by Roy Glenn
"No. I figured if we tightened up and did a better job of screening our clients that at least the girls would be safe, and I would deal with this clown and his threats. But then he began catching them before they got to the clients or after they were finished."
"Your girls don’t have security?"
"Some do. They have men that drive them to their appointments and pick them up afterwards, but he targeted the ones that don’t have any type of security. He came here last night and caught me in the elevator."
"He didn’t hurt you did he?"
"No. He just wanted to make his point and scare me."
"What he say?"
"Same thing; my problems go away for twenty percent."
"Don’t you have security?"
"No."
"Maybe you should get some," Black advised.
"No," Jada insisted. "I don’t need security. I need Mike Black," she said and moved close to him.
"Me? Why you think you need me?"
"Do I really need to answer that question?"
"No. Not really. I get the point. So, if take care of this guy for you, what makes you think that I wouldn’t want twenty percent of your business?"
"Because you’d be doing me a favor. You know, like the one I did for you not too long ago."
"I see."
"I was talking to James Fremeno. You remember the reporter from the New York Post that I set out for you."
"How’s he doing?"
"He said that he wanted to thank me for putting him in touch with Miss Collins, because the story she gave him was inline to win some award for reporting."
"The Tom Renner Award for Crime Reporting."
"Was that what it was?" Jada giggled. "Then he told me that the guy the articles were about ended up getting murdered in Mexico. A DEA agent; Peter J. Vinnelli, I believe his name was."
"I see you’ve been checkin’ up on me, Ms. West?"
"Jada, please, call me Jada," she said and smiled at Black. "But, no, I’m not checking up on you. It’s like I told you, you’re a very important man, Mike Black. And I try to know important things about important men."
"How do you wanna come outta this?"
"With this guy off my back and me not owing you twenty percent of my business," Jada said quietly.
"How’d you leave it with him?"
"He said he would be back here tomorrow afternoon, and he’ll expect my answer."
"What time tomorrow?"
"He didn’t say."
Black looked at Jada for what seemed to her like a long time. "Okay. I’ll see what I can do for you."
"That’s the best I could ask for," Jada said.
"What’s this guy’s name?"
"He said his name was Mushnikov. I think that’s how it’s pronounced."
"Oleg Mushnikov?" Black asked.
"I believe so. Do you know him?"
"Yeah, I know Oleg. We’re not exactly what you’d call friends, but I do know him," Black said and laughed a little. "You mind if I use your phone?"
"Not at all," Jada said and got up to get it. She knew she had come to the right person. Jada always loved a man who could get things done for her, and Mike Black was that type of man.
She handed Black the phone and he dialed a number. "Yeah," a man’s voice answered.
"Let me speak to Angelo."
"Who the fuck is this?"
"Mike Black."
"Who the fuck is that?"
"I’m the mutha fucka that’s gonna put a bullet in your brain if you don’t put Angee on the phone right fuckin’ now!" Black shouted and looked at Jada. He put his hand over the phone. "Please, excuse my language," he said softly and returned his attention to the phone. He could hear Angelo in the background asking who was on the phone.
"Some guy says his name is Mike Black."
"Give me the phone, fuckin’ moron," Angelo said. "Mikey! How’s it goin’?"
"Everything’s good, Angee. What about you?"
"Same old shit. You on your way out here? I got a bottle of Remy Martin XO Premier Cru here with your name on it."
"Not tonight, Angee, I got a couple of things goin’ right now, but I need your help with something."
"What’s up?"
"When’s the last time you talked to Oleg?"
"It’s been a minute. Probably the last time we all got drunk together, why?"
"I need to talk to him. Can you arrange a sit down with him?"
"Sure. I’ll give him a call in the morning," Angelo said.
"No, Angee, I need to talk to him tonight," Black said and looked at Jada. "Can you do it?"
"Sounds serious."
"Yeah, Angee, it kinda is." Jada smiled at him and pushed her pouty lips out a little.
"I’ll give him a call right now and get back to you."
