by Roy Glenn
“Look, Black, I think things are about to get out of control. I really don’t want to go there, so we’ll go now. But if you hear anything, please call me.” Shy handed Mike a business card with only a number on it.
“Kenny, why don’t you see our guests out. Jap, don’t you have somewhere to go!” Freeze said, reminding Jap that his job was to take care of Melinda. Jap left the office.
“I’ll get the car, Shy,” E said, and he followed Jap out of the office.
“Thank you, Mr. Ray, for your hospitality, I enjoyed the show,” Shy said as she walked over to the desk where Bobby was seated. She extended her hand.
Bobby shook her hand. “Please, call me Bobby. Anytime you or your associates want to come again, just call me. I’ll make sure you have a good table.”
“Do you mind if I walk out with you, Shy?” Mike asked.
Shy stopped and thought about it for a second before saying, “No, not at all,” as she continued out the door and down the steps.
“It was a pleasure meeting you, Shy. Sorry it had to be under these circumstances,” Mike said, as they walked across the club. He looked around the floor. Melinda wasn’t anywhere in sight. When he looked back, Shy had walked a little ahead of him. He watched her walk. She moved gracefully, seeming to glide across the floor. He could feel her strength, her power. Watching the way she handled her crew was almost sexual to him.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s just business, and this is the nature of ours.”
Shy could feel his eyes all over her body as she walked. Thoughts of his hands caressing her body intrigued her. Reminding herself that she was strictly business, Shy got her coat and continued out of the club.
“I saw you last night. I tried to talk to you, but your boys are kind of overprotective of you. They wouldn’t let me get near you.”
“Yeah, they’re protective, but you gotta admit, you have quite a reputation. Now don’t you—Vicious Black. Do you blame them?” Shy asked smiling.
“Touché. But I’m really not like that, at least not anymore. Those Vicious Black days are long gone. I was a younger guy then. Tell you what. Why don’t you have dinner with me tomorrow and you’ll see that I’m not that guy anymore,” Black said, as he and Shy got outside of the club.
“I don’t think so, Black.” Shy looked around for E with the car. Jack and Tony had walked a little ahead. “Why don’t we keep our association on a strictly business level for now, okay. At least ‘til I work these problems out.”
“Nothing I can do to change your mind?”
“No. Not tonight anyway, but call me if you get something I can use,” Shy said, as she walked away to catch up with Jack and Tony. Mike watched Shy walk down the street, smiling as her coat moved from side to side in unison with her hips.
As Tony and Jack continued up the street, they passed a blue Taurus double-parked with two occupants, one man at the wheel, the other in the back seat. As they passed, the one in the back seat got out, looked back at Tony and Jack, and then started walking toward Shy. The driver started up and rolled slowly down the street.
Mike saw the car coming with no lights. He looked in Shy’s direction and he could see that the man walking toward her had a gun in his right hand. Mike started running after her, watching as she got closer to the man. Mike caught up with Shy as the man pointed his gun at her.
“Get down!”
Mike pushed Shy out of the way, pulled out his gun, and fired one shot to the head of her attacker as Shy fell to the ground. When Tony and Jack heard the shot, they turned and ran back to the area as E pulled up in the car. Mike watched the Taurus speed away. All arrived at the scene in time to find one man lying on the ground with a fatal gunshot to the head. Mike looked over at the dead man. It had been seven years since he had fired a gun, much less kill somebody.
His mind drifted back.
Freeze had been dabbling in counterfeit money and had put a deal together to sell some to a couple of guys from North Carolina. Mike and Bobby went along for the ride. They arrived at an empty office building. There were two cars in the parking lot, neither with North Carolina plates. One was from Connecticut, and the other was from Vermont. Mike and Freeze walked up ahead, while Bobby looked at the two cars.
“Freeze!” Bobby yelled.
“Yeah, Bobby,” Freeze said, turning around to see what Bobby wanted.
“I thought you said these hillbillies were from North Carolina?”
