by T M Kelly
Staying next door was not easy; memories would surface all damn day. I knew I needed to find a place to live but I didn’t have a dime to my name. To make it even worse, Ray had closed down all of our joint accounts. He was probably laughing in his grave right now because he won. I was broke and homeless.
“Drop your shoulders down.” I placed my hands on both her shoulders. “They are pushed all the way up to your ears.”
“What if you punch me in my ear?” She had this nervous look. “My hearing is perfect at the moment.”
“You won’t go deaf if you get hit in the ear.” I stepped back. “Trust me.”
“Ahhh, that word trust,” Malik teased and leaned on the outside of the ring.
“What is he talking about?” Anora pulled her mouthpiece out. “Should I not trust you?”
I walked over to where Malik was standing. “I thought you had boy stuff to do. You’re interrupting our flow here.”
He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. “Is that what’s happening? Are you sure?”
I kissed him lightly and then pushed him away. “Go.” I pointed my arm toward the door. “You have to make sure our friends are okay.”
Anora stepped forward. “Any word?”
“Nothing,” Malik said.
She had been asking about Kac for weeks now. Every time she would ask, Malik’s face would fall. I knew he wanted to tell her good news, but there was nothing. By nothing, that meant no one had heard from Journey either.
When Journey went undercover, there was a tiny device hidden on her clothing. About six weeks ago Lincoln traced the device to an old run-down warehouse. The place was empty and the small metal piece was found on the floor. So basically, we all were waiting for a word or sign from Kac and Journey.
Then to make shit even worse, Julian announced a few days ago that he had not heard from Devon in months.
We knew the underground fighting ring was still taking place somewhere in the city. The problem was, we had no idea where. Our ties to the inside were lost and we had no way to find them on our own. Lincoln was trying, though. He was determined to find them. There was no chatter on the back channels and private chat sessions were deleted. It was like everything had disappeared.
“Hey.” I pushed at Anora’s arm. “Come on.” It was easier keeping her mind occupied.
“I think I need to get home.” She pulled out her mouthpiece and held out her hands for me to remove her gloves.
“Are you sure? We’ve only been here for twenty minutes.”
“Yeah, I need to take care of a few things before Monday.” That meant, I plan to go home and sit in my room alone. I wondered if being locked in the special room for so long had changed her somehow.
“I thought we would run over to the grocery store and grab a few things.”
“Can we just go home? We have enough food in the house.”
I pulled the gloves off and unfastened the belt on the head gear. “Yeah, of course.” Malik was still standing behind me. “Should I let you have the house to yourself tonight?” I looked his way. “I can stay with Malik if you need me to.” This going back and forth between homes was getting old. I wanted a place of my own. Having my own home meant getting a job.
“No,” she said a little too loudly. “Please stay with me.”
“Anora, what is it?” I grabbed her hand. “What am I missing?”
She leaned against the ring. “I had a dream last night.”
“This doesn’t sound good.”
“Kac was killed.”
“He’s not dead,” Malik said and stepped down from the ring. “I would know. He’s fine.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Plus, Kac is resourceful. The man has gotten through worse in his life.”
She hopped out of the ring and grabbed her bag. “I hope you’re right.” I threw my hand up but before I could say a word. “And no, you’re not always right.”
I was just stepping out of the ring, too. “Excuse me. Jennifer Andrews?” a woman, maybe in her thirties, said as she walked up closer to all three of us.
“That’s me.” I held my hand up. “Who wants to know?”
“The Blue Elephant Hotel and Casino.”
I glanced between Malik and Anora. “I’m sorry?”
“Ray Andrews was our VP of Finance.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that. Why are you here looking for me?”
“It’s come to our attention that he’s dead.”
“How did this just happen to come to your attention?”
After I was released from the hospital, I started telling people in my neighborhood Ray was MIA. Some of the people I had lived next to for years actually sighed with relief at that news. They obviously knew what had happened to me and never once said a word. Knowing the neighbors stayed silent made me want to get out of that location soon. Once I had the funds to do that.
The woman smiled. “Someone sent this.” She held out a picture of Ray dead. The image was gruesome. It was a close-up of his face where every inch was covered in blood.
I looked back at Malik. This visit was starting to have me on edge. “What does this have to do with me?”
“You both are still married.” She handed me some papers. “He had a pretty significant amount of money in his 401K account, and we have his last two checks.” She pointed to the bottom of the top sheet. “You’re the point of contact on the files.”
I stood there unable to move. The numbers staring back at me couldn’t be real.
Malik placed his hand over the sheet of paper. “How do you know he’s dead?”
The woman turned her head to the side. “From the image, sir.”
“I get that, but he could just be badly beaten. So I’ll ask you again, how do you know he’s dead?”
“I’m not sure who you are,” she said and pushed her purse strap higher up on her shoulder. “Mr. Andrews was with the casino for over ten years. He was a valuable employee.” She glanced toward me. “Is there something else I should know?”
