Trigger leaned over to give Black a kiss. He turned his head.
“Fine be that way, nobody want to kiss your stinky breath self anyway.”
Black chuckled.
“Your mama breath stink.”
“Bye Black.”
He didn’t respond as she left his bedroom, he heard her make her way down the hall, the door open and close.
Chapter Twelve
Black barely slept after Trigger left, had a lot on his mind. Wanted to get Joanne home, figure out if there was anything valid with Trigger or if he was just passing time dealing with her, then he had to worry about the Parker/Nunez situation. He would definitely have his day cut out for him. By the time he finally fell asleep the sound of a bullhorn sounded waking him from his slumber, it was his alarm clock on his phone. He groggily climbed from bed, grabbed his phone and turned the alarm off. He began his regiment of push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups before he hit the shower. He put on beige silk slacks, beige cashmere V-neck shirt, and matching Salvatore Ferragamo shoes. He checked himself in the mirror, grabbed his Beretta PX4 Storm he placed it underneath his shirt in the small of his back. He left out and headed to the diner on E. 63rd street.
After fighting through traffic to get to his destination he finally made it to the diner, he had been eating there for years his mother used to bring him there. Black parked himself at a table in the back and placed an order. He ordered a hard-boiled egg, grapefruit, and coffee. He picked up a copy of the Tribune someone left on the table read while he waited for his food to arrive. Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman head of the Mexican Cartel Sinloa escaped from a Mexican prison, he checked the stocks, then checked his horoscope he knew it was a silly superstitious thing but he had been checking every day since he was old enough to read the paper. When his food arrived he was on page six another girl was missing from the South Side, he closed the paper and ate. Black had always been a people watcher. Some of the faces he knew, most he didn’t. A salt and pepper couple came in, white guy, black girl looked to be mid 30’s both had on CTA uniforms (Chicago Transit Authority), bus drivers. They sat behind him talking about getting together after work said they would each tell their spouses they were picking up extra shifts. He laughed to himself thinking about the things people said and often times did when they thought no one was watching or listening.
Wind chimes took him out of his analyzing of the human species and their acts of deceitfulness. Pulling his phone from his pocket he looked at the screen, it was a text from Seshat it was the info on Hale Jackson, it was a screenshot of Hale from his Facebook account he was throwing up gang signs in the photo. Black smirked, it was funny how things connected he thought to himself. Wind chimes again, this time it was an address and the message also read no criminal record. He responded thanks. Left the money for the food and a tip on the table, left the restaurant and got in his car headed towards the Dirksen Federal Bldg. on Dearborn Street.
Black prepared himself for traffic, kind of had mixed feelings about going to the States Attorney’s office wasn’t having second thoughts that he quit just didn’t want to answer the same questions over and over again as he passed old colleagues from the office. He told himself he would be in and out. After fighting with traffic he made his way to the parking garage and parked. Before going in he called the new D.A. Veronica Malone and asked her to meet him downstairs. He left the gun in the glove compartment, got out, locked the doors, and made his way inside to meet her. As he walked in she was the first person he laid his eyes on. 5’7, 150 lbs of enticingly firm flesh, mocha colored skin tone, eyes the color of chestnuts, she wore flat dress shoes, and a white jacket and pants suit with thin black pinstripes, hair up in a bun she was as beautiful as she was lethal in a court room. They greeted one another with a hug.
“Don’t have much time, what brings you down Mr. Love?”
“I can’t just check on an old friend?”
Her eyebrow raised as she gave a half smile. Black laughed.
“Well that’s part of the reason I came by.”
She turned and began walking back the way she came from, there was a line of people waiting to get through the metal detectors two cook county deputy sheriffs were checking the people as they entered. One of the officers gave Veronica a head nod as she walked around the metal detector.
“He’s with me.”
She said as Black followed her as she led the way to the elevator.
“What can I do for you Black?”
“I need to look at an old case file.”
“Which one?”
“The Rhodium case.”
“That old thing, what for?”
“Favor for a friend.”
The elevator dinged and they stepped off. She moved quickly down the corridor towards her office Black kept pace.
“A friend huh?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“And I should do this for you because?”
“I have a great smile and winning personality.”
Veronica made the sound of a game show buzzer.
“Nope wrong answer.”
“Come on girl, I’ll owe you one.”
“You once had a promising career in this office as a prominent district attorney, you threw that all away what can you do for me?”
“Attorney or no attorney I’m still the man I was when I was working here and this is still Chicago, you’ll need something someday that only I can get for you.”
She stopped walking, turned and faced him.
“Whatever you’re getting into Black be careful.”
“What made you say that mother?”
“I wasn’t on the case but I’m familiar with it, Crape Nunez’s crew still hold weight on the South Side and gaining ground on the West Side if you’re asking about this case you might be opening yourself up to more than what you were looking for.”
“Are you going help me or what?”
“I’ll have one of the paralegals look it up and print it for you, don’t forget you owe me one.”
Black held his hands together as if he were praying and bowed.
“Thank you madam.”
She turned and continued on her way, Black stood watching as her hips swayed from side to side.
