Thin Ice

by KR Bankston

  They were taking the SUV. Jaleesa knew for certain they were delivering weapons, but she suspected there was dope too. The operation in Florida was starting to come alive and Ice decided Ryan needed to make an appearance. Please let this go right and us get back here in two days like he said, Jaleesa thought as Ryan turned over and put his arm across her. Looking into his peaceful face once more, Jaleesa again felt a familiar pang of guilt. For all the violence that Ryan had inside, he’d been nothing but loving and gentle toward her. Even from the beginning when he could have hurt her and violently raped her that day in her apartment, he hadn’t. He’d taken his time and actually made love to her. When he brought her here, he’d bought her everything and treated her with respect. Sighing softly Jaleesa closed her eyes, unable to stop the single tear that rolled onto the pillow. You have fallen in love with this man, her mind dared her. Jaleesa frowned deeply not wanting or choosing to acknowledge the accusation. I gotta do, what I gotta do, she reminded herself as Ryan stirred once more, pulling her close this time as he once again changed positions. Deciding there was nothing else she could do about it right now Jaleesa closed her eyes as sleep found her.

  Ryan smiled and kissed her again as he began undressing her. He took his time, savoring each and every inch of her. He wanted to make it very special for both of them. Jaleesa closed her eyes and allowed his touch to envelop her. He was caring and gentle, licking her all over, giving special attention to her breasts, knowing it was one of her favorite turn on’s. He tasted her intimately and brought her quickly to orgasm. Jaleesa’s hands were all over his body, as she lifted herself and licked his nipples gently, loving the feel of his rock hard abs and chest. Ryan moaned softly as her tongue touched his body, loving the feel of her embrace. “Jaleesa,” he said softly, as she climbed on top of him and he entered her. She rode him lovingly as he caressed her body. She felt herself reaching her peak quickly, as did he. He kissed her again passionately, rolling her over to begin all over again. Jaleesa smiled to herself remembering that Ryan was one of those men, who could go three or four rounds before his erection left. Mmm, thank goodness for longevity, she thought as she felt another orgasm heading her way. Things took a decidedly different turn as the man on top of her became Deuce. “You thought you was bout to fuck over another brutha huh,” he threw at her as he began to violently thrust into her, hurting her with each movement. “You ain’t so smart,” he continue to rant as he assailed her. “This is it for you bitch,” he told her as he finally stopped thrusting into her, rising and pulling his pants up. He pulled the .22 caliber from his pocket and aimed it at her. “You lose bitch,” he said simply as he fired and hit her in the chest.

  Jaleesa sat bolt upright in bed, waking Ryan who sat up and pulled her close, holding her as she trembled and tried to gather her bearings.

  “Bad dream,” he asked, looking at her closely.

  Shaking her head, still unable to speak, Jaleesa told him yes.

  “It’s okay baby,” he replied sweetly. “Come on lay down with me,” he continued, pulling her down with him. “I got you,” he said softly as a final thought still holding her as he drifted back to sleep.

  Jaleesa continued to lie awake, the very bad feeling still completely encompassing her.

  *****

  Tariq was thinking about KiKi and Hasaan, feeling very alone this evening. He was irritated that he couldn’t call KiKi and talk to her. She’d told him about her trip to Mississippi and that they would be able to talk because she’d be alone. So much for that , Tariq thought recalling the quick call she’d made telling him about Ice’s surprise visit. “These seven days cannot be over soon enough,” he mumbled aloud, rolling a blunt and lighting it. Deciding he didn’t want to sit around brooding any longer, Tariq got up and headed out to the club for a little while. It was still a couple days from the weekend, but the place he was headed was always jumping. It would definitely afford him the much needed diversion he was seeking from the thoughts of his brother and the woman who held his heart.

  Arriving a little while later, Tariq took in the clubs plastic décor and chuckled slightly. Nothing has changed in the months since I’ve been here, Tariq thought. There were clear Christmas lights strung around the dance floor, plastic and silk plants in the foyer and some in the sitting area. The tables were the old 1970’s style kitchen tables with the same for the chairs. The music was hot though and the DJ was on his game. People were still arriving and a few moments later the club was banging as it hit full capacity. Tariq found himself a seat and ordered a beer, leaning back and enjoying it once the waitress brought it back.

