Reese grabbed Jamel by the neck with one of his muscular arms, telling him, “Sensitive ass nigga!” He then hugged Jamel. “I’m just fucking with you, baby boy. That’s some for real shit, and I like that. Keep your head on, and make all of us proud.”
Everyone chatted and kicked it. They were eating Miss Joplin’s food and enjoying the party. There was not a care in the world to them, and they all thought that life couldn’t get any better. Slim was standing at the end of the bar sipping his cognac watching the scene unfold and couldn’t imagine anything happening to his family. And that’s what they were, family. He watched as Fight Doctor mingled and seemed to be enjoying himself. He knew of Fight Doctor’s dislike of the game they were all in, but knew Fight Doctor couldn’t deny the love they all had for each other, even though they were doing wrong, and Slim was trying to find a way to right that wrong. Tesha and Chantel were walking around with a tray filled with champagne flutes, serving everyone. Lucky had told them he and Fight Doctor wanted to propose a toast, so they got everything ready.
Lucky got everyone’s attention then said, “I want to thank everyone who has supported Jamel. I asked everyone to let him be so he can train since my friend, Fight Doctor, is going to put him through a rigorous training program that will call for Jamel’s undivided attention. And as you all saw last night, good training is starting to pay off.” The basement erupted with cheers. Lucky quieted them, then gave the floor to Fight Doctor.
“Well, I don’t have much to say but that I’m proud of this young man. Has worked so hard to get to where he is, and Lucky and I wanted to tell you all that he just signed to fight the number two ranked fighter in the world.” The cheers were louder than before. When they quieted, he continued. “I too want to thank you all for keeping Jamel focused, and I, hope that you will continue because this is a family that he needs, and when he wins, you all win.” Fight Doctor took the bottle of water from Jamel’s hand, and on cue, Tesha handed him a glass of champagne. Fight Doctor nodded toward his fighter and said, “Go ahead, you deserve it.”
Noonie yelled, “Cause after tonight it’s back to water, orange juice and Gatorade!”
They all laughed, toasted and enjoyed the moment.
* * *
Liza took a long hot shower and cleaned her vagina as best she could. She had been in an uncompromising situation. If she didn’t have sex with the drug lord, she would have surely been killed. When she signed up for the job, she knew that she would be alone without any help and would have to make decisions to keep herself alive—and tonight she made one. She decided that she’d listen in on LaTanza and Fernando as she dried off and dressed. When she turned on the listening device, she could hear moaning and groaning. The two were having sex, so she stopped listening and fixed herself a drink and sent an email to the FBI. Her supervisor would be pleased with the information she was sending and all she could think about was how she was going to move up in the ranks of the bureau. This was her dream, and she had no problem erasing the sex she’d just had out of her mind, but would remind the kingpin of it when she slapped the cuffs on him.
11
“Don’t get it twisted, baby. Fear has never pumped through these veins.”—SLIM
Slim was sitting in De Cero, a modern day tanqueria on West Randolph Street. It was an upscale Mexican restaurant where ‘fresh’ was the standard. Slim had heard of the restaurant but had never eaten there and when LaTanza suggested to meet there for lunch, he agreed. He and Reese met Chavez and her outside the establishment, and they entered together. Slim and LaTanza were well-dressed in the latest designer fashions. Reese and Chavez weren’t dressed hood, nice jeans and casual shirts were their attire. The four sat. Chavez and Reese ordered Tequila, Slim, water and LaTanza, a pineapple jalapeño margarita. Once the drinks came, they told the waitress they needed a moment before they ordered. Once she left, Slim didn’t waste any time getting to the point.
“What happened to Bone is a shame, and from what I hear your boy had something to do with it.” Slim nodded toward Chavez, and the Mexican’s grin was evil.
Reese could tell by the look in Chavez’s eyes that he was Bone’s killer.
LaTanza said, “You heard? People talk a lot so you shouldn’t listen to everything they say.”
Slim asked, “Is it true?”
