by Roy Glenn
“You had a beeper?”
“That was the only time I ever carried one. If anything went wrong the signal was different. Three sevens if it was all good, three nines if anything went wrong. I don’t know what could have gone wrong. Everything was perfect.”
“Guess not,” Shy said, and he cut his eyes sharply at her.
“So, André rushes into his office, and there I am, sitting on his couch.”
Mike recounted the story for Shy,
“Black, what are you doing here?” André said, rushing into the office.
“Waiting for you.”
“Waiting for me? I’m glad you’re here. We got robbed tonight.”
“I know.”
André looked puzzled. “Damn word travels fast. How did you hear … nevermind. Ricky will be here in a minute, and we’ll figure out what happened.”
“Ricky ain’t coming.”
“What?”
“Ricky is dead. And so are you,” Mike said, drawing his gun and pointing it at André. “You’ve been dead for more than a year.”
“Stop fuckin’ around, Black.” André looked at Mike, shocked that he would turn on him. “You’re serious.” Mike stood up, took Andrés gun and pushed him against the wall.
“Open the safe.”
“What’s with you man?” As he slammed into the wall.
“Open the fuckin’ safe.”
André opened the wall safe.
Mike threw him a bag. “Put the money in there.”
While André filled the bag with the money from the wall safe, Mike turned over Andrés desk. Kicked the carpet out of the way revealing another safe.
“You gonna tell me what this is about?”
“This ain’t no fucking movie! Open the fucking safe and put the money in the bag.” André got down on his knees, opened the safe, filled the bag and handed the bag to Mike. André started to get up.
“What now, Black? You gonna kill me?”
Mike kicked André in the chest, and he fell back to the floor. Aiming his weapon at his head. “Stay down. Get on your knees.” André got on his knees. “You remember the last time I saw you on your knees like that?”
André paused and thought for a moment. “You talking about that thing with Frankie?”
Mike smiled. “No, it couldn’t have been. You told Carmine you took the gun from Frankie. Come on, take the gun from me, the way you did Frankie,” Mike said, placing the barrel of his gun on André’s forehead. André held up his hands.
“Wait a minute, Black. Carmine was gonna kill me. What else could I say; I had to tell him …”
“Your weak ass had to throw me to the wolf. Is that what you were gonna say?” Mike took out his other gun. “I’m gonna give you a chance to stay alive. You take this gun from me, and I won’t kill you.”
“Please, Black, you know I can’t take no gun from you, or anybody else. Please, Black don’t kill me. You can keep the money.” André pleaded for life, but Mike just smiled. He pointed both guns at André. “I’ll leave the country.”
“I don’t think so,” Mike said as he emptied the clip in Andrés head. Picked up the bag with the money and left through the window.
Shy continued to follow Nate as he had passed the DC limits and headed downtown. She looked at Mike and shook her head. “Damn, you really were Vicious those days. How much money was in the safe?”
“Your brother George said you liked money.”
“Ha, ha, ha. I oughta kick his ass. How much?”
“There was a little more than three million dollars in there.”
“Three mill in cash. What did you do with all that money?”
“I kept a mill, gave Bobby a mill, and I told Freeze and Nick to split whatever they took off Dupree and Benny.”
“What about Jamaica? What happen to his money?”
“You ask a lotta questions. It’s a good thing I love you …” Too late to call the words back. He looked at Shy. He didn’t mean to say I love you. It just came out. He tried to clean it up. “I meant to say.”
“You meant to say what?” She said with a girlish grin on her face. “Go ahead, talk your smooth talking ass out of that one.”
Nate pulled over in front of a run-down building and got out of his car. He waited in front of the door for Shy and Mike. She parked the car behind Nate and walked toward him. Mike walked ahead of her. Shy grabbed Mike’s hand and pulled him back to her. She whispered, “Don’t feel like the lone ranger.” She kissed him. “Because I love you too.”
This was really turning out to be a great day. First finding Jamaica after all these years. Now to hear Shy say, “I love you.” Nothing could possibly be wrong, not today.
