by Glenn, Roy
"I’m not sayin that either of you are wrong, in fact, I agree with you. We don’t need to live like this, but we can’t just walk away. Not from this. Sure we can let D-Train have the houses and Diego can do whatever he’s up to. But we can’t just walk away from the DEA. If we do nothing they’ll still come."
"But if we’re not involved in anything what will they have?" Wanda asked.
"We’re not involved in anything now and here they are. No, Wanda, we got to get the DEA off us."
Chapter Thirty-four
Nick banged on the door to Freeze’s apartment for a good while before he opened the door. "Knew it was you, Nick," he said.
"I thought you were ‘sleep," Nick said and walked in the apartment.
"Nope. But I’m glad you’re here. Now you can ride with me."
"Where we goin’?"
"We gonna knock on a few doors, ask a few questions, maybe kill a muthafucka or two.
"What’s up?"
"Black wanted me to wait for him or Bobby before I go ride on the muthafucka that killed Paulleen, but he’s still looking for Shy and Bobby’s ass is nowhere to be found."
"Fuck that," Nick said. "This is the way it should be. Me and you, like old times. Ride or die, right," Nick said and held out his hand.
Freeze grabbed his hand hard and shook it. "Glad to have you back, Nick," he said as the two walked out to the car. Once they were on their way, Nick’s cell phone rang. "Hello," he answered.
"Hello, Nick, this is Wanda. How are you?"
"I’m fine, Wanda. What about you? Are you havin’ a good day?" Nick asked.
"So far so good. What are you doing?"
Nick glanced over at Freeze as he drove, nodding his head to the beat. "I’m ridin’ with Freeze."
"Oh," Wanda said. "Well, I’m not going to keep you. I have two things to tell you."
"What’s that?"
"I was able to confirm that there is an ongoing operation, but I wasn’t able to get a feel for the scope of it."
"Did you tell Black?"
"Yes."
"What did he say?"
"He said, that’s nice, Wanda, I’ll talk to you later."
Nick laughed a little. "Okay, what’s the second?"
"Our friend Martin Marshall is having a black tie affair at his house tomorrow night. Glynnis says she can get us invitations. You interested?"
"Of course," Nick said and then he thought about it. He started to ask if this was a date, but he looked at Freeze and decided against it. "See if you can get another invite."
"Who are you talking about bringing? Not Freeze I hope."
"No. if she’s up to it, I’d like Monika to come with us," Nick said and thought he heard Wanda sucking her teeth, but chose not to mention it.
"I’ll see what I can do," Wanda said and was about to hang up the phone.
"Make that happen, Wanda. Her being there is important to what I need to do."
"I’ll get it done, Nick. No problem."
Nick hung up the phone. Freeze looked at Nick. "I don’t mean to get in your business, Nick, but what’s up with you and Wanda?"
"What do you mean?"
Freeze laughed. "Okay, that’s how you wanna carry me after all that ride or die shit."
"I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about. There’s nothin’ goin’ on between me and Wanda."
"You forget who you was talkin’ to, nigga? You may be able to run some of that weak shit past Bobby or whatever, but I know better. I know you."
"You know better, huh?"
"Yeah, I know. So you can tell Black and them whatever you want to, but you and I know what’s goin’ on," Freeze said smiling as he drove.
"Why don’t you tell me what’s goin’ on with me and Wanda?"
"You fuckin’ her. And if you ain’t, you gonna."
"How you know all this?"
"I was watchin’ the two of you last night."
"What were we doin’?"
"Nick, where were we last night?"
"Cityscape."
"And what is Cityscape?"
"It’s a tittie bar."
"Exactly. You sittin’ in a room full of naked woman, I mean titties everywhere, and what you doin’, huh?"
"What was I doin’?"
"You were all up in Wanda’s face, and she’s all up in yours. Gigglin’. Fuckin’ Wanda was all up in your grill, gigglin’ her ass off. I ain’t never seen Wanda all bouncy and gigglin’ the whole time I known her."