Chavez interrupted, “Is it true that civilians are untouchable in this game?” His voice had become harsh.
Slim answered, “That is true. They are to be untouched.”
Reese added, “There are always casualties of war.
Slim wished Reese would have kept that comment to himself because he was sympathetic to Chavez’s babies’ momma getting killed and knew the comment would only infuriate the killer.
Chavez smirked as he glared at Reese while directing his words to Slim. “That is true what your boy here says about casualties of war. I hear you got a new girlfriend that used to live in my part of the city. It would be a shame if she became what you say, Reese, ‘a casualty of war’.”
“I’m going to give you a pass on that indirect threat, but choose your words carefully, partna, when talking to me,” Slim said calm manner but firm voice.
LaTanza interrupted the testosterone-filled conversation saying, “Relax men, we are here about business. Now Slim, I don’t have much time. My daughter has a play that she’s in that I’m not going to miss.” She sipped her drink. “Like I stated to you yesterday, we are willing to pay the share we would owe Dmitri. You give it to him, and we are on our own.”
Before Slim could answer, the waitress arrived with their food. She set the tray down with the assortment of various tacos that were made with fresh ingredients. LaTanza had a chipotle chicken, Chavez, a chorizo potato taco, and Reese, a battered catfish with Mexican slaw taco. Slim touched his food and as soon as the waitress was gone he said, “Well, you need to come with me to meet with Dmitri, that would be the best way to do business.”
She smiled, “Aw, Slim, you need me to hold your hand. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of the Russians?”
“Don’t get it twisted, baby. Fear has never pumped through these veins. There is a correct way of doing business. Besides, we have to iron out what we are going to do about Bone’s share?”
“That’s not my concern,” LaTanza said between bites.”
Slim smiled. He knew LaTanza figured he didn’t know about Reynard and her getting in bed together. Noonie received the information from Boogie last night, and Slim had figured out what was going down. He was having the meet with LaTanza, a standard procedure, and to see how she was going to play it.
Slim said, “It is a concern to both of us since the three of us are in business together.”
“Things change, Slim.”
“Just like that, huh?”
She simply shrugged her shoulders.
Slim smiled, “So, you tell your boy about the card you have been holding for months? He kills Bone and you have the man you want in charge of the BDs so you can pull his strings like a puppet.”
LaTanza wiped her mouth. Sipped her drink then said, “I saw a business opportunity and took it. Slim, I’m not a gangster, and I don’t get into that shit. I’m a businesswoman, and my only concern is what benefits my family. I chose to pull out and have my own connect. You made friends with those Europeans so you deal with it.”
Reese said, “So, is it back to the way it was? Because if it is, once we leave this table—”
Slim raised his hand for Reese to keep quiet.
“I’ll deal with the Russians, and I will contact you for what you owe. How things play out when I meet them, it is what it is. When I walk away from this table, your territories are yours and mine are mine. If your people are in our areas, then it is what it is,” Slim told her as he stood and threw a fifty on the table.
Chavez smiled, “Like the good old days.”
Reese stated, “Gangsta, gangsta homeboy.”
Once back in their car, Slim told Reese that he was going
to have to learn when to talk and when to listen. His point of the meeting was to get them to pay half of Bone’s share, but the gansta talk will cut any civil talk to shreds.
Reese stated that the meeting was pointless, that the Fuentes’ had made up their minds. Slim didn’t say anything. He knew there was a Fuentes who would not be agreeing to this, and he was going to have Lucky pay him a visit to see if he could get some order in his crew and put a leash on his pit bull of a wife.
* * *
Lucky had taken a trip south on Highway 41 to the Terre Haute Federal Penitentiary in Indiana. He and Jamel were led into the visiting room. Lucky told Jamel, “I’m going to get Carlos to put someone else on his visiting form so you won’t have to drive me here.”
“Lucky, I don’t mind. I don’t train with Fight Doctor on Sundays. I run five miles, but I can do that when we get back,” Jamel told him.
“That’s not the point. You coming with me to the penitentiary contradict what I told everyone. This is part of the game, and I don’t need you in it.”