"Thanks, Angee," Black said and ended the call. He turned to Jada and handed her the phone. "I’ll take Oleg off your back, and then we’ll talk about what you owe me, Ms. West," he said and stood up.
"Jada, please, Jada," she said and walked Black to the door. "And thank you for agreeing to help me," Jada said and kissed Black on the cheek.
"What was that for?"
"Just wanted to see how it felt," Jada said.
"And?"
Jada opened the door. "We’ll talk about that when you tell me what I owe you."
"Fair enough," Black said and left her apartment and walked past Victor. "Come on, we got shit to do."
CHAPTER TWENTY
After leaving Jada’s apartment, Black called Bobby’s cell phone and it went straight to voicemail.
"That’s unusual," Black said and dialed Bobby’s number again.
"What’s that?"
"Bobby’s phone went straight to voicemail." Once again it went to voicemail. He tried to call Bobby at his house, and Bobby’s wife Pam answered the phone.
"Hello," she answered.
"Hey, Pam, it’s Mike. How you doin’?"
"I’ll do," Pam said, but Black could tell that something was wrong with her.
"Is Bobby there?"
"No that bastard ain’t here."
"What’s wrong, Pam?"
"I’m just tired of his shit, Mike."
"What happened, Pam?"
"I’m just sick and tired of his bitches callin’ the house. I can’t go through this again, Mike," Pam said.
"I understand, Pam. And you shouldn’t have to. But Bobby told me it was just a misunderstanding. He didn’t even know that woman like that," Black said, trying to be a friend and comfort her.
He liked Pam, felt like he owed her. Not only was Pam very helpful with Michelle before she went to live with his mother in Freeport, but it was Pam that saved Shy’s life when Melinda tried to kill her.
"That’s the same bullshit he told me," Pam said calmly. "And if that’s the case, why does this bitch keep calling here?"
"She called again?"
"Called here again tonight."
"She did?" Black asked, surprised because he knew that Bobby had warned Ivillisa Ortiz not to call his house again.
"Yes, Mike, she did."
"What she want this time?"
"She called and asked to speak to Bobby. When I told her to stop calling here, she said to tell Bobby that Ivillisa Ortiz called and that a man named Lex was on his way there to kill her. When Bobby got home we argued about it and Bobby left. I can’t go through this again, Mike."
"I know, Pam. Did Bobby say where he was going?"
"I guess he went to her."
"Okay, Pam. If Bobby calls, tell him I’m with Victor, and he can call me on his phone."
"I’ll tell him," Pam said in a voice that Black hadn’t heard since the night she killed Cat and Melinda. He ended the call and thought back to that night.
Black had been out dancing with Shy and they called Bobby to take them home, when Bobby got a call from Pam.
"I’m at your little girlfriend’s apartment. I need you and Mike to come here now," Pam said an
d calmly hung up the phone.
When they arrived at the apartment it was in darkness, lit only by the streetlights shining through the window. When Bobby saw the gun in Pam’s hand, Black stepped in front of him and Shy looked at him like he was crazy.
"What’s up with the gun, Pam?" Black asked.
"It’s for killing, Mike. You know better than most people what a gun is for," Pam said, obviously in a state of shock.
"Why don’t you give me the gun, Pam?" Black asked quietly.
"Here," Pam said and handed the gun to Black. "I’m finished with it."
Now that she was no longer armed, Bobby stepped toward his wife again. "Pam," he said softly. "Where’s Cat?"
"She’s in the bedroom."
Bobby and Black went to the bedroom and opened the door. There on the floor was Cat with a gunshot wound in the chest. Pam very calmly explained that Cat had called the house again and said that she had just gotten finished fucking Bobby. After a round of bitch this and ho that, Cat said that she was going to take Bobby from Pam, and that she had broken into their house and was looking forward to fuckin’ Bobby on their bed.
"That’s when I hung up on her. But then I thought about it. This woman is crazy. So I called her back. I told her that we needed to talk face-to-face. I was surprised when she invited me over. We had small talk at the door when I first got here, and then she asked me to follow her. Said she wanted to show me something and led me straight to the bedroom. She opened the door and pointed to the bed. She said this is where she and Bobby fuck every day. That’s when I shot her."