  “Anybody sittin’ here,” Sherene asked as Tariq looked up and took her in.

  Shrugging slightly, Tariq told her no. Sherene sat down and ordered a couple tequila shots.

  “The club is really jumpin’ tonight,” she spoke, trying to make small talk.

  Tariq again nodded wordlessly as he finished his beer and asked for another.

  “Thanks,” Sherene told the waitress as she sat the shots on the table.

  “Where’s dude,” Tariq asked, not wanting any drama to pop off about her sitting with him.

  Sherene threw back the first shot, sucking on the lime, before answering.

  “He’s not here.”

  “Hmph,” Tariq returned saying nothing more as he returned his attention to the dance floor.

  “You wanna go out there,” Sherene asked.

  Tariq shrugged slightly again, before sighing deeply and telling her sure. Finding a spot on the floor they began to dance as Sherene kicked herself again for letting Tariq go. They danced the next couple songs until the DJ slowed the pace and put on a slow jam. Tariq turned to go sit down when she grabbed his arm.

  “Let’s dance this one too,” she asked, looking directly into his eyes.

  Tariq saw the look and knew he had to stop her before she got started.

  “I don’t think so, Sherene,” he told her gently, turning and heading back to the table.

  Tariq finished his beer, still standing, and then turned to walk out of the club. Sherene followed, catching up to him in the parking lot.

  “So you’re still mad at me,” she asked timidly as Tariq regarded her and tried not to get angry.

  “Sherene,” he began, never taking his eyes off her.

  “Yeah,” she answered hoping he was going to ask her to come home with him.

  “Who hired you to set my ass up,” he asked point blank as the stricken look came across her face.

  Sherene turned to walk away, when Tariq grabbed her arm and made her stop.

  “Answer my question,” he told her forcefully as Sherene turned to him, tears streaming.

  “I can’t tell you that, Tariq,” she told him honestly.

  Carlos made it perfectly clear to her that she’d better never breathe a word about their arrangement or it was her ass, and she believed him. Sighing deeply, Tariq regarded her for a few moments more.

  “It’s cool,” he replied, never looking away. “I just got my answer,” he finished and let go her arm as he headed for his car and got in.

  Unfortunately for Sherene, Carlos arrived less than two minutes later and walked up to her. She knew Tariq was still in the parking lot, watching, she was sure.

  “Wassup sexy,” Carlos greeted Sherene, pulling her close and rubbing her butt again. “I sure would love some more of your beautiful ass pussy,” he told her point blank as Sherene sighed lightly.

  “Carlos, we had our night,” she told him trying to walk away.

  Carlos pulled her roughly back to him and held her immobile.

  “I’m asking’ nicely for right now,” he told her, the underlying threat evident.

  Her eyes filled with tears again as Carlos leaned in and kissed her deeply, then took her hand and led her once more to his car.

  Tariq sucked his teeth in disgust, all his questions answered. Thank god I always used a condom with that bitch, he thought angrily as he finally started the car an
d headed home. His cell vibrated and he read the message from KiKi with a smile. Just a few more days and me and my baby will be together for good, Tariq thought still smiling as he turned into McDonalds to grab himself something to eat.

  32

  Day Four

  Ben was still sifting through the files he’d quietly requested on Giovanni English. The man was a seven year veteran of the force, only a couple of minor incidents that didn’t warrant any type of disciplinary action. As he continued to dig however, he found things in the man’s financial records that were very interesting. He’s not makin’ this kinda money working strictly for the sheriff’s department, Ben thought as he saw the large deposits that Giovanni made in a secondary account he’d set up with one of the local banks. Ben had to be careful however. In order to accuse Giovanni and charge him, he had to have proof that the money had come from Ian Bailey and not from any of the legitimate stocks the man owned. Picking up his phone, Ben made another call.

  “I need you to trace some funds for me,” he told the answering agent.

  After providing more information and what exactly he was looking for, Ben disconnected and again perused the record of Giovanni English.