Nate led them into the building and pushed the button for Jamaica’s room. A voice came over the speaker, “Who is it?”
Nate identified himself, “It’s me, Clyde. Buzz me in.”
A chill ran through Mike’s body hearing that raspy voice after all these years. Finally, the Jamaica mystery would be over. They followed Nate down the hall and up to the third floor of the rooming house. Nate opened the door to the small ten by ten room. The room was furnished with a single bed, one chair, and a television. The walls were peeling and needed painting. There was Jamaica sitting with his back to the door, watching TV.
“Brought some people to see you!” Nate yelled.
Jamaica answered without looking back, “I don’t wanna see nobody Nate, send them away.”
“You’ll see me.”
Jamaica started laughing. “Mike!” Jamaica got up and turned around smiling, he had a gun in his hand. Shy started to reach for her gun, but Mike grabbed her hand.
“You gonna shoot me, Clyde?” Mike said holding out his arms as he walked toward him. Jamaica and Mike hugged one another.
“No, Mike. I’m just careful. How did you find me?”
“Thank your brother, he found me.”
“Who is she?” Jamaica said pointing his gun at Shy.
“She’s okay. Her name is Cassandra, but you can call her Shy,” Mike said as he turned to Shy. “Cassandra, this is one of my oldest friends.” Shy stepped slowly toward Jamaica.
“You don’t have to worry, Sunshine. Mike says you’re okay, you’re okay with me.” Jamaica wiped off his chair for her. “Please, have a seat. She’s very pretty, Mike.”
Nate stepped up to his brother and handed him something. “Cly, I gotta go to work.”
“Is your home number on this card, Na’na?” Mike asked.
“No there is a cell number on it. Just call me before you go back home.”
“Don’t worry, I will. And thanks for bringing me here.” Nate said good-bye to Shy and left to get ready for work. “If I wasn’t so glad to see you I’d kick your ass. What happened to you?”
Jamaica didn’t answer. He looked at Shy. “She’s cool, Jamaica. I told her the whole story.”
“Something went wrong, Mike.”
“What happened?” Mike asked.
Jamaica sat down on the bed and recalled his story. “Mike, it was all going just like you said it would. I was parked around the corner from Cazzie’s building. I got the pages from Nick and Bobby, so I got out walked up the alley and hopped the fence. I saw the light on in the room. I climbed up the fire escape and I went in a window on the floor above; then I went down. I waited in the hall for Nick to ring the pay phone in the hall with my 44 mag cocked. About five minutes later the phone rang. Caz came out to answer the phone, and I had him. I called him, he turned around, and I hit him with all six shots in the chest. I reloaded and shot him once in the head. Then I went in his apartment to get the money just like we planned.”
“So what went so wrong that you left the city and no one has seen or heard from you for nine years?”
“After I called you, I stepped inside and went straight for the safe. Mike, I was just about to open the safe when I heard a noise. I turned around quick. It was Matt, Cazzie’s son. You know the rest.”
�
��What do you mean, I know the rest?’
“When I turned around he started to run. I shot him. I shot him, Mike. I killed Matt.” Jamaica dropped his head in his hands.
Mike looked at Shy. “Is that it? Is that what went wrong?”
Jamaica nodded his head. “I didn’t mean to kill him, Mike. It was reflex that’s all.”
“What happened then. Why didn’t you come to the meeting spot after that?”
“I killed a kid, Mike. I knew the cops would be all over me. I didn’t want to bring that down on you and Nick and Bobby. So I took the money and ran. All over the country. Spent a few years in Jamaica. Finally I ended up here and got arrested for loitering. Now I’m broke.”
Mike sat down on the bed next to Jamaica. “Yeah, but you ain’t broke. You should’ve come to me, Jamaica. If you had, you would have known. You didn’t kill Matt. Hey, man, you Missed. You didn’t even hit him. Goofy little bastard tripped over his own feet and knocked himself unconscious.”
“You’re kidding. Don’t lie to me, Mike. We go too far back.”
