by K'wan
Magic smiled. “Your story made it possible for the Back 2 Life program to get the help it needed to really get out there and make a difference.”
“I was happy to do it. I have a lot of respect for John and C-Lo and the work they do.”
“So do I. C-Lo taught me a lot about what it means to be a man.” Magic rolled up a sleeve and revealed a tattoo on his forearm that read H.G.C. “Harlem Gangsta Crip,” he said with a hint of pride. “I was one of the first kids to come through the program when they started it.”
“I’d have never guessed,” Kahllah said. Magic looked more like a model than a gangbanger—but looks, of course, could be deceiving.
“Because I’ve worked really hard to clean up my image.”
“We’ve come a long way since banging and pulling armed robberies, huh, Magic?” Ben chimed in.
“Indeed we have, and there is still so much further for us to go.”
“From the looks of this place, I’d say you’re well on your way,” Kahllah said.
“Voodoo is my baby, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. I’ve got big plans, Kahllah. Very big plans.” Magic rubbed his hands together.
“Well, that’s why we’re here. We want to find out more about the man behind the plan.”
For the next half hour, Kahllah picked the brain of the man known as Magic. He was quite candid during their chat, sharing with her his highs and lows, hopes and dreams. His moniker came from his knack for disappearing at signs of trouble. Over the years he’d had more than a few close calls with the law and his life. One incident he touched on briefly was when he had gotten jammed up with his partner Archie during a traffic stop. The police found a gun and weed in the car. The gun belonged to Magic, and with him already being a convicted felon and on probation, he knew he was fucked. That was when Archie stepped up and claimed ownership. Archie’s reasoning was that he had been a career criminal and in the streets for decades, while Magic’s star had only begun to rise. Going to prison would’ve robbed him of the opportunity to take his shot at greatness. Besides, Archie was already on the run for a shooting that he had been involved in, so he figured it wouldn’t hurt to add a few more years to the lengthy bid he’d be getting. Magic had never forgotten his friend’s sacrifice, and promised that he wouldn’t squander his second chance. This was when he turned his attention to creating something legitimate. By the end of their conversation, Kahllah had a newfound respect for the reformed hustler.
As they were wrapping up the interview, Ben tapped Magic’s shoulder. “Six o’clock,” he said, nodding at something just beyond where they were sitting.
Magic’s mood seemed to darken at this. He mumbled something to Kahllah that sounded like “Be right back,” but his jaw was clenched so tight she couldn’t be sure. Kahllah watched as Magic picked his way through the crowd, and went to greet someone. It was an older fellow, dressed in a suit and flanked by two hard-faced men, also wearing suits. Bodyguards, no doubt. Kahllah had been staring at unfamiliar faces all night, but this one she knew very well.
Chapter 7
Magic traversed the logjam of people inside Voodoo to receive his unexpected guest. Ben remained in the VIP area with the women from the magazine, but Magic could feel his eyes on him, watching to see if there’d be trouble. For all their sakes, Magic hoped there wouldn’t be. He took a deep breath and mustered his most convincing smile before greeting the King.
Chancellor King was a very important man. His family had operated out of the section of New York formerly known as Five Points for three generations, and he currently sat as its reigning king. They had their hands in just about everything, including drugs and prostitution. Nothing moved south of Houston Street without the King receiving his taste. Recently he had turned his attention to playing politics, currently holding the position of Manhattan borough president, leaving his oldest son, Ghost, to handle the family’s less-than-savory dealings. Voodoo was a spot that a man like King tended to avoid, so his presence was unusual, especially on opening night. Magic had a good idea of why he was here; he just hoped that his face didn’t betray this.
“Mr. King! What an honor it is to have you with us tonight.”
Magic went to shake the man’s hand, but one of the bodyguards blocked him. Magic wasn’t an enemy, but he wasn’t a friend either. When dealing with men like Chancellor King, it didn’t really matter; you were either family or you weren’t. The old man paused as if trying to decide whether to let Magic approach. After what felt like a lifetime, he waved his guards back and allowed it.