“Yeah why?” Freeze and Mike walked back to the cars to take a look.
“Yo, Black, last time we did business, these boys were in a beat to shit red Dodge pickup with Carolina plates.”
“Okay,” Mike said, reaching into his coat pocket. He cocked his gun, and then returned it to his pocket. “Maybe they’re just in different cars.” He reached into the other pocket and cocked his other gun. “Or we’re walking into a set up.”
Bobby and Freeze both checked their weapons; then Freeze led them inside the building to Suite 107. As they entered the room, the two men that Freeze was to meet with, Zek and Emmet, were seated at a table with two briefcases on it. Another man, whom Freeze had never seen, was standing in the corner next to the door. The back door to the office was glass and opened outward so you could see reflections from the outside of the building.
“Hey, Freeze, who are your buddies?” Zek asked.
Freeze stepped straight up to the table. “That don’t matter, Zek, let’s just get to it.” Mike and Bobby moved to either side of the table and began to look around. Bobby went to the left to cover the back door while Mike went to the right to watch Bobby’s back.
“What you so uptight about there, Freeze? We done this before, smooth as a baby’s ass. Let’s see what grade of paper you got,” Emmet said.
Mike looked at the glass door and could see that one man was moving slowly along the side of the building toward the door. Then he stopped. Mike motioned to Bobby, who nodded in response.
“No, let’s see your money first hillbilly!” Freeze said, pointing in his face.
“Fuck this!” Mike walked up to the table, pulling both guns from his pockets. He turned to the man standing by the door and fired two shots. Both hit him in the head. Mike turned to Emmet and hit him with one shot in the head. Freeze moved to cover Zek. Bobby pulled his shotgun from under his coat. At that moment a man came running through the door. He received both barrels in the chest. As the shooting stopped, one man remained, still sitting at the table with his hand two inches from his weapon. However, there were two guns pointed at him, one at each temple. Zek drew his hand back slowly.
Freeze put his gun in Zek’s mouth.
“Now, hillbilly, I want to see you open up them cases.”
Bobby walked up to the table and patted Freeze on the shoulder. “Now, Freeze, you just calm down. Give this hillbilly a chance.” Bobby looked at Zek and smiled, “Now, you ever watch them game shows on TV? I know you can’t talk so you just wiggle your ears or something.” Zek nodded. “Now if there’s money in those cases you can go with what you came for and never come any further north than the state line ever again in life. But if there’s no money, well …” Bobby laughed, “Freeze is gonna blow a hole out the back of your head. At the same time, Mr. Happy here is gonna blow your brains out the right side of your head.”
Mike grew impatient. “Freeze.”
Both men fired.
“Damn, you two ain’t no fuckin’ fun at all,” Bobby said.
“Bobby, check outside. Make sure there’s no one else out there,” Mike said, as he looked in the cases. “Shit! Freeze, check the other offices. See if there is any money, anywhere.”
“Yo, Black, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t sweat it, Freeze, shit happens. Now go.”
Mike had just killed another man.
The feeling wasn’t the same. Mike looked down. Shy was still on the ground. He stood over her with his hand extended to help her up. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I’m all r
ight, except for my pride,” Shy said, as she got up and dusted herself off. “Thank you.”
“Now will you have dinner with me? Please.”
Shy looked in his eyes. She could feel the warmth of his touch. She stood speechless as part of her demanded she be strong and refuse. “I guess saving my life is at least worth dinner. You just tell me where and when and I’ll be there,” Shy answered before turning to her associates. “Where were y’all? He coulda killed me.” They try to explain. “I don’t wanna hear that shit. Let’s just get out of here.” As they walked toward the car, Shy walked over to Mike, who had been joined by Freeze and Kenny.
“Thanks again, Black. Where do you want to eat?”
“Do you know where Cuisine is?” Mike answered as he escorted Shy to the car. favorite
“Yeah, I’ve eaten there before. Good food, but aren’t they closed on Sundays?”
