by Aija Monique
“Casey!” Dana said as she turned on her siren and sped down the block.
“Keats!” Dana exclaimed, relieved Keats had answered the phone. “Get to Cyrus’s place now. Wait for me to get there. Be discreet.”
* * *
Detective Keats parked his unmarked police car about half a block from the Dunkin home, then he saw Dana pull up. Immediately, the officers entered the home, guns drawn, investigating the house. Keats said a small prayer as he surveyed the home in hopes that the sergeant’s daughter wasn’t found in a bloodbath. The home was eerily quiet, which made his stomach sink a bit.
Once the officers confirmed that the home was clear of any intruders, Dana rounded the hall and followed the smothered sounds of agony into the master bedroom. “In here!” Santiago screamed as she ran to Casey’s side. Keats sped into the room and to a sudden halt when he discovered Casey passed out on the floor with a gash in her forehead. Dana’s heart stopped. She was a cop’s wife, so the urgency was critical to getting her medical attention.
Dana started checking for a pulse while Keats phoned for a bus. “Is the baby OK?” Dana said and shuddered in an effort to shield herself in case the news was horrific.
“He’s fine. Asleep in his bassinet.”
Dana sighed with relief as she checked Casey’s pulse. She was relieved that she was still alive. Dana could hear the sirens coming, so she directed Keats to go out to flag them down. She said a small prayer and held Casey’s hand until the EMTs reached their sides.
Dana loved Cyrus, but in no way did she wish harm to his wife and child. Now, however, it was imperative that she get in touch with Cyrus to let him know what has happened. Both the baby and Casey would be placed in protective custody, and as an officer of the law, he too could be transferred and place in a protective custody situation. Dana didn’t want to lose her partner, but his safety was more important. Now that she locked eyes on Tommy and his gang of thugs, she was positive that Cyrus had gotten intertwined with Tommy and his many shenanigans.
Once Casey and the baby were taken to the hospital, Dana and Keats began processing the scene. Dana’s mind traveled far beyond the fall. She began to wonder why O’Reilly hadn’t pulled Cyrus after discovering his gambling debts instead of allowing him to hang himself. Dana pondered a bit as she stood in the middle of the living room of the Dunkin home. She had to get to Cyrus before Tommy did.
“I want you to follow the bus to the hospital. I’m going to see if those goons are still at Tommy’s club,” Dana directed.
“Will do,” Keats said. He was very uneasy about leaving Dana to hunt wolves without backup.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”
“Okay,” he sighed.
CHAPTER 23
Fresh Start
The turbulent landing officially gave Cyrus the shits. He was so happy to be on the ground it wasn’t funny. The air was warm and inviting. It was different from hot and dusty Bakersfield. Cyrus felt free from danger but guilt about his web of lies. He was going to have to come clean to Shun and Phil. The sooner the better. Cy was so lost in his mind, he didn’t notice Shun’s piercing stare. Shun too had become somewhat bewildered about Cyrus’s disposition. Like he told Cy just a few hours prior, he understood him feeling like a pussy running and leaving his family behind, but Shun was clear that the ball was in his court that he chose to roll.
“I don’t trust him,” Sophia said, tearing Shun’s attention from Cyrus.
“Yeah, I can see why you say that, on the outside of things, but he is good people. He is really feeling bad after leaving his wife with a newborn baby,” Shun stated in a protective tone that suggested Sophia should be quiet about such things.
Phil and Cyrus carried their own suspicions about why Sophia dropped her life to be on the run with a bunch of wanted criminals. While Shun worried about Cyrus and Phil, both Cy and Phil worried that Sophia would be the death of Shun.
Shun caught sight of Phil and Cyrus staring at Sophia. They both shared a look of uncertainty. Shun took note. He didn’t have the time to overthink or assume anything. He had to admit to himself that he was becoming paranoid about the company he kept. So he needed to show he had control.
“Cy, can you come with me to get the car?” Shun asked.
“Yeah, sure.” Cy complied, tearing his gaze from Sophia.
