City Culprits (Book 1)

by Brittany Nicole Allen

  “Hi.” Braydon smiled back.

  “Have you been a good boy?”

  Braydon nodded his head.

  “Yeah. I made a new friend.” He told him looking back at Annabeth.

  Que put Braydon back down.

  “I see.” Que said looking at Annabeth.

  Annabeth waved and then returned to the chalkboard. Braydon ran back over to her.

  “It’s good to see that he’s doing okay here.” Que said to Zamora.

  “Yeah.” Zamora agreed.

  “So where’s Nikkya? Does she know I was coming?”

  “What’s all the noise out here?” Nikkya said coming out from her bedroom.

  She saw Que standing by the playroom door.

  “Que? What are you doing here?” Nikkya said walking over to him.

  She hugged him.

  “How have you been?” He asked concerned.

  “It is what it is ya know?” She replied.

  “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

  “It’s over with.” She said.

  Que sighed with concern.

  “Is it?” He asked looking at Zamora.

  “Let’s not talk about any of that today huh?” Zamora said to them both.

  “Yeah, let’s not.” Nikkya agreed with her.

  “So where is the rest of the family?” Que asked.

  Zamora didn’t want to talk in front of the children. She pulled Nikkya and Que away from the playroom door.

  “My father should be returning any minute. He had to take care of something.” Zamora said leading them back to the stairs.

  “Aren’t you involved with your father’s cartel now? I thought you do things with him now.” Que said following behind Nikkya.

  “Not all the time.” Zamora led them down the stairs.

  The front door opened halfway down the stairs. They all stopped to see who was coming inside. Carlos returned home with Axel.

  “Hello father.” Zamora greeted him while walking the rest of the way down.

  “Hello Zamora. Nikkya. Who is your friend?” Carlos didn’t seem like he cared to know him.

  “This is Que.” She introduced them.

  “Nice to meet you Que.” Carlos politely put out his hand to shake Que’s hand.

  “It’s nice to meet you as well Mr. Rivera.” Que shook his hand.

  Carlos immediately became suspicious of him the moment he spoke because of his Jamaican accent but kept it to himself. He questioned him instead.

  “So how long have you two known each other?”

  “A few years.” Que told him.

  “So you’re good friends I assume?”

  “You could say that.” Que replied glancing at Zamora.

  Zamora broke the awkwardness between them.

  “So where is mother?”

  “She should be home soon. She went out with Salena for some girl time.”

  “Okay.”

  “We need to talk later Zamora. So come find me when you’re free.” He said demandingly while walking away.

  “I don’t think he likes me very much.” Que noticed.

  “He’s…not very trusting of new people.” Zamora told him.

  “He probably thinks you’re part of Tyson’s crew or something.” Nikkya joked.

  Both Zamora and Que gave her a look like it was a bad joke.

  “Too soon?” She asked.

  Zamora, Nikkya, and Que sat outside in the backyard at the table. Zamora and Nikkya drinking their favorite wine together and Que drinking a beer. Carlos was in his bedroom looking out the window at them. He radioed for his men outside to keep an eye on him. Carlos didn’t trust him at all.

  “Well you upgraded quite nice.” Que said admiring all the space.

  “Too be honest, I don’t really care for big houses. It’s too much space.” Zamora admitted.

  “Shit, I’ll stay here forever.” Nikkya mumbled while sipping from the wine glass.

  “I’m sure you will.” Zamora chuckled.

  “So how’s your brother?” Que asked Nikkya checking up on JT. He took a sip of his beer bottle.

  “He comes over once in a while to check in but we talk about every day.” She told him.

  “That’s good to hear. You should be keeping in touch.” Que said.

  “Have you two talked lately Zamora?”

  “Yeah once in a while and when he comes over. Why do you ask?” Zamora asked curiously.

  “No reason.” Que said looking away from them.

  Que wanted to make sure JT was keeping his mouth shut like he was told.

  Minnie came out to the back yard with a smile on her face.

  “I heard we have company.” Minnie said to Zamora.

  Zamora stood up from her chair.

  “Mother. This is my good friend Que.” She introduced. “Que? This is my mother Minnie.”

  Que stood up from his chair to shake her hand.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Rivera.” He kissed her hand.

  “Please call me Minnie.” She said flattered.

  “Minnie. Pleasure to meet you.” Que said trying to get her to like him.

  “Same to you.” She said politely.

  “Do you mind if I use your restroom?” He asked Minnie.

  “Not at all. When you get inside just take a left straight through the room.” She said.

  “Thank you.” He smiled at her. “I’ll be back.” He told Zamora and Nikkya.

  Que proceeded to go inside. He got rid of his fake smile when he re-entered the home. He did as Minnie had instructed. Making his way into the bathroom. He closed the door after looking around to see if anyone was watching him.

  Que took out his phone to text Tyson.

  “I’m inside.” Que told him. He waited for a reply.

  “Good. Get dem to trust u.” Tyson told him.

  “I don’t think Carlos does. I think he suspects.”

  “Fix it.”

  “I will see what I can do.”

  “Good.”

