by Ty Marshall
Completely out of wind and sweating profusely from the hot Miami sun, Dayvid stopped momentarily to catch his breath. He looked down at his watch checking the time. After a few minutes he came from around the side of a house and calmly walked up the block.
Dayvid approached the backdoor of Lupita’s and knocked. As the door swung open a gun was the first thing Dayvid was greeted with. But the man quickly lowered his weapon seeing Dayvid’s face. He quickly ushered him in and slammed the door behind him then led him through the kitchen and out into the empty restaurant.
Avila Gallardo sat by the bar flirting with the handsome young bartender, as he prepared her a drink. Seeing Dayvid enter the room, she immediately turned her attention to him.
“Now that’s a fine looking man,” she complimented with a smile at his cleaned up look. “Much better than last time,” she said in her thick accent. “Since you’re here, I’ll take that to mean you have a lil’ something for me,” she said seductively like she always did when talking to him. She had a thing for younger men and wanted nothing more than to rumble in the sheets at least once with Dayvid Porter.
Dayvid hesitated, not sure if it was cool to talk in front of the bartender but proceeded when Avila gave him a nod. “Yeah I got it right here,” he said tossing the bag on top of the bar.
“Everything here?” she asked raising an eyebrow at him before peeking into the bag.
Dayvid just gave her a look as to say, “What do you think?”
“I kid, I kid. Would you like a drink Mr. Porter?” Avila asked. “I can have Javier whip you up anything you’d like.”
“Hennessey, no ice,” Dayvid said.
Avila ordered the bartender to fix Dayvid’s drink, while she unzipped the bag and began removing the keys. Stacking them on the table, she only counted out 16 keys. “Where’s the rest? It’s supposed to be 20?” she asked.
“That was all that was there, “Dayvid informed her. “But check again.”
Avila gave him a look and then reached in the bag once more. She felt a plastic bag at the bottom of the duffle bag. Removing it, she placed it on the bar and opened it up seeing what looked to be about 100 thousand dollars in cash. Her eyes opened wide in surprise.
“That’s the cash they had on them too,” said Dayvid.
The smile on her face said it all as she thumbed through the cash. Avila couldn’t believe that a man in Dayvid’s desperate position could still be so trustworthy. “What a pleasant surprise,” Avila boasted.
“Trust is the glue of life. It’s an essential part of doing business,” Dayvid said as he downed his Hennessy.
“Very true,” she replied. Avila grabbed a pen and jotted something down on a napkin before sliding it over to him. “That’s all the info you’ll need to locate the cargo ship you’ll be on.”
“Speaking of,” Dayvid paused temporarily. “I’m kind of in need of a new ride.”
“No problem. Javier, give Dayvid your keys,” she instructed the young bartender.
***
Dayvid guided the Nissan Altima through the streets of Miami as fast as he could without drawing unwanted attention from police. He didn’t have much time to waste, he needed to pick up Nova and get to the Port of Miami in less than 45 minutes. He knew this was their one and only shot to get out the country. Avila Gallardo had U.S. Customs, Border Patrol and the Coast Guard all in her pocket, breaking them all off a percentage to make sure her cocaine operation ran smoothly. Dayvid knew all he had to do was get on the ship to guarantee their safe passage. He had walked through the fires of hell and for the most part came out unscathed. He had Nova back and looked forward to seeing his sisters and starting a new life.
Dayvid pulled out his phone and dialed Nova’s number. He needed her to understand the importance of being ready and to leave as soon as he arrived. She, like every woman, tends to take forever to get ready. They couldn’t afford that today.
Dayvid listened as the phone rang a few times before she picked up.
“Hey babe,” she said upon answering the phone. “Where you at?”
“I’m on my way now,” he replied. “You ready to leave? I need you all packed up ready to go when I pull up. I just wanna run in, grab a bag and go,” he reiterated.
“I’m ready,” she said.
“You ready to be Mrs. Porter?” he asked out of nowhere.