"That don’t mean nothing. I was watchin’ the dancers too," Nick offered meekly.
"Yeah, whatever kid, sure you were. But I ain’t mad at you at all. Wanda’s a fine muthafucka, somebody need to bust that body. It might even chill her ass out if she start gettin’ some dick on the regular."
"You think so?"
"Yeah. So I ain’t mad at you at all, Nick."
"Then why you fuckin’ with me?" Nick asked and looked out of the window. If he wanted to be honest with himself, he was really starting to feel Wanda. And for maybe the first time in his life he was intimidated by a woman. Wanda was a strong willed woman, and powerful. That’s what turned him on. He’d been tempted to ask her out and probably would have at Cityscape, but Sal Terrico came into the club.
Nick’s plan for the day was to drop by and invite Wanda to join him at this little Mediterranean joint he’d been eyeing. He’d been looking forward to it all day, but for some reason he decided to check on Freeze first. You know, be there for a brother who just lost his woman. But when you really sit and think about it, that’s exactly what I’m doin’. Freeze ain’t the type of guy that was gonna be sittin’ around depressed and feelin’ sorry for himself. Paulleen’s funeral would be in a day or two and her killer had to be dead before she could rest in peace.
Freeze had just turned down Willett avenue when he saw it. "There it is, Nick. Beat to shit 73 Chevy Nova." Freeze got out of his truck and put his hand on the hood of the car. "It’s still warm." One of his snitches told Freeze that the man that killed Paulleen name was Paul Clay and where he lived.
While Nick approached the house cautiously, Freeze walked boldly to the front door and beat on it like he was the police.
The door swung open. "What is it now?" the man said angrily. "Who the fuck are you?" he asked when he realized that it wasn’t the police.
"You Paul Clay?"
"Who the fuck are you?"
Freeze looked at Nick and shoved the man inside the house and he fell to the floor. Both Freeze and Nick had their guns drawn and pointed at the man. "You Paul Clay?" Freeze asked again.
"No. I’m his brother," he said and tried to inch away from Freeze and Nick.
"Where is he?"
"He’s dead."
"Who killed him?" Freeze demanded to know.
"I don’t know. The last time I saw him he told me some shit about how he may die for love, next day he was dead."
Freeze dropped his head and turned away.
"What did he mean by that?" Nick asked.
"He was fuckin’ around with somebody woman. I guess the guy got Paul first."
Nick watched Freeze walk out of the house. "Sorry to bother you," he said and followed Freeze to his truck.
Once they were in the truck and had driven away, Nick turned to Freeze. "You already knew about Paulleen, didn’t you?"
Freeze nodded his head.
"It wasn’t the first time either, was it?"
Freeze shook his head.
"So if you didn’t kill him, who did?"
"I don’t know, Nick," Freeze said quietly.
"What were you expecting to find here?"
"What you mean?"
"I mean, we know that the guy was tryin’ to shoot you and shot Paulleen. Do you think this guy was tryin’ to kill you over her or was he a soldier for your boy Curl?"
Freeze banged the steering wheel. "I don’t know, Nick. Just shut the fuck up and let me think for a minute, okay!"
"Lighten up, man. This me and
you, and that’s where this stays, me and you. Nobody has to know."
For the next few blocks they drove in silence. "You ever know something, but it’s still hard to hear."
"Yeah." Was all Nick could say. "Yeah, I know what you mean."
"But you know what Nick? I ain’t got time for that shit now. We got work to do."
"That’s what I’m sayin’. So you think this nigga was one of your boy’s soldiers?"
"Not that it matters, cause I was fuckin’ everybody too, but she was fuckin’ everybody. I really needed to be done with her ass a long time ago."
"Why didn’t you?"
"I ain’t even gonna front. Pussy was all that, Nick. She just liked to fuck all the damn time. Her ass get mad, damn near ignorant when she don’t get no dick."
"I know what that’s like," Nick said and thought about Camille.
Freeze started to laugh as he thought about Camille too. "Yeah, I guess you do."
Nick laughed.
