by Emery, Lynn
“Girl…” Jazz said as she walked beside her into the hotel.
“Yeah, let that heffa pay for our parking. Look for that big guy she had with her the other night.” MiMi strode in like her mother would, nose in the air like she owned the place.
“He’s at one of the casinos. But Nairoby is upstairs. I made sure.” Jazz continued to scan their surroundings as they approached the elevator.
“How?”
“Told the front desk to leave her a voice mail message her crew would be calling tonight around eight or either-thirty local time.” Jazz nodded at a sexy man and he nodded back.
“I see you’ve got things covered. I’m sticking up for you the next time Willa throws shade at your choice of friends on the street,” MiMi whispered just before a group of middle-aged men and women joined them on the elevator.
“Let’s see if you say that once the shooting starts,” Jazz wisecracked. When a white-haired matron gasped, Jazz smiled. “Don’t worry, ma’am. I’m a movie director. My employees are filming a night scene outside. I’m just making sure this minor actress remembers her lines from the script.”
“How exciting,” a tall silver-haired man said. He stood next to a heavily made-up blonde on the south side of thirty-five at least.
His blue eyes twinkled as he gazed at Jazz’s form fitting dark blue leggings and MiMi’s black leggings beneath a mini skirt. Jazz wore fancy platform-styled sneakers. MiMi had on three inch tan leather sandals. He didn’t seem to notice the woman glaring at him in disapproval.
“Oh it is. Now if you hear what sounds like gunshots, ignore it. All make believe,” Jazz said in a cool voice. She winked at him.
When the elevator stopped at the third floor, the woman grabbed his arm and pulled him through the open doors. She threw one last hostile glance at Jazz to make her point. The rest of the riders got off on the fourth floor.
MiMi sighed when the doors slid shut. “Don’t start no ish before we even get to the woman’s room.”
“Take a breath and settle your nerves. Here we go.”
Jazz stepped from the elevator first. Then she gestured for MiMi to follow. They followed signs pointing the way to Nairoby’s room number. Moments later Jazz knocked. A muffled voice came through the door.
“What do you want?”
“She ain’t surprised to see us. That tells me something,” Jazz said softly close to MiMi’s ear. “We’ve got a proposition for you, to help get you out of trouble with your bosses. We hear they’re fairly unforgiving.”
“Your bodyguard is on their payroll. Which means his loyalty isn’t to you. I don’t think you want him to join us,” MiMi added.
“Damn, player. Jail and trouble agrees with you.” Jazz gave MiMi a look of surprise.
Metal clicked and the door swung open before MiMi could reply. Nairoby stood eyeing them with suspicion. Dressed in black, both jeans and a sweater, she said nothing for several seconds.
“Why should I let you two in here? You might have a gun or something.” Nairoby looked ready to slam the door again.
MiMi held up both hands. “We’re not armed. See? No purses. I’d suggest we meet down in the lobby, but there are too many people. Same for the hotel bar and restaurant.”
Jazz glanced around. “You don’t want the bodyguard, what’s-his-name, to see us talking. We’re going to attract attention hanging out here in the hall. Big dude might show up.”
“Maybe that would be a good thing.” Nairoby didn’t sound convincing. Her gaze shifted away from them briefly and back.
“So you’re paying him?” MiMi raised both eyebrows at her.
“Come in, but this will be a short visit. You have nothing I want.” Nairoby backed into the room.
She motioned to them to move away from the door. Then she kicked it closed with one foot. She held a cell phone in one hand by her side. Her other hand was behind her back. They stood in a small seating area. A few feet away, a big screen television played on mute. The queen-sized bed was unmade. A room service meal sat on a small round table under stainless steel covers. Jazz walked over and lifted one.
“You livin’ it up on their money, huh? Shrimp cocktail appetizer, steak and lobster dinner, nice room.” Jazz nodded in appreciation.
“Talk, be brief, and leave,” Nairoby clipped.
“I hope you’re not holding a weapon behind you. That would be downright unfriendly,” Jazz said calmly. Her taut expression implied she could strike out defensively in a blink.
