The Mike Black Saga Volume 2

by Roy Glenn

  “Good morning, Leon. This is Wanda. How are you doing?”

  “I’m doing great, Wanda. What about you?” Leon asked knowing that Wanda didn’t just call.

  “I’m great too. I know you don’t know this, but Mike was in jail recently.”

  “Black, in jail? Who’d he kill?”

  “Somebody murdered his wife and tried to set him up for the murder.”

  “That’s fucked up,” Leon said, sure now that Wanda wanted something. “Does he know who killed her?”

  “We have some ideas.”

  “Well, if there’s anything I could do to help, you know all you gotta do is ask.”

  “If you’re willing to help, there is something that you might be able to help us with,” Wanda told him.

  “Anything at all, Wanda. Just let me know.”

  “Are you busy now?”

  “Not at all, why?”

  “Mike’s flight arrives in Jacksonville in about two hours. He’d appreciate it if you were there to meet him.”

  A little more than two hours later, Leon, Diamond and Pearl met Black at the airport. Leon hadn’t seen Black in years. When Black stepped into the baggage claim area, the first thing he noticed was Diamond and Pearl. Then he saw Leon standing in between them. Leon stepped away from the ladies and greeted him.

  “Mike Black,” he said and shook his hand. “You look good for somebody that just got out the joint.”

  Black patted Leon on the stomach. “You look like life is treating you good.”

  “I’ve done all right for myself.”

  “So Wanda tells me,” Black said as Diamond cleared her throat.

  “Oh, yeah, Black, this is Diamond, and this is Pearl.”

  Black laughed a little. “You’re kidding.”

  “No, I’m serious. That’s right, you’re a Prince fan.”

  “Right.” Black smiled and turned to the ladies. “Diamond, Pearl, it’s a pleasure to meet you.’

  “Pleasure to meet you too,” they both said almost in unison. “Leon talks about you all the time,” Pearl added.

  “I hope it was all good,” Black said.

  Pearl ran her tongue over her lips. “It looks all good to me.”

  “Come on, Black. I got a car waiting,” Leon said and started out the door. “You got any luggage?”

  “No.”

  There was a good reason why he had no luggage. The day after he got out of jail, Black and Wanda when by his house. Black stood in the living room for a while, staring at the couch and the chair. Then he went into the kitchen. As Wanda looked on, Black knelt down at the very spot where he found Shy’s body. Wanda really couldn’t tell because his back was to her, but she knew that he was fighting back the tears. When he got up, Black told Wanda to get rid of everything and sell the house. He hadn’t been back since.

  The next day he attended Shy’s funeral. It was the single hardest thing he had ever had to do. Standing there, holding Michelle. She stayed quiet while the reverenced spoke, but as soon as he was done, Michelle began to cry, screaming really. Black told Bobby that she knew what was going on and that was her way to say goodbye to her mother. Once Black was released, there was no more discussion about Michelle’s future. She would be with her father.

  Leon had rented a limousine for the trip to his house and made sure that he stopped by the store and picked up a bottle of Remy Martin VSOP for Black. On the way to Leon’s, the two friends talked and laughed about the old days. During the ride, Pearl, who sat next to Black, had slowly inched closer to him and at that point, had looped her arm in his. Black felt a little apprehensive about it; her being so close to him. Although he found both Pearl and Diamond to be very attractive, he had just buried his wife two weeks ago. He just wasn’t ready.

  Two hours later, Leon and Black were sprawled out in the living room waiting for the Greek food to be delivered. Since Diamond and Pearl couldn’t cook, they had to settle for delivery. By the time the food arrived, it was really late, and the ladies had been yawning throughout Leon and Black’s entire conversation. They didn’t discuss anything too deep, but still, the yawns were becoming a distraction. Black didn’t really like the idea of talking around the two women, even though he knew Leon trusted them like family. Other than a brief discussion about what happen to Shy, he purposely kept the conversation light.

  Once they finish dinner, they sat back to enjoy drinks. After the third round, Diamond stretched, released a less than lady like yawn and stood up.