The two men went down to the airport entrance to pick up the rentals, while Sophia and Phil waited on the luggage. Phil was looking at Sophia with a side-eye, contemplating whether he was going to confront her about his suspicions or just leave well enough alone. Her entire profile didn’t fit with Shun. The whole opposites attract shit was a myth to him. Phil felt like the connection had to be on a mutual goal.
To keep quiet was short lived. Once they got the luggage together, Phil couldn’t resist fucking with Sophia’s head.
“So, what’s up? You really feelin’ my cousin, or are you in the game for a different reason?”
“Why does malice and foul play enter your mind in every situation? No wonder Shun won’t share in his dealings with corporate America. You are as crazy as I thought. I’m in love with Shun, rich or poor. Bottom line.” Sophia was infuriated at Phil’s line of questioning.
“There she goes. You do have a bit of nasty and aggression built up. I bet you’re a beast in bed,” Phil smirked. “I’m just sayin’ why a beautiful woman would like yourself with a great career would pick a lowlife to run across country with. You do know that this will not end well. We goin’ to prison or six feet under.”
“I don’t care. When you love someone, you accept the good with the bad.”
Phil nearly fell to his knees laughing at Sophia and her fairy-tale life with Shun. “Bitch! This ain’t no damn Cinderella story. You crazy too.” He shook his head, laughing as he flagged down Shun and Cyrus. He had to blow off some steam. Phil thought ole Sophia may be a great catch on the outside, but she lacked common sense.
CHAPTER 24
Miami Vice
“Man, it sure feels good to be free,” Shun gloated as he watched Sophia prance around the beach in a seductive turquoise diamond-studded bikini.
“Yes, it does. The bitches lookin’ real nice too. Santa Monica ain’t got shit on these Miami Vice bitches.” Cyrus laughed so hard he nearly spilled his Mai Tai on his loud, colorful shirt.
“Yeah, but you ain’t gon’ get no pussy. Not with that shirt on.” Phil laughed as he motioned for Junior to come and sit beside him. He didn’t want his son out of his sight. After getting him back, he vowed to always protect his son, no matter what. This little vacation was temporary. He was anxious to get back to his stomping grounds.
Word spread fast of Frankie’s death, and all fingers pointed at Shun and Phil as Frankie’s accomplices in the robberies. Cyrus could keep a low profile as if he was one of their hostages or something.
Joey, Frankie’s murderer and uncle, made a public appearance as if grieving, offering one hundred thousand dollars to bring to justice the murderers of his dearly beloved nephew. As the bodies piled, Phil and Shun’s names hit America’s Most Wanted list.
Miami was the perfect place to set up shop. A fresh start. Plenty of money and babes to manipulate. More importantly, a place where the population was plentiful. Far more digs to get lost in. Kern County was a small town where everyone knew your name and the dirt you did. It had a good and bad side. In Kern County, they were feared and respected, if the two can truly coexist. The bad part about being known was that if, and when, they wanted to lie low, they couldn’t.
Cyrus was nervous as hell. He was a wanted man, but federally, hell, Shun and Phil were wanted for the murders of thieves, drug addicts, and low-budget mobsters. He was in some real trouble. Well, maybe. They were all wanted by the mob, as well. Cyrus looked off into the sunset. He saw the sun as his beating heart. He saw his wife and son in the clouds. He had missed the birth of his son. He could imagine how beautiful he was. He felt such pain he was near suicide. Watching Phil play
with his son made him want to give up everything just to risk going back to get them. He was afraid for them as well. What if Joey killed them to get to him? Was him not going back a sign of pure cowardice? Or was his staying with Shun and Phil a show of loyalty?
“Y’all ready?” Shun said, just about to pack up his sunbathing chair. He was hungry as hell, and the lobster shack was calling his name. “Sophia! Baby, come on.” Sophia was still prancing about, enjoying the sun’s rays and collecting seashells. She herself was feeling a sense of freedom. No intercoms or sick people to tend to. Just the crashing waves and sand between her toes.
