Thin Ice 5 - Checkmate

by KR Bankston

  “Sit down and make yourselves comfortable,” Cartier instructed. Ian and Ryan both noticed the bodyguards didn’t venture far from the man at any given time.

  “What exactly do you do,” Ian ventured to ask.

  Cartier again smiled. He loved his son’s doggedness. It was in his blood, he was the same way.

  “Ryan has known about me for some years, you however, are new to the party,” he told Ian as the man sighed softly.

  “OK, but that doesn’t answer my question,” Ian returned as Cartier laughed aloud this time.

  “I want to talk to Ian alone,” he told Ryan, the tone noting it wasn’t a request.

  Rising Ryan followed the bodyguard out and into the screening room where he was given his pick of adult flicks to enjoy and a buxom thick hipped sister to enjoy them with. Ian didn’t flinch as his brother left and his father turned his attention to him solely now.

  “I’m basically just an overseer now,” Cartier told Ian, beginning to answer his question. “But what I did,” he went on. “Was every dirty, fucked up, undercover, illegal piece of bullshit you can imagine,” he told him without emotion.

  “I’ve fucked 14 year olds, sold them on the street, dope, fought dogs, fixed fights and elections,” Cartier told him. “You name it, I probably did it,” he told him looking directly into Ian’s eyes.

  “You didn’t raise your sons,” Ian threw back smartly.

  “No one knew you were my son’s,” Cartier returned just as quickly. “I fucked your mama for five years on the side while she was married to old dude and I had a main bitch in my life,” he told him honestly. “She told him all the kids were his and he believed that. I didn’t find out she’d spent all those years lying until you and Ryan were hustling,” Cartier told Ian. “You two were incredible, reminded me of me and my partner,” he added as Ian again grunted but said nothing else.

  “Anyway, what I want is to set you straight on some shit,” Cartier told him, his breathing becoming slightly labored.

  One of the bodyguards came over and handed him a small oxygen tank. After inhaling for a few moments, he returned his attention to Ian.

  “You’re wasting time chasing an old grudge,” he told him point blank, calling out Tariq and several of his crew by name. “They actually have shit to bury you right now, have you rotting in Leavenworth for the rest of your years,” Cartier continued to explain. “You’ve teamed up with a winner, act like it,” he added, referring to Ray Lockhart.

  “I’m dying, and in six months or less I’ll be a pile of worm shit and a forgotten vapor,” Cartier said plainly, not looking for sympathy. “I have almost 300 million dollars’ worth of shit accumulated, and it’s going to my sons, that is if they are ready to handle it,” he threw out as Ian frowned slightly once more.

  “Ryan, I’m sure of,” Cartier began again. “He’s me at my worst, cold and methodical, calculating and cunning,” he told Ian, the pride showing through. “But you Ian, you are a mirror image,” he told him. “You have also found the missing piece,” Cartier told him giving him a look.

  “She doesn’t seem to think so,” Ian replied, not feeling the need to lie to his father.

  He seemed to know everything about him and his life.

  “She’s afraid, afraid of who she is and afraid of what you bring out in her,” Cartier advised. “Find her, sit her down and take her back over the years, show her who she is Ian, bring out what she is,” he told him, softening his tone slightly.

  “I’m trying,” Ian told him.

  “Try harder,” Cartier said simply, changing the subject and instructing his bodyguard to get Ryan.

  25

  Kaitlyn was careful to stay hidden watching the house and waiting for him to leave. It had taken her three days to finally get here after the girls came down with a virus and she refused to leave them. Kaitlyn heard movement and looked up seeing Tariq’s truck leave the garage and head down the street. Waiting a few minutes more to make sure he didn’t return she carefully made her way to the back of the house, entering through the rear door. She quickly disarmed the security system and walked into the foyer. She did a cursory glance of the mail, the small package catching her attention. Picking it up she noticed it had her name and no return address. Curious she opened it finding the DVD and the note enclosed.

  “Carlita wants to play does she,” Kaitlyn said calmly, smiling slightly as she picked up the cordless and dialed the number.

  “Hi baby,” Carlita greeted, thinking Tariq was calling.

