Nunez ignored her, Black nodded.
The two nude women looked up at the two men, lowered their shades to get a better look at Black, replaced their glasses and continued sun bathing without saying a word. These two were both Black women. Black looked up at the balcony there was an armed man there and he looked across the landscape an armed man with a sniper rifle on the roof. Black could see across the pool a guest house in the distance. He walked along the patio until he reached a garage. Nunez silently followed, once again on cue the double doors slid open and standing on the other side was the guard wearing the champagne colored polo shirt. Black wasn't much of a car man but he had to admit that he was impressed for a mile and half there were nothing but cars, motorcycles, trucks, and ATV’s all years, models, and colors. Black looked back to Nunez.
“Impressive.”
“Just my toys.”
Black turned and looked back at the women.
“I see you have many toys a man can come to enjoy.”
Nunez laughed deep and hard. We’re brothers, just like when we we’re kids my toys are your toys play with them at any time.”
Black eyed the French woman swimming laps.
“I’ll take you up on that one of these days brother.”
“Of course, shall we then?”
Nunez gestured towards the entrance they exited from and led the way back inside, down a hall past several rooms with closed doors, more art decorated the walls this time more Afro-centric mosaic décor paintings of naked Black men and women embracing donning Afro’s and golden ankhs. They entered another room that was more subtle with colors of white and gold, with portraits of his children when they were toddlers and as adults. Black noticed that Nunez had no pictures of himself on the walls. Cocaine white sectional sat in the room with a fire place and a bar, bookshelves encased all of the walls in the room, Black resisted the urge to stop and browse the collection of titles. Sitting in a reclining cocaine white chair was another woman wearing a white halter top, white short shorts, and flip-flops she wore her long black curly hair loosely, she was of a petite nature her face carried the features of an Aztec goddess, she looked up from her book, winked at Nunez and blew him a kiss.
“What are you reading?”
Nunez asked as he paused to admire her slim frame.
“Medea.”
She spoke with a strong Hispanic accent.
“Madea.” Nunez repeated. “A Tyler Perry book?”
She laughed.
“No silly, Medea, it’s a Greek tragedy by Euridides, really Crape you have all of these books you should take the time to read them.”
“I read.”
“I know, I know, The Art of War and 48 Laws of Power there’s more to life than the art of manipulation papi.”
“Perhaps I will find out in another life, in this one I will stick to what I know.”
She waved him off and continued reading her book. He pressed a button underneath the third row of the bookshelf and a door opened Nunez stood to the side allowing Black to enter once inside Nunez followed and the hidden door closed. Inside the room it was modest looking, nothing like the rest of the home there was a round table with four chairs, a couch, a television set and a set of surveillance monitors mounted to the wall. Nunez motioned for Black to sit, he did and Nunez sat across from him. Black looked at the monitors and saw every part of the house he had visited and parts that he hadn’t including the front gate where the silver haired security guard had let him in.
“So my friend, what did you want to talk to me about?”
Chapter Seventeen
The maid/cook had returned with the ice cold beers and the steaming hot chimichangas, beans, and rice. Black cracked his beer and took a swallow.
“I’m here about Parker.”
“I figured as much.”
“You did?”
“You’re not with the D.A.’s office anymore and I don’t hear from you for ten years, right around the time Parker gets out is no coincidence.”
Black cut a piece of the chimichanga with his spoon and stuffed the food into his mouth.
“No, it’s not.”
“Spit it out bruh, what you want to know?”
“Parker came to see me, said it’s out on the street he dimed on one of your lieutenants.”
“And?”
Nunez asked as he guzzled his beer and popped the cap on another.
“Is it true?”
“That’s what the streets are saying.”
“I’m asking you, what are you saying?”
“I’m saying Parker is my brother same as you, and he should leave Chicago.” Nunez sat his beer down and placed his hand on his chest covering his heart. “And I say this as a brother.”
Black shook his head, scooping beans and rice onto his spoon and shoveled it into his mouth.
“It’s not sitting right with me.”
“How so?”
Black swallowed his food, took another swig from the bottle of beer and burped.
“Why would he do a ten piece then turn around and turn states? Why not get a deal from the get go and do no time?”
“Who knows why men do what they do Black? Why did you turn down my offer to be a part of all of this and go the so called straight and narrow?”
Black laughed.
“So called huh?”
Nunez smiled.
“You know perhaps better than me, you’ve been on both sides of the law this road of life has many dips and narrow roads. . .potholes and dead ends nothing is straight and narrow.”
Black opened another beer and took a swig.
“True dat, but you know you and Parker both put me in the middle of a difficult situation.”
“How so?”
“Having to decide which of my brothers not keeping it 100 with me.”
“Sucks to be you.”
Black laughed.
“Let’s say I entertain the idea that Parker is the one that’s lying and he did turn states evidence can’t you call off the goons?”
“On my end yes, even at the risk of looking weak in the streets I can guarantee that none of my guys will touch him but I can’t say the same for my lieutenants who got locked up his family I guarantee will not give Parker a pass and who am I to issue a judgement against them for avenging their loved one being taken away from the streets? No my brother I will not do that, not even for you.”