Phil was calling for Junior to grab his sand toys and get his towel. He had yet to tell him that his mother had passed. There was something about a son and his mother. The connection was much different from son to father. She would guide him on how to treat women and how to be sensitive. Men didn’t always carry those traits. Phil sure as hell didn’t. He had issues with women himself. His mother abandoned him for drugs, and his first love fell prey to them. Monica was the first he’d come to experiencing real and unconditional love. He was forced to leave her behind. He feared that the mob would track his footprints back to her as well. Only, he couldn’t focus on love. He had a son to raise.
“Let’s go!” Phil called out to his son once more, who seemed to be preoccupied with the magnificent lights in the waves that were brought about by the sunset.
“Coming,” Phil’s ten-year-old son replied.
Phil and Shun started walking back to the car with all of their beach gear. Cyrus followed close behind, as did Phil Junior. Sophia walked at an angle to keep from being tossed about by the winds. The air picked up, and off flew her sun hat. She ran, trying to catch up to it. She nearly fell trying to grab hold to her oversized, $200 bonnet.
Sophia dove down into the sand like a volleyball player trying to retrieve the ball. Barely catching hold, she grabbed for her hat. Cutting her hand on a sharp object, she was shocked by her findings. Sophia’s eyes widened as she began to dig frantically. There in the sand was a badge and pouch. Sophia stood up quickly and looked inside the pouch. Cyrus Dunkin, DEA, badge number—the whole nine. Printed in bold, gold foil print on his business card.
Sophia looked up wide eyed with her mouth open. They weren’t safe at all. The entire time, Shun and Phil were consorting with the devil. He had plenty of opportunities to bust the boys. What did he want?
CHAPTER 25
Discretion Is Advised
Sophia had to pinch her lips together damn near the entire ride home. She was itching to tell Shun about her findings, but she knew that she needed to move strategically. Telling him about the badge could set the boys ablaze, and all hell would break out. She shook the images of Cyrus’s badge from her brow. She then tried to spark a conversation with Shun after noticing that he was unusually quiet.
“Hey! You OK? You haven’t said a word this entire trip.”
“I’m fine. maybe a bit jet lagged. I was just taking in the scenery. I realize we are on the run, but honestly, I haven’t felt this free since my freshman year in college.” Sophia smiled and leaned her head back as she let her passenger side seat recline. “Hey!”
“What?” Shun replied a bit startled as Sophia popped up and yelled in excitement.
“What about cooking at home? I think that we have been out under the sun all day. We could use the downtime to just unwind and bask in being free for a little while. When we are out and about, I can tell by your face that you are filled with worry. Those cute lines in your forehead deepen, and the corners of your mouth droop slightly, making for a cute, pouting facial expression.”
Shun lowered his head a bit, careful not to take his eyes off the road. “I know. You, Phil, and Cyrus are all I have, and I feel as if this entire mess is my fault. I hate to suggest that Phil was right about staying right where he was comfortable, but the hood loved us. Out here, chasing corporate buyers has proved to be deadly. I don’t have a solid crew. The homie from prison showed me that. We had to put him down, and I got shot in the process.”
“Yeah, but we met due to that injury.”
“I could have gone without the bullets,” Shun stated as he winced slightly in pain. He was in dire need of medication. Part of which was why the wrinkles in his forehead presented. He was trying so hard to fight against the pain he was feeling. His facial expression showed both anguish and worry. Sure, Sophia picked up on it. She, however, couldn’t think of a way to help so far from home. A hospital visit would be too daring a move considering their faces were plastered all over the eleven o’clock news across America.
Sophia looked out the window, trying to focus on Shun’s words and not the feeling of betrayal growing fast in her spirit. She knew she had to tell him about Cyrus.
CHAPTER 26
Word Is Bond
Miami was the truth. Nice beaches, beautiful women, clubs on every corner. It was easy to fall prey to the night life. Shun, however, didn’t have time to focus on the finer things his money could bring because he was wanted for murder. He felt bad that he had brought Sophia along for a ride that could end fatally.