“You should’ve told me you were coming. I’d have had a private section prepared for you.”
“I never announce my comings and goings,” Chancellor said. “I like to keep people on their toes. Don’t you know that by now? Besides, I’m not here for drinks, I’m here for answers. I’m sure by now you’ve heard what’s happened?”
“Yes, my condolences to you and your family. It was a sad situation, to be sure.”
“A sad situation?” Chancellor’s nostrils flared. “My wife’s niece and her new husband are murdered on their honeymoon, and you call that a situation?”
“I didn’t mean any disrespect, Mr. King.”
“Killed them like they were dogs! Found the bodies burned to a crisp. Had to identify them by their dental records. These bastards didn’t even leave enough of them for a proper burial.”
“If there’s anything I can do, just say the word.”
“I’m glad you feel that way.” Chancellor’s face took on a look that made Magic nervous. “Word on the streets is that they were killed by a crew. Not just any crew. A highly skilled group of individuals using high-tech weapons. Sound familiar?”
“With all due respect, Mr. King, you should know better. Murder was never my thing. I was a robber. Besides all that, I’ve been retired for a while now. I don’t pull heists anymore. I’m legit.”
“So it would seem.” Chancellor looked around the club. “What about your old crew? They retired too?”
“Ben is my partner here, Archie is doing fifteen years of state time, and Butch got killed out in Pennsylvania last year.” Magic shrugged. “Ain’t nobody left.”
“And your cousin, the pretty one? Wasn’t he running around with you boys for a time? What was his name again?”
“A passing fascination, and he’s since come to his senses.” That was all Magic would say. Chancellor was asking after Magic’s cousin and old running buddy, Red. The cousins had been as thick as thieves back in the day. This was around when Magic had first hooked in with the weapons suppliers who would help push his career to the next level. Red had been a college kid who got his kicks from hanging around with gangsters. Magic letting him get mixed up in his business was a recipe for disaster, but Magic didn’t see it coming until Red crossed him on a score and made off with the money. Magic didn’t track Red down and kill him for the same reason he wouldn’t reveal his name to King: Red was his favorite aunt’s only son. Magic hadn’t spoken to his cousin in years, and the last he’d heard, Red had abandoned his criminal aspirations and gone back to college.
“Not everyone is smart enough to get out,” Chancellor said with a smirk. “Some folks keep playing until they’re taken out.”
And there it was. He hadn’t threatened Magic directly, but it was there, hiding beneath that sour-ass grin. Chancellor’s eyes bore into Magic, as if he were a human lie detector. Just then, one of the waitresses approached Magic and whispered something into his ear.
“Mr. King,” Magic said, “I hate to seem rude, but I have some club business that I need to attend to. I’d be honored if you’d stay as my personal guest. I’ll have Molly take you to one of our private booths.”
“Thank you, but no. Much like yourself, I have some business to attend to. My niece’s killers ain’t gonna catch themselves.”
“I’ll keep my ear to the streets, and if I hear anything, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
“No worries, Magic. I’m s
ure we’ll be speaking again sooner than later.” Chancellor gave a sly smile before turning on his heels and walking off.
Magic stood there for a time, watching the old man and his bodyguards move through the crowd. It wasn’t until he was out of sight that Magic released the breath he’d unconsciously been holding. Whether or not Chancellor believed him was anyone’s guess. The King of Five Points had an impenetrable poker face. What Magic knew was that nothing good would come of this.
Chapter 8
“Everything okay?” Kahllah asked once Magic returned to their section. She could tell from his face that something was weighing on him.
“Yeah, just saying hello to an old friend.”
“I didn’t know Chancellor King had any friends,” Kahllah half joked. She knew just who King was and what he was about.
“What he want?” Ben cut in.
“We’ll talk about it later,” Magic said.
“He’s got some nerve, peacocking his old ass in our joint like he owns it,” Ben said. “If he knows like I know, he’ll take that shit back down to Five Points.”