  “That’s it, I’m going to bed,” she announced. She looked at Pearl who sat curled up on the nearby loveseat, “You coming?” she asked.

  Pearl brought the glass from her still glossy lips and shook her head. “I ain’t sleepy, you go ahead,” she said and took another sip from the glass. This time she swallowed all that was left.

  By this time Pearl’s neck was bending. It was obvious she was going down for the count. When her chin finally touched her chest, Leon looked over and snapped, “Pearl, take your ass to bed!”

  Pearl jumped up at the sound of her name, “I ain’t sleepy,” she whined.

  “Nah, you right, you ain’t sleepy, your ass is asleep. We don’t wanna sit up here and listen to you snoring. Take your ass to bed,” he demanded.

  Reluctantly, Pearl got up and made her way to the staircase, sucking her teeth all the way. She looked over her shoulder one last time and mumbled, “See y’all in the morning.” Then sashayed up the stairs.

  Black watched as she made it up the steps and stopped at the first door on her left. She hesitated a moment then opened the door, walked in and slammed it shut. As soon as the door shut, Black turned to Leon.

  “Dude, you fuckin’ both of ‘em?”

  “Yup,” Leon answered easily. Black noticed his chest was sticking out just a little more.

  Black shook his head. “You the man,” he joked.

  “Nah, Black, you the man. Right now, I’m just the man sitting next to the man. But anyway, I know you didn’t come all this way just to talk about old times. Tell me what I can do to help,” Leon said.

  “It’s about Cassandra,” Black said and swallowed hard. There were still times when he couldn’t believe she was gone.

  “You know who killed her?” Leon’s eyebrow inched up.

  “I do.”

  Leon sat back in his chair. He took a sip of his drink; he looked like he was pondering something, then stroked his mustache, hoping Black wasn’t about to ask him to commit a murder for him. Yeah, they were mad cool, however, Leon considered himself a businessman.

  Black was the killer.

  “Tell me what you want me to do?” Leon asked.

  “I need you to do something real important for me,” Black said, looking straight in his eyes. “I’d get one of my people to do it, but they’ve had us under surveillance. This guy might recognize them. I can’t take chances like that. So right now, you’re the only one I trust enough to handle this.”

  “Tell me what you want me to do?” Leon asked again, nodding this time.

  “Cassandra was killed by two contract killers. Through his contacts, Nick was able to find out that they’re handled by a guy named Rosstein. What I need you to do is meet with Rosstein and arrange to have these guys at a certain place at a certain time.”

  Leon put his drink down and looked at Black, “That’s it?” he asked astonished.

  “Yeah, Leon that’s all I want you to do,” Black answered calmly.

  “That’s it!” Leon shook his head. “I ain’t gotta kill nobody?” Leon looked shocked, but relieved.

  “Nah, Leon, I know you ain’t no killer,” Black said. “You remember when we were at that spot and that nigga Go-Go slapped the shit outta you over Nicole?”

  Leon snapped his finger, “Yeah, I remember that shit, I wanted to kill that nigga badder than a mutha fucka. Kill him so bad I could taste it,” Leon said, with his face all twisted up over the memory. “But I just couldn’t do it, had the mutha fucka on his knees, a
nd I couldn’t do it,” he said sadly.

  “So I killed him for you,” Black said.

  “Damn sure did,” Leon admitted quietly.

  “Whatever happened with you and Nicole anyway?”

  Leon shrugged, “Last I heard, she got hooked up with a shooter who got her strung out on heroin. I ain’t seen her in years.”

  “Whatever Leon,” Black laughed. “So look, tomorrow morning Nick will be here, and he’ll brief you on what you need to know to talk to this Rosstein guy,” Black polished off his drink.

  Through his contacts, Nick had arranged for Leon to meet Rosstein at Hilton Miami Airport hotel, in the Coral Cafe. Leon was told to sit there and eat, and Rosstein would join him during the meal. Leon and the ladies ordered their food and were in the middle of the meal when Rosstein walked up.

  “Mr. Copeland?”

  Leon looked up, and said, “Mr. Rosstein?”