  Ben found that Giovanni was single, but had a total of five kids from three different women according to the child support orders copied into his file. That’s a lot of child support, Ben continued to think seeing that almost 38% of the man’s paycheck went to the children he’d fathered every pay period. There is no way he could still afford the rent he pays, or the car note on that Infinity truck he drives, Ben continued to brood, knowing the man was dirty, but needing a way to prove it. Once again picking up his phone, he dialed his superior.

  “Do you think we have enough probable cause to put a tail on Giovanni English,” he asked as his commander signed slightly thinking over the question.

  “If you’re thinking he’s in that deep with Bailey,” he replied, referring to Ice. “Then yes, I’d say we should be able to persuade a judge to give us the go ahead,” he finished as Ben thanked him and the commander told him he would make the call as soon as they hung up.

  Good, Ben thought of the impending tail. If we can catch a meet or two on camera, then we can get a wiretap and hear for ourselves what’s going on, he continued to think hoping it happened soon however. They were on a very short timeframe. If they didn’t move in the next few days, Ice would escape their grasp. They’d gotten confidential information that Ice was planning to leave the jurisdiction soon. We’ve worked too hard to see that slime slither away to another state and them hafta start all over, Ben thought angrily as he frowned deeply. No, they were going to close this case and throw Ice into a cell right here in Atlanta, Ben told himself as his phone rang and he answered. His commander gave him the good news that their request had been granted. Ben thanked him and disconnected, calling a field agent and assigning him the task.

  *****

  “So you’ll be back in a day or so,” Kaitlyn asked as she and Jaleesa talked. She was using the prepaid phone she’d purchased the other day. No more listening in for you, Ice, she thought irritably.

  “Yeah, that’s the plan,” Jaleesa told her sighing deeply.

  Kaitlyn understood. She knew how the game went, two days could turn into two weeks easily if something went wrong or came up.

  “If you see that you won’t be back as scheduled, let me know,” Kaitlyn told her.

  “You got a back up plan, KiKi,” Jaleesa asked.

  Sighing lightly Kaitlyn answered. “Not really, but I’m definitely thinking along those lines right now,” she answered as Jaleesa sighed this time.

  “This is without doubt getting tricky,” she returned as Kaitlyn voiced her agreement.

  “It’s got to work though,” she replied once more as Jaleesa agreed.

  “Ice is tryna knock me up,” Kaitlyn told her matter-of-fact.

  “What the fuck,” Jaleesa questioned.

  Kaitlyn chuckled lightly giving her the run down of the conversation with Ice.

  “So he threw your pills away,” Jaleesa asked still incredulous that Ice would do something like that.

  “Yep,” Kaitlyn answered casually.

  “Well, you don’t sound to upset about it,” Jaleesa queried.

  Sighing once more Kaitlyn addressed her comment.

  “What would be the point Tweety,” she asked wearily. “This captivity with Ice is gonna be over in a matter of days, and if he should succeed in getting me pregnant, I definitely know my way to the clinic,” she told her as Jaleesa grudgingly agreed with her.

  “I mean, I guess I’m just pissed you hafta even deal with that bullshit,” Jaleesa told her.

  “Girl, I dunno what the hell is going on in Ice’s mind these days,” Kaitlyn told her friend honestly.

  “I mean I can tell he’s in deep, I mean really deep,” Kaitlyn began again as Jaleesa again told her she totally understood. “But it’s like he’s on this mission of some sort where we’re concerned,” she finished as Jaleesa sighed deeply and told her Ryan was in just as deep.

  “You feeling guilty about what we’re gonna do,” Kaitlyn asked out of the blue.

  Jaleesa paused a moment before speaking again. “Sometimes I am,” she replied honestly. “But I remind myself this is survival of the fittest,” she added as Kaitlyn agreed with her sentiment.

  “These fools are deadly, Tweety,” Kaitlyn reiterated. “Don’t ever let their good side fool you,” she finished as Jaleesa told her she knew.

  “Trust and believe, KiKi,” Jaleesa began. “I’m gonna do what has to be done, no hesitation.”

