back to his brother. He loosened his grip on Broady’s neck. “You so lucky I care about my fuckin’ mother and don’t wanna see her have to bury your worthless ass. It’s only because of her that I don’t fuckin’ murk you right the fuck here in ya own crib,” Junior screamed, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
Broady fell forward onto his knees with a thud. His hands uncurled, and he dropped the little blue card he was holding. He gasped and wheezed, trying to get his lungs to fill back up with air. Broady couldn’t stop coughing. He rolled around on the floor like he was having a seizure, his hands massaging his neck.
Shana raced over to his side, rubbing his back to soothe him. “Oh my God! Broady, are you all right?” she screeched, stooping over him. Shana glanced up and shot Junior an evil look. She really hated his ass.
“You a fuckin’ punk bitch! You better stay the fuck away from me! Next time some bullshit pops off, I’ma kill you my fuckin’ self and that hateful bitch standing by your side!” Junior glowered at Broady.
“It was those niggas, and you takin’ they side,” Broady rasped, barely audible. His lungs had finally caught enough air for him to get in a few words.
“That nigga Phil gave me his word. You got it fucked up. Phil ain’t kill ya manz, but you know what? He shoulda fuckin’ killed you for slapping his bitch. Your name is mud in my fuckin’ book and in the streets. You dead on ya feet, nigga, so watch ya back. I might not be finished with ya punk ass just yet.” Junior hawked up a wad of spit and hurled it at his baby brother. Then he pushed past Tuck and Candice and stormed toward the front door of the house.
Junior’s hard-bottom dress shoes slammed against the marble floors, like gunshots ricocheting through the silent house. The noise chilled Candice right to the bone.
Tuck looked down at Broady. He noticed the little blue card on the floor but quickly dismissed it. He had bigger issues to deal with right now.
“You a’ight?” Tuck asked, walking toward Candice.
Candice furrowed her eyebrows. She had noticed his slightly puzzled gaze on the little blue card on the floor. She stared at Tuck like she didn’t understand his question. As he moved closer, she began backing out of the doorway, one step at a time. Her eyes wide and wild, she looked disoriented. Maybe even in shock.
“Candy, what’s wrong?” Tuck asked.
Candice wished she could bend down and pick up the card. It was too late. She spun around and rushed toward the door.
Tuck watched in confusion as she broke into a full jog. “Wait!” he screamed at her back, but it was too late. She had bolted, maybe this time for good.
Chapter 7
Avon paced inside his undercover apartment with sweat dripping down his back. He jumped at every little noise. Every car sound he heard outside caused him to rush over to his window and peek through the slats of his blinds.
He looked at his watch and sucked in a deep breath of air. The vibration of his unde
rcover phone against the wood on his nightstand shattered his nerves. He rushed over and snatched up the device. “Where the fuck are you?” he screamed into the phone.
“Don’tchu fuckin’ dare move until I get there!” he ordered.
Avon skipped down the building’s steps two at a time. Once outside, he looked up and down the deserted block. There was no one in sight. The doctors and lawyers residing in the area must’ve all been inside their condos and expensive townhomes getting ready for another day of being responsible, upstanding, tax-paying citizens. In Avon’s book, his neighbors were all boringass prudes who sat around having quiet cocktail parties where, the conversation was so low-key, one could fall asleep mid-sentence.
Either way, the serenity of the neighborhood was one of the reasons the DEA undercover research team had chosen the Park Slope block for Avon’s new residence. Although Avon surreptitiously maintained another apartment in Brevoort Houses, where his alter ego, Tuck, resided, as far as Junior and the crew were concerned.
Avon rushed up the street, looking over his shoulder several times. Finally, at the corner, he made a left. He walked at a feverish pace until he made it to a small hole-in-the-wall, pub-style greasy spoon. After checking his surroundings, he dipped inside. The smell of Greek food filled his nostrils. The dirty little place served the best gyros in town, despite the fact that the overweight cook/waiter used the same towel to wipe the sweat from his head and wipe the countertops. Avon would often joke that this gave the food a little extra boost of flavor.