“They are, but I know they’ll open for me,” Mike smiled. “I own the place. Is 6 o’clock good for you? Should I send a car for you?”
“That’s cool. Yeah, six is fine. I guess I can count on them to drive, so I don’t think I’ll need you to send a car for me. But thank you for offering.” She closed the car door and E drove away.
Kenny and Freeze looked at the body. Freeze told security to get rid of it. Mike joined Freeze and Kenny as the body was carried off by security. Mike asked Kenny if he’d ever seen the guy before. He hadn’t. Mike explained what happened and that as the car drove away he thought it had Michigan plates. His hope was that since Kenny was from Detroit he might know him. Mike gave Kenny his gun and told him to get rid of it.
“Then I want you to go to Detroit. By the time you get there we’ll know who this guy is. See if you can find out anything.” Kenny went with security to oversee the disposal of the gun and the body.
“Yo, Black,” Freeze said. “When you try to impress a bitch you go all out. If I were a bitch and you saved my life, I’d hop up on a car and fuck you on the spot.”
“Glad you ain’t no bitch.”
CHAPTER THREE
The next afternoon Jack and Tony arrived at Shy’s apartment for a quick meeting before escorting her to dinner at Cuisine. They arrived a little early. Shy answered the door in her robe.
“What’s up y’all. Where’s E?”
Both men told her that they hadn’t seen him all day. They discussed the events of last evening. The overriding question was who would want to kill Shy? Was the assassination attempt connected to their associates being robbed? How, if at all, was Vicious Black involved? Neither Tony nor Shy believed that Black was involved. However, it may be somebody that worked for him. Jack told Shy that he didn’t think so. Based on the checking that he did, no one in Black’s organization was interested in their line of work.
“The feeling is that Black would kill them if they did,” he said.
“Then who?” Shy asked. “Freeze maybe?”
Tony commented about the way that Black dissed them the night before, especially E. Shy explained that she thought that it was all a mind game that he was playing with them.
First and foremost to show that he was in control of the situation. For them, he wanted to show that they were not important enough to talk to. It was a test for her. Black wanted to see if she was really running things, which E went a long way toward blowing.
Shy returned to her room to finish dressing. She re-emerged forty-five minutes later wearing a rust colored satin-fitted mini dress, which highlighted every contour of her body, accented by a diamond necklace with matching bracelet. Tony looked at Shy and told her that she was dressed to kill, which was cool since she’s having dinner with a killer. Shy looked at him and smiled.
“Let’s just hope I’m not dressed to get killed, but I’ll be all right. I’m sure all he wants is some pussy. NOT! You know I’m strictly business.
“After dinner we need to go to Brooklyn to check out somebody that E put me on to. Says this guy got some info we can use. I don’t know the whole story. That’s why I was hoping he would show.”
A short time later E rolled up in front of a building on Barnes Avenue. He sat for a while looking at the building and the boys playing. E got out of his Lexus and turned on the alarm. As he walked toward the building, E gave two of the boy’s twenty dollars each to watch the car. He promised to give them twenty more dollars each when he returned. He went inside and rang the bell to the downstairs apartment. The door opened but only a crack.
“You’re getting kinda bold, ain’t you, E?” came a woman’s voice.
“Don’t worry, he’ll be gone for hours.”
“As usual. He’s never here.”
“I know. That’s why I’m here. I know you get lonely being here by yourself all the time. I wouldn’t do my lady like that. I just wanna take care of you. Make you feel good. You don’t need no weak man like that.”
“Oh really. Just what type a man do I need?”
“I got whatever you need right here waiting for you to take it.”
“You think so.”
“I know.”
“I’d be interested to see,” she said, opening the door to let E inside, closing it behind him.
Shy and her associates arrived at Cuisine about a quarter to six. Cuisine was a small supper club that offered fine dining, an intimate atmosphere, a jazz combo called Que, with a female vocalist and a small dance floor. They entered the building and found it in darkness, except for the bar.
“Hello! Is anyone in here?” Shy yelled.