“I got ya, Lucky.”
The guard brought Carlos Fuentes into the visiting room. The khaki prison uniform fit him well. He was on the slim side and in good shape. He smiled when he saw his Lucky. Carlos’ smile was wide, and he gave Lucky a hug stating, “What brings you here unannounced?”
“I’m going to get right to the point because you never know when visits can get cut short,” Lucky replied.
“True, true, what’s on your mind?”
“With all due respect, your crew. Your wife to be exact.”
Lucky paused to study Carlos’ face.
Carlos sighed and ran his fingers through his jet-black wavy hair.
“Lucky, do you know how hard it is to run things from in here?”
“Carlos, it’s hard enough on the outside, so I can’t imagine.”
“You know, Lucky, when you are on the streets and have more money than the next man it usually means that you have more power. That is why people are not happy with sharing.”
Lucky shook his head, “I know that’s right.”
“I wanted my people to make money and get out. The people close to me. My wife meant everything to me. My daughter means everything to me.”
Lucky caught the word meant and noticed he left his wife out at the end of his statement.
“Let me tell you a story, Lucky.”
Carlos began by telling Lucky that he’d found out that LaTanza had his father killed and him imprisoned. At first he didn’t believe it, but then he was given solid proof. For weeks he seethed on the fact that he’d been deceived and he was about to have his wife killed, but in his heart he still loved her, even though that was not enough to keep him from killing her, it was the fact that he didn’t want it to ever be found out by his daughter that he had killed her mother. So he figured he’d deal with her in a different way. Carlos told Lucky that he needed to be careful. With the Fuentes’ joining forces with the BDs, now that Bone was deceased, it would be hard for Slim and him to fight them both. Lucky knew this to be true, but knew his crew was not to be underestimated. Carlos said he was against his crew purchasing their drugs from the kingpin, Chacho, but his crew was Latin and they didn’t like the fact they were purchasing their drugs from Russians, especially with Slim being the contact.
When it was all said and done, Carlos told Lucky that his days were numbered as the head of the family, that if shit got fucked up, he needed to talk to Chavez, that no matter what, he was loyal. That they were like brothers, and nothing, not even all the money in the world, could change that.
The guard came over to them stating that the visit was over.
They stood and Lucky asked, “How did you find out?”
Carlos smiled. “My lawyer and the U.S. Attorney. The feds had my wife’s bodyguard under surveillance. It seems that someone back in New York knew the relatives he used to put a hit on my father. With their surveillance and phone tap, they found out he paid his cousins from the Bronx to do the hit. They also found out he and my wife are sleeping together. Said that she only sleeps with him to manipulate him. But nevertheless, he has betrayed me in the worst way. They both have.”
Lucky gave Carlos a hug. “Be strong, my friend.”
“I will.” He motioned toward Jamel then said, “Helluva fight. May God be with you.”
Jamel said, “Thanks, Mr. Fuentes.”
Carlos told Lucky, “Until the next visit.”
He walked to the guard who escorted him out of the visiting room. As he walked, he thought about the woman he told his wife and Chavez he wanted to help guard her. A woman he told them was his cousin. The feds had all the necessary paperwork, IDs and former address set up for Tonia Silva, whose undercover name is Liza.
* * *
Night had come faster than Slim expected. Fall had a way of doing that. Slim and Reese pulled into the parking lot of Dock’s, a seafood carryout restaurant on 89th Street and the Dan Ryan Expressway. Reese parked the truck next to a custom painted light blue Toyota Rav-4. Elisa exited the truck and got inside Reese’s Tahoe and sat in the seat behind Reese.
“Elisa, my girl, how’s everything?” Slim asked.
In her raspy voice she said, “Everything is everything, Slim. Noonie hit me up. Told me that shit has changed. So we’re not getting that good shit no mo’?” she asked speaking on the high quality drugs they were getting from the Russians.