Chapter Thirteen
Back in his car he rode with one hand on the steering wheel the other trying to flip through the pages in the file on his lap that Veronica gave him. The lead investigator on the case was Special Detective Pat Bosselait, head of Major Crimes. He does see that part of what Parker said was true, he had been busted by Bosselait and his unit but he also saw that an informant had been used to locate some of the missing Rhodium and resulted in the arrest of one of Nunez crew. He put the file on the passenger seat picked up his phone and dialed Seshat she answered on the first ring.
“You summoned?”
“Yes all great and knowing one.”
“How may I serve you?”
“I need a number on Crape Nunez runs a crew on the South Side.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks.”
The call ended. Next he dialed Detective Edwards, the phone rang several times before going to voice mail. Black hung up and called back, this time it was answered on the first ring.
“What?!”
Edwards yelled through the phone. It took everything in Black not to hang up, he understood he was a powder keg about to erupt dealing with the fact that he may never see his daughter again but the disrespect was taking its toll. Black took a deep breath and spoke.
“Need a favor, need you to put me in touch with a Special Detective Bosselait head of major crimes.”
“Thought I told you, you were off the case.”
“You can’t fire me, you aren’t paying me.”
“I don’t want you working it, I find you anywhere near this case or my family, I’m going to…”
“Yeah I know, have me arrested.”
“I’m sure we’ll get our day to finish what you started detective but it won’t be over this. I am going to find your daughter rather you like it or not getting her home is more important to me than your bruised ego. Now if you do me this favor or not is on you.”
Detective Edwards became silent.
“Hello.”
Black said through the phone now becoming annoyed.
“I’ll see what I can do give me 10 minutes.”
The call ended. Black tossed the phone on the passenger seat on top of the files then made a left onto S. Wells St, drove for almost a mile then turned right onto I-290 W/Eisenhower express way drove until he reached I-90 E/I-94 E/Dan Ryan express way S toward Indiana and merged there stayed on Dan Ryan until he reached Garfield Blvd, he took the I-90 exit then merged onto Dan Ryan S. took the exit to 63rd St. merged on to Yale took a right to W. 63rd, took another right to S. Steward and began to drive at a lethargic pace. He knew who he was looking for and knew it would only be a matter of time before he showed his face. Black saw a group of guys congregating on the corner near a corner store. He reached into his glove compartment and retrieved his pistol. He placed it on his lap and covered it with his shirt. He then pulled up on the group of young men. Three of the four had dreadlocks, the fourth had a high top fade a retro throw back hair cut from the late 80’s early 90’s Black smiled, thinking Pops was right, nothing is new under the sun that’s what he would often tell him growing up. He pulled up and stopped, slowly rolled down his window the boys all turned and looked at him skeptically. No one said a word, the scene was tense. Black not seeing who he was looking for turned the corner and kept driving. He continued this until he became bored. He found a good spot near the address Seshat provided, parked and waited. Black laughed, thinking about all of the mystery television shows he watched from Matlock and Murder She Wrote to Bosch and Luther he was now living the cliché they always referenced to in all of these shows, waiting. The detective game would be a huge percentage of waiting so he settled in and waited. He would show his face sooner or later. Turned the radio on to 107.5 – WGCI, Mark Ronson’s and Bruno Mars hit song Uptown Funk was playing, Black liked the song, sounded like a homage to Morris Day and The Time and what they did when they were on top. Three more songs played, then wind chimes Black picked up his phone from the passenger seat a text message from Edwards, an address to where to meet Bosselait an address on the North Side Black put the phone back down, looked up the person he was waiting to question finally showed up. He placed the pistol in the front of his pants and covered it with his shirt. Opened his glove compartment grabbed a can of mace and a pair of brass knuckles got out of the car closed the door and quickly approached the person he was there to see. As he got nearer he placed the brass knuckles on his right hand and cuffed the container of mace with his right so that the guys he was approaching couldn’t see it. Hale Jackson had his back to him talking to his small entourage. It was a total of three guys, Hale included all taller and bigger than Black who is only 5’3, 150 lbs all of the guys are 5’7 and up 200 lbs or more.
“Mr. Jackson, I have a few questions I need for you to answer for me.”
Black says just as he is upon the trio.
Hale turned to see who called his name out.
“Not yo ass again, I told you Joe, I ain’t answering no questions about nothing.”
“Who this Moe?”
One of the dread heads asked gritting a mouthful of gold fronts. Black stood with his back against a truck, eyes still focused on Hale.
“This that old head nigga I told y’all about from over Cheryl crib.”
Black ignored the gold mouth stare down.
“When I was asking about Joanne missing why didn’t you tell me that you had gotten her pregnant?”
Gold mouth looked to Hale.
“You having a lil shawty moe?”
Hale’s eye brows rose his lips clenched together.
“That bitch lying that wasn’t my seed, she probably wasn’t even pregnant.”
Eyes still focused on Hale, Black spoke.
“Look fellas, let me and Mr. Jackson have a few minutes we need to discuss some things . . . privately.”
“I ain’t tell you again, ain’t nothing to discuss, best you be moving around.”