“I said we’ll discuss it later!
Ben finally caught on and let it go.
“Listen, I think we’ve taken up enough of your time tonight,” Kahllah said. “You guys probably have things to do, so maybe it’s time we call it a night?” She stood to leave, but Magic stopped her with a soft grasp of her wrist.
“Nonsense.” He eased her back into her seat. “You can’t just rush off before you’ve even gotten to the meat of my story.”
“Oh, there’s more?” Kahllah asked with a raised eyebrow.
“With me, there’s always more.” Magic signaled one of the waitresses to grab another bottle. “Now, where were we?”
As the night wore on, the drinks seemed to flow in an endless river. Kahllah didn’t usually drink much, but she allowed herself two glasses of champagne. Audrey, on the other hand, was well on her way to being hammered. Normally Kahllah would’ve been on her back about being intoxicated in public, but tonight she decided to let her have a good time. They were all having fun, including Kahllah. Magic kept her entertained with the stories he told. She felt increasingly comfortable around him, which was unusual since she was always so guarded. She found him not only charming but quite interesting. It was a good night, though all good things come to an end.
The waitress arrived with yet another bottle of champagne. She was just about to place it in the ice bucket when a hand intercepted it. All eyes in the VIP area turned to see who dared touch what didn’t belong to him. He was a handsome man, not quite as attractive as Magic, but still easy on the eyes: brown skin, low-cut hair, and a thin goatee. Diamonds adorned his neck, wrist, and both ears. He was wearing a black leather jacket with two white-winged horses running down the sleeves. Kahllah had seen the jacket in a catalog before; it wasn’t cheap.
Hard eyes stared at Magic defiantly as the man popped the cork on the bottle and let champagne spill freely onto the floor. He took a deep swig, wiping the excess from his chin with the back of his hand. “Now that’s some good shit,” he declared with a smile.
“Fuck are you doing here?” Magic rose to his feet. Kahllah didn’t miss the fact that Ben remained seated.
“Well hello to you too, Magic. You greet all your friends like this, or just me?”
“That’s a word used too loosely.” Magic folded his arms. “This is a private event, Tay. You can’t just pop up at my spot like this.”
“Magic, you wound me. I’ll have you know that I was invited.”
“By who?”
Tay’s eyes drifted to Ben, who picked that moment to refill his cup with ice.
“You serious?”
“C’mon, Magic,” Ben said. “I didn’t mean no harm by inviting the homey. We’re celebrating our accomplishments, ain’t we?”
“Exactly—our accomplishments.”
A scowl touched Tay’s lips. “Oh, I see what this is. I was good enough to do dirt for you, but not good enough to break bread?” He shook his head. “Some niggas never change.”
“That’s exactly my point,” Magic shot back.
Tay’s eyes went to the women in the VIP area, lingering on Kahllah. “This your new piece, Magic?”
“I’m not anyone’s anything,” Kahllah countered.
Tay threw his hands up. “I meant no disrespect. You’re just a new face in the circle, that’s all. I don’t know why I’m surprised. Magic has always had an eye for the finer things in life. That’s one of the only useful qualities I’ve picked up from him.” He looked over his shoulder and said, “Ain’t that right, baby?”
The woman had been so quiet that none of them had even noticed her standing there, like a curvaceous statue carved from polished onyx. She had high cheekbones and black hair that seemed to meld into the dark flesh of her neck. Her legs stretched for days and disappeared up a formfitting green dress. The slit on it was so high that you didn’t have to guess whether or not she was wearing underwear. Like Tay, she was decked in jewels—emeralds, to match the dress. Capping off her outfit was a fox stole that hung loosely over her shoulders. To call the woman gorgeous wouldn’t have done her justice.
Kahllah watched Magic’s eyes cycle through surprise, hurt, and then anger. There had been or was still something between them, clearly.
“How you been, suga?” the girl asked in a rich Southern accent. Her voice was sweet, like what flowers would sound like if they made sounds.
“I’m good, Sable,” Magic said dryly.