“Mrs. Porter?” she asked. He could tell she was smiling. “What are you talking about with your crazy self?”
“I’m talking about you being my wife,” he said this time sounding more serious, looking down at the open ring box and diamond ring on his lap. He had bought it months ago anticipating them escaping to Mexico after the big heist. He had asked Miss Jackie to keep it safe for him and she gave it back to him when he went to visit her. Dayvid visualized a romantic wedding on the beach with Fallon and Autumn as her maid of honors and Rain as his best man.
“You’re really serious,” Nova said hearing it in his tone. She couldn’t help but get emotional. She had loved only him since she was sixteen years old and would always practice writing her name with his last name in hopes that one day it would be a reality. So to hear him say those words was a dream come true. “Yes, I would love to be your wife Dayvid,” she said fighting back tears.
“That’s what I needed to hear,” he said as a smile stretched wide across his face. “I’ll be there in a few minutes,” he said.
“Ok, I need to find my Black Album before you get here. I can’t leave without it,” she said.
“What?” Dayvid asked a bit confused.
“You heard me,” she said.
“Ok,” he replied. “Nova,” he said pausing briefly. “I love you.”
Nova smiled as she visualized his handsome face speaking those words. “I love you too, my king. I’ll see you soon,” she said before hanging up.
***
“You did the right thing,” U.S. Marshal Torrence said to her as she put the phone down.
The two Marshals had Nova in custody inside of her hotel room. The entire hotel was surrounded by F.B.I. Agents and the Fugitive Task Force waiting to capture Dayvid as soon as he showed his face on the property.
“You seem like a descent young lady. You don’t need to be mixed up with a ruthless criminal like Dayvid Porter.” Palmeri schooled her.
“You don’t know anything about me and you don’t know who he really is,” Nova said as she sat down on the bed with tears rolling down her cheeks.
“No darling, I think you’re the one who doesn’t know who he really is,” Torrence lectured. “Do you know how many deaths your king and his sisters are responsible for? Consider yourself lucky,” she scolded.
Nova just lowered her head and began sobbing.
***
Dayvid hung up and pulled into the gas station across the street from the Knights Inn. He parked so that he was looking directly at the hotel. As he scanned the parking lot, he was able to easily pick out the unmarked police vehicles strategically placed around the building with F.B.I and Task Force agents seated in them.
Nova had given him the heads up by dropping the Black Album clue in their conversation. Still Dayvid sat in his car contemplating what to do. He had went through hell and back just to be able to bring Nova with him and here he was forced to decide between walking into a trap to save her once again or to leave without her. He knew what Nova would want him to do, her dropping the clue was her answer. She knew they couldn’t do anything to her but they would surely put a needle in his arm if they could. Dayvid stared down at the diamond ring in the box on his lap with tears forming in the wells of his eyes. He felt a lump in his throat as he tried to fight back his tears to no avail. Dayvid looked at the bag of money sitting on his passenger seat. Avila Gallardo gave him the 100 thousand dollars he recovered as a going away present. Reaching in the bag, he grabbed the gun. “I wonder how many agents are in the room with her,” he thought with love in his heart and hate in his eyes. He slammed the ring box closed and
tossed it in the bag. Putting the gun on his lap, he started the Altima and pulled out the gas station. With tears streaming down his face, Dayvid drove away from the hotel instantly feeling guilt and emptiness. He watched the Knights Inn fade farther and farther away in his rearview mirror until it was gone. Just like the life he had left behind, along with his queen, Nova.
Torrence and Palmeri paced back and forth in the room waiting for word that Dayvid was on the property and approaching the room. It had been over twenty minutes since Nova had hung up the phone with him and he should have been there by now.
Torrence began to panic. Her whole life was wrapped up in this case. She had missed her daughter’s birthday, neglected her sleep and pushed herself to the limit in pursuit of the Porters. She had the perfect trap laid, so she thought, and now something wasn’t right.
“What the fuck is taking so long?” she snapped looking over at her partner.
“Be cool Roni, he will be here,” Palmeri assured her.