“It’s nothing you can do?”
“My hands are tied, it’s the politics of the game Black.”
The hidden door opened and the little old woman appeared carrying another tray of chimichangas, beans, rice, and beers. The two men put their conversation on pause until she left the room. Black scraped two more chimichangas onto his plate as the door closed. The conversation shifted to sports and then the climate of the political arena in Chicago and the nation after twenty more minutes of eating, drinking, and reminiscing Black stood to leave he reached out and shook Nunez hand.
“Thank you for the hospitality bruh.”
“Man don’t trip you already know.”
They hugged. Black asked.
“Have you at least met with Parker since he’s been home?”
Nunez hunched his shoulders.
“He made it clear before he came home he didn’t want to see me, he didn’t even want his cut of the money that I put away for when he comes home told me he was done with that life and everything that came with it including the money.”
Black’s eyes widened he couldn’t mask the surprise.
“And including you huh?”
“Yeah, it hurts bruh but I respect his wishes but I stand on what I said tell Parker to get out of Chicago I can’t protect him.”
Nunez led the way back to the front door, he shook hands with Black one last time and Black climbed into the passenger seat of the golf cart.
“My man will drive you back down to your car, don’t wait another ten years to call me brother.”
&nb
sp; “I won’t.”
Before his driver got into the driver’s seat Nunez pulled him to the side.
“After you drop him off, put out the word to the youngsters’ ten grand for a hit on Harris and have one of our people make sure that Salvadore gets a care package.”
“Yes sir.”
Chapter Eighteen
Now on the express way headed back to the city Black realized he had spent way more time there than he had planned on, he must not have been able to get reception in the hidden room because as soon as he had stepped outside his phone began chiming back to back with text messages. He didn’t bother to look at them until he was well on his way headed back to his side of town. The first message was from Trigger, it read:
TRIGGER: WYA? LET’S DO LUNCH.
He closed it and went to the next message, it was from Stone:
STONE: WYD?
He closed it and went to the next, a message from Seshat:
SESHAT: KNOW IT’S LATE, BUT CHECK YOUR EMAIL SENT OVER THE POLICE REPORTS YOU ASKED ME FOR, CHEERS.
He looked at his watch and wondered if he had enough time to make it to Joliet Prison and get a visit in with Jesus Salvadore, Nunez lieutenant who Harris supposedly snitched on. He scrolled through his phone until he found Veronica Malone’s name he hit the talk button and waited for it to be answered.
“Malone.”
“Malone, this is Black.”
“What can I do for you Black?”
“I need one more favor Veronica.”
“I’m fresh out of favors Black.”
“Just once more, then I’ll never ask again.”
She laughed.
“You lie, but go ahead.”
“I need you to get me in to see Jesus Salvadore.”
“Not a problem, I’ll make the call you’ll be able to see him any time tomorrow.”
“No, I need to get in tonight.”
“Visiting hours are over, you’re not on his visiting list, you’re not his attorney, and the Warden is more than likely gone for the night.”
“You can do it Veronica.”
She sighed, look negro, learn to ask for reasonable favors, borrow my car, let you hold a few dollars, help move furniture don’t keep asking me this mission impossible might get me canned ass shit.”
“Last time Veronica.”
She signed again.
“I’ll make some calls but whatever I ask, I mean whatever anything other than yes ma’am is unacceptable.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The call ended.
Chapter Nineteen
Black drove the more than hour highway ride to Joliet prison to Jesus Salvatore, he wasn’t sure what he was trying to find out and how it would help Parker but it was worth a shot in the dark the way he figured it was always good to get the story from all parties involved. He spoke with Parker, Bosselait, and Nunez might as well hear his side too. Once in the parking lot he left his gun and phone in the glove compartment and made his way into the facility. The wait was longer than he hoped it would have taken but he was finally led to an empty waiting room. He room was like any other penitentiary visiting room. There were several chairs and a vending machine. He sat and waited, he knew that it was past visiting hours but it been almost forty minutes and Salvatore still had to show up. Just as Black was ready to call it and ask the guard to show him out and cancel the visit the door opened and the guard who showed him in and arrived with two more guards. All three white guys with buzz cuts the kind that they wore in the army.
“Sir, come with us.”
Black stood to his feet.
“What’s this about, where’s Jesus?”
“Sir please, just come with us.”
Black wanted to put up an argument but it was no use, sure he knew he could take the three down, but then where would he go? He was still in the middle of a prison. He kept quiet and followed their lead. He was led through the prison via the employee’s corridors where he was led out of general population into the back offices past several rows of desks, through another door another desk, and into the warden’s office. He was told to sit and wait, the guards left him in the office unsupervised for another 30 minutes he thought to pick up the phone and call Veronica but then thought better of it, whatever was going on he’d have to get himself out of it. Suddenly the door opened and a curly haired, bronzed colored tanned, midget man walked into the room. He was wearing a velour jogging suit and reebok tennis shoes, he had bags underneath his eyes and looked as if prison life was draining away his years as if he had been an inmate himself.