“Better than good.” Tay motioned around the club. “Our boy is on the come-up.”
“Magic always did dream bigger than most,” Sable said.
“Niggas who spend all their time with their heads in the clouds tend to miss what’s right in front of them.” Tay pulled Sable closer. “So, you gonna stand there gawking or offer us a seat at your table?”
“Sorry, Tay, but this section is full. If you like, I can have you set up at one of our tables way in the back and send a few bottles over.”
“I got my own bread.” Tay pulled a knot of bills from his pocket. “I don’t do handouts.”
“But you got no problem with hand-me-downs?” Magic cut his eyes at Sable.
“You know what?” Kahllah spoke up. “You can have our seats. We were about to leave anyway. Let’s go, Audrey.”
“Go? Girl, it’s not even eleven o’clock. Let’s stay until at least midnight.” Audrey snuggled closer to Ben.
“Do what you want, but I’m gone,” Kahllah said.
“Aw, baby, we didn’t mean to scare you off,” Tay teased.
“I don’t scare easily. I’ve got an early day tomorrow.”
“At least let me walk you out.” Magic placed his hand on the small of Kahllah’s back and steered her out of the VIP section. As he passed Tay, he whispered, “Don’t be here when I come back.”
The temperature had dropped a bit when Kahllah got outside. The chilled air felt good on her skin. Except for a few stragglers lined up by the entrance, the crowd from earlier was gone. She and Magic quietly walked the half block to where she’d parked her car. She could tell that the exchange in the club was still weighing on him. Though tempted to ask about the history between him and the woman, she decided against it. It wasn’t her business.
“Sorry about all that back there,” Magic finally broke the silence. They were waiting for the parking attendant to bring her car up.
“No need to apologize. Your buddy was a bit of a dick, but you’ve been a gentleman all night.”
“Tay ain’t no buddy of mine. He’s more like a bad rash that just won’t go away. But enough about Tay. When can I see you again?”
“Well, if I have any follow-up questions before we roll out the piece on the grand opening, I’ll shoot you an e-mail.”
“You know that’s not how I meant it.”
“I figured, and that’s where we’re gonna keep it. I had a good time tonight, but I don’t believe in
mixing business and pleasure. Things like that never end well.”
“Then forget the write-up. Let’s keep it pleasure. Can I take you out for dinner one of these nights? Maybe a few drinks?”
“Thank you, but no,” she said politely.
“What? Am I ugly or something?”
“No, you’re actually quite handsome.”
“Then you must have a man. I don’t know why I thought you didn’t. A woman as fine as you must have somebody at home waiting on her.”
“Nope, single as a dollar bill.”
“Then what is it?”
Kahllah searched for the right words. “Let’s just say I’m not exactly the kind of girl you take home to your mother.”
The valet pulled up with her car. He got out and held the door for Kahllah. She slid fluidly behind the wheel.
“Kahllah, we’ve all got a past of some sort. Hell, I just laid all my skeletons out for you. I think you’ll find that I’m more understanding than you’re giving me credit for. Give me one shot, and if you’re not feeling me, then I’m out of your hair forever. What harm could it do?”
“More than you know. Goodnight, Magic.” She pulled into traffic.
* * *
Reentering Voodoo, Magic’s butterflies passed and it was back to the matter at hand. Tay knew what he was doing, showing up here. Throwing the fact that he was fucking Sable in his face was just to pour salt in the wound. Magic wasn’t dumb; he knew the two of them were an item now, but it had been out of sight, out of mind. He and Sable were ancient history, and whoever she chose to fuck was her business, but seeing them together made him want to punch both of them in the face. He’d told Tay to be gone, yet there was a part of him that hoped the dude had stuck around to spite him. Magic was spoiling for a fight. Much to his disappointment, and relief, when he got back to the VIP area Tay and Sable were nowhere to be found.
Ben greeted him: “Man, for as long as your ass was gone, I thought you decided to slide with shorty.” He was still sitting in the same spot, with Audrey up under him.