Bloodline of a Kane (Kane Family Saga)

by Bobby Dennis

  "Oh yeah?" Mace asked his brows raised. "I'm listening son."

  The men laughed.

  "This is it. I want us to go over the river and see if we can do the same thing." Raven said, "We've got the man power and the finances to get it done!"

  "If Ran uses all of the men to protect his shipments, just who are all of these men we have?" Mace asked puzzled.

  "The same ones." Raven said smiling. "If Ran was of the same mind as me, he would only make a couple of drops a week, And we can do the same, using the same men and keeping it in the family!"

  "I kind of like the sound of that, but we'd have to know somebody across the river that had all the contacts." Mace said.

  "Pa, excuse me!" said Preston. "Jeanie's folks are from over there and they’re in the know.“

  “Not our Jeanie? Mace asked.

  “Our Jeanie,” Preston said.

  “Burk Laws and Nelly are Jeanie’s folks and they've lived here long as we have!" Mace said.

  "We got folks elsewhere too pa." said Preston. "Nelly's sister Vivian, lives over there with Dave Sumner, who is kin to big Larry Sumner, who has his hands in every pie over there."

  "Bull Parsons and his crew, run the liquor over there too." Tyrus said. "The river ain't stop him from spreading his greedy, grasping hands, over there!"

  "Well that settles it for me." Mace said. "We done already put a crimp in their operation, so we might as well go all in!"

  "What’s in this for us?" Ransom asked. "I'm not talking monetary pa."

  "What's in it for every man in this room, is security. We're family and will secure our future by branching out and getting as much as we can. We'll make the community safer and provide jobs for those that wanna work. We'll make this benefit our people too. We're building up, instead of tearing down!"

  All of the men nodded in agreement, then they sat around talking and planning for the next day.

  * CHAPTER # 21 *

  Everything was quiet for the next few weeks, as the Klan licked their wounds and planned their next course of action. The whites in town started to notice that the blacks had added pep in their stride and openly carried themselves with pride and confidence.

  The Kanes had started selling their liquor to all the blacks and even to some whites that had speak easies. The trade was lucrative and it wouldn't be long before Bull and his group felt the crunch. The Kanes provided a better grade of liquor, than the bath tub gin that the Bellamys sold. People were getting a lot more confident when dealing with them, since they now saw that even the Klan could be hurt. The dark cloud of fear and terror, had almost disappeared.

  Raven and Mace, accompanied by Trace and Drake, had met with big Larry Sumner to find out the lay of the land. They were in negotiations with the bootleggers in the area. They used diplomacy where ever they could, but they were sure to leave the impression that they were men not to be trifled with.

  Trace and Drake proved to be an excellent pairing, as both men were intelligent, persuasive and innovative. They played off of their weaknesses and strengths. They were extremely successful and the entire family benefited.

  Ransom was proving to be a solid leader, though he was basically relying on the counsel of the elders. He was somewhat prone to use violence to settle problems, but slowly he was moving towards other methods. He was sure to consult with the elders before he made a move that involved the entire clan and that was just about everything. Sometimes he followed their advice and some times he didn't, but never were the results detrimental.

  * * * * 10 months after the attack on city hall, Raven, Mace, Lola and Celia sat in the living room of Mace's house. Mace was bouncing his new grandson, (Raven and Celia's boy)

  Baron on his knee.

  "Mace, what say we take the women out tonight?"

  Raven asked. "Been a while since me and Celia been dancin!" "Old ass nigga, what you know about dancin?" Mace

  said laughing.

  "A lot more than you, old man." Raven replied. "Where did you have in mind?" Mace asked. "Don't

  say the Bucket of Blood, cause I wouldn't be caught dead in

  that joint."

  "I was thinking along the lines of the Velvet Club,

  over the river." Raven said.

  Mace stopped bouncing the baby and looked at

  Raven. "We need to talk son." Mace said seriously, as he

  passed the baby to Lola. Raven stood and the men walked

  into the den and closed the door.

  "Are you sure you wanna go over the river?" Mace

  asked.

  "Why not?" Raven asked.

