“Yes. Jus. Yes. Why are you asking me this?’ ”
“Because it’s time you know who I am, or should I say, what I am. But I need to know that you have my back a thousand percent.”
“Jus, you know I do! What is it?”
Justus turned back around in the water, doused the candles, and told her everything.
Chapter 26
Pug was laid to rest two days after Justus massacred Jock and his crew. Everybody who was anybody came to pay their respects. Pug’s memorial service was being held at an affluent church on Bingham Drive. There wasn’t too much space for the mourners to park so the procession quickly spilled into the streets, prompting police to monitor traffic. This fell right into their plans, as they already had installed undercover agents throughout the crowd to gather intelligence on Jock’s crew’s murders.
Justus, Nikki, Jackie, and the children arrived late, making a grand entrance as they exited the family car. Jackie wore a long black dress with high-heels and a black brim with a veil suspended from its front. Justus and Nikki both wore black with red accents. Nikki, a black skirt with a red rose pinned to the front. Justus, a black-on-black, double-breasted Armani suit with a blood-red tie. The children wore a variation of both.
As they made their way down the center aisle to their positions in the front pew, all eyes were on them. The unofficial verdict of the street was out, and Justus was guilty. So, people throughout the church watched him glide confidently down the aisle. It wasn’t that everyone knew. The few that did gave so much deference to Justus that it created a strong magnetism to everyone within the vicinity. Murmurs grew so loud that the preacher was forced to pause during his sermon. He didn’t continue until Justus took his seat next to Leader, who was comforting Gloria.
As Justus sat listening to the preacher’s words, he couldn’t help but reflect on his actions. The preacher was saying some real things, especially the part about young lives being snuffed out prematurely. Justus thought about all of the murders he had committed. None of them affected him the way Pug’s death and his subsequent actions did. His comrade was no longer here to ride with him. Justus had a hard time accepting that fact, which was ironic considering his familiarity with death.
The thing that was really troubling Justus was his feeling about Jock. Justus didn’t give a fuck about Jock’s crew, but Jock was a different matter altogether. Hell, he knew Jock! Used to be cordial even. Now he had killed Jock. Viciously. Now, Diamond would always wonder what happened to her father. Justus was assuming it would eventually weigh on her mind, when she grew old enough to ask questions. Looking to his father at his side, Justus wondered if Leader ever experienced this when a hit fell too close to home.
Leader noticed Justus staring at him and instantly knew what he was thinking. He could remember feeling the same thing years ago, which was why he made a personal policy to attend no funeral, but his own. However, with everything that was happening, he had to be present to observe the mood of the streets. And if these muthafuckas weren’t street then there weren’t any! The only way this crowd could be more street was if they were pavement! Leader stayed on top of things by keeping his ear to the pavement. No matter if he stayed on Jupiter for a week, if he wanted to know what was happening in Fayettenam (or any other city) all he had to do was go to the hood. And the mood in the chapel said it all: someone felt that he or Justus was behind the recent rise in the murder rate in Fayettenam. Or, as his old friend from Sherlock’s fallen organization said to him earlier that day, “Chickens always come home to roost.”
Nikki was listening to the preacher’s words as well, but her mind was still reeling from the ton Justus had dropped on her. A hitman! She couldn’t believe it. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. The heavy secrecy. The arsenal of weapons. The dreams at night. The fake passport that made him twenty-one. Nikki knew all these things were related, but she didn’t know how. She always thought he was on consulting jobs with his . . . Oh my God! If Justus handled business with his father, that meant his father was a hitman too! Nikki couldn’t believe her luck. She had jumped from the frying pan into the fire. She went from a man who sold drugs to a man who sold death. And now Jock was dead because of her, she thought. It never dawned on her that Jock had overplayed his own hand, thus being the cause of his own demise. Then the brutal way that he was found made Nikki cringe at the thought. His neck slit with his penis stuffed in his mouth! Could her Justus be so cruel? As much as Nikki wanted to say no, reality made her say yes, for it was she who comforted Justus when he came home soaked in Jock’s blood. As for now, Nikki knew she and Justus were married until death did they part—literally. No, they had not had an elaborate ceremony. No, they had not had some stuffy preacher officiate a ceremony. The bond they formed was stronger than any words could cement. They were joined together by blood.