Black access the situation: Hale was doing the majority of the talking, but he wasn’t the ring leader. It was gold mouth, Hale and the silent one were followers of the three. He watched their eyes, silent kept looking to gold mouth on when to move but Black sensed he didn’t want it to go there he looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but there. Hale was frigidity, not in attack mode more in hoping to talk his way out of a fight. Gold mouth was the only one itching to fight, he had his fists balled all most as soon as Black had come over, he would have to go down first and go down hard. With his back still to the truck Black stood eye to eye with Hale, flanked on both sides by silent and gold mouth. The group stood silent, the three boys all looked at each other that was the moment of hesitation that Black needed. He sprayed the group with mace making sure that gold mouth got the bulk of the spray, he then dropped the can, grabbed gold mouth by the back of his head getting a handful of his dreads and brought down a fierce right cross with the brass knuckles to his mouth he felt the brass knuckles connect with the gold fronts his face became a black paint pallet colored with his blood, he shrieked as Black threw 2 more blows to his face hitting him again in his mouth removing any teeth he may have missed the first time and the other blow cracking his nose, more blood to the face, more shrieking he grasped at Blacks arm trying to pry loose, Black yanked his head back by his hair and punched him in the chest, he fell back gripping his chest, gasping for air, Hale stood paralyzed with fear as silent ran away trying to get the mace out of his eyes. In that second moment of hesitation, Black pulled his gun and pointed it at Hale.
“Don’t move.”
He aimed the gun at gold mouth.
“You had enough?”
Still trying to catch his breath, he nodded yes.
“Get out of here.”
Gold mouth scooted back a few feet then managed to get to his feet and trotted off in a slow jog in the opposite direction. Black pointed the gun back at Hale, he motioned towards the curb with the gun.
“Sit down.”
Hale did as he was told.
Black held the gun loosely at his side as he stood over Hale.
“Now tell me your side of the story about Joanne and her pregnancy and don’t lie, cause I’ll find out and I’ll come back to see you.”
“Mind if I smoke?”
“Yes, I do mind, answer the question so we can both get on with our day.”
“You ain’t have to do all that shit Joe.”
“I’m not going ask you again Mr. Jackson.”
“Look Joanne told me she was pregnant, I said it wasn’t mine that was that.”
Black didn’t say anything he placed the gun back into the front of his pants and covered it with his shirt. He ran the index finger of his left hand across the bloody brass knuckles. Hale swallowed as he watched the actions. He shook his head defeated. He continued.
“I said it wasn’t mine, she start lying talking bout I’m the only one she ever been with blah, blah, blah, you know how these hoes is mane ery body run threw em specaially in Englewood.”
“What her father say?”
“Fuck that nigga.”
“Spit it out Mr. Jackson.”
“That nigga just as crazy as you, he come telling me I’m going man up, I’m going take care of this baby, pull my pants up, get my hair cut, get a job and provide rather I want to or not.”
“That all?”
“Nall, I tell that old ass nigga, I ain’t taking care of shit that ain’t mine, this nigga flips out put his banger in my mouth told me he was going blow out the back of my head Joe, old nigga was going probably get away with it too you know the police be wetting
niggas up daily out here Joe.”
“Cheryl, told me Joanne came to school with bruises, you did that?”
“Nall, I aint never put my hands on no female straight up on my mama.”
“What about the abortion, and don’t tell me you didn’t know.”
“I wasn’t paying for that shit, moms told me let her have the baby and we would get a blood test when it got here. That abortion shit was all her pops nem.”
Black knew it wouldn’t be long before one of the two boys returned either with reinforcements or with guns of their own, or worst the police might decide to do their jobs. He walked away, leaving Hale sitting on the curb, he got into his car and pulled away. He knew that Hale had more to his story but getting it out of him would take more than a beat down.
Chapter Fourteen
On route to his next destination he rode in silence as the wind chimes began coming in again they came in back to back he didn’t bother looking at them as he turned left on 63rd then made another left on S. Wentworth got on 94 W drove until he reached the Ohio exit and took that to State St. then a right onto Superior he pulled in front of where the address should have been, only there was no building, only a vacant lot. A homeless man stood in front of a shopping cart talking to himself looked to be off his meds. Black rolled the passenger side window down and yelled out.
“Aye, my man.”
“He’s a friendly, I repeat he’s a friendly.”
Poor guy, Black thought sick bastard still thinks he’s over in Afghanistan. He knew whatever he asked him his question would more than likely go unanswered but figured he would give it a shot anyway.
“Aye buddy, I’m trying to find this address you know where.”
The vagrant cut him off. He nodded across the street. Black turned his head and saw a Com-Ed electric truck. He looked back to the man who had begun walking away again mumbling to himself. Down the block sat a Chinese restaurant. He turned the engine off got out of the car and crossed the street. He looked up the street, a man stood wearing brown khakis, a Com-Ed shirt, hard hat and holding a clipboard stood talking to a similar dressed man who appeared to be on the back of the bucket truck fixing overhead wires. Black looked back to the truck, it looked odd the truck looked legit except for the tinted windows, he couldn’t see inside the truck. He walked around to the back of the truck and was about to knock when the back door suddenly opened and he was ushered inside.
Cannibal in the City (Black Love Book 2) Page 5