  "You know Lefty killed Strom Stevens over there and

  the Stevens are a bad lot." Mace said. "That Pip Stevens is a

  bad man and the twins ain’t far behind. There's a lot of them

  and I can't see taking our women folk into it!"

  "Mace, I was thinking about that earlier, that's why I

  suggested the Velvet Club." Raven said. "See I ain't one for

  waiting on them to kill one of ours, then we retaliate. I'm for

  getting it done and let the chips fall where they may!" "But taking the women, I can't see it Raven." Mace

  said. "Why can't we just go?"

  "Because Celia and Lola wanna go to the Velvet. If

  it's what they want, I want it for them!" Raven said. "Since

  Celia and I got married, things done changed. You know how

  stubborn she can be, hell she got it from you!"

  " No hell she didn't, she got it from her ma!" Mace

  said. "If Lola wants to go we're going and if we don't there'll

  be hell to pay around here. Shit, they might do me a favor and

  kill her."

  The men laughed, then Mace asked. "How will we

  do it?"

  "We'll take Drake, Trace, Tim, Lao, Ransom and

  Blake with us. We'll get them to bring their girls. We'll get

  Lefty to go alone and hang at the bar. Lon, Pat, Ed, Pauly,

  Brooks, Cellus and Preston will be outside spread around the

  building. If Pip and his folks show up, we'll reel them right on

  into the net!" Raven said.

  "What about Obie Reed?" Mace asked. "You know

  he's the law over there, endorsed by Bull. That nigger thinks

  he's God!"

  "Obie Reed, is Bull's Lackey and if he and his boys

  are ever in my sights, I'm shooting them down like the dogs

  they are!" Raven said defiantly.

  "Well I guess we better spread the word then." Mace

  said, as they headed back to the women.

  * * * * Raven and Celia were seated at a table with Mace and Lola, the others were spread throughout the room with their women. Drake sat with Lisa, Trace and Myra.

  Trace and Myra had gotten married, as had Blake and Laine. Drake, Lisa, Tim and Lucy were planning a double wedding, that would take place in two months.

  Tim, had virtually moved into Ransom's house with Lucy. It was nearly safe for Lucy to return home to her parents, but she decided that she would stay, so she could be close to Tim. Who had asked Prescott, for Lucy's hand in marriage.

  Lefty stood at the bar nursing a drink. All of the men were armed to the teeth. They waited for the Stevens' to make their appearance.

  They sat and enjoyed the entertainment, which was really good. A big band and a glamorous female singer named Bess Waters, who had performed as far away as New York, but was a local girl.

  Big Larry Sumner and his wife Trish, walked over to the table where Raven sat with Mace. "Mr. Kane, Mr. Mace, ladies!" he said respectfully as a greeting. "I hope you're enjoying the show, because it's not often that Bess is in town. I think she wore out her welcome up north!"

  Raven raised his brows questioningly.

  "It's a delicate matter, that I wouldn't feel comfortable discussing in front of the women." Big Larry said. "I do need to talk with you gentle men about a possibl
e business venture, if I might?"

  "Now?" Raven asked.

  "It’s just a preliminary to the actual discussion." Big Larry said smiling.

  Raven looked at Mace, who nodded his head imperceptibly and they excused themselves and rose.

  Trish Sumner, sat with Lola and Celia as the men walked towards the back office. Big Larry owned the Velvet Club.

  "Girls, that hooker Bess Waters is a dope addict!" Trish whispered to the women, who looked at her puzzled. Lola and Celia were familiar with drunks, but didn't know what a drug addict was. Trish was a street wise woman, who had clawed and scratched her way to the top. She ran a big whore house. She and Big Larry were made for each other, as they were born hustlers.

  "Yeah, the bitch got a monkey on her back." Trish said.

  Lola's pride wouldn't allow her to ask what a drug addict was, but Celia had no qualms about asking. "What's a drug addict?"

  "Baby, a drug addict is somebody that is hooked on drugs. It's just like a wine, except they on skag, instead of wine." Trish said knowledgably. "Skag is heroin, that's a drug made form opium. That shit is bad girl!"

  * In the back room, Big Larry seated Raven and Mace, then sat behind his big desk. He looked at the men, and asked. “Are you fellows familiar with junk, or skag, as it's called?"