"But you see Nick, that’s how things turn around. Now it’s Bobby that’s losin’ his mind over some little trick."
"Yeah, what’s up with that?"
"Bobby ran up on a little dancer who got him pussy whipped, that’s all. Why you wanna meet her?"
"Oh hell no. I don’t need to get nowhere near anybody Bobby fuckin’ with no more in life."
"I’m just fuckin’ wit’ you Nick. That bitch crazy anyway. I hate I introduced him to her."
"Anyway," Nick said trying to end the discussion. "What you gonna do now?"
"I know you got a date with Wanda and shit."
"It’s not a date," Nick interrupted quickly.
"Whatever, Nick. So I’m gonna roll you back to your car."
"What you gonna do?"
"I’m gonna find out if that nigga worked for Curl."
"And if he did?"
"I’m gonna wait for you or Black or Bobby before I go kill him."
Chapter Thirty-five
Bobby parked his car across the street from Angelo’s and he and Mike when inside. Diego finally called and was ready to meet. As always they were met by Jimmy who escorted them to a private room just off the bar area. Inside the room was a table and five chairs.
Once they had made themselves comfortable Angelo came into the room with a bottle and three glasses. "Mike, Bobby, how’s everybody doin’?" he said and took a seat at the head of the table. "As you can see, Diego is even later than you are."
"Diego had Shy all along. That shit with Nick was just a cover," Mike told Angelo.
"You’re fuckin’ kiddin’ me," Angelo said and poured himself a drink.
"We caught up with Sal Terrico last night. Diego told him to bring her here."
Bobby took the bottle from Angelo. He poured himself a drink and one for Mike. "How you wanna play this, Mike?" he asked.
"I’m not gonna let on that I know he has her. Let him lay it out anyway he wants —." Mike was interrupted by a knock at the door.
"Come on," Angelo yelled.
Jimmy opened the door and showed Diego Estabon into the room. "Get two more glasses, Jimmy," he said as Diego walked toward him followed by another man. "Diego, how are you," Angelo said as the two men embraced.
"Very well, thank you, Angelo." Diego turned to Mike. "Mike Black, my old friend, it has been too long. You must come to Lima someday soon and let me show you how we live."
Mike stood up and embraced Diego. "Like the king that you are Diego, my friend."
Bobby shook his head in disgust and offered a hand. "How you doin’ Diego?"
"Like Mike said, like a king, Bobby," Diego said and tightened his grip. "Like a king."
Once everyone had taken a seat Angelo asked, "So tell me Diego, what can I do for you today?"
Diego paused and looked at Angelo. "For me, nothing." Diego turned to Mike. "Today there is something that I can do for you, Black."
"You have my undivided attention," Mike said trying to sound as gracious as he could.
"I heard about that unfortunate business that went on in your club."
"Bad news travels fast," Mike said and leaned forward.
"A man in my position, I hear things, things that only men like us are in a position to do something about. This is what I have done for you, my friend. When it came to my attention that your wife was taken, I took steps to intervene on your behalf."
"So what are you sayin’, Diego?" Angelo asked. "Are you sayin’ that you got Shy?"
"I was able to use my influence to assure her abductor that our business is not your business and that despite appearances to the contrary they have nothing to fear from you. They have assured me that your wife has not been harmed and she will be released."
"When?" was Mike’s single word question.
"Tonight at Penn Station." Diego looked at his watch. "At ten o’clock, which is in thirty minutes."
"Bobby."
Bobby took out his cell phone and called Freeze to have somebody get down to Penn station as soon as possible. Mike’s eyes narrowed as he continued to stare at Diego.
"I am sorry about the short notice, my friend."
"Yeah, I was just about to mention that," Angelo interjected. "You coulda told me and he coulda had somebody there to meet her."
"This is true. Somebody could have met the woman and perhaps kill them in retaliation. I’m sure her abductor considered that possibility very carefully when he negotiated that point." Diego turned to Mike. "What can be done to make this right?"
"What about her abductor?" Mike asked knowing that he’d already killed Sal and Julio.