After the ceremony, everyone gathered at Gloria’s house for the reception. Gloria still lived in Topeka Heights, because despite all the money Pug had amassed, Gloria still refused to let Pug move her from the hood. When the limos pulled into the neighborhood, followed by the long procession of cars, everyone who wasn’t already part of the convoy joined in, to either be nosy or pay their respects to the mourning family.
When dudes affiliated with Jock’s old crew saw Justus emerge from one of the limos, they ice grilled him. A couple of the more ambitious dudes stepped in his direction, but backed down when Leader slung his arm around Justus’s shoulder and walked him inside. Justus wasn’t worried anyway because underneath his fancy suit he wore both of his platinum .44 revolvers in his shoulder holsters, and he was begging to set them ablaze again—especially on these dudes. As far as Justus was concerned, they were all guilty, and were subject to the same punishment as their comrades.
“It wasn’t as easy as you thought it would be, huh?’ Leader said to Justus once they were inside.
“Nah,” admitted Justus.
“I told you a long time ago: every big thing starts small first. Now because you brought your job home with you, you can’t even be comfortable in your own town now.”
Was this advice or a rebuke? Justus couldn’t tell. “So, whatchu saying?
“I’m saying you fucked up!” Leader exclaimed.
“How did I mess up?”
“You brought unnecessary heat down on us.”
“Unnecessary?”
“Yes. Unnecessary. I told you when you make moves it should always be about business! Anytime!”
“But this wasn’t business,” Justus attempted to explain but was cut short.
“Bullshit! Anytime you use what I taught you its business. You tried to mixed business with personal, which was why you fucked up!” Leader made sure to drive his point home. He hoped he wasn’t coming down too hard on Justus, but he had to learn. He couldn’t have Justus playing vigilante with the valuable skills he possessed.
“Wasn’t it you who said protect what you love?” Justus wondered, more than a little confused.
“I said protect. Pug is dead! Now I got love for the brother but we could kill a hundred fools and it wouldn’t bring him back. What you want to be: a vigilante or a rich businessman?”
Justus didn’t answer so Leader continued.
“I know what this is about though. Let me find out you got a tender dick!”
Justus gasped. Someone knocked on the bedroom door.
“Yeah! Be out inna minute!” Leader yelled. “Let me tell you something: Don’t you ever let some funky piece of pussy be your downfall, son.”
Now Justus was pissed. “It’s not even about that!”
“It might as well be! I told you: perception is reality. In case you haven’t heard, the word on the street is you killed that dude over Nikki. They say she got you whipped.
“Now I brought you too far along for some bullshit to bring us down. And it is us! If you go down, I go down. Is that what you want to happen over a piece of pussy?” Leader snarled.
“No,” Just
us reluctantly answered. He didn’t approve of Leader degrading Nikki, but now was not the time to fight that battle.
“A’ight then. Fix it. Fast.” Leader pointed at Justus forcefully. “After we come back tomorrow night I want you to lay low for a while. Let this blow over, maybe take a vacation or something.”
“A’ight,” Justus conceded. He didn’t like the way Leader was playing him and if not for him being his father he’d have to handle his business. Justus did realize that he’d have to solidify his relationship with Nikki though. She held a key part of his life in her hands. Justus had to admit Leader was right on that point.
Later that night while Nikki showered Justus went into his safe, extracted fifty grand and began placing it in neat stacks on the bed. When Nikki emerged from the shower, he intercepted her in the bathroom and dried her off while showering her with kisses.
“What’s wrong?” Nikki was shocked with the sudden display of affection.
“Nothing. Can’t I show love to my lady? Come on,” Justus led her to the bed.
Sprawled out on the bed, arranged to spell the word “LOVE” was the fifty grand Justus had removed from the safe.