They took Pam to Black’s house and left her with Shy while Black and Bobby disposed of the body. When they drove off, they drove right past Melinda, who had been following them all night. Melinda wanted to get back at Black for dumping her for Shy. She hated Shy with a passion and Melinda decided that whether she got Black back or not, that bitch Shy didn’t deserve to live-even if it meant killing Black too.
With Pam resting comfortably, Shy went back down-stairs and turned on the television. She had been channel surfing for awhile when Melinda stepped into the light, her gun was pointed at Shy. "How did you get in here?"
"I used to live here until you came along, bitch," Melinda said and took another step closer to Shy.
"What do you want?"
"I’m here to take back what you took from me."
"What are you talkin’ about?"
"I’m talkin’ about Black, you stupid bitch."
"And you think-"
"Shut up, bitch," Melinda said calmly. "You ruined everything. I was happy, we were happy; happy with each other, bitch. Do you understand what that means? Do you understand how I feel?"
Shy remained quiet.
"No, I didn’t think so. You couldn’t possibly under-stand what this feels like."
"You know you don’t have to do this," Shy pleaded with Melinda.
"Oh, yes, I do. You don’t deserve to have him. You don’t deserve to have my man."
"We can talk about this, can’t we?"
"Talk? Talk about what? How you snuck behind my back and stole my man? Is that what we should talk about, bitch? I don’t think so. What do you think; if you keep me here talking that Black will come and save your worthless bitch-ass? Well, you can forget about that. I saw the body him and Bobby carried out. What, your girl Pam kill somebody?"
Shy didn’t answer.
"It doesn’t matter. You don’t have to answer me, bitch. I know they took that body to the funeral parlor, and if they did, it’ll be at least two hours before they get finished, so nobody is coming to save you."
If that was the case, Shy figured since she was going to die, she might as well speak her mind and die with dignity.
"You know what," Shy paused. "Damn, I don’t even remember what your name is. Never was all that important. But I guess it doesn’t matter now. I guess nothing matters now. So let me tell you something. Mike Black is my man, bitch, not your man-my man." Shy held up her left hand. "This big-ass fuckin’ rock on my finger proves that he’s my man. He may have been your man, but you weren’t woman enough to hold him, and that’s why he’s my man. So go ahead and kill me you dumb bitch, ’cause even if you kill me, Mike Black will always be my man!"
Melinda grabbed the gun with both hands and cocked the hammer. Shy heard the shot, closed her eyes, and prepared to die.
But nothing happened.
Shy opened her eyes in time to see Melinda drop the gun and fall to the floor.
Pam stepped out of the shadows with a gun in her hand and stood over Melinda’s body. "These bitches got to learn to stop fuckin’ with somebody else’s man."
Pam had killed two women that night and as a result, the stress of that traumatic experience caused her to suffer a nervous breakdown. Over the last couple of years her health had improved, but Black feared that this latest event might push Pam over the edge once again.
"We gotta find Bobby," Black told Victor. He knew that Bobby loved his wife and would do anything to avoid her having to go through what she had to endure because of his relationship with Cat. "He’s on his way to this woman’s apartment to make sure she stops calling Pam. Only problem is, I have no idea where she lives."
"I think I might know," Victor said as he drove.
"Where?"
"I can’t be sure, but Sabrina said that she used to see Bobby’s car outside a building on Grant Avenue."
Black laughed a little. "What was Sabrina doin’ down there?"
"She was with Bo."
"Even better question: What was Bo doin’ down there?" Black asked. Then he looked at Victor. "I know this is none of my business, and far be it for me to tell you who to lay the pipe to, but all I’m sayin’ is be careful about fuckin’ around with Sabrina. Niggas do stupid shit over a man fuckin’ with his woman."
"I understand, Black," Victor said.
"You see how this shit is workin’ out for Bobby."