  Que deleted the conversation and put away his phone. He flushed the toilet making it seem like he was finished. He opened the bathroom door to find someone sitting on the couch near the table.

  “Mr. Rivera.” Que said startled.

  “Hello Que. I think we need to have a conversation.”

  “What do you mean?” He asked nervously.

  “Please have a seat. Que.” Carlos told him calmly.

  Que looked around the room noticing the doors were locked. Que sat down.

  “What is it that you want to talk about Mr. Rivera?” Que asked him.

  Carlos sighed before pulling out something from behind him. A pistol. Que’s pistol. He gently set it on the table.

  “Why is this in your possession?” Carlos asked.

  “You went through my car? What gives you the right to do that?” Que was angered.

  “Let’s get one thing straight boy…this is my home. My property. Whatever you bring on my property is my business. Now answer my question.” He demanded.

  “I have the right to protect myself just the same as anyone else.”

  “Indeed you do.” Carlos paused. “But do you think I’m a fool?”

  “Of course not Mr. Rivera. Why would you ask such a thing?”

  Carlos got up from the couch walking over to the drinks. He offered Que a glass of liquor but he declined.

  “You’ve been very persistent about wanting to see my daughter’s new home. About wanting to meet her birth family. Getting to know them.” Carlos said pouring his drink. He walked back over to sit down.

  “What are you getting at Mr. Rivera?” Que wondered.

  Carlos took a sip of his drink and then gently set it down on the table.

  “Que? I’ve known the Jamaican Posse long enough to know…when one of them is in my presence.”

  “Are you accusing me of being a part of Tyson’s crew?”

  “Either you’re one of them…or you are working for them.”
/>   “Why would you accuse me of such a thing? That is ridiculous.”

  “Like I said. You have been very persistent. Is it because you are the only one who can get close to my daughter? Does he want you to get close to her family?”

  “I can assure you Mr. Rivera.” He paused. “I am not a part of the Jamaican Posse.”

  “So then you are working for them?” Carlos took another sip of his liquor.

  “I’m going to deny that as well.” Que told him.

  “Of course you are. That is what you are supposed to do.”

  “Just because I am a Jamaican Mr. Rivera, doesn’t mean that I am one of them. Do you accuse every Jamaican of being a part of the Jamaican Posse?”

  Carlos smirked.

  “Just the same as I accuse every Russian of being part of the Russian Mafia.” He told him.

  “You sound paranoid.” Que tested him.

  “A man in my position has to be very cautious. I have a lot of enemies. Many of whom…want to use my own daughter against me.”

  “I understand…but I am not one of them.” Que tried to convince him but Carlos wasn’t falling for it.

  “You can deny it all you want amigo…but I know that you are connected to them one way or another. And you are trying to weasel your way into my family to keep an eye on my daughter. Whose idea was it to take Nikkya? Was it yours? Or was it theirs?”

  “I have no idea what you are talking about. I would never hurt Zamora.”

  “If the price is right…you can get anyone to do anything. And I think you know who is responsible for the death of her sister.”

  “Now why would you think that I have anything to do with that?” Que was getting irritated.

  “Because I think…that you only came into my daughter’s life before her sister was killed…so that you could gain her trust and get close. I think you know something about Angel’s death. I think you are working for Tyson and I think you just pretended to go off to the bathroom to send him a message.”

  “I don’t have to stay here and take your accusations. You do not know shit about me.”

  “You’re right Que. I don’t know anything about you.” Carlos’s voice was more defensive. “But I do know that you’re trying to play my family. You are playing my daughter. I may not be able to convince her of that and I know that I can’t keep her away from you no matter how hard I try because Zamora does was she wants to do…but if you think for a second that you can play me for a fool, you have another thing coming.”

  “Are we done here?” Que was ready to end it knowing Carlos was on to him.

  “I’m just going to warn you…if my daughter gets taken again by the Jamaican Posse…I am going to be coming for you and you will pay the price. If my daughter dies by them, you will die by me.”

  Que stood up.

  “Anything else?” He asked.

  “Tell my daughter that you have to leave. You have something important to attend to. You are not welcome here anymore. And don’t forget to tell Tyson that…I am on to him. Do not screw with my family. I will take your life.” Carlos warned.

  “Goodbye Mr. Rivera.”

  Carlos held up his drink in the air as if telling him goodbye. Que unlocked the doors before saying one last thing to Carlos.

  “Zamora is going to do what she wants to do Mr. Rivera.”

  “You’ve been warned Que. If anything happens to my daughter by the hands of Tyson…the same will happen to you.”

  “I understand.” Que said before leaving.

  Carlos took another sip of his drink.

  Quickz and Lucky had indeed found one of Tyson’s men but not without difficulty. It took them awhile to find one of them alone. They brought him back to Paco’s main warehouse. He looked to be in his middle twenties. His name was Trevor. Paco chained him up, with his hands above his head. His face was covered with blood and his chest was exposed. Paco had been cutting his chest with his machete.

  “Who killed my guy?” Paco interrogated.

  “I told you man. I don’t know. We didn’t kill him.” Trevor begged.

  “Aren’t you tired of this yet?” Paco asked referring to his machete.