  Rosstein nodded, he looked at Diamond and Pearl. “I was under the impression that we would talk alone,” he said, taking in the skimpy outfits the ladies were wearing. When he said that, Diamond and Pearl automatically knew it was their cue to leave.

  Rosstein cleared his throat and sat down. He glanced around the restaurant and turned back to Leon when he noticed the ladies were comfortably seated at the bar. Diamond and Pearl winked and waved.

  “I have to compliment you on your taste in women,” Rosstein said to Leon.

  “I thought we were here to discuss business, Mr. Rosstein.” Leon reached in his jacket and pulled out an envelope. He slid it in front of Rosstein. The envelope contained money and a picture. “That man will be coming out of Villa De La Reina Hotel in Madrid next Tuesday at ten o’clock at night. He’ll be accompanied by two bodyguards. All three of them need to be eliminated.”

  Rosstein signaled for the waiter. He didn’t speak as they waited for the waiter to come.

  “Bourbon and water,” he said to the young man.

  While he waited for his drink, he glanced at the picture in the envelope, at Leon then at Diamond and Pearl.

  “Since this is our first time doing business, I’m gonna let this go, but usually I don’t like to do business like this,” Rosstein said softly.

  “This is how I’ve always handled business with Felix, straight to the point. None of this bullshittin’ around,” Leon said coolly.

  “You used to deal with Felix, huh? Shame he retired,” Rosstein tossed in.

  Leon leaned forward, “What is this? Some kind of fuckin’ test?” Leon paused. “Felix retired when somebody put a bullet in his brain.”

  The waiter returned with Rosstein’s drink and he took a sip. “Can’t be too careful these days,” he said.

  Leon stood up. “Just let me know when it’s done,” he said then walked to the bar.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Madrid Spain, Tuesday Evening 10pm

  George Swanson was laying in wait on the roof of a building, which sat directly across the street from the Villa De La Reina hotel, located on Gran Via, overlooking Plaza Cibeles, in the heart of Madrid. He couldn’t get over how easy this would be; easy money. He sat poised and ready, he looked at his watch and lifted his rifle, looked in the scope and waited for his targets to appear.

  Suddenly he felt a barrel at the back of his head.

  “Put the gun down slowly, and stand up,” Nick said.

  At first, Swan, as he was called, didn’t move or react.

  “I’ll put a hole the size of that scope right through your skull. I said put it down and back up,” Nick warned.

  Swan slowly turned around; Nick took the rifle from him and walked him away from the edge of the building and into the stairwell where Black and Freeze were waiting.

  “Remember me?” Black asked and punched him in the face.

  Swan could hardly believe his eyes. The way the plan was supposed to go, once he and Bart did their part, Black was supposed to be killed in jail. His presence on the rooftop meant that not only did that not occur, but he knew who they were, and how to find them. Swan began to think quickly of a way to get out of the situation, Nick had disarmed him and in the small stairwell, there weren’t that many options.

  “Where do I find Kip Bartowski?” Black asked.

  “Fuck you nigger,” Swan spat. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about!”

  “Freeze,” Black called.

  Freeze put his gun away and walked up to Swan. Nick held him while Freeze went to work on his face and gut. Freeze would hit him, and Black would ask the question. “Where do I find Kip Bartowski?”

  Freeze hit him again.

  “Where do I find Kip Bartowski?” Black demanded.

  Freeze hit him again.

  Swan spat blood, and took all of Freeze’s blows, but he wouldn’t talk. The beating continued until Black tapped Freeze on the shoulder. “Take him outside.”

  By this time, Swan wasn’t able to walk too well, so Nick and Freeze dragged him outside, and Black followed behind them. Once they got Swan back outside, Black said, “Let him go.” Nick and Freeze let him go and his beaten body fell to the rooftop. Black stopped crouched down next to him. “Where do I find Kip Bartowski?”

  “What you gonna do kill me? If I tell you you’re gonna kill me any fuckin’ way, so what difference does it make, go on and do it! Get it over with nigger.”

  Freeze kicked him in the face, “I got your nigga!” he shouted, and then he kicked him again.