Black was absolutely right about Bobby. As soon as Bobby heard about Ivillisa calling Pam, he left and headed straight for her apartment.
When Bobby got there, he could hear Ivillisa screaming as he came down the hall.
"I won’t do it no more, I swear, Lex, please!"
Bobby banged on the door.
"Help me, please!" He heard Ivillisa yell.
Bobby took out his gun, kicked in the door and went inside the apartment. "Ivy!" he shouted.
"In the bedroom," Ivillisa yelled and tried to run away from Lex.
"Shut up!" Lex said and grabbed her by her hair. He began punching her in the face. When he let go of her hair, Ivillisa fell to the ground. Lex began kicking her just as Bobby appeared at the door. He looked at Ivillisa. Her once beautiful face was now a bloody mess. Her eye was swollen almost to the point of being shut. Her lip was busted and her clothes were torn.
Bobby ran up behind Lex and pulled him off her. Lex turned around and hit Bobby. Ivillisa got up and ran out of the room.
Lex grabbed Bobby’s arm and the two men struggled for the gun. Lex forced Bobby’s back against the wall and began banging his hand until Bobby dropped the gun. Lex hit Bobby in the face and then in the stomach. "You think you can beat me old man?" he yelled as he grabbed Bobby and threw him to the floor.
Bobby got to his feet and rushed Lex, and the two men fell to the ground. They wrestled around until Bobby got on top and hit Lex several times in the face. Lex pushed Bobby off him, and got to his feet.
He picked up a lamp and swung it at Bobby, but he missed and Bobby rushed Lex again. The two traded blows until Bobby went down again. Lex stood over Bobby and kicked him. "Come on, get up!" Lex yelled.
Bobby caught Lex’s foot as he tried to kick him, and jerked it. He went down near Bobby’s gun and grabbed it. Lex stood up and pointed the gun at Bobby.
He looked at the barrel of the gun and knew he was about to die. At that moment, he thought about what he was about to die for.
Bobby thought about his wife and his chi
ldren, and knew that whatever he was doing with Ivillisa Ortiz wasn’t worth losing his family over, and it definitely wasn’t worth dying for. Bobby heard the gunshot but felt no pain. He looked into Lex’s eyes and watched him fall to the floor.
There stood Ivillisa, gun shaking in her hand. Bobby got up and took the gun from Ivillisa. "Took you long enough."
"I had to find where he put his gun," Ivillisa said.
Bobby looked at Lex and pried his gun from Lex’s dead hand. "I’m gettin’ too old for this shit."
Ivillisa threw her arms around Bobby. He kissed her on the forehead and removed her arms from around his neck.
"Come on," Bobby said and took Ivillisa by the hand and led her out of the apartment.
"What about him?" Ivillisa said as she looked down at Lex’s body.
"Don’t worry about him. I’ll call somebody to take care of him. Right now, you need to get out of here."
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"A friend of mine is a doctor. He’ll fix you up and make sure you’re all right."
It wasn’t too long after Bobby and Ivillisa left that Black and Victor got to her building. They didn’t see his car but they went inside anyway.
Victor approached a man in the lobby. He told them which apartment she lived in. When they got to the door and found it cracked open, they went in with guns drawn. They looked around the apartment until Victor found Lex’s body. "In here, Black."
Black went to the door and looked in. "See what I’m sayin’. That could be you dead over fuckin’ around with Sabrina."
"True that, but I prefer to look at it as that being Bo," Victor said and followed Black out of the apartment.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Kirk finally got a break in his case. Earlier in the day, he got a call from Reyes, the head of the CSI team who told Kirk that they found some evidence at one of the murder scenes. Kirk and Richards went back to the precinct to see what he had.
"What you got, Reyes?" Kirk said as soon as he came through the door.
"How are you, detective?" Reyes said.
"Fine."
"I was talking to Richards," Reyes said and laughed.
"You gotta forgive my partner," Richards said and shook hands with Reyes as Kirk took a seat. "He gets so caught up in these things that he sometimes forgets his manners."