  “I gotta find a way to pick up a few things,” Kaitlyn returned. “Ice has been like a sticky booger here lately,” she told Jaleesa who chuckled.

  “He loves his baby,” she teased as Kaitlyn sucked her teeth.

  “Speaking of baby’s,” Jaleesa began again. “How’s Tariq.”

  Kaitlyn smiled at the mention of his name.

  “He’s good,” she returned and Jaleesa could hear the smile in her voice. “Anxious for the bullshit to be over so we can hook up on the real,” she added as Jaleesa grunted slightly.

  “So he’s definitely your choice,” she asked knowing her friend very well.

  Kaitlyn loved the man, there was no doubt of that, but she also knew Kaitlyn was about business and any affiliation with any man, Landon or Tariq, was going to have to be conducive to that business succeeding. Sighing deeply, Kaitlyn chose not to answer the question and Jaleesa didn’t press. She knew Kaitlyn was really weighing her choice and she didn’t want to add any extra stress to both their overloaded psyches right now.

  “Ryan ‘bout two steps from killing Chino,” Jaleesa threw out, changing the subject.

  “Girl, why,” Kaitlyn asked, chuckling herself now.

  “Cause that muthafucka always getting his dick wet, and letting stuff slide that he supposed to be watching,” she told her friend as Kaitlyn laughed aloud.

  “Girl sounds like he’s a sex addict,” she told her as they both laughed.

  “That fool ain’t no addict,” Jaleesa threw out. “He just a ho, plain and simple,” she added as the two women continued to chuckle and make crude remarks about Chino and his inability to control his libido.

  “How much time you got left on your phone,” Kaitlyn began anew.

  Jaleesa told her she was fine and had added 4 more hours to the phone the other day.

  “Girl you know I know how to give a fool the slip when I want too,” she told Kaitlyn, as she asked how she’d managed to do that with Chino watching her every move.

  “Yeah, that’s true, you do,” Kaitlyn replied smiling once more.

  “I hafta keep reminding myself we are almost home free,” Jaleesa told her.

  Kaitlyn told her she understood, she definitely was fighting hard to keep the anxiety at bay.

  “I mean I just keep trippin’ and things keep happening to try and shake my confidence,” Jaleesa told her as Kaitlyn as
ked her to elaborate.

  She went on to tell Kaitlyn about her dreams of Deuce, and how Ryan kept throwing her off balance with things he would do or say.

  “Yeah, Tweety,” Kaitlyn returned. “I been havin’ dreams too, and then Ice and this whole baby thing,” she told her as Jaleesa sighed deeply.

  “Bad ass omens, KiKi,” she replied as Kaitlyn grunted slightly.

  “We gotta end this though, Tweety,” Kaitlyn told her quietly.

  Jaleesa told her she agreed; she just hoped and prayed all the bad karma they’d been experiencing wasn’t a sign of something worse to come.

  “Me too,” Kaitlyn told her. “I gotta go,” she added, glancing at her watch.

  “Ice will be here in a minute, and he doesn’t need to catch me on this phone,” she told Jaleesa who told her she understood.

  “I’ll call you either way,” she told Kaitlyn.

  “OK, cool,” she replied. “I’ll be thinking of that plan B, just in case,” she added as Jaleesa told her okay, that she loved her, and she would talk to her later.

  Returning the sentiment, Kaitlyn disconnected and sighed deeply. Please, please, let this go right, she thought the single tear escaping and running down her cheek. All Kaitlyn wanted was for her and Jaleesa to be free. Just this once, let it all work out the way it should, she thought as a final point before hearing Ice laughing on his phone as he entered the hotel room.

  *****

  “Girl, Ryan is so sexy,” Cotton Candy was telling Caramel as they enjoyed cappuccino outside on the deck together.

  Caramel chuckled and told her she agreed.

  “He don’t ever indulge,” she asked, wanting very much an opportunity to have sex with him.

  “He used too,” Caramel replied as Cotton Candy grunted.

  She found out the woman’s given name with Evelyn and she hated it, so she’d taken to calling herself Cotton Candy after her favorite sweet.

  “What changed,” she asked.

  Caramel chuckled once more. “He found Tweety.”