MiMi noticed a knife wasn’t among the silverware on the table with the dishes. “We’re not here to harm you. The police say you and you’re partners were involved in some kind of deal with Roderick Jefferson.”
“Who is that?” Nairoby glanced at Jazz as if checking on her position, then back to MiMi.
“A local businessman found murdered a couple of weeks ago. Here’s a picture of him.” MiMi reached inside her purse. She held up one hand when Nairoby tensed into a fighting stance. She slowly pulled the phone out, opened the images app and held it up. “Do you recognize him?”
Nairoby’s gaze flickered at the screen. “No. Now get out.”
“Ah hell naw. You know she’s lyin’.” Jazz gave a snort. Then she snagged a plump shrimp and popped it into her mouth. “Hmm.”
“I was wrong, I don’t like you. How crude. Or do you still say ghetto here?” Nairoby flashed a scornful look at Jazz.
“I’m ‘urban’, and there’s nothing wrong with my fashion sense,” Jazz replied coolly. “You’re still lyin’.”
Nairoby ignored her and looked at MiMi. “I suppose that this man was your lover, since you have a photo of him on your phone. And I have no reason to lie. I’ve never met him.”
MiMi studied her for a few seconds. “But you know who he is.”
“If you leave quickly I won’t call security or the police.” Nairoby brought her hand from behind her back. She held a long tapered steak knife like she knew how to use it.
“You don’t want the police involved,” MiMi said carefully. “Let me repeat. They’ve made a connection between you and a dead man. They’re doing research on your partners. Since the FBI is in town I bet they already know everything about you. Right down to when you last had your last pedicure.”
“So what? Ramon and I will be gone before they can do anything,” Nairboy replied. The slight quiver in her voice betrayed her lack of confidence.
“Honey, this ain’t the Dominican Republic. When the law in the USA decides to snatch your ass, you won’t get far. You better listen to what MiMi has to say.” Jazz stared at the shrimp as if deciding whether to eat another one.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Your partners can kill two birds with one neat stone; get the heat of a murder investigation off them and deliver some pay back. You make a mighty nice murder suspect.” MiMi watched fear turn her pretty brown skin pale.
“Yeah, it’s sinkin’ in finally, MiMi.” Jazz gave a short laugh, decided and ate a second shrimp.
“Tell me about your business with Roderick,” MiMi pressed before they lost the advantage and Nairoby had time to think.
“Those greedy idiots,” Nairoby burst out. “I told them…”
“Men rarely listen to us, especially when it comes to business,” MiMi replied.
“Not all men, one woman other than me,” Nairoby said. She nodded. “My partners are sharks. Oh they’re polished, civilized on the surface. But make no mistake, these are dangerous people.”
“How many?” MiMi frowned.
“Four, including Ava Torres. Well there were four until Benito…” Nairoby’s voice trailed off. She blinked hard but then put on a blank expression.
Jazz studied her. “He was a friend of yours?”
“Don’t look for things you won’t want to find. I didn’t kill your lover, so if you came here for revenge.” Nairoby assumed a rigid fight stance once more.
“Don’t be silly. People saw us come up here,�
�� MiMi snapped. “Look, is there any possibility your friends killed Roderick for any reason?”
Nairoby wore a stunned look for a few seconds. She dropped her hand, but she looked wary. “Why should I tell you anything?”
“I’m a suspect, too,” MiMi said after weighing her options for a few seconds. “I figure your partners—”
“Sounds more to me like they’re her bosses,” Jazz interjected. She grinned when Nairoby glared at her.
“They’ll decide that letting one of us be charged is to their advantage. You could be more vulnerable than me,” MiMi continued.
Nairoby stared at MiMi, eyes wide. “How do you mean?”
“You came over here, met with Roderick and the discussion turned violent. You and your bodyguard killed him. Your partners will cut you loose to face the consequence. There’s a reason you’re looking so scared right now,” MiMi said carefully.
“Jefferson met one of my associates…” Nairoby paused to shoot Jazz a heated look before she resumed. “At a trade conference sponsored by the New Orleans World Trade Center. They involved in an arrangement to import and export mineral or gravel products. Big industry in my country. I wasn’t in on the deal.” She waved a hand.