  “I wasn’t gonna kill you,” Black lied. He wanted everybody involved dead. “I never had planned on killing you. I know you wasn’t the one who killed my wife. Bart killed her. But now I’m thinking maybe you do need to die,” Black said. He looked at him and eased back up. “Throw him over,” he ordered.

  The plan was to beat Swan until he gave up Bartowski, and then get Rosstein to tell them who hired him. Now, George Swanson was dead, and they still didn’t know where they could find Bartowski. Black put in a call to Leon he explained to Leon what had happened and told him it was time to implement plan B.

  Leon smiled and said, “You got it.”

  Once he hung up the phone from Black, Leon called Rosstein. “Mr. Rosstein?” Leon said into the phone.

  “Yes Mr. Copeland?”

  “Has the work been completed?”

  “I’m waiting for confirmation now,” Rosstein said.

  “Well if your man is as good as I’ve heard he is, you should receive your confirmation very soon and we can relax and celebrate like gentlemen.”

  “Exactly!” Rosstein said smiling hoping that celebration would include Diamond and Pearl.

  “Are you still at the Hilton?” Leon confirmed.

  “Yes I am, I’m in room 411. Bring the rest of the money,” Rosstein said.

  “I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon,” Leon said. “Hopefully you’ll have confirmation by then.”

  “Right, you just bring the money.”

  The following afternoon, Rosstein paced back and forth in his room. He still hadn’t heard from Swan and he knew that Copeland was on his way. He was becoming concerned when he heard a knock at the door. Rosstein went to the door and looked through the peephole and is pleasantly surprised to see Diamond and Pearl carrying a briefcase.

  Rosstein swung the door opened, Diamond smiled and before he could do or say another word, Diamond reached from behind her back and hit Rosstein with a long blast with a taser gun. It shocked him but didn’t put him down, so Diamond hit him again. His body dropped to the floor, and Leon dragged him inside.

  When Rosstein came to, he was stripped down to his boxers, and handcuffed to the bed. Diamond and Pearl were sitting on either side of him.

  “Leon, he’s waking up,” Pearl said.

  Leon came into the room and put a chair in front of the bed. He sat down and said, “Rosstein.”

  Rosstein lifted his head. “What the fuck is this Copeland? What’s going on?”

  “You’re gonna tell me who put the contract out on Mi
ke Black and his wife and you’re gonna tell me where to find Kip Bartowski.”

  Rosstein laid his head back down. “Fuck you! How long do you think I’ll stay in business if I tell you that?”

  At that point, Pearl zapped him with the taser gun and then passed it back to Diamond. Leon asked again, he refused to answer. Diamond zapped him again.

  After a while Diamond noticed the bump in Rosstein’s shorts. She pointed toward his crotch, “Pearl, his lil thing is getting hard. You think he likes it?”

  “Zap him again, Diamond, see if he cums,” Pearl giggled.

  Leon stood up and shook his head at them, “Y’all two something else. Y’all do what y’all gone do,” he said and left the room.

  Leon had no idea what was going on in the room, all he heard was Rosstein screaming and Diamond and Pearl giggling. Soon, the door opened, and Pearl was standing there with a devilish grin across her face.

  “He’s ready to talk now,” she announced. Leon came back in the room and looked at Rosstein, who was struggling to breathe.

  “You had enough? Looks like these two could go all night.”

  Diamond moved the taser gun toward Rosstein again.

  “All right!” Rosstein yelled. He took a deep breath and tried to compose himself. He glanced in Diamond’s direction. She smiled and held up the taser. “Kip Bartowski. Day after tomorrow, he’ll be in Italy, in Palermo.”

  “What’s he doing there?”

  “What do you think he’s there for?” Diamond motioned toward Rosstein. “He’s there to kill Pietro Brusca.”

  “Who the fuck is that?” Leon barked.

  “Under boss for the Luigi family, in New York. He had a beef with—” Rosstein started.

  “I don’t wanna know anything about that. Just tell me where he is.”

  “He’s hiding out in Palermo, at Giovanni Falcone’s house, it’s his cousin or some shit.”

  “How do I find it?”

  “The address, it’s in my briefcase.”