“I saw the bastard up on the Concourse last week trying to sell some stuff he stole.”
Jamaica smiled and then started laughing, “You mean I been running all these years for nothing.”
“Things are different now. It all worked out just like I said it would. Me and Bobby run things now,” Mike said with a sense of pride in his voice. “Bobby is married, got four kids.”
“Get the fuck outta here. Bobby, married? Who’d he marry?”
“A friend of Regina. Her name is Pam. She’s a good girl.”
“How is Regina?” Jamaica asked. Shy folded her arms and rolled her eyes.
“I haven’t seen or talked to her in six years,” Mike said winking at Shy.
“Things have changed,” Jamaica said with just a hint of sarcasm.
“Did you know Perry is a doctor with a successful practice in Mount Vernon. And Wanda, she’s a lawyer, used to work for the DA. Now she’s got her own thing too. And you are a partner in both of them and a whole lotta other things. You’re also the owner of Funkin’ for Jamaica Incorporated. So, brother, you ain’t broke.”
“What?” Jamaica said in surprise.
“I cleaned out André’s safe, just like we planned. There was three million dollars. I kept your mill. Then Wanda set up a company for you and put the money in the bank.”
“You did all that for me, Mike? Why?”
“Why did you run?”
“To protect you.”
“That’s right. You did it because we’re family. We couldn’t come up like we did and forget you. Now that you’re not a child killer, let’s talk about this heroin.” Once again, Jamaica was silent. “You got any here?” Mike asked.
“Yes,” Jamaica said refusing to make eye contact.
Mike stood up and took off his coat. “Are you ready to kick it, or do you want to be a junky for the rest of your life and shoot up all your money?”
“I don’t know, Mike. It’s been a long time. I don’t know if I can.”
“You can do it. It ain’t gonna be easy. I’ll help you. All of us will help you get through it, but only if you want to.”
“Okay,” Jamaica said.
Mike walked over to Shy, “I’m going to stay here with Jamaica. You go on home. Come back tomorrow to check on me.”
Shy looked at Mike and shook her head. “You can’t get rid of me that easy. If it’s all right with Jamaica, I’d like to stay.”
“You just don’t want to go home.”
“You catch on quick big boy.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
About seven the following morning, Jamaica finally dropped off to sleep. Shy had fallen asleep hours earlier. She went to the store to pick up a few things then sat up most of the night listening to Mike and Jamaica tell stories about the good old days. Shy was shocked by, and yet at the same time she was not surprised at, some of the things they had done. With both Shy and Jamaica sleeping, Mike left the room and went outside. He walked down the street to a pay phone. He wanted to call Bobby and tell him that he was with Jamaica and that everything was fine. However, it made more sense to call Wanda first.
“Hello,” she answered.
“Good Morning. You sexy talking devil you.”
“Oh, hi, Mike. What time is it?” Wanda asked drifting back off to sleep.
“It’s around seven o’clock,” Mike said. “Wake up, Wanda. I got something important to tell you.”
“What do you want, Mike?”
“Wanda, I’m shocked to think that you think I always want something when I call. If I hang up now you’d be mad at me.”
“Mike, it’s early. Where are you? You’re not in jail, are you?”
“No. I’m in DC.”
“What you doing there? Oh yeah, the new girlfriend’s little family reunion.”
“How’d you know that?”
“Mike, come on. You know Bobby can’t keep anything from me.”
“I know.”
“As soon as he saw me he had to tell me all about her. It’s about time some woman stuck her claws into you. Pam says she got them in deep. So when do I get to meet Wonder Woman?” Wanda asked sarcastically.
“Wonder Woman, huh?”
“Honey, I’ve seen them come, I’ve seen them go. I’ve watched you dog women to the point that I was ashamed to say I knew you. And I stood by and watched you tear yourself apart piece by piece after that bitch Regina ripped your heart out. I stood by helpless, because you wouldn’t let me in, Mike. So if this woman got you, she must be from another planet. I wish it was … nevermind. I’m happy for you. So where is she?”
