by Glenn, Roy
Rain laughed and held up her hands. She got up and looked down at Dwayne, laying there on the floor with Memphis’s gun pointed at his head. She walked up to Cynt. “You tell that bitch Wanda that I know what she up to,” Rain said calmly and headed for the door.
Her men followed her out with their weapons still pointed at Cynt’s men.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Nick didn’t go back to JR’s after he dropped Rain off at her apartment. Instead, he decided that he needed to go around to see some people. If what he heard was true and Wanda was getting ready to move against him, something that he still didn’t want to believe, then he needed to see who was with him. His first spot was to see Howard Owens. He was a bookie and a loan shark. Howard had been with Black since the days when Black first separated from André. He was a good earner and more importantly, Howard controlled or had influence over the type of people Nick would need. The collectors, the leg breakers, the people you didn’t want to see if you owed money and couldn’t pay.
Nick was there for Howard when a man named Charles Watson borrowed fifty thousand dollars to expand his construction business and had been ducking him for two months. Then he sent a man named Clay Barksdale to kidnap and beat Howard’s brother and then tried to kill Howard.
Nick and Rain went to Watson’s house and forced his wife to lure Watson and Barksdale to the house. Rain tied up both men and then Nick beat Barksdale and burned him with acid until he passed out. “Wake him up,” Nick ordered and Rain backhanded Barksdale. His head snapped back and his eyes jerked open.
“Now kill him.”
When Rain put the gun to his head, you could see the fear in his eyes and terror in the Watsons’. She fired once. The impact knocked the chair over. “Do you know who I am?” Nick asked Watson.
“No.”
“My name is Nick Simmons. Howard Owens works for me.”
“I was goin’ to pay him his money. I just need a little more time.”
“You had your chance to pay Howard. You had your chance to pay the two gentlemen I sent to talk to you last week, but you ducked out on them and then you sent that asshole to rough-up Howard’s brother and take a shot at him. That’s why he’s layin’ there dead now. You don’t owe that money to Howard anymore. Now you owe me. So here’s what’s gonna happen. I own ten percent of your business. Tomorrow morning I’m gonna send the same two men around to your office at ten o’clock and you’re gonna be there to meet them. You’re gonna give them the money you owe, including the interest and they’re gonna give you some papers to sign. Sign them. The next morning another man will be there. He is my representative, he’ll explain how things are gonna work. The good news is you still run the company, but you don’t do shit unless you talk to him first. Do we have a deal or do I have to kill your wife?”
“We have a deal,” Watson said and dropped his head.
“Smart man. Do what I say and you’ll live a lot longer and you’ll make a lot more money,” Nick said and got up. “By the way, if you even think about callin’ the cops and sayin’ anything about our deal, I promise you that you will get to watch me kill your wife and those two kids, before I cut your head off. Do we have an understanding?”
Now Nick needed Howard to be there for him.
Howard operated out of a dry cleaning store, but at night he could be found at home with his family. When he got to Howard’s house, his wife, Evelyn let Nick in and told him that he could find Howard in the living room watching TV. “Hello, Howard.”
Howard was startled by Nick’s sudden appearance in his living room. Then he thought quickly if he owed Nick something and had forgotten to repay it. He looked around for Rain. Not seeing her or anybody else, Howard relaxed a little. Still, he wished that his gun wasn’t in the bedroom.
Nick saw the look on Howard’s face. “Relax Howard. I ain’t here to kill you,” he said and sat down.
Evelyn brought out a bottle of scotch and two glasses, and Nick told Howard the reason for his unexpected visit. “And you think Wanda is behind them?”
“Who else could it be?”
“You’re right. Grant ain’t got the brains or the heart to pull this together. No, Wanda is the only one that could pull that group together. But the one I’m surprised about is Doc. I wanna know what they said to make him go along with this.”
“Doc’s a business man, Howard.”
“Who you got with you?”