  “Ahh afraid not bitch,” Kaitlyn replied coldly. “But according to this note, you want to see me,” she threw out as Carlita chuckled into the phone.

  “Yeah, I wanna see you to tell you to let the damned man go and stop trying to hold on, when he obviously doesn’t want you,” Carlita spit nastily.

  “So, where you at,” Kaitlyn asked calmly.

  Carlita foolishly gave Kaitlyn her address, even adding she’d been waiting for her.

  “You won’t need to wait long, I’m on my way,” Kaitlyn replied, disconnecting and heading to the bedroom.

  Inside she pulled the case from under the bed where she kept it, opening it and making sure the 10 guns she owned were still in place. Securing the ammunition to load each, she grabbed the silencers from the small box in the closet and headed back out the way she came, careful not to give away any indication of her presence. Making her way back to the rental, Kaitlyn put the address in the GPS and followed the directions, growing colder and angrier with each mile. She thought about Tariq and all the drama they’d been through. She thought about Ian and his trying to take her babies from her. Kaitlyn thought about the nerve of the woman she was headed to see and the games she was playing. This bitch has definitely got me twisted, she continued to brood, following the GPS direction and turning onto the street. The device told her the destination was 200 feet away on her left. Kaitlyn stopped directly in front of the house, putting the two loaded .9mm’s in her pocket, silencers in the other pocket, and exiting the vehicle, walking right up the front door of the townhouse apartment.

  *****

  Tariq was almost beyond himself with worry. He’d sent Shells back to Atlanta, hooking up with four other guys they had in the city and looking for Kaitlyn. He wanted to go but Mook and Shells convinced him to stay put on the off chance she came home. He was sitting in Mook’s driveway now waiting for him. They were headed to Baccheus to meet Ramell and Jacoury. Santana’s condition had been upgraded from critical to serious, but they were told the damage was still extensive. His cell rang and he looked at the ID frowning deeply.

  “Why can’t this bitch catch a clue, fuck,” Tariq groused aloud quickly sending it to voicemail.

  Mook arrived jumping into the truck with him as Tariq waved at Kim, standing at the door. He had a momentary flashback of the image from his sexual encounter with Carlita, quickly dismissing it from his mind when she cheerfully waved back. Backing out, they headed toward their destination talking amongst themselves, when his cell rang again.

  “Fuck,” Tariq swore as Mook glanced and saw the woman’s name.

  “Lemme have your phone,” Mook told him reaching out.

  Tariq handed it to him, allowing him to answer.

  “Yeah, wassup,” Mook threw out coolly.

  “Who is this, I need to speak to Tariq right now,” Carlita told him, her voice high pitched and excited.

  Mook put the phone on speaker and continued to talk to her.

  “Top is busy, what exactly do you need,” he threw at her once again.

  “Tell him to come to my house, now,” she screamed as Mook heard the banging on the door. “Tell him his crazy ass wife is out here banging on my door, and she’s trying to kill me,” Carlita continued to yell.

  Tariq and Mook exchanged glances, before Tariq made a quick U-turn and told her he was on his way.

  “What the fuck,” Mook asked as Tariq shrugged but told him he was glad to know where she was.

 
Now they just had to hope they got there before Kaitlyn got inside and killed the stupid trick.

  *****

  Ian was frustrated. They’d scoured every inch of this city and still he hadn’t found a trace of her. “Where the fuck are you KiKi,” he mumbled angrily as yet another of his soldiers reported finding nothing in the area he searched.

  Ian was running out of options.

  “She couldn’t be that far, she’s got two babies with her,” Ryan reasoned as Ian again nodded his understanding.

  Taking a deep breath his calmed himself. “Let’s ride to Elberton,” he told Ryan explaining the old house there. “I mean if she’s trying to hide, she would do it someplace I would never think to look,” Ian reasoned. “Hell my own house is not someplace I would think to look.”

  Ryan admitted it made sense as they headed out the door and to the rental truck. He called Nikki checking on her as they rode. Ryan vowed not to make the same mistakes he had in his relationships with Jaleesa and Caramel, with Nikki. She answered telling him she was fine and what her day entailed. He loved the independence she had about herself. She wasn’t clingy, but she let him know she needed him and that made it all balance for them.