“We’re still good. That’s what I want to talk to you about. I need you and your girls to step up your game. The streets think y’all independent and I like it that way, but that will bring all types of niggas trying to come at you. If I claim you as a part of our crew, I need to get a better percentage.”
Concerned, she said, “Don’t hurt me too bad, baby. A nigga needs her money, you know how I am.”
“And you know I’m fair. I’m willing to make you a lieutenant. You work for me and answer to Reese, and it will be all good. We all eat, feel me?”
She nodded and her grin showed her excitement. “Fo sho, Slim. We got you, and my girls will get that work off. If there are fiends out there, they will get sold to.”
“Good. Reese will get with you tomorrow. If you need some hardware, let him know because you’re going to need to tool up. We’re no longer at a truce with the Fuentes’ or Reynard’s crew.”
“Yeah, I heard some boys tried to rob Bone and capped his ass.”
Slim didn’t say anything about Elisa having the wrong information on Bone’s death. That was the way the streets were. Easy for the wrong information to get passed down.
“Ahight, Elisa, let me get out of here.”
With that, the dangerous bull dyke was out of the truck and into hers where her main girl was waiting—strapped of course.
Reese pulled up in front of Slim’s condo. Before Slim got out, Reese said, “I’m going to get with Noonie and Shaun. Make rounds and make sure everyone in the crew all the way down to the lowest soldier knows where we stand.”
Slim gave him a pound then headed to his condo. Trish was inside fixing dinner and with all the running around and the stress that was on, he was looking forward to the home cooked meal, relaxing conversation and lovemaking he’d become used to over the months.
* * *
Teresa was pissed. It was the middle of November, and Shaun was still on some bullshit. It was three months ago when she found the long strand of black hair that was either a white girl’s or a Hispanic, but her guess was white from the faint smell of perfume that was on Shaun’s body. It was expensive, no doubt, but nothing she’d ever smelled before.
Teresa felt like a fool. She had been true to Shaun and did anything he asked whether it was some gangster shit in the streets or some freak shit in the bedroom. She was no fool. Born and raised in the projects in Harvey, a city south of Chicago, she learned how to hustle and how to survive, but somewhere down the road she became all in for Shaun and couldn’t stand the way he’d been treating her lately. She knew he
stepped out. It was all in the game and women of dope boys who thought their man didn’t step out were fools, but earlier in the day while Shaun was sleeping, his phone vibrated, and she was waiting. She checked, and it was a text. The second vibrate was a picture and when Teresa put them both together she realized that her man was sleeping with a white woman. A Russian at that. It meant that he’d been mixing business with pleasure, and she was furious. It was one thing to get played, but Teresa was from the hood and to get played by a white girl was simply out of the question.
Teresa gathered herself and picked up her cell. She dialed and within seconds Shaun answered.
“Hello?”
“What’s up baby, what are you doing?” she asked trying her best to sound sexy.
“I’m about to make that move, you know,” he said talking about the kilos he told her he had to take to Tennessee. He’d told her that he was going to make the drive instead of Teresa because he needed to talk to DC personally about moving more weight.
“Are you really?” she asked. He could hear the concern in her voice.
“Everything’s cool. I’ll be back in a couple of days and we can do you. Whatever you want,” he said trying to pacify her.
“Okay. And Shaun, you know I always loved you, bye.”
Teresa ended the call, but Shaun was wrapped up in the piece of ass that was laying next to him that he hadn’t noticed that she said ‘I always loved you’. Teresa cried because she hated what she was about to do, but she felt as if Shaun had brought it upon himself. The thought of her giving him head many nights after he came home claiming to be with his boys, but in all actuality he’d had his dick in the skinny Russian woman.
She read the number that she’d scribbled on the paper and dialed.
When the secretary at the FBI’s Chicago field office answered the phone, she hesitated. She then mustered up the strength and gave the man all the information on the type of vehicle, the plate number and where to find the cocaine. When she hung up the phone, she went to her bedroom, locked the door and picked up the unopened bottle of Ciroc and went to town.
The Corner III (No Way Out) Page 20