Royce

  That Monday when Amar went to school he sat with his group and had every intention of not being friends with Lindsey and Lindsey was the same and their friends were sad for them, and it was a few days into not talking to Lindsey, Amar found himself sitting next to her and then he found himself talking to her, and before long their friends saw them as they always did, together, him crossways on the bench, her sitting close to him.

  It took a few weeks but Sayeed Abdullah got his information, “Brother you need to sit down for this one,” Pherkad said. “Tell me what is he into, nothing you say can shock me,” he told his brother. “Well this might.” “He is hiding and he is not from Spain. He is an American and his father is looking for him.” “Oh my, now that does shock me, why is he hiding from his father?” “I don’t know but money is out there on this one, his father is a very wealthy man, we could make something from this.” “Oh, how wealthy?” “Let’s say seven hundred and fifty million.” “Whew! I knew he smelt of money, so how much you think the father is willing to pay for his whereabouts?” “I don’t know but the word is out in Europe that people are looking for him, and his brother gave him the number and he dialed immediately.

  The next day three rough looking men and a man named Gibeau were in his office and he worked his charm to find out what was going on and Gibeau said, “He wants his son found, the old man will pay for the location,” but he saw the look of the other men, and when Gibeau excused himself to call the father he asked, “So what’s this really all about?” And one shrugged and said, “The wife crossed him in some way, that’s all we know,” and he saw his opportunity, “So what does he want done with her?” And the same one raised his hand against his throat and went from one side to the other and Sayeed said, “I will add to his payment if you include the girl…,” and a deal was struck. Gibeau walked back in and when they were gone Sayeed called his brother, “Send Farouq.”

  Farouq had killed numerous people for the Abdullah family, “It is a family and the woman stole something very important from the father. All must be eliminated, the son is to remain, but if the son gets in the way,” Sayeed shrugged, “Then so be it.” Sayeed didn’t think Mr. Harrington would stand around and let his wife be slaughtered, he would, his wife had served her purpose. She’d given him three sons and a daughter he had no use of her now. He’d done his duty, married and produced his heirs, just as Amar will do, but he wouldn’t stand around if it were Khan or his children, especially not Amar. He was his oldest and he had high hopes for him, it was for him he was doing this.

  “But before you leave that house, the woman and all the children must be no more, understood,” Sayeed said. “What she took must be very important?” “Yes, the father has been searching for them a long time, it must be done, his honor is at stake,” he told Farouq. “And the others, must I work with amateurs?” Sayeed shrugged again, “Do what you must, the job is yours my friend. The agreement is whoever does the job gets the money, if four go in and three come out three split the money, if four go in and one comes out he gets the money, understood.”

  Gibeau went to his hotel to wait, tomorrow this case would be over and once Walker's men brought him Royce he was taking him home.

  After Farouq and Walker’s men left town they went off road and drove their jeep across uneven and rough terrain following a map that showed the location of the house. The jeep bounced and made its way until it was about a half mile behind the house and in a good place to be unseen. They hid the jeep in the brush and started walking.

  In the half hour it took to get to the white wall only Farouq remained, amateurs! He flexed his fingers and sheathed his knife; they’d been a good warm up for what he had to do tonight. “I’m sorry but you will have to die if you get in my way,” he said thinking of Royce. He had no time to be distracted by him, if he stayed down once he was out then good, but if he made too much noise then he was done for, and the old man better pay up. The woman who stole from him would be gone and that’s what he wanted.

  Royce had woken up like he always did. His nightmares were fewer now and tonight he didn’t take his gun, but he still woke up around the same time and walked to the back window. He stood there scanning the wall, looking for anything and nothing and then he saw it in the far corner of the wall, almost in shadow, a black figure ease itself over and down. His heart raced and he ran to his room, tore open the nightstand drawer snatched out his gun and ran out the room.