Nikki gasped. “What’s this?”
“It’s yours. If anything ever happens to me I want you to be able to maintain. So, this is the money for school. Take it and use it,” Justus explained. “And if anything ever happens to me, like I’m killed or something—”
“Don’t say that, Jus!”
“I’m just being real. If something happens, here’s a key to my safe-deposit box.” Justus passed the key to Nikki. “Only if something happens could you get in. I want to make sure you’re straight. A’ight?”
“A’ight.”
Nikki felt warm and fuzzy inside. Justus always told her he would take care of her, and he remained true to his word. So, what if it was blood money? In one way or another all money was blood money, Nikki rationalized. Justus was just playing the cards he was dealt. Nikki felt that Justus murdered Jock’s crew on the strength of her alone. For that, Justus earned her undying support. Nikki vowed she would do anything in her power to protect her family. Anything! No woman, man, or child would come between their union.
Chapter 27
Glenda rolled her Jaguar into her spacious driveway, stepped out in her silk suit and checked her mailbox. Inside she found a large, thick manila envelope addressed to her without a return address. Glenda immediately checked the post office stamp and realized it was sent from Florida. Curious, because she didn’t know anyone in Florida, she opened the envelope right there. What she saw shocked her.
A letter read:
Today begins the rest of your life. It’s time you wake up and see what your husband really is!
Accompanying the letter, Glenda found pictures of grotesque crime scenes. One picture showed a close-up of a head with the back blown out. The accompanying picture showed a close-up of Leader firing a high-powered rifle. Putting two and two together, Glenda surmised the insinuation that Leader was responsible.
The next picture clearly showed a disguised Leader firing shots into a man’s back from a silenced pistol in broad daylight. Glenda continue to flip through the photos. Each flick showed more scenes of Leader causing death. In some of the pictures Leader was obviously younger, maybe by ten years or so. When Glenda got to the last few photos, her knees went weak. They were photos of Leader receiving fellatio from Carmen. Another showed Leader pounding Carmen from the back. Yet another showed Leader licking Carmen’s vagina like ice cream.
Glenda dropped the packet to the ground and braced herself on the mailbox. All types of thoughts ran through her head. Foremost was, where was he now? Was he on a real business consulting trip, or was he consulting death? Was Justus in cahoots with him? Were they in danger? So many unanswered questions.
Glenda gathered herself, went inside and perused the contents of the envelope over and over again. Each time she passed through a photo, more questions were raised in her head.
By the time Leader walked in the door at two a.m. that morning, Glenda was all cried out and ready for action. She met Leader at the door with a look cold enough to freeze the sun.
“What’s up babe? What are you doing up?” Leader asked, knowing something was up.
“Don’t babe me, motherfucker! What’s this!?” Glenda smacked Leader in the face with the manila packet. “Huh?! Tell me!?” She poured the contents on the floor. Leader bent to pick them up, but she kicked him in the stomach.
Leader backhanded Glenda to the floor. “Fuck is wrong with you?”
“What, you gonna kill me too?” Glenda stammered, wiping the blood from her mouth.
When Leader rifled through the photos his heart sank. He recalled every single hit displayed in each picture. Some of them were five years old or older. When he got to the picture with him and Carmen, a groan escaped his mouth.
“That’s right, nigga! That’s yo’ ass caught red-handed! What you gotta say for yourself. Huh? What?”
Leader looked at Glenda with disgust. Lucky for him, the phone rang keeping him from having to respond.
Who is this calling my house at this time of night, Leader thought to himself. He picked up the receiver from the wall.
“Trouble in paradise?” The voice asked. Leader immediately recognized Carmen’s sultry tone. “I told you I will bring you to your knees you motherfucker! You don’t know me, but you will in due time. Yes, you’ll know exactly who I am!”
Leader lost it, “You stupid bitch! I’ma break your neck!”
“Ooh. Promises. Promises.”
“Now you listen—
“Hello ? Hello?” Glenda had snatched the phone from Leader, but Carmen hung up.