“Your interest being textiles mainly,” MiMi said sourly. Jack Crown, another dearly departed traitorous lover. She was building quite a collection of that particular animal.
“Yes.” Nairoby seemed not to notice MiMi’s sarcasm. She frowned. “Jefferson bought up minerals, perlite I think at first for construction products. Something about starting to offer those products for wholesale and using them for his own building projects. Very high profit potential, and everybody was pleased. Then something went wrong. I believe he cut them out of a lucrative contract, went straight to one of their suppliers.”
“So they had a reason to be very unhappy with Roderick. But I don’t think they’d kill him because he cut through the middlemen. I mean the streets would be littered with dead businessmen, and women.” MiMi shook her head.
“There’s more. I overheard Arturo, one of the partners, shouting once when I went to his office to deliver papers. It was about eight months ago I think. He said Jefferson threatened them if they tried to retaliate,” Nairoby said.
“Threatened them how?” MiMi sat down on the arm of a large chair.
“My partners… engage in high stakes transactions at times with unsavory people.” Nairoby shrugged. “Nothing different from any sharp business group in the global market. And no, I won’t say more.”
MiMi huffed in frustration. “You don’t owe them loyalty.”
Nairoby shook her head. “I would not live very long if I disclosed too much.”
Jazz looked at MiMi. “Roderick might have known too damn much for his own good. AKA motive for them to shut him up.”
“You cannot tell anyone we’ve spoken. Ramon would…” Nairoby’s voice trailed off and she flinched at the unfinished thought.
“Don’t sweat.” Jazz wiped her hands on the cloth napkin.
“Of course. Make yourself at home,” Nairoby muttered. She leaned against the wall, but still watched them closely.
Jazz gave a short laugh. She took her cell phone from the pocket of her jacket. She read the screen, and tapped a text. “Yeah, the big dude is still at the Hollywood Casino. He’s occupied romancing a good looking lady.”
“You’re following him?” Nairoby’s eyes went wide.
“Ms. Villa, I’m not going to be arrested for murder just so you can feel safe,” MiMi said coldly. “I’m not totally heartless. We have a cover story to make it less likely your bosses will suspect we got information from you.”
“My sister has a private security company. We’ll say that’s how we found out about Roderick and his deals with them. Plus the FBI and the police could find out just as well.” Jazz didn’t look up from her phone.
“Tell them the FBI is watching me and you couldn’t risk being seen with me,” MiMi added.
Nairoby sat without answering for a few moments, and then she nodded. “That could work, but only for a while. Ramon said as much once, that we best let things cool off. But if you tell the FBI about my partners they won’t let us go home.”
“The police can’t stop you from leaving unless they have enough to arrest you,” MiMi replied.
“Ha, American laws make life so easy,” Nairoby said with a smirk. Then her expression turned grim. “My life is in your hands. If you slip, my partners will make me pay.”
MiMi felt a chill spread over her body. “Like Herrera?”
“I believe he may have helped Jefferson cut out my partners,” Nairoby said in a somber tone. She glanced from MiMi to Jazz and back again. “Do you understand?”
“Yeah. They don’t play.” Jazz dropped the phone in her jacket pocket and zipped it closed. She walked over to MiMi and dropped her voice low. “My friend can’t keep Ramon distracted much longer. He’s wanting more than conversation.”
“You mean…” MiMi gaped at her. Then she recovered from the shock and turned to Nairoby. “Tell them—”
“Yes, yes. I don’t need coaching. I’ll handle my partners.” Nairoby stood straight again.
MiMi started to probe more about Ramon, but decided against it. “Okay.”
“We’ll need time, eight hours.” Nairoby moved sideways to the door without turning her back on them.
“Fine.” MiMi glanced at Jazz and gestured they should leave.
As if on cue and eager for them to be gone, Nairoby opened the door. Jazz led the way. She gave Nairoby a head to toe look as she walked by. The woman backed up. Her gaze darted from Jazz to MiMi until both were in the hallway. Then she shut the door hard.
“Well that was interesting,” Jazz murmured.