  “I don’t know what you want me to say.” Trevor said. His body was weak.

  Paco cut Trevor’s body again. He screamed.

  “Who did it Trevor?!” Paco shouted.

  “I don’t know man. You’re blaming the wrong people.”

  “Am I?” He paused. “You are the ones who killed 20 of my men.”

  “That wasn’t me.” Trevor cried out.

  “You follow Tyson. Anything he does falls back on you.” Paco told him.

  “What do you want man?”

  “I want you to send a message to your boss.”

  “What do you mean man?” He pleaded.

  Quickz and Lucky released Trevor from his chains and bound his hands behind him. Two of Paco’s other men stacked two tires around his body, placing him in the center.

  “PLEASE!” Trevor begged knowing what was going to happen.

  Lupe held up a camera to record as Quickz soaked Trevor with gasoline.

  “You can’t do this! I didn’t do shit! I’m not responsible for what happened to him!”

  Paco played around with his lighter. He lit a match as Trevor begged again.

  “Audios Amigos.” Paco threw the match onto Trevor setting him on fire watching him burn and scream in agony.

  “Are you really suggesting that Que is one of Tyson’s men?” Zamora asked her father in a rage.

  “How long have you known him Zamora?”

  “That doesn’t make sense. I knew him before the Jamaicans even came here.”

  “That’s because he wanted to get to know you and gain your trust.”

  “I don’t believe that.”

  “Come on Zamora. You can’t honestly tell me that you never suspected he could be involved with them somehow.”

  “No father. I haven’t.”

  “How do you think he knew so much about the Jamaican Posse? An outsider couldn’t possibly know that much.”

  They lowered their voices not wanting anyone else to hear.

  “You think just because he’s Jamaican that he’s with them?”

  “I believe my suspicions about him are right.” Carlos said.

  Zamora didn’t want to believe any of it.

  “Well I don’t.”

  “Come on Zamora. How do you think Tyson knew where to find Nikkya at the college? How do you think Tyson knew so many things about you? Things only Que could have told him.”

  “I don’t know father. I’m sure Tyson has ways of figuring out what he wants. I’m sure he could have easily figured that out.” She tried making an excuse.

  “Zamora you don’t see what is right in front of you.”

  “You’re right. I don’t.”

  “Why do you think he was so anxious about meeting us and coming into the home? He wanted to get closer to the family and gain our trust.” He tried to tell her.

  “I don’t know.” She said quickly.

  “I don’t trust him. I don’t want him in our home anymore. He is one of them and knows I know it.”

  Zamora looked at her father with suspicion.

  “Wow. Is that why he left so fast? Did you tell him that?” She wondered.

  Carlos didn’t deny it.

  “He is involved with them Zamora. One way or another.” Carlos paused. “I think he knows something about your sister’s death.”

  Zamora looked at her father like she couldn’t believe the words that he just said.

  “How dare you say that.” She said in disbelief.

  “I think he knows who killed her Zamora.”

  “Why would you ever think that?” She sobbed.

  “It’s obvious to me Zamora. I have known the Jamaican Posse for a long time and I know when one of them is around. They make themselves too obvious.”

  “What does that have to do with my sister?”

 
; “He’s hiding something Zamora and in a way, I think you know it too.”

  Zamora thought to herself.

  “You think he knows something about my sister’s death?”

  “Yes I do. I think he knows who killed her and I think he was the one who had Nikkya kidnapped. I think he gave them her location.”

  “Nikkya said he asked her about the college she went to. She told me he said he was thinking about taking night classes there.”

  “See. That is exactly my point.”

  “I just can’t wrap my head around that. I just cannot believe he would do something like that or that he’s working with them.”

  “I hope that’s true Zamora…for your sake…and his. Be careful what you say to him. Don’t reveal anything he doesn’t need to know. I don’t trust him and neither should you.”

  “How the hell did Carlos suspect that?” Tyson asked Que furiously.

  “He knew the moment he looked at me. He told me if anything happened to his daughter by the hands of you, that the same thing would happen to me.”

  “Did he tell his daughter his suspicions?”

  “He said that he was going to warn her but he knows that Zamora is going to do what she wants to do.”

  “So you are not allowed in the Rivera home anymore, I assume.” Tyson said.

  “That is correct. He didn’t waste any time telling me that.”

  “On the plus side of this, you were able to get inside their home. You know where they live.”

  “It is heavily guarded inside and out. They all keep in close touch of each other. You can’t even get near the front gate without them knowing about it. Carlos Rivera is a very smart man.”

  “I want nothing more than to get rid of every single Rivera in this city. But we still need his daughter to find the man who killed my brother.”

  “Now that we know where they live, we can easily get to her. She leaves on her own all the time.”

  “That is good to know.”

  Marcel interrupted holding something in his hand. A DVD.

  “This was found addressed to you. I’m not sure what it is.” Marcel told him holding up the DVD.

  “Who is it from?” Tyson asked him.

  “I have no idea but your name is on it. “

  “Put it in.” He told him.

  Marcel put the CD into the computer. He played it. It was Trevor’s death. Paco showed himself at the end.

  “You son of a bitch.” Tyson said angered.