“First I need to know if you’re with me?”
“I don’t forget my friends, Nick.” Howard stood up. “I ain’t the one for all the gun play no more, but whatever you need I got you,” he said and shook Nick’s hand. “And I’ll talk to Doc. See if I can’t talk some sense into him.”
“Find out what they said to make him throw in with them.”
“You know you got it, Nick. Whatever you need,” Howard said.
His next spot was a convenience store that was run by Sherman Williams. He had been running numbers out of that store for years. Sherman also had a reputation for keeping his mouth shut and his ears opened. On the way there, he got a call from Mercedes, letting him know that Rain and her crew had just walked up in Cynt’s. “Let me know if anything happens that I need to know about,” he said. “How you doin’ with your boy Dwayne?”
“I got him following me around like a puppy. If something big is gonna go down, he’ll tell me so he can feel like a big man,” Mercedes said.
“I knew I had the right woman. Stay on top of this for me, but don’t put yourself in any danger by doin’ stupid shit. You understand?”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Mercedes said and Nick ended the call. He went inside the store and walked up to the young woman at the counter. “Hey, Debra.”
“Hey, Nick.”
“He here?” Nick asked.
“He’s in the back,” she said and pointed.
“Thanks.” Nick went back to the office and knocked on the door. “It’s Nick!”
“Come on!” Sherman yelled and Nick opened the door. “What’s up, Nick,” he said and stood up to shake hands. “You know, I knew with the shit I been hearin’ that sooner or later you’d come walkin’ through that door.”
“And I knew with all the shit I been hearin’ that you’d be the man that was on top of it.”
“There are a lot of people who don’t like you and blame you for Freeze gettin’ killed and more that don’t think you earned that spot. I wasn’t surprised when Bo tried to grab power, but not Grant, Cynt and Doc. But the one I’m trippin’ off is Wanda. I knew she was power hungry but damn. I didn’t think she’d go this far.”
“I’m havin’ a hard time believin’ this shit myself,” Nick said and shook his head.
“Come on, Nick, let’s be real about this. You know as well as I do what this is really about,” Sherman said and laughed a little.
Nick laughed. “What’s it about, Sherman?”
“Rain Robinson. She done fucked around and took her man and then she slapped the shit outta her. And you know ain’t nothin’ more dangerous than a woman scorned.”
“If it come down to it, I need to know if I can count on your support?”
“Nick, let me tell you one thing about me. I’ll always be on the right side. What them niggas is doin’ is wrong. Dead wrong. I noticed that she waited until Black and Bobby are out of the city before she tried this shit.”
Nick didn’t say anything, but he wondered if Black had sanctioned the move against him. He realized that if Black were dissatisfied with his leadership, he would step to him and tell him. No, Black wouldn’t be involved in anything like this. This was all Wanda’s doing. But what about Bobby? Even though that Camille shit was dead and buried between them, he still wondered.
“Who you got with you?” Sherman asked.
“I just came from talkin’ to Howard.”
“What Howard say?”
“He said, he ain’t the one for all the gun play no more, but whatever I need he got me.”
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Sherman laughed. “Sounds like something Howard would say.”
“Howard never was much of a trigger man.”
“Maybe not now, but you can count on Howard to do whatever needs to be done.” Sherman paused and thought for a minute. “Do you remember Larry White and them two niggas he used to run with, Mills and Keywell?”
“I remember them.”
“You know the three of them used to work for Charlie Rock. They knew they were in deep ’cause Charlie and Jimmy were dead, and they thought Black was gonna kill them and if he didn’t Vincent would. On top of that, they owed Howard a lot of money.”
“What they owe Howard for?”
“They owed Howard ’cause they came up short on some money for Vince after Charlie died and they wanted to get him to hold off until they could make the money back,” Sherman said. “Howard told them that he would get in touch with them and that something would be worked out.”
“Why they come to Howard when we were at war?” Nick asked.