“Oh, so now your bitch calling my house? You got some nerve.”
Glenda went on and on, but Leader never responded. Finally, he grew tired of her ranting. He turned on his heels and headed toward the door.
“Oh, so where you going? To Florida to be with your whore? Huh? To kill somebody else now, Mr. Murder?!”
Leader froze on a dime. “You acting real childish, Glenda,” he said, turning to her face her. “Now I fucked up. Yes. I know. We got problems, but we WILL work them out ’cause leaving is not an option.
“I’m gonna leave for a few days so you can clear your head. I’ll call with the number to where I’ll be so when you’re ready to talk we can. In the meantime, what you saw in these pictures stays between us. All of it. Understand?” From the way Leader looked at Glenda, she knew this was not a question. It was a statement. Glenda didn’t respond but she was no fool. She knew what the deal was. Violating him was cause to become like the victims in the pictures. Leader held his stare a few more seconds then left with the packet in his hand.
The following morning Justus went over to his parents’ house to speak to his father about something that happened on the previous night’s job, and found his mother swollen in disarray. It was obvious she had been crying and her right eye was bruised.
“What happened?!” Justus cried, taking his mother’s face into his hands, examining her wound.
“Oh, you don’t know?” Glenda replied sullenly.
“No!”
“Your father happened, that’s what. The affair! The murders! The lies!”
Justus froze in his tracks. Glenda noticed his apprehension. “So, you do know?” she dropped her head.
Justus obliged her. “Look I don’t know nothing about no affair.” He said softly.
“Oh, so you’re a murderer too?”
Justus was silent.
“My god. My god. What is going on? This can’t be happening.” Glenda murmured to herself.
“Look, none of that is gonna change anything.” Justus stated defiantly. “It is what it is, Mom. I can’t turn back the hands of time nor do I want to.”
“Son, what are you saying?”
“I’m saying. Dad showed me the way.”
“Your dad, huh. What’d he show you, how to be
a whore!” Glenda slammed the pictures onto the coffee table, illustrating her point. Justus glimpsed his father in the compromising positions and his heart went cold. “There’s more.” Glenda prodded, plopping more flicks on the glass. “What you think about your dad now?
Justus was stunned. “Where did you get these?”
“From your father’s whore. He threatened me. Said if I tell anyone, he’d kill me, but I’m not scared of him.”
Justus grew aware of his mother’s implications and attempted to placate her. “Mom maybe you’re speeding. Maybe it’s not like that.”
“Like what? Maybe he can keep his dick in his pants!” Justus had never heard his mother use such language. His aunt, yeah, but not his mother.
“Calm down. Look I’m gonna talk to him. Maybe it’s a big mix-up. Ya know they can do all kinds of stuff on the computer nowadays. Don’t do anything rash until I talk to him.”
“Where is he?”
Glenda looked at Justus, pain evident in her eyes.
“Don’t worry, I’ll find him. Just be cool. We’ll fix this. We gotta, ma. We all we got: This family. Separation is not an option.”
That’s the same thing Leader said, thought Glenda. When Justus said it, she knew she had lost an ally. Leader had corrupted her son. She thought hard about revealing another family secret, but decided she’d save that nugget for another time.
Unfortunately for her, she wouldn’t have a chance to do so.
* * *
Justus left his mother in a fit of rage. He needed some space. Some time to think. So, he headed over to his sanctuary, his home away from home. Panee.
When he arrived at Panee’s place, the lights were off and the blinds were shut. Justus thought this odd since Panee was always home during the day. Justus grabbed his sport coat from the passenger seat, put it on to cover up his weapons, then quickly exited his C7 Corvette.
Putting his key into the lock, he thought he heard a male’s voice. Then just as quickly it faded. Justus attempted to push open the door, but the chain lock was engaged so he was only able to see through a portion of the foyer. Unfortunately for Panee, it was enough for him to see her in lingerie running toward the back with Timberland boots in her hand.
Blood Ties Page 18