They didn’t speak again as they entered the elevator and rode down. MiMi felt exposed as they exited on the lobby level. Waiting out on the street for the valet to bring the SUV made her nervous. MiMi let go of the breath she’d held when her vehicle appeared. She quickly gave the young man a tip and got in.
“Call the cops and spill what you just found out,” Jazz said when they pulled away into traffic. She lit up on of her smokes.
“I agreed to give her eight hours,” MiMi replied. “And roll down your window. I don’t want my baby breathing second hand smoke.”
“Hell, so damn picky,” Jazz muttered. Still she complied. She blew smoke out of the passenger window. “You need to offer up some suspects ASAP to get your ass off the hot seat.”
“You heard what she said. I don’t want her blood on my hands.” MiMi turned onto Florida Boulevard taking the direction toward Jazz’s club.
“Nairoby is street all the way, a true survivor. Besides, you can’t believe everything she said. For all we know she could have her own dangerous crew. We just have her word for it that Ramon isn’t one of her boys.” Jazz sucked in more smoke and streamed it through the window.
“She looked genuinely scared, but you’re right,” MiMi replied with a frown.
“That girl’s a player. She knows how to think fast and put on an act. Her back up is a cash reserve only she knows about and an exit plan.”
MiMi stopped as a traffic light turned yellow then red. She glanced at Jazz. “Takes one to know one, huh?”
“Exactly, cause that’s what I’d do in her shoes. She’s kinda cool. So Jack and her…” Jazz made a crude gesture and indicated the sex act.
MiMi hissed just as the light turned green. She hit the accelerator pedal too hard and the SUV shot off. “That no-good—”
“Careful, no cuss word. You’ll get in the habit and slip up in front of Sage.” Jazz giggled when MiMi let loose with expletives anyway.
“You know what he did? Pumped me for information on the textiles business to help him do deals with her. I earned any money he made.”
“Gotta admire a smooth operator.” Jazz pressed against the passenger door when MiMi growled. “Hey, I’m just sayin’.”
“Why
should I give her any damn time,” MiMi muttered. She started the speed dial feature connected to her cell phone on the steering wheel, then hung up. “No. I can’t do it even to her. I’ll call Edselle and fill him in. Then ask him to call Detective Drake or his partner in the morning.”
“Okay, but waiting might not make a difference. Sounds like Nairoby’s pals back home are done with her already.” Jazz shrugged. She tossed away the cigarillo when MiMi pulled up to another red light.
“Overnight won’t hurt. How did you arranged for a woman to hook up with Ramon at the casino?” MiMi grinned at Jazz.
“So you know my guys followed them. They saw the big dude hitting on good-looking women in the hotel bar and a couple of Third Street nightclubs. He likes blondes. I called my friend Sandy. We worked at the same gentlemen’s club in Houston back in the day. She owes me big time, so she took the job.” Jazz breathed in the night air.
“But what if Ramon had tried something?” MiMi drove on through the green traffic signal.
“One of the guys stuck with ‘em. He would have pulled the jealous boyfriend routine at her signal. Now the best part is she might have learned something, but I doubt it. The dude may be muscle, but I don’t think he’s stupid.” Jazz smiled at MiMi. “Speaking of smart, you played a nice hand with Nairoby. I was like, damn. Look at my girl.”
MiMi shook her head. “Yeah, all of this mess has changed me. I’m not sure it’s in a good way, not for my little girl’s sake.”
“In other words you’re scared of turning into me” Jazz quipped.
“I’ve seen your soft side.” MiMi grinned at her.
“Hey, keep that to yourself. I’ve got a reputation to protect.” Jazz slapped her on the shoulder playfully. “I could tell Don what we found out. I didn’t promise that heffa a damn thing.”
MiMi shook her head. “No, don’t do anything. I’ve involved you and Willa in my crazy drama too much as it is. But thanks. You both are now officially my blood sisters.”
“Sisters,” Jazz repeated with a wink.
“Since I may dodge being charged with murder, all I have to do is save my house and find our money.” MiMi frowned into the night ahead as she drove. Jazz seemed content to remain silent and let her think through her next moves.