  The men looked at him and shook their heads. "It's a drug made from opium, it's the trash, that's why it's called junk. It's highly addictive and it's popular among the in-crowd up north. It has slowly drifted down south and is gaining a big following in La Villa and over here. I'm sure you guys know Slim Beals, over in La Villa?" asked Big Larry.

  "Yeah we know Slim, he's one of our best customers." Mace said.

  "Well, Slim has the skag on y'all end and Pip Stevens and his group, are the skag dealers on this end. I see a big future in the junk business." said Big Larry. "I'd like us to go into the business together!"

  Both Mace and Raven shook their heads no, then Raven spoke.

  "That sounds like a young man's game, and we're not interested, but we can put you in touch with our boys. You know them, Trace and Drake. They might be interested, but I for one ain't!"

  "Neither am I!" said Mace firmly. "I been riding on this nigga coat tails for nearly a year and things been real good. So I'm apt to agree with him."

  * * * * Lucky James, rushed into the black cat, a speak easy that was owned by Pip Stevens and his twin brothers Donald and Ronald. "Where Pip?" he asked a big, dark skinned woman, named Joann.

  "He in the back with Ronnie and Donnie. They got Tip back there and they're talkin business." she said.

  Lucky hurried to the back, knocked on the door and shouted. "Pip, it's Lucky, I need to talk to you!"

  The door was snatched open and Pip stood there scowling. "Nigga you got my money?" Pip asked.

  Lucky was a junkie. He dropped his head, then said. "I'm gonna have it for you later Pip, but I got some information for you!"

  "Come on in, this better be good!" Pip said menacingly. Pip was a medium sized, brown skin man, with hazel eyes. It was a Stevens family trait. They all had the same cat like eyes.

  "Alright nigga, spill it." Pip said.

  "That nigga what shot Strom, is in the Velvet!" Lucky blurted out.

  The twins jumped up from their seats so swiftly, that the chairs toppled over. "Who is he with?" asked Ronnie.

  "He was alone, but I seen some of them niggas he runs with too." said Lucky.

  "How many?" Pip asked.

  " I ain't see but two." Lucky said. "I was outside the club, tryin to see what I could come up with. You know I got Ether Myers on the stroll. I was tryin to get your money, so I could pay you off and see about getting fixed up!"

  "How long ago was this, that you saw the nigga?" Pip asked.

  "He been inside for an hour or more. I didn't wanna leave, so I hung around for a few. Bess is performing, so I don't think they'll be leaving anytime soon."

  "Ronnie go call Obie Reed and have him and Iron Head meet us in back of the Velvet in 15 minutes. We gonna kill that nigga and whoever is with him!" Pip declared.

  * * * * When Raven, Mace and Big Larry walked out of the office, Raven's eyes danced over the crowded room. He locked eyes with Eagle, who nodded his head towards the restroom. Raven tugged Mace's sleeve and headed to the restroom. The big red man followed. Soon Eagle, Hawk and Falcon joined them. Cougar and Wolf had stayed home.

  "What is it?" Raven asked Eagle.

  "Let's get the ladies loaded up brother." Eagle said. " I got the feeling things bout to get hairy!" Raven looked in his brother eyes and nodded his head. He had long ago learned to trust his elder brother's hunches. The men walked from the restroom and gathered their women. They loaded them into cars and sent them on their way. The men then spread out around the big room. Mace and Raven, watched the front door, while Trace and Drake, watched the back. The men outside had been alerted and told to let the Stevens come on into the trap.

  * Obie Reed and Iron Head Waters, pulled up behind the Velvet Club and got out of the car. Both men carried shotguns. They leaned on the car and waited for Pip. Pip had Obie and Iron Head in his pocket.

  Brooks spotted the men and keeping to the shadows made his way quickly to the front of the club. He spread the word as he went, then rushed inside to Raven.

  "Granpa, there are two men outback leaning on a car and both of them totin shotguns?" Brooks said.

  "What do they look like?" Raven asked.

  "I can't rightly see one of them, but one is a big wide nigga with a big, bald head." Brooks replied.