  Jameson was on duty tonight, Conrad was in Cape Town partying and getting laid he was sure of it. He’d walked the perimeter and now he was checking the cameras and then he saw it, at the far corner of the wall, a black figure eased its way over and crept down. “Fuck!” It’s either a burglar or they made us and he hoped it was a burglar, just an ordinary burglary. As he loaded up he watched the figure on the screen then he crept to the pool bath door and eased out. The figure crept low over the lawn and was almost at the house. Jameson peered around the corner; the figure was creeping quietly towards the Harrington’s glass door.

  Royce had come out and went back to the window, his gun cocked and ready, he watched for the figure, his heart beating wildly, but he was ready, ready to fire on whoever it was.

  Joy was asleep and she’d heard Royce, he was loud for a moment and she woke in time to see him running out the room. She saw the contents of the drawer on the floor and she looked for her robe and then she heard two muffled sounds outside the glass door, her heart lurched. She walked quickly out the room, scared and shaking.

  Jameson waited until the figure was at the door and when the figure rose up he stepped out and “BAM! BAM!,” his shots barely audible. He didn’t want to kill him, just wound him badly. The figure went down and he crept to the figure and placed his gun at the downed man’s head, “Don’t fucking move.” He held the gun to his head and searched him, the figure moaned out a bit but he found knives galore and a gun; he tossed them and grabbed the figure.

  Royce was by the window, looking intensely to see where the figure would appear. Then he saw a dark figure dragging another and he knew the one dragging was Jameson.

  Jameson dragged the figure to the garage, the guy was silent but he could tell he was in pain, because he moaned a few times. He took him to a place he had set up just in case this happened and he tied the figure to a chair and he saw he was bleeding badly, this is going to be hell to clean up. He placed a towel on his wounds, and just then Royce walked in.

  Royce eased out the back door trying not to wake Joy or the kids and followed Jameson to the garage. Jameson scanned the cameras to make sure the figure was alone then he called Conrad, “Get here now, we’ve got a situation!” He commanded. Royce came in and stood off to the side his gun in his hand and watched and waited. This is what he paid Jameson to do and he was going to let him do his job. Jameson was all about business he could see that, he didn’t want to stop him by asking a dozen questions, after he called Conrad and scanned the cameras he walked over to the figure. He was dressed in all black like a ninja, even his face was covered and Jameson took off his mask, and Royce looked at him, he was awake and he was just a kid, he was young. “Who are you?” Jameson asked him, “And what do you want here?” And he was hoping he’d say he was a burglar, but from the weapons he took off him he knew that was not the case, his heart sunk, they’d been made.

  Farouq laughed, “You don’t know why I’m here, then why are you here? You are here for me aren’t you?,” he laughed again. “Stop fucking around, you’re done for. You know that and so do I so what are you doing here?” Jameson asked tougher now. “Someone with big money wants someone in this house to disappear,” he looked at Royce who was standing there quiet, “Something was stolen from a very rich American and I’m here to get it back or make them pay.”

  Just then Joy walked in; she went and stood by Royce. “Baby what are you doing here? You shouldn’t see this,” Royce said and put his arm around her and Farouq looked at them. She was the one he was to kill and he looked at he
r. What did she take? He saw the man with his arm around her and he saw her watching him and he saw her eyes. He looked for something in them that said she was an amoral person, a person who stole from a rich American and deserved to die for what she’d taken. He looked and looked hard and all he saw was a very beautiful woman with soft dark eyes, there was nothing dangerous about her, she was soft, vulnerable. He looked from her to the man and back to her again, “It’s you she took isn’t it? It’s you she stole? It’s about love isn’t it?” He questioned looking at Royce.

  Royce didn’t reply. “You’re the rich American’s son, fuck! These things are usually for love or money. I didn’t figure this for love, Americans don’t kill for love. They kill for greed, for money. Fuck! I thought you stole his money,” he said looking at Joy. He couldn’t believe he was going to kill her for love and he could see it, could see it in the way she leaned against the man, saw it in her fear as she looked at him. She was no thief, she was just a woman in love with a man and to him that’s no reason to die, “I guess you did take something more valuable than money didn’t you, you stole his heart,” he said looking deeply at her.