  “I’ll be home in a few days,” Ryan told her sweetly as Nikki told him that was fine and to be careful.

  Ian’s mind still spun as they rode, thinking over all the things Cartier shared with him. The challenges he issued and wondering how in the world the man knew so much about all their lives. He’d told Ryan he wasn’t upset about him killing Jalen, understanding the necessity of it. He told them both about his assets and where to find the monies he stored. Cartier also shared with them the knowledge of the incriminating evidence that Tariq and his crew held on them. “It’s boring, let it go,” Cartier told both men. “You’ll never love each other, but from what I’ve seen Top and his crew respect the boundaries,” he went on, looking directly at Ian now. “It’s always you Ice who rocks the boat, because you want her, and she’s clinging to him,” he put out calmly. “This time there’s no going back for her,” Cartier told them both. “Those babies link you to her forever, and when you find her, you need to make her understand that,” he finished as Ryan grunted and nodded his understanding and Ian only sighed deeply praying he could do just that.

  Turning onto the winding country road, Ian and Ryan rode in silence each one lost in their own thoughts, praying this hunt would be over soon and everyone involved could return to some semblance of normalcy. The house soon came into view, crushing any hope Ian had of her being there. The fence surrounding it was still locked up tight, the huge padlock rusted with age.

  “Shit,” Ian swore softly as Ryan sighed deeply still racking his own mind for places Kaitlyn could possibly be.

  “Let’s go back to the hotel and try to think so more, maybe look at map or something, shit,” Ryan suggested.

  Ian sighed deeply and agreed with him, exhausted mentally from the effort. As they rode back to Atlanta, his cell vibrated and Ian saw the text message icon. Curious he clicked on it as they sat waiting for the red signal to change to green, reading with interest the message contained.

  “Fuck me,” he said calmly, chuckling lightly.

  Showing the message to Ryan, he had an almost identical reaction.

  “Son of a bitch,” he said aloud as the light changed and they continued to drive.

  *****

  Carlita smiled to herself of the performance she’d just put on. Pulling her hair back and securing it with a rubber band, she headed to the front door and boldly opened it. She wasn’t expecting the straight left hand that connected with her nose and knocked her back into the apartment. Kaitlyn walked in closing the door behind her, kicking the woman still struggling to get up off the floor.

  “Here I am hoe, what’s up,” she asked calmly as Carlita grabbed her side, trying to catch her breath.

  Tariq’s wife was turning out not to be the pushover she imagined.

  “Get the fuck up,” Kaitlyn told her coldly, stepping back and allowing her to do just that.

  Carlita struggled to her feet, finally gaining her balance and wiping her mouth, spitting the blood onto her kitchen floor.

  “I’ve been waiting a long time for this day,” she told the woman angrily.

  Kaitlyn chuckled, further serving to piss Carlita off.

  “Well it’s here,” she told her without fear.

  Just as she opened her mouth to say something else, the front door imploded as Mook kicked it in and he and Tariq came inside.

  “KiKi, what the fuck,” Tariq asked, happy to see her, but confused how she found Carlita or why she was here.

  “Relax Riq,” Kaitlyn told him never taking her eyes off the woman in front of her. “This is family business,” she continued as Carlita’s eyes narrowed. “Ain’t that right, sis,” Kaitlyn spat as both Tariq and Mook gave each other astonished looks.

  “Seems papa Carlo was still a player, even in jail,” Kaitlyn went on, removing the gun from her pocket and putting the silencer on it.

  “KiKi, baby, calm down,” Tariq told her, hearing the change in her voice. She was on auto pilot and that wasn’t a good thing.

  “I’m lost baby,” Tariq tried, hoping to buy some time. “Explain to me what you’re talking about,” he asked again as Mook tried to slip closer to Kaitlyn.

  “Mook, don’t try me, I like you and I won’t kill you,” she told him never taking her gaze from Carlita. “But I will disable you,” she told him as Tariq gave him a look and Mook moved away from her.