We? Sherman felt a little strange about Nick saying we were at war since he wasn’t there.
“You gotta remember, back in those days before the war we was all one big happy family. Larry and Howard used to do business sometimes.” Sherman thought he needed to clarify that statement. “But after he went with Black he got outta the business all together. That made Howard the perfect go-between. He was partners with Black in the bookmaking operation and like I said, he used to do business with Larry.”
“Black know about this?”
“Sure Black knew. That nigga is psychic. Howard was sittin’ right where you are talkin’ to me about it when Black came in with Freeze and Bobby. He had heard that Larry had been reachin’ out to Howard and you know Black, he saw an opportunity. Vickie was still fresh in his mind and he wanted to wipe out anybody who dealt drugs.”
“I don’t know why Larry didn’t see that shit coming,” Nick said.
“Larry, Chilly and a whole lot of people, myself and Howard included just thought that Black and that no drug shit was just a way for Black to wipe out the competition and once it was over, he would take over the drug game and be bigger than André.”
“Guess he fooled everybody,” Nick said.
“It didn’t matter to me. I’m numbers man, I never did get into that drug shit anyway, but Larry and them thought they would get back in with Black and be set when he got back in.”
“I know he thought a peace conference sounded like a good place to hit them.”
“You know it. So Howard met the men at the door of the apartment. When they came in I turned up the music. Larry said he was glad to see us. His boys, Mills and Keywell were with him.”
“Was Black there?”
“Not at first, but he sent over a couple women and said he’d be there later. So these niggas is laid back, relaxed fuckin’ with the women, you know, gettin’ their jimmies waxed.”
Nick laughed. “That sounds like something Black would do.”
“He sent them niggas out right. So Black, Bobby and Freeze get there and the women leave. The deal was that they were supposed to pay Howard back the fifty they owed him plus ten g’s for Black. After everybody exchanged greetings, Larry, Mills and Keywell sat next to each other on a couch and Freeze took a seat on the arm. They talked for a few minutes. Then Larry gave up the money. Black looked at Bobby, ‘Where’s Wanda?’ Bobby said something about going to look for her and him and Black left the apartment. Black got in the car and laid on the horn. I told Howard that was the signal,” Sherman recalled. “Howard pulled out his gun and fired at Larry and the bullet went right by my nose. At the same time, me and Freeze fired at Mills and Keywell. Then Howard fired again and hit Larry in the head.”
Nick stood up. “Howard the trigger man. Glad to know he can handle himself.”
“If it comes down to it, you can count on Howard to do whatever needs to be done. And that goes for me too,” Sherman said and walked Nick out.
His next spot was Clay’s Garage to talk to Chance. After Nick explained the situation and Chance told Nick about Grant’s unexpected visit, he had a decision to make. “I ain’t supposed to tell you this, but Rain was by here tonight.”
Nick didn’t look surprised. He didn’t think Rain was sick and knew she was up to something. His first thought was drugs. “What she want?”
“She said that something was going on and she needed to get on top of it. I gave her a car and she left.”
“I need you to reinforce a couple of vehicles for me. A van, an SUV and a car. Bulletproof glass; the whole bit.”
“How soon you need them?”
“Yesterday,” Nick said and walked out to the garage. He went back to JR’s to wait for Rain to show up there. The first person he saw when he got there was Danielle. “What you doin’ at the front door?”
“Rose said she needed a manager up here. What ever I can do to help out,” Danielle said and leaned close to Nick. “She thinks somebody is stealing.”
“Let me know what’s up,” Nick said and walked off.
“I just might do that,” Danielle said quietly.
He hadn’t been back in his office long when Mercedes called back to tell him what was going on at Cynt’s. “Chris Toney just threw Dwayne down on a table. Everybody got they guns out,” Mercedes reported. “Now Rain is sayin’ something to Cynt.” Mercedes paused. “Okay, they’re leaving now.” After that, Nick knew it wouldn’t be long before Rain got there.