The owner of the restaurant was used to Avon holding his regular meetings there. Avon nodded to the greasy-haired man behind the counter and continued all the way to the back of the place. He squeezed into the cramped booth and exhaled. He sat opposite of Brad Brubaker. Avon’s eyes hooded over and his shoulders tensed.
“You all right?” Brubaker smirked, his blue eyes rimmed and icy today.
“Don’t fuckin’ ask me if I’m all right! Where were you when I called you?” Avon growled in a harsh whisper, his fists clenched tightly next to his thigh as he leaned into the table.
“You know how it is. I had to fly out to D.C. and deal with those motherfuckers after Corey Jackson went missing.” Brubaker was unnervingly calm, almost like he was mocking Avon. “You can thank me later for once again saving your ass and your fuckin’ case.”
“Fuck you! I don’t need you to save my ass from those monkey suit–wearing motherfuckers. I need you to protect me on these fuckin’ streets! You’re my fuckin’ case agent. Act like it!” Avon scowled. He felt like slapping the shit out of his smart-ass coworker. They had both fucked up in the past. But for some reason, the DEA insisted on placing the brunt of the blame on him for the incident that had changed both of their careers.
“Well, I’m here now. Let’s talk,” Brubaker said, softening his tone as he decided to get to the point of their emergency meeting.
“Shit is not right out here, Brad. I found out that Razor wasn’t murked by rival drug dealers. He left the club running behind a girl and then just vanished. Next thing, we get word from the New Jersey locals about the body. I’m sure you heard how bad he was fucked over . . . missing fingers and shit. I think somebody is watching Junior’s crew, and it ain’t as simple as pitting one gang of hustlers against the other.”
Brad wore a serious expression. He seemed to be concentrating. Both men were silent for a few minutes as they digested the information.
The fat waiter waddled over to their table, breaking up the moment. “What can I get you fellas?” The man huffed like he’d just run laps around the place.
“Our usual,” Avon answered, rushing the man away from them.
“So the last person to see Corey Jackson alive was a girl?” Brad asked, rubbing his chin.
“Yeah. She’s a friend of Broady’s girlfriend, Shana. Remember? The one I told you I almost blew my cover protecting one night when he was beating her,” Avon reminded Brubaker. “The night Razor went missing was the first time I had ever seen this new girl.” Avon could see Candice’s cute face and thick hips in his mind’s eye.
“This girl, where’s she from? What’s her name? Did she just show up out of nowhere?”
The line of questioning took Avon aback. He felt slightly protective of Candice even though he didn’t know her very well. “Why you askin’ about a chick when I’m tellin’ you somebody might be after these dudes?”
“Every detail counts.”
“She calls herself Candy or something like that. I don’t think it was like a date. Razor followed her outside, and from what the girl told Broady’s chick, she and Razor spoke for a few minutes and parted ways.” Avon didn’t give up too many details about Candy because it would only elicit more questions from Brubaker.
“Well, she was the last person to see him alive, as you said. Maybe she set him up,” Brubaker mused.
Avon rolled his eyes in disgust. Brubaker was way too jaded with life and people in general. From what Avon could tell, Candy wouldn’t hurt a fly, although her mouth was certainly venomous at times. Avon thought she was too classy and sexy to be hanging around Broady’s crew anyway.
“I’m just trying to help you figure this shit out,” Brubaker said defensively.
“What don’t you get? I’m telling you I don’t feel right about this shit. Seems like there is somebody after them that we may have overlooked. Razor’s death was definitely a crime of passion, considering the torture he endured.”
Brubaker threw up his hands. “One low man on the totem pole goes missing and you count that as a big fuckin’ conspiracy at work? What am I missing?”