  “Carlita here is on a mission,” Kaitlyn explained to them. “Her mother, Meredith, was a guard at Leavenworth where Carlo served his time and died,” she explained calmly. “Seemed Carlo could still talk that talk, and stroke that pussy, when he fucked mommy dearest and got up on miss thang right here,” Kaitlyn threw out nastily.

  Carlita was furious at this point, screaming that she deserved her inheritance. “That slimy bastard made my mama lose her job,” she yelled back as Kaitlyn listened, unmoved. “He disowned me, told my mama she was a whore and I could have been anyone’s baby,” she ranted as Tariq’s head spun.

  Mook was in a state of disbelief himself.

  “We struggled dirt poor with nothing, my mama died from the fuckin’ disease his sick ass gave her, gay bastard,” Carlita screamed.

  Kaitlyn shrugged slightly before speaking again.

  “So that gave you the right to come here and seduce my husband,” she threw back calmly. “What was the plan Carlita, to have him divorce me, marry you, and you have all that money you thought Carlo should have given you, the satisfaction of taking something from me,” she asked as Carlita confirmed that was exactly her plan.

  “Tariq is a good man, he deserves better than a bitch like you,” she yelled once more as Kaitlyn smiled slightly.

  “Now on that much, little sister, we agree,” she said simply. “But I can’t let you hurt Riq like that,” Kaitlyn began anew as Tariq and Mook both got a sinking feeling. “You’re definitely a piece of work, I’ll give you that,” Kaitlyn continued to talk, her voice growing colder.

  “KiKi, don’t kill her,” Tariq pleaded.

  “Are you in love with her,” Kaitlyn asked calmly.

  “No,” he answered back immediately.

  “Then it doesn’t matter,” she replied firing three times in rapid succession dropping Carlita where she stood.

  *****

  Mook told Tariq to take Kaitlyn home; he would clean up the mess. Quickly calling Ramell he began doing just that as she allowed Tariq to drive her back to their home.

  “Where are the girls, KiKi,” he asked calmly after they reached the house and came inside.

  “They’re at home,” she replied evenly. “Riq, I’m not staying,” she told him calmly.

  “KiKi, baby, you have to come home,” he tried, hoping she would see reason.

  “Riq, seriously,” Kaitlyn began, standing and giving him a look as he blocked the door and c
ontinued to hold the keys in his hand to her car.

  “KiKi, we can work this out baby,” he tried again. “We always do.”

  She smiled sadly and walked up to him, gently reaching up and caressing his face.

  “Tariq, do you remember when we met,” she asked softly, never taking her eyes from him.

  “Yeah,” he replied, smiling at the memory and kissing her hand.

  “You were a cook then, all this drama, all this blood, was never a part of your life,” she told him as Tariq tried to speak and she covered his lips with her fingers. “Do you remember your brother dying, and you burying him,” Kaitlyn asked as her own tears came and she blinked them back.

  “Yes, but KiKi,” he tried as she shushed him again.

  “Do you remember the pain we felt when we buried our daughter,” she went on as Tariq’s heart began to ache. “The nights your worried about me because Ice had taken me, the nights you endured abuse because I didn’t know who I was, locked in a mental hospital,” Kaitlyn urged.

  “Baby, please,” Tariq tried, knowing where she was going and not wanting to take the trip.

  “Riq, it was never, ever, meant to be between the two of us,” Kaitlyn finally spoke the words as the tear rolled down her cheek. “You know it, just like I know it, but neither of us wanted to admit it,” she continued as Tariq’s own tear rolled down his cheek.

  “KiKi, I can’t let you go,” he told her honestly.

  “I know,” she replied softly. “That’s why I’m letting you go,” she added, stroking his face again. “Sign the papers I left for you on the dresser Riq, sign them, file them and go on with your life,” she told him as he continued to shake his head no.

  “You know what I’m saying is right,” Kaitlyn began again. “Look at this latest mess,” she pointed out once again. “Two babies and neither of them you fathered, a crazy ass half-sister with her sights set on ruining you and getting some twisted revenge on me,” Kaitlyn told him, tears flooding her face at this point. “It’s time I stopped killing you Riq,” she added quietly, breaking down as he pulled her to him and held her tightly, beginning to cry with her.