“Please, Mr. Love sit.”
The man whom Black only assumed had to be the warden said more as an order than a request. Again, Black didn’t see be confrontational at this time be advantageous so he sat. The man made his way around the desk and sat.
“You seem to have me at a disadvantage you know my name and I don’t know yours.”
“I’m warden Landen, tell me Mr. Love what business did you have with Mr. Salvatore?”
“I’m sorry warden, what is this concerning?”
“Answer the question counselor.”
People calling him counselor was beginning to irk his nerves he didn’t know if it was an inside joke because he gave up law or what, but it was becoming irritating.
“The name is Black, and he’s an old friend wanted to catch up on old times.”
“Old times huh?”
“Yeah, you know boy scouts and soft ball.”
“You going to answer my questions or am I going to stuff you in one of my cages and forget you were here?”
“Do that if you want to warden but I promise you I will kick your ass before that guard gets in here and give you a reason to put me in one of your cages and as far as forgetting about me negative I made a call to D.A. Malone and a handful of senators I play golf with on occasion they all know I’m here and if they don’t here from me in the next hour you will have a lot of questions of your own that you will have to answer to.”
Black knew that the warden wasn’t bluffing, but the thing was did he know that the Black was bluffing? The warden swiveled in his chair eyeing Black trying to see if he could decipher the truth from his eyes. Black stared back as if it were a game of poker and he held the winning hand. The warden placed his hands flat down on the desk.
“Look Mr. Love there’s no reason we can’t talk like gentlemen.”
“I agree, now tell me why was I held here like a prisoner and how come I never got my visit with Salvatore?”
“That’s why I’m here and wanted to talk with you myself, Mr. Salvatore was killed this evening.”
“What?”
“I just found it too coincidental for him to be murdered at the exact moment that I authorize an after-hours visit.”
“No shit, but I had nothing to do with it. . .well not directly anyway.”
“Indirectly?”
“Perhaps.”
“How so?”
“I’m looking into a thing for a friend of mine who used to be a resident here.”
The warden powered on his computer and began typing.
“Who is this friend?”
“Parker Harris.”
The warden keyed in the name, waited a few seconds and began reading. He looked to Black.
“Says here he was transferred to a half-way house.”
“Yes.”
“So what’s the deal with him and Salvatore?”
“He’s been receiving death threats he thought Salvatore might know something about it so he asked me to look into it.”
“Why would Salvatore want Harris dead?”
Black stood.
“If you don’t mind warden, I’ve already told you more than I should have if there isn’t anything else I’ll be leaving.”
“No Mr. Love, you’ll be having a seat until the authorities arrive and take you in for further questioning.”
“No warden, I don’t think
I will you have no cause to hold me and I only answered those questions as a courtesy. I was locked away in the visiting room when that hit took place and why in the world would I order a hit then come to lock myself in while it was occurring?”
The warden stood and walked around the desk so that he was eye to eye with Black, he had to look up to Black but not by much.
“Look counselor once I let you out my gates I don’t want to see you in here again unless you’re wearing a number.”
Black didn’t respond he opened the door to find a guard standing there.
“Show the counselor out, we’re done here.”
Chapter Twenty
Black was ready to call it a day and go home, it was nearly 10:30 p.m. he had been at it since earlier that morning and felt as he had barely gotten anything done. He left the parking lot and made his way to the express way. Once on the expressway he powered his phone back on and again wind chimes another text message from Trigger and the other a voicemail. He looked at his call log a missed call from his father. He read the message from Trigger:
Trigger: FU to Black, have a good one.
Black ignored the message and keyed in the digits to listen to his voice mail it was his father.
“Get over her as soon as you can son, it’s Parker someone tried to kill him, I calmed him down enough to keep him here but don’t know how long he’ll stay put he’s out for blood.”
Once the message ended Black hit the redial button and called his father, it was answered on the first ring.
“Where the hell you been?”
His father said as soon as it was answered.
“On my way back from Joliet, Parker still there?”
“He’s here.”
“Good, keep him there I’ll be there soon as I can on the e-way now.”
“I’ll keep him here even if I have to bop him upside the head.”
“See you in a minute pops.”
The call ended, Black knew he was getting close to the truth with Parker cause people were getting killed just like the warden he didn’t see it as a coincidence that Salvatore was killed while he waited in the visiting area either. He just wished that things were moving as smoothly with the Edwards case, he knew that Hale was holding out just needed a way to figure it out. He thought about having Trigger tail him and see if that turned up anything. He laughed to himself she is beyond pissed, he knew it looked like he was dodging her and not answering her text messages purposely but thinking about her was a distraction he didn’t need. At least that was his reason before, now he just didn’t want to talk to her more than likely the next conversation if there was one would be an argument. He had to stay focused. He also felt like he needed to relieve some stress. He texted Stone back.
Cannibal in the City (Black Love Book 2) Page 7