“I’m in the trenches with these motherfuckers. Nobody is gonna kill somebody like Razor who doesn’t fuckin’ matter in the bigger scheme of things. Razor was a nobody in Junior’s little chiefdom. Whoever killed him was trying to send a message! Get the fuckin’ message? I need to know you got my back on this shit.”
“I still think any number of people could have killed him. Maybe he picked up a prostitute that night and her pimp fucked him up. Maybe it was a robbery gone bad out there. C’mon, Tucker, think like a fuckin’ cop. This guy was a fuckin’ two-bit drug-dealing piece of scum.”
Avon leaned into the table, ready to lay into Brubaker’s ass.
“Here you go! I put some extra TLC into it tonight,” the fat waiter sang, proud of his greasy creations.
Avon moved back in the booth seat and fell silent. He watched the fat man’s stomach move like a bowl of Jell-O as he sat their food down on the table.
“Eat up,” the fat waiter said with a yellow-tooth smile.
Brubaker attacked the meal with gusto, but Avon, upset and worried, didn’t have an appetite.
Brubaker could feel the heat from Avon’s eyes on him. After stuffing a couple of steak fries into his mouth, he noticed Avon’s lack of appetite.
“What?” Brubaker asked resignedly.
Avon didn’t respond to the prompt.
“Okay, Tucker. I heard you loud and clear. I’ll set up a covert surveillance team.”
Avon’s face lit up partially.
“Here, take this phone.” Brubaker slid a new phone across the table. “It has more than just the standard cell phone GPS chip. It has a laser locator, so we’ll know where to find you at all times. Just don’t put the shit in your pocket with anything magnetic, or else you’ll be fucked if you get in trouble out there.”
Avon furtively swiped the phone off the table and put it in his back pocket. “And don’t fuckin’ disappear like that again. Nothing is more important than me being out here in the trenches. Nothing!”
Brubaker nodded in agreement.
Avon grabbed a few fries off his untouched plate of food. “Make sure you tip the guy,” he said as he got up to leave. “I’m sure you made some good per diem money on your trip to D.C.”
Candice lay in a prone position with one eye open and one eye closed as she peered through the round scope, her legs spread, her feet lined up wit
h each hip, just like Uncle Rock had taught her. She could hear how hard and rushed her breath sounded as it escaped her nose and mouth. Her elbows were covered with pads and rested on the hot tar of the roof.
She adjusted the scope to focus in on her target. The eye of the scope was so precise and powerful, it was like the target was standing right in front of her.
“Don’t move, don’t move,” she whispered out loud. Keeping her body as stiff and still as she could, all Candice moved was the pad of her trigger finger. “Trigger, trigger, trigger,” she chanted. Another thing she’d been taught by Uncle Rock. He’d taught her that repeating the word would keep her mind off her trigger pull and keep her from anticipating the shot.
Candice was surprised by the sound of a click. Just like she was supposed to be. Every surprise shot was always on target in her experience.
She let out a long sigh as she flipped over and lay on her back atop the black tar roof. Practicing with Uncle Rock’s AR-15 sniper setup had exhausted her. Her muscles ached with tension, and she was burning hot from the sun beating she’d taken in the hours spent on the roof. Everything took practice and precision; she knew that, but she wanted to be ready. No more of her mission would be interrupted. It was time to start carrying out her plans.
After a few minutes of lying on the roof with her eyes closed, she unhooked the legs from the weapon and folded them down. Then she handled the weapon like it was a crown jewel. She placed it in the case uncle Rock had made especially for it and then slung the leather strap of the case around her chest and let it hang down her back.
She started the stopwatch she had hanging around her neck. Then, with the craftiness of an Olympic triathlete, she moved her body with speed, taking the roof ladder down two and three rungs at a time. Finally, she jumped off the ladder and went back into her building.
She checked the stopwatch for her time this go-around. “Fifteen seconds. Damn, Candy! You need to make better time.”
Hard Candy Page 11