I touched her forearm. “No, I’m sorry for the questions. It’s just—”
“Hard when you lose a loved one,” she finished my sentence.
“Can you give me a moment?” I smiled and grabbed Malik’s hand to tug him away. “What if The Blue Elephant is tied to the mob but not in a direct way?”
“I’m not following.” Malik scowled.
“There are people that are dirty there, but overall the business itself could be normal.” I looked over at the woman. She had her head down and was rubbing her fingers together. “She’s an employee just here doing her job.”
“And just so happens to have an image of your husband dead.”
“If there are people working on the inside there, it makes sense.”
“Which means we were looking in the wrong place all along.”
“Yeah, I need to get a job there. Maybe we’ll find the lead we’ve been looking for that will help us locate Journey and Kac.” I was waiting for him to protest.
“Lincoln will want to go undercover, too.”
“You’re not telling me no?”
He grabbed my hand. “I want to, trust me, but it’s a great idea.”
“I’m taking the money.”
“We need to make sure that’s safe. It could be a trap still, Jenny.”
“It’s also one million dollars.” It was hard to wrap my head around the numbers.
“Put the P.O. Box we opened for the address to reach you. Lincoln will check it all out once you have access.”
I patted his chest. “One million.”
“Mob boss.”
“Fine. We’ll have it looked over.” I sighed. “So picky.”
“Excuse me,” the woman said from behind me. “I have another appointment to go to. Can I get you to sign these documents?”
“I’m sorry.” I grabbed the pen she was offering and scribbled my name next to each arrow. Before I signed each spot, Malik was quickly skimming over each area
, then he would nod and hand it my way.
“Here is the last one.”
Malik grabbed it from her hands. “That’s a lot of documents to sign.”
“When someone dies there is always more paperwork to tend to.”
I took the sheet from him. “Sorry, you can never be too careful.”
“I understand.” She placed the sheets in her bag. “Here is the information to gain access to the money. They will discuss your options with you personally.”
“Options?”
“If you want to pull it all out in one lump sum or maybe receive payments over time. It’s all for tax purposes.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Thank you for your time, Mrs. Andrews. I’m sorry for your loss.”
I wrapped my arm around Malik’s waist and watched her leave the gym. “This still feels weird.”
“Let me call Lincoln now.”
Anora stepped up beside me. “Did I just hear that correctly?”
“That I will get Ray’s 401K and last two checks?”
“Well, one million was really what I was thinking, but yes.”
“Once it all seems legit, we’ll go get it transferred.” I turned toward her. “I need to get a job at The Blue Elephant.”
“Where Ray worked?” She stepped back. “Why the hell would you do that?”
“A hunch.”
“Why not take the money and run?”
“What if we can get a lead to Kac, Journey, and Devon?”
“You think it’s possible?”
I reached down and grabbed my towel. “I think anything’s possible.”
35
One month later…
“You like?” I said as I stepped into my new house. “She’s small but cute.” Sparty jumped down from my arms and ran into the living room. “I guess little man approves.”
“I’m still unsure about all this.” He stopped in the doorway and glanced around.
The money Ray had in his 401K was not an easy transfer. It took several weeks of digging to make sure it was legit. Even Lincoln questioned the situation. Upon further investigation they found it was clean. The money was mine. I made it easy on everyone and opted to have it all sent to me in one lump sum. When I chose that option, it also meant taxes would be pulled from the amount. The day I received a check in the mail with the amount for six hundred and seventy thousand dollars typed out, I about fainted.
Financially I would be okay, but I still needed to help with scoping out the casino. I promised Lincoln and Malik I would help. It took me a couple weeks, but I did finally get a job. My position was in the business office as a secretary for the director of the cleaning crew. The job seemed simple. Then I started meeting some of the other workers. That’s when I knew the money from the 401K was safe. The hotel and casino was a normal business. The employees lived paycheck to paycheck and had families to feed at home. The downside—they also were aware of the dirty money being filtered in day in and day out. It was just common knowledge, but everyone was too scared to snitch. They needed the job. The casino provided benefits to each employee, even the ones who worked part time.
A co-worker in my department walked into my office a few days ago and started gushing about the new VP of Finance. She said his name was Erickson.
I wrapped my arms around Malik’s waist and squeezed lightly. “Will you stop. It’s fine.” I leaned up on my tip toes and kissed his nose. “We’ve had it all checked and then checked again a few more times.”
He sighed and wrapped his arms around me. “Why don’t you want to move in with me?”
“We’ve already discussed this. I just need this time to myself.” I kissed his cheek and stepped away. “Come here, you need to see the tub in the bathroom.” I grabbed his hand and tugged him down the hall. “There are jets on each side.”
“Are we about to christen this room?”
“Maybe.” I threw my arms around his neck. “Anora won’t arrive for another fifteen minutes.”
“That gives us just enough time.”
“Right?” I placed my hands on his cheeks to make him face me. “So stop overthinking.”