Sophia was busy in the kitchen of their rented four-bedroom condo preparing dinner. She was so lost in her thoughts she didn’t hear Shun calling her name. The last thing she wanted to do was to keep him in the dark about anything. She didn’t want to start anything either. She had to be careful in the way she handled the situation.
“Babe, babe, what’s for dinner?”
Sophia was so zoned out it was if she were under some sort of spell. Finally coming to, she bounced back into her chipper self and answered Shun’s inquiry about dinner.
“I figured you boys could throw some steaks on the grill. I have already got them all prepped and ready to go.”
“Oh, so you just gon’ volunteer my services, huh?”
“Nooooo, babe,” Sophia said flirtatiously as she moseyed over to him and planted a nice kiss on his cheek. She was anxious to get to a quiet place so that she could think of what to do about their trusted friend. Sophia thought long and hard about telling Shun that Cyrus was DEA.
She patted Shun on his chest as she lifted her lips from his. Then she skipped to the shower to hide under the warm spray.
* * *
Cyrus ran up the stairs to his room to duck away for a while and clear his head. Being on the run was starting to get to him. He was sworn to uphold the law, not break every law known to man. Thing was, the loyalty to man was far stronger than his loyalty to the badge. Right or wrong, he knew the hearts of Shun and Phil, and there was no way he was going to let anything happen to them. Even if he had to turn them and himself in, it would be done by the book and according to his call. Cyrus began to unpack his beach bag and prepare to take a shower when he realized his badge was missing.
“Shit!” He began to panic as he patted himself down as if he had pockets on his beach shorts. It has to be on the beach. Cyrus mumbled to himself, nearly throwing up in his mouth. He couldn’t believe how negligent he was to lose such a thing.
* * *
Sophia stood in the shower and let the water pour over her face and head. The water was soft and warm. In that moment, she felt safe. She was happy to be free. Sure, working as a nurse had its rewards, but to be surrounded by blood and disease had truly taken a toll. She was ready to settle down and experience love. A love she had found in Shun. Sophia worried constantly about him and his need to make things with him and his cousin square. Shun’s exterior was hardened by the discipline of the Marine Corps, but internally, he was a soft teddy bear who couldn’t stand confrontation.
The fact that Shun took the fall for his commanding officer was proof of that. She couldn’t understand why he would sacrifice his freedom for a service that pledged to protect the American people and would taunt, torment, and kill soldiers due to sexual preference. Sophia got lost in the warm waterfall as she faded into a mock conversation she planned on having with Cyrus.
Her need
to protect Shun from Cyrus was growing inside her as if she were with child. “I will just confront him myself. Tell him to leave unexpectedly and say that it was best for them to split up.” She would also take his cut of the money. Sophia wanted to ensure that they had the money to stay afloat until a better and safer environment was available. She sighed under the warm water of the shower as she went over her plan of action. There was one problem. What would be her recourse if Cyrus refused to leave? He had nothing to lose.
* * *
Phil watched as his son finished up his ice cream at the ice-cream parlor. It was like he was living a dream. His mind was calm of all worries, even in the face of death and capture. Shun was right about the group of men doing Phil’s bidding. He knew that much to be true. He was just angry that Shun caught on to it. He was the older one, and Shun seemed to have his head on straight, even after spending a few years in prison.
Shun spent his time researching and focusing on getting his plan together once he was released. He barely talked, and he spent most of his time in the library reading up on marketing and product development. His mind was set on making money and leaving well enough alone.
Phil’s goons were most likely plotting on one another for the throne since Phil was a wanted man. Phil would never admit to it, but he enjoyed feeling free. Culture shock at first, living a life outside of Kern County Projects, but feeling as if there was an entire new world outside the gates proved to be desired. A few weeks in paradise erased years of living in Kern County, and it almost made Phil forget about the fact that they were on the run.
The best part of the trip was his son. He was in and out most of Junior’s life. He and Brandy often argued about her drug habits. He vowed to make it as impossible as he could to keep her away from the drugs. Phil threatened to kill anyone who sold drugs to Brandy.