“You wish it was what?”
“Nevermind, Mike,” she said firmly. “What did you want to tell me?”
Normally he would have pressed her for an answer, but not today. He could pursue that with her later. “I found Jamaica,” he said matter-a-factly.
Wanda sat straight up in the bed. “Where is he? How is he? What happened to him? Is he with you?”
“Slow down, Wanda. He’s here in DC. He’s in pretty bad shape. He’s still shooting that heroin. So I want you to check on some rehab joints.”
“Done.”
“What are you doing the next couple of days?” Mike asked.
“Nothing I can’t get out of. You want me to come down there?”
“Yes. He says he’s on probation for a weapons charge and loitering. And I want to take him home.”
“Okay. I can be on a plane this morning. Give me a number where I can reach you.”
“I’m at a pay phone. He lives in a rooming house; he doesn’t have a phone.”
“What happened to him? How’d you find him?”
“Na’na found me.”
“Na’na! Na’na is there too. How’d he find you?”
“He’s a doctor, doing his internship at the same hospital Wonder Woman’s brother works at. He heard I was coming to the little family reunion, so he came to see me. He looks good, I didn’t even recognize him.”
“Where’s he been all these years? Did he say why he left?”
“It’s a long story, Wanda. But you gotta promise me something.”
“What’s that?”
“Promise when I tell you that you won’t get mad at me.”
“You know I never stay mad at you long anyway.”
“Good. I gotta get back to Jamaica. I’ll call you back in a couple of hours to see when your flight arrives. Do me a favor and call Bobby and Perry. And when Bobby says he’s coming with you remind him that there is still a warrant for his arrest in DC.”
Wanda laughed. “I guess I can see what I can do about that while I’m down there.”
“Talk to you soon.” He and Wanda both hung up the phone and Mike returned to Jamaica’s room. He found Shy standing in the doorway.
“Hi,” Shy said, wiping the sleep out of her eyes.
“You know you’re cute when you’re sleepy.”
; “Thanks. Where’d you go?”
“To call Wanda,” Mike replied, kissing her on the cheek.
“Who is this Wanda y’all been talking about? Should I be jealous?”
“No, Wanda grew up with us. She’s our lawyer,” Mike replied. He went in the room and sat down. Jamaica was still sleeping.
“I gotta go home, get our stuff, face the music,” Shy said gathering up her belongings.
“You go ahead. We’ll be all right. Give me your mother’s number and I’ll call you after we relocate.”
“Relocate? Where are you going?”
“To a hotel or something, but we’re getting up outta here,” Mike said, rubbing his eyes and yawning.
“You haven’t been to sleep, have you?”
“No.”
“Why don’t you get some sleep first?”
“I’ll be all right. Besides, I gotta call Wanda back in a couple of hours to see what time her plane arrives.”
“She’s coming down here?”
“Yes. To handle those legal matters for Jamaica so he can go home.”
“Here; this is my number. But what about you? What are you going to do after that?”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I called E last night while I was out. He says things are going good, but I need to do some business soon. I met this guy a couple of months ago in Miami that does business. I need to go down there and get with him. I would like you to come with me. How long do you think you’ll be tied up here?”
“Hopefully Wanda can get it done by Monday, Tuesday max. After that I’m yours.” Mike started to call her Wonder Woman, but he didn’t feel like explaining why. “You go on home. Apologize to everyone for me.”
“Anything you need me to do before I go?” Shy asked as she sat in his lap.
“Since you put it that way —but I don’t think he’ll be able to sleep, so I’ll settle for a kiss.”
After Shy left, Mike nodded off for a couple of hours. When he woke up Jamaica was still sleeping. He went back to the phone to call Wanda. She said that she told Bobby and Perry the news. They were both surprised and had many questions that she couldn’t answer. As Mike expected, Bobby wanted to come with her, and it took a great deal of convincing before Bobby agreed not to come. Perry had to be in surgery that afternoon, so, as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t make the trip. “So my flight arrives at Dulles at 1:15 this afternoon,” Wanda said.