Malik fisted his hands around the hem of my shirt and pulled it up over my head. “I may need some help in that department.”
“Yeah?” I started to unbutton his shirt. “Everything will be okay. I promise.” I slid his shirt off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor.
“You understand why I’m concerned, right?”
“I do.” He had every right to be worried. Malik knew exactly what my husband was capable of. The question was, could he still work his magic even from six-feet under? “He’s dead. I need to move on.” I laughed at my words. “Okay, so I can’t really move on at the moment with everything else going on. Just knowing he’s dead, though.”
“You’re right, I need to recognize that. I’m sorry.”
“What was that?”
“Which part are you not following?”
“I just want to hear the ‘you’re right’ part again.”
He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me farther into the bathroom. I let out a scream and burst out laughing. “There is no way I will say that a second time.”
“Are you o”—Anora stepped into the doorway—“kay.” She threw her hands over her eyes. “Already? You knew I was on the way.”
I looked up at Malik. “I will get you to say it a second time.” Then I bent and grabbed my shirt sprawled out on the floor.
“Not gonna happen.” He smacked my ass as I walked by him.
It felt good to laugh. Never once in my marriage would I have had a moment like I just had with Malik. It was just not who Ray was and I respected him for that. When I fell in love with my dead husband, we both were young and naïve. I thought I knew what I needed and wanted back then. Turns out I was just easily manipulated.
“You’re here early?” I stepped into the kitchen pulling down my T-shirt. “Why couldn’t you be late?”
“Do you need me to leave and come back later?” She leaned against the kitchen counter. When I didn’t answer, she leaned forward and swatted at my arm. “No, I will not be leaving. We have a vehicle full of shit that belongs to you.”
“Is Lincoln still dropping off the couch and chairs?”
“Yes, Lincoln is dropping them off,” he said as he stepped into the house. “Cute place you got here.”
“I think so.” I spun in a circle.
“Not sure what was wrong with my place, but it will do,” Malik said and walked over to shake Lincoln’s hand. “Anything new to report?”
“Not here.” He glanced toward Anora.
“Should I leave the room?” she said and rolled her eyes.
“No, we need to keep that topic off the table for now.” I held my arms up in the air. “Later we can discuss it.”
Lincoln and Malik were only trying to protect Anora. If she knew too much, it would put her on the inside and in danger. I had a long talk with my friend about why they were holding back. She understood, but it didn’t make it any easier. I knew she thought about Kac. She acted like he didn’t matter but it was obvious he did. Something more than a kiss happened when she was being held at his house. It was written all over her face.
“Hey, did you see the French doors in the bedroom?” I grabbed Anora’s hand and dragged her to the master bedroom. “Look where it leads.” I opened the one side. “I’m so in love.” There was a gorgeous garden with dozens of different types of flowers.
“But you don’t have a green thumb?”
“When I was looking at the pictures with Lily, she mentioned Julian could help me.”
“The champ knows a thing or two about gardening?”
“Right? Who would’ve thought?” I burst out laughing and closed the door. “It will be the perfect place to do yoga.”
“Please don’t make me do that again.” Malik walked into the bedroom and leaned over to kiss my temple.
“Better you than me.�
� Anora patted his chest and left the room.
Once Malik knew Anora was out of earshot, he turned toward me. “Lincoln caught a new private chat room.”
“For where the fights are being held?”
“Possibly. The users are speaking in code. He’s trying to decipher the conversations.”
“That sounds like he’ll be at that job for a long time.”
“Nah, Lincoln’s pretty skilled when it comes to hackers and cyber-security.”
“Good.” I walked over to the doorway. “You both are used to this. Anora and I are still trying to wrap our heads around it all. Well, more me than her. She’s still in the dark about what’s going on and growing more frustrated by the day.”
“You know why we can’t tell her anything?”
“She’ll find out eventually.”
“Maybe not.” He placed his hands in his pants pockets. “If we can find the answers and end this soon.”
“I just want her safe. That’s all I care about.”
“That’s what we all want.”
36
“I want a donut.” I plopped down on my couch and threw my legs over Malik. “Kidding, but seriously I’m hungry.” I reached over and grabbed Sparty who was snuggled up against Malik.
“How’s your weight doing?” He rubbed his hands up and down my shins.
“Still holding at one hundred and thirty.” I nuzzled my face in the kitten’s fur.
“So, you gained a few pounds but you’re still in the weight requirement.”
“And still hungry.”
He leaned closer, kissed Sparty, and then kissed me. “Tomorrow night after weigh-in you can eat a donut.” I threw my feet off so he could stand up. “I wouldn’t suggest you eat it, though.”
“Unless we make a healthy donut.” I hopped up. “Now I’m on to something.”
“You can make a donut healthy?”
“Gluten-free and sugar-free.” I followed behind him as he made his way into the kitchen.
“What’s the point?”
I was about to give a smart-ass answer but realized he had a point. “You know what, I’m not sure.”