  “Who hired you?” Jameson interrupted, “Abdullah, Sayeed Abdullah,” and he saw the shock on all their faces, “He found out some rich American was looking for his son and wanted his wife killed because she took something from him, something that cost him his honor or something like that,” Farouq said and he couldn’t take his eyes off Joy, and he knew this woman couldn’t hurt a fly. She was soft with a caring heart; he could see that because he could see she felt sorry for him. Who feels sorry for someone who was about to kill them? “Sayeed hired me to do this job, the woman, two little boys and a girl named Lindsey,” and he saw the horror on the man and woman’s faces, he was telling it all; he was about to do a grave injustice for money.

  They were just an ordinary family, not some malicious thief who deserved to die like he thought, “Three others were with me, they came from the rich American and are on the other side of the wall in a the field. I thought you should know they will certainly be found tomorrow,” Farouq said, and he kept looking at them, at Royce and Joy. “Is there anything you want to know?” Jameson asked them. “What was your fee?” Royce asked, for Tammy the price had been one hundred thousand and she found someone willing. Farouq didn’t bat an eye, “It was not my fee the rich man was offering two million American,” and he saw Royce wince and tear up. “Why Lindsey, why did he say her?” Joy wanted to know, was there something going on she didn’t know about? Farouq shrugged, “I don’t know he just said the girl must be included, the girl must go is all he said,” and he saw her eyes water and fill with tears.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Harrington you must go now,” Jameson said, Conrad had walked in. Royce led Joy away his arm still around her. They left and before they reached the house Jameson placed his gun to Farouq’s heart and pulled the trigger, “I’ll clean up here, he says there are three more dead outside the wall, take care of them,” and Conrad left.

  Joy and Royce walked slowly to their room and sat on the bed. Joy took his gun and placed it on the nightstand, and sat down next to him and they sat there and sat there, and Joy asked, “What did he mean Royce? You’re the rich American’s son?” And now for Royce there was no doubt, the hit man said it, his father was behind this.

  Sayeed was happy tomorrow would be a new day and everyone in the Harrington family would be dead, I’ll have to pretend to be shocked for Amar. He was in bed riding Khan a smile on his face. Khan had been his lover for seven years. He’d always preferred men, but he was also expected to live up to his duty, so he’d done that too. He’d obeyed the laws of his family and of his country, but he was rich enough to still get what he wanted, so he hired men just like him and had a relationship with them until he replaced them for one reason or another.

  Joy and Royce sat there a long time and then she moved towards him and lay against him. Royce was thinking, is that what this is all about, Joy taking him from his family? His face was in his hands, the hit man said, she took something from a rich American, was it him his father was upset about, was he the thing she took of value, like a family heirloom that the family wanted back. He wondered, if that were the case he might have to leave her, turn himself over to his father and free Joy if that meant this would be over and she’d live, she had to live, or he’d die if she didn’t. Was that it, was he the reason this was happening?

  He couldn’t answer Joy, he’d never told her Jameson thought it was his father and he couldn’t now. Then they were startled out of their stupor by a knock on the door, “We’ve been made, we’ve got to get out of here start packing,” Jameson said.

  By the time Naledi and her mother arrived they were packed and ready to go. Naledi and Penny were frantic, “We must go, but I beg you please do not contact Mrs. DuShane. We are paid up for the next two weeks, call her when that time is up,” Jameson told them, “I have called the carpenters to come take down this wall. They will be here tomorrow. This is for them,” he said handing Penny an envelope, “Make sure they do a good job.” She nodded but he could tell they were shocked. “I’m sorry but it must be this way,” and they just looked at him, questions and wonder on their worried faces, but they figured whatever illegal thing they’d been up to had come calling.

  “Naledi may I speak with you,” she nodded and he took her to his room and passionately kissed her and he knew he would miss her, “You must leave here, go to the city, go to school, you must find a better life,” he handed her a little jewelry box. “Here take this, use it to find your way,” she opened it, it was money. She’d never seen so much, “Take it, use it to go to school Naledi.” She smiled, “I will Mr. Jamson, I will,” and she hugged him and kissed him this time, and placed the little box in a fold in her dress.