"You have my word that they will be dealt with once her safe return has been established."
"Turn them over to me," Mike demanded.
"If I were to do that, would you kill them?"
"Yes, Diego, I will kill him, and anyone I find who was involved in it."
"Why when your wife is unharmed and to my knowledge been well treated?" Diego asked.
"He’s got a point, Mike," Angelo had to agree.
"Okay, Angelo," Mike said. "I’m a reasonable man, and I want to take care of this in a reasonable manner. I’m sure that you understand my anger and my desire for revenge, but out of respect for you Angelo," Mike paused long enough to make his point. "I will not seek retribution in this matter of disrespect."
"I am very glad to hear that," Diego said and got to his feet quickly. "Now that the matter is dispensed with I have some business that I must attend to. Please let me know if things do not happen in the manner that we have discussed," he said as he walked to the door then he stopped. "And please let me know if there is ever anything that I can do for you." And with that Diego Estabon closed the door and was gone.
"Can you get somebody to follow him, Angee?"
"I’m on it," Angelo said and left the room.
"What you gonna do now?" Bobby asked as he and Mike got up from the table.
"I’m going to make sure that Cassandra is safe, then I’m gonna kill him and anyone I find who was involved in it."
"You just told Diego that you wouldn’t do that," Bobby said and laughed.
"Fuck Diego."
Chapter Thirty-six
Shy lay across her bed and watched Law and Order on television. She’d never seen it before and was actually pretty surprised at how much she was enjoying it.
She heard keys in the lock and got off the bed. The door opened and as usual, the same two men walked in. One threw Shy a hood. "Put that on and then hold your hands out in front of you. Were goin’."
Shy quietly complied with their orders and her hands were quickly tied in front of her. They led her out of the room and down the stairs. On the way down, Shy prepared herself for another ride in the trunk.
It wasn’t all that bad once you get past the idea of it, Shy thought.
So naturally she was pleasantly surprised when she heard the words, "You’re gettin’ in the car, so watch your head," one of the men said as he gently pushed Shy’s head down.
<
br /> As the car drove, Shy gave some thought to where she was goin’ and what she could expect when she got there. Suddenly the car stopped. "Hold out your hands."
Shy held out her hands and could feel him tugging on the rope. Next Shy felt the man reach across her and heard the door open. "Get out," he said and give Shy a push. She stumbled out of the car and quickly pulled off her hood in time to see a taxi cab speed away and get lost in a sea of taxi cabs. It didn’t matter, she was free.
Shy looked around to see where she was and a smile came across her face when she realized that she was standing outside Penn Station. She was home. Shy very happily began to walk down 34th street toward seventh ave, but stopped in her tracks when she saw two cops standing on the corner. At that moment she got very paranoid when she thought about the fact that she had a warrant.
Slowly she came to the conclusion that she wasn’t on America’s Most Wanted list and every cop in New York wasn’t out looking for her, so she calmed down a little. Her next thought was what she was going to do. There was no way for her to know if anybody knew that she was free, much less coming to pick her up.
Okay, you wanted to be back in New York, big girl, so what now?
Shy knew that the first thing that she needed to do was call somebody and let them know that she was all right, but she had no money.
Shy walked down the street looking at the people as they passed until she saw a sympathetic looking woman, sitting on some steps outside Penn
station, who was talking on her cell phone. She walked over and stood near the woman, waiting patiently for the woman to get finished with her call. "Excuse me," Shy said and the woman turned to her. "I don’t mean to bother you, but can I use you cell phone, please? I’m stranded and I need to call somebody to come and get me. I promise I won’t take long."
The woman passed Shy the phone. "Take your time, honey."
Shy thanked the woman and dialed a number. "Cuisine, how may I direct your call?" the receptionist asked.
"May I speak to Mike Black, please?"
"Mr. Black is not in. Can somebody else help you?"
"What about Bobby Ray?"
"Mr. Ray is not in either."
"This is Cassandra Black, is Freeze or Wanda there?"