Freeze, Jap and Freddie the bartender were seated at the bar. Freeze got up and came to greet her. “What up, Shy. Are you all right?”
“It’s not every day that someone tries to kill me, but I’m fine.”
“You’re a little early. We’re not really ready for you.”
“Is Black here yet?”
“Yeah, he’s in the kitchen. I guess it’s cool if you go on back. Go through that door there, go to the right and down the hall, through the double doors at the end of the hall.”
“Thanks, Freeze.” Shy took off her coat and then turned to Tony and Jack. “Stay here, I’ll be right back. And try not to get in any trouble,” she said as she walked toward the door.
“Don’t worry, Shy. I’ll take good care of your boys,” Freeze said cordially, then he turned his attention to Jack and Tony.
“Y’all gotta give up that hardware,” he said, no longer cordial.
Both Jack and Tony nodded.
“You know what to do then. You wanna look around first?”
Tony had a look around, and then patted down Freddie. After Tony looked behind the bar, all four men gathered around a table.
“Okay, we go on three,” Freeze said. “One, two, three.”
Each man removed his gun and placed it on the table.
“Bars open. Freddie come here and see what they want.”
Shy walked down the hall hoping she could get through this as quickly and as painlessly as possible. She found Vicious Black very attractive, and if circumstances were different, maybe. But not today, she thought. She was anxious to get to Brooklyn to check out E’s tip. A little polite conversation. Maybe a quick drink and I’m out, continuing her thoughts as she pushed open the kitchen doors to find Mike with an apron on, black of course. There he was standing in front of the stove, pot in one hand, spoon in the other, stirring the contents. Shy couldn’t believe her eyes.
“Hello,” she said as she walked toward him.
Mike looked at the clock on the wall.
“Hello, Shy. You look incredible tonight.”
“Thank you, Black. So, tell me, just what are you doing?”
“Cooking, why?” Mike answered continuing to stir.
“You’re cooking dinner for us?” Shy asked with a look of disbelief in her eye. Picture that, she thought, Vicious Black in an apron.
“Yeah, but trust me. I’m really good at this.”
“Well, what are we having?” she asked, leaning over t
he prep table.
“This is lobster Newburg, or at least it will be once I smooth out this sauce. You have to stir it just right. Come here.”
Shy made her way around the counter while Mike continued to stir. Just as she got to him, he removed the spoon.
“Taste this. Tell me what you think.”
Mike raised the spoon to her mouth, his hand shook a little as he placed the spoon on her lips. Shy tasted the sauce; she smiled.
“That’s very good. What’s that I taste?”
“It’s Dry Sherry and just a touch of Remy Martin,” Mike answered while he placed the cut up lobster tails in the sauce. “I didn’t know what kind of food you liked …”
Shy cut him off. “Let’s just say I like food. What kind doesn’t matter. As long as it’s food, I’ll eat it. I should be as big as a house the way I eat,” she said, motioning with her hands. “So what else are we having?”
“I got a couple of steaks and some chicken in the broiler. I’ll smother them with sautéed mushrooms and onions that I cooked in a wine sauce. Steamed broccoli with a cheese sauce. And a little rice and veal thing I threw together,” Mike said, pointing to each item without taking his eyes off of her.
“That you threw together?”
“Yeah.” He had lost himself in her eyes. “I’m not much of a baker so there’s no dessert.”
“I’m glad that I’m hungry. I don’t think that I’ll want to see dessert after all that. Maybe an apple to stuff in my mouth like a pig.”
Mike finished with the lobster while Shy looked on. Michelle, who does food prep at the restaurant and Diane a server, entered the kitchen.
“Hi, Black. Sorry I’m late. Is everything ready for me?” Michelle asked, while going to get started prepping the food to be served.
“What’s up, ladies? Shy, this is Diane. She’ll be our server tonight. And that’s Michelle. She is going to prep the food. Yeah, Michelle, everything’s ready for you here. Diane, everything all set outside?”
Diane simply nodded her response.
“Cool. Go tell them to get started.”