A loud bang on the door made the two Marshals pull their guns from the holsters and aim them straight at the door. They slowly moved towards it, ready to apprehend their suspect. Another bang on the do a voice calling out the Marshal’s names.
“That’s Rivera,” Palmeri said
“It just came over the scanner that police found a blue Ford Explorer abandoned in Hialeah with Maryland plates.” Rivera said stepping into the room.
“Fuck!” Torrence screamed rushing straight towards Nova and grabbing her around the neck. “You sneaky little bitch, you tipped him off. I don’t know how you did it but you did.
“Roni,” Palmeri called out. “What the fuck are you doing?” he shouted while Rivera helped pull her off of Nova. “We will find him Roni! Gotdamn it, but you can’t do that,” he said as he pushed her out the room.
Nova watched as the Marshals exited the room then cracked a smile.
EPILOGUE
Fallon and Autumn stood waving like kids at a parade, full of excitement watching the door of the private jet that had just landed on Romero’s personal air strip open and Rain descended the steps. She had added a few pounds to her thin frame, all in the right places. The positive results of no longer ripping and running. Rain bopped towards them followed by a handsome white gentleman dressed in a suit.
Unable to contain their happiness, Fallon and Autumn took off running towards her; arms stretched wide prepared to smother her with love. The three sisters embraced, not wanting to let each other go. It had been months since Rain had laid eyes on her younger sisters and she was relieved to see that they were doing great and in good spirits. She couldn’t help but to notice the beautiful mansion and property they were living on.
“Damn, Dayvid’s people is living large out here,” she said.
“You mean, my husband is living large out here,” Fallon corrected Rain, putting her hand up flashing the big rock on her finger.
“Bitch what! You married?” Rain asked in shock.
“Yup,” Fallon said with a smile. “Baby sis next,” she revealed pointing back up to the house at Q standing next to her husband.
“What the fuck is going on here,” Rain said laughing.
“Who is that Rain?” Autumn questioned pointing at the white gentleman walking up behind her.
“That’s me and Dayvid’s dad,” Rain answered then watched as her sisters’ jaws dropped. “Long story.”
“Hello ladies, I’m David Banks,” he said sticking his hand out to shake theirs. “I’ve heard so much about you. You girls are even more beautiful in person,” he charmed causing both of them to smile.
“I like him already,” Fallon blushed. “Let’s go inside,” she said.
As the group walked towards the house the loud chopping sound of a helicopter caught their attention and they all turned to see it landing in the field just behind them. The blades came to a stop, just as the door opened and an older white man stepped out.
“Who the hell is that?” Rain asked.
“That’s my dad, your grandfather. The Honorable Judge Harrison Banks,” David Banks said with a sarcastic tone.
“What is he doing here?” she asked knowing the history between the two men.
“It’s only one way to find out,” he replied.
The group stood waiting as the elderly man made his way over to them.
“What are you doing here dad?” the young Banks inquired.
“I came to see these kids of yours that you’ve been so willing to throw your entire career away for. So these are the Porters, minus that bastard son of yours,” Judge Banks scoffed. “In your blind haste to fulfill your parental responsibilities, you made a lot of mistakes. Now there’s an all-out investigation into how Dayvid Porter walked out of a federal prison undetected. Not to mention how he went missing in the database. You’ve got a couple U.S. Marshals and F.B.I agents digging into how that happened. How long do you think it will take before your name comes up?” he asked rhetorically. “So like usual I’m here to clean up your mess.”
By the time everyone heard the shot it was already too late. Rain felt the blood splatter on her face as she watched her father collapse onto his face from a sniper’s bullet ripping through the back of his skull.
Fallon and Autumn screamed at the top of their lungs as Rain dropped to her knees lifting her father into her arms. There was no saving him, he was gone. The shot had killed him instantly. Rain was covered in blood as she looked around to see where the shot had come from but was greeted by a .40 cal Beretta being shoved in her face from her grandfather.