  They were ready to go. Royce pulled Jameson aside, “I need to do something before we leave. I can’t go without seeing Sayeed Abdullah, are you with me?” Jameson saw the conviction in his eyes, “I’m with you and couldn’t agree more.” Royce had run from his father for reasons he didn’t understand but what this man had done. He’d joined in for his own personal reasons and added Lindsey in the mix for what, because his son liked her? He was deathly calm as he spoke to Jameson and he knew he was going to kick the shit out of Sayeed Abdullah make him pay for threatening his family.

  “Mrs. Harrington take the kids to the airport we will meet you there,” Jameson said, “I’ve one more thing to do and I need Mr. Harrington with me.” Joy nodded, she knew now was not the time to question. Jameson always got them out and got them out safely, “Okay, but the orphanage will get the van as we agreed,” she said, “Yes ma’am.” Jameson donned a dark brown wig and a mustache and they headed out.

  Jameson pulled into the parking garage and found Sayeed’s limo waiting for him. They saw Khan sitting behind the wheel and Jameson parked close by and walked over to the car. Khan rolled down the window, “You got a light,” he asked taking out a cigarette, “No I do not smo…,” Jameson cold cocked him so hard he knocked him out. Royce tied him up like a steer, hands to feet and duct taped his mouth and eyes and they tossed him in the trunk of the sedan. Jameson sat at the wheel, his head down with Khan’s chauffeur’s cap and Royce was in the back of the limo. He saw Sayeed dressed in his Arab attire making his way without a care a little smile on his face. Jameson opened the door for him, he never noticed it wasn’t Khan.

  Then Jameson pushed him head first into the limo and went in fast behind him closing the door and started pistol whipping him. Sayeed tried to scream but Royce punched him hard in his fat gut. They were on him, punching and beating him until he was bloody and bleeding, and when they stopped their assault he was cooperative when he saw the gun Jameson pointed at him, “You son of a bitch fucked with the wrong man when you fucked with my family!” Royce said with such venom.

  At first Sayeed didn’t know what was going on he didn’t recognize the man with the salt and pepper slicked back oiled h
air and the cold glacial hatred in his blue eyes, and then Royce saw Sayeed eyes widen when he recognized him. Jameson made him cover the bottom half of his face with a black scarf, and now he tore it off, “Who the fuck gave you the right to send someone after my family you piece of shit!” Royce said and punched him in the face. Sayeed smiled a bloody smile, “Ask your father he’s the one wanted your family dead,” Sayeed said smiling his red smile, “Color matters in this world didn’t you know that Mr. Harrington? You should have thought about that before you married her, you made the wrong choice not me,” and Royce went after him again. Jameson gave Royce a look that said it’s time to finish this. Once he’d made Royce he knew what he had to do, his gun against Sayeed’s heart, “This is for Lindsey asshole,” he pulled the trigger. Sayeed jerked and his life was gone. They looked around, made sure it was safe and climbed out and opened the trunk of the sedan and took out Khan’s tied up body and tossed him in the back of the limo with his dead boss and closed the door and hopped back in the sedan and drove off.

  They arrived at the airport and parked the car next to the van and after leaving the keys under the mat they walked in and met Joy at the terminal. Royce sat down close by the boys as he knew he should, and Jameson sat alone, no one would ever know they’d just killed a man.

  Once they boarded the plane for Jameson it was the first time they actually played their roles. He’d spaced them around the plane, Royce, Justin and Christopher in three seats on one side of the plane. Joy, Lindsey and Autumn in three seats on the other side and they were separated by the rows of seven seats in the middle and he was in the back. Deon was at Oxford and Conrad would come later after tying up loose ends. Lindsey was the only one visibly upset, she kept wiping silent tears and he would find out later it was because she didn’t get a chance to say good bye to Amar.

  The plane took off heading for England and from there they would fly to a small village outside Bologna, Italy where he knew of a beautiful villa they would be safe in.