“What were you doin’ at Cynt’s?” Nick said as soon as she walked through the door with Chris Toney and Memphis.
Rain was excited to share the news and what she did with Nick. Now he was mad and she had to explain her actions. “Wait outside for me,” she said and closed the door behind them. “How you know I was at Cynt’s?” she asked before she turned around.
“I keep tellin’ you, I know everything. Now, what were you doin’ at Cynt’s?”
“I think that bitch Wanda is gettin’ ready to move on us.”
“I know. What were you doin’ at Cynt’s?”
“You know?”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Why ain’t you tell me?”
“’Cause I knew you’d wanna run off and do something about it. What were you doin’ at Cynt’s?” Nick shouted.
“I went there to send a message!” Rain shouted back.
“That’s not what I wanted!” Nick yelled then tried to calm himself down. “I wanted them to do what they were doin’ and think I didn’t know, but I’d be ready for them when they made their move.”
“Then you should have told me,” Rain said louder than she needed to and regretted it the second she said it. She saw the look on Nick’s face.
Nick didn’t say anything for a while. “Okay, it’s out in the open now, let’s see what they’re gonna do,” he said and got up.
“Where you goin’?”
“Home.”
Rain followed Nick out of the office and rounded up her crew. They made their way through the club and she caught up with Nick at the front door. “Good night, Nick,” Danielle said as they passed.
Nick was so mad at what Rain had done that he didn’t say anything to her. He wondered now that it’s out in the open, what Wanda’s next move would be. Rain gave Danielle the evil stay the fuck away from my man bitch stare.
As soon as they got outside, a van pulled up in front of JR’s. The door slid open and two men opened fire with automatic weapons. Nick pushed Rain out of the way and took two in the chest before he could get his gun out.
“Nick!” Rain yelled, pulled her gun and fired back. She got a good look at the shooters.
When they started firing at Rain she hit the ground, while her men were pinned down inside. When the shooters pulled away from the club, Rain jumped up. “Get the car!” she yelled as her men came out of the club. She ran behind the van firing shots as it drove away. She hit it three times.
Rain came and knelt down beside Nick. “Don�
�t let them get away,” Nick said as he held on to his chest.
Danielle came out of the club. “Oh my God!” she screamed and ran to Nick as Rain’s men pulled up in the truck.
“Come on,” Memphis said and opened the back door for her.
“Go ahead. I’ll stay with him.”
Rain gave Danielle an evil look, and then she ran and got in the truck. More people came out of the club.
“Somebody call an ambulance!” Danielle yelled and held on to Nick.
“No,” Nick managed. “Help me up.”
“No, Nick. You need a doctor,” Danielle pleaded.
“That’s where were goin’. Now, help me up and take me to your car. I’ll tell you where to go.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Rain wiped the tears from her eyes and hoped that Chris Toney and Memphis hadn’t noticed that she was crying. She didn’t want to ever show them any type of weakness. Rain needed to appear strong and in control at all times. Especially times like this, she told herself, but on the inside she was dying. Her king had been shot. She wanted to stay with him. But when Nick told her not to let them get away, Rain knew she had no choice. She put on the night vision goggles that Nick had given her and looked for the van.
They had been riding for a little over five minutes when she saw it up ahead of them. “There it is,” she said and pointed.
“You sure?” Chris Toney asked.
“I can see the fuckin’ bullet holes I put in it. Get closer and open the roof.” Rain took off the goggles and stood up. “Give me your gun Chris.”
Chris Toney handed Rain his gun and Memphis opened his window. They opened fire on the van. When the bullets began hitting it, the van sped up. “Stay with them!” Rain yelled as her and Memphis continued firing on the van.
The back door of the van opened and two gunmen opened up with their automatic weapons. Rain ducked back in the truck. She opened her window and kept shooting. The van approached a light that had just turned yellow. “Don’t lose them!”