“Get up you little dyke bitch,” he instructed. “Like I said I’ll be damned if I let you black bastards tarnish the Banks name. So I made a deal with some Mexican friends of mine,” he said nodding his head back in the direction of the house.
The three sisters turned around to see Romero and Q being held at gun point and the mansion being invaded by men with guns.
“I’m sure you’ve heard of the Mendoza Cartel,” Judge Banks said with a smirk, enjoying the looks on their faces.
***
Dayvid’s arrival in Mexico was bittersweet. Nova not being by his side made the empty feeling he had in his heart for all those months return. He didn’t care what he had to do or how long it would take but he was determined to hold her in his arms once again. His love for her stretched across any border or ocean that was between them. He wouldn’t stop until they could be together.
Avila Gallardo kept her word; one of her guys was there to pick him up right off the ship and drove him to Romero’s house. After about a forty minute drive, the man dropped Dayvid off at the bottom of a steep hill and pulled off. Dayvid stared up at the long winding hill and saw Romero’s crib perched at the top. He couldn’t wait to surprise his sisters, it had been too long since he’d seen them and he needed something to lift his spirits. Seeing the faces of his Porter sibling would do just that, even if only momentarily.
The trek up the steep hill had gotten the best of Dayvid as he was completely exhausted when he reached the top. Damn, I can’t wait to relax for a while, he thought to himself as he closed his eyes and was almost able feel the cool breeze coming off the water as he chilled on the beach.
The sound of a single gunshot snapped Dayvid out of his daydream. He pulled the gun from his waist and bolted towards Romero’s house…
The Circle: The Reunion coming soon from THE OFFICIAL WRITERS LEAGUE
Sneak Peek of
Keys to the Kingdom
The First of a Trilogy
A Story
By
Ty Marshall
Prologue
The familiar scenery brought a wave of nostalgia over Michael Di Toro as he peered through the tinted glass taking in the sights and sounds of the old neighborhood. He hadn’t been back to Howard Beach in what felt like forever and felt the need to do some sightseeing. That included cruising passed the social club on the corner of Coleman Square and 159th Avenue that once served as his headquarters for al
l his illegal activities. Not much had changed about the predominately Italian neighborhood since he had relocated following Hurricane Sandy, with the exception of a few locally owned businesses being replaced by chain stores. But the trip down memory lane was exactly what he needed at the moment, it brought a much needed smile across his face.
Iron Mike, as he was referred to in the streets because of the way he ruled with an iron fist, had overseen one of the bloodiest takeovers in New York City’s recent history and he loved every minute of it. He also enjoyed the spotlight that came with being a celebrity gangster and would often scan the newspaper looking for his name. Di Toro had instructed all of his soldiers to carry out hits in public, creating an atmosphere of constant fear as he seized control. In a place renowned for its legendary criminals he ranked near the top as the reputed boss of the most ruthless regime in the city, the Martello family. For years they had moved large amounts of cocaine from Miami up the east coast into New York, murdering rivals and stacking millions in the process. The arrogant Mafioso led a group of blood thirsty enforcers who didn’t believe in leniency nor second chances. When debtors refused or couldn’t pay up they quickly felt his wrath. He had a thing for torture loving to see them suffer before he eventually put them out of their misery.
Di Toro’s reign had made him a very rich and powerful man but had nearly destroyed the unification of “The Five Families” of New York, weakening the others through murder and his refusal to spread the wealth in pursuit of becoming “capo di tutti capi”, Boss of all Bosses. Iron Mike had definitely left his mark on the Big Apple making him a wanted man by the feds and enemies alike.
That was why the precautionary measure taken for this trip were vital. He had flown on a private jet into a non-descript private airport out in Long Island and was riding in a bullet proof SUV with the tightest of security in tow. But it was a risk he was willing to take, this wasn’t a triumphed return of the king coming home to reclaim his throne, it was a sad one. He had returned to lay his mother to rest. There wasn’t a federal agent or rival gangster on earth that could keep him away. The love he had for her took precedence over any concern he may have had for his own life.