  "Obie and Iron Head." Raven said. "Hurry back out and tell the others to follow them in when they get here, now hurry!"

  Brooks rushed from the club and told the others, as Raven warned the men inside. They all pulled the compact military issue .45 automatics from their shoulders holsters and covered them with the big napkins the club provided.

  Pip, the twins, Lucky and Tommy Perkins or T.P. as he was called, pulled up behind the Velvet Club.

  "That's the niggas car right there." Lucky said pointing at a black coupe.

  "T.P give that nigga a bundle of skag and wipe out his debt." Pip said. "I figure this information just about covers it."

  Pauly, watching from the shadows, saw Lucky point out Lefty's car. He whispered to Preston, who was behind him. "That nigga ratted Lefty out, he's mine!"

  Preston looked at him and saw the anger in his eyes even in the dark, and whispered. "He's yours!"

  Pip and the others, walked over to where Obie and Iron Head, leaned on the car. "Let's go. I want that nigga personally!" Pip said as the men headed for the back door.

  Lucky watched the men as they walked to the back door, then he turned on his heels and hurried across the lot. He never saw the large group of armed men silently emerge from the shadows, nor the one that detached himself from the group to hurry after him. Lucky was thinking only of the fat bundle of dope, that he had in his inside jacket pocket.

  As Lucky turned the corner to go to the front of the club, Pauly caught up with him. "Hey man, got a light?" Pauly asked.

  Lucky was startled and he froze in his tracks at the sound of the voice. He swiftly turned and saw a slight man with slanted eyes, and a big smile.

  "What was that?" Lucky asked.

  "Got a light!" Pauly asked holding a cigar in his left hand where Lucky could see it.

  "I ain't got no light." Lucky said angrily. "You on the wrong side of town ain't you boy?"

  "So are you." Pauly said softly, as Lucky turned to walk away.

  Pauly dropped the cigar and a big knife miraculously appeared in his right hand. The big silvery blade, glinted in the moon light as Pauly's left hand shot out and gripped Lucky's forehead and jerked it back. The blade flashed, as it streaked towards Lucky's throat. In one wicked stroke, Pauly slit the man’s throat from ear to ear. Blood gushed in the night air, from the man's severed arteries. Pauly held him upright for a few seconds, then released him. Lucky crashed to the
ground, his unseeing eyes wide and filled with horror.

  * As Pip and the others, barged thru the back door they were met by Big Larry, who shouted. "What the hell is this?"

  "Nigga step aside!" Pip said pointing a big revolver in Big Larry' face. "That nigga what killed my brother is in here and he's a dead man!"

  "You're making a big mistake Pip." Big Larry said.

  "The man said move!" Obie Reed said loudly. "Now get your ass out of the way!"

  "Ain't gonna be no killin in my place!" said Big Larry sternly.

  Iron Head Walters stepped forward and clubbed Big Larry in the head with his shotgun and Big Larry dropped to one knee shaking his bloody head. Iron Head struck him again and the big man slumped forward barely conscious.

  The men stepped over his prone body and hurried into the club proper. As they stepped into the big room, Pip was in the lead. His eyes scanned the room and he saw Lefty leaning on the bar smiling, but didn't know who he was. He fired his pistol into the ceiling, then shouted. "Which one of you niggas is Lefty Mace?"

  Lefty's gun hand was hidden behind his left leg. He spoke softly. "I'm Lefty Mace and who might I ask are you?"

  Pip's head swung back to Lefty, and he said. "I'm Pip Stevens, the man who's gonna kill your ass!"

  Pip and his men, didn't see the armed men who had stepped behind them with the Thompson sub machine guns.

  Lefty saw them and burst into laughter. "That's a mighty big order there son!"

  Before Lefty finished speaking, the other Kanes and Maces stepped forward, each pointing a gun at the six men.

  Pip and his men saw that they were out numbered and Obie spoke up. "I'm Obie Reed, the law over here. You men drop those guns, he's under arrest for murder!"

  "That's a damn lie!" Vernon Mace said from behind them.

  The six men looked behind them and saw that there were five men armed with machine guns. Pip and the others, holstered their guns, and Pip said. "This ain't over!"