by Bella Knight
“I would sign,” said Lyssop. “His brother is your son’s best friend, and they can stay in that pricey school together.”
“His mother wanted the school,” said Krikov, shaking out his sore foot. “Bitch!”
“I think she was possibly trying to protect him from you,” said Detective Lyssop. “Why did you murder your wife?”
“Fucking monkey,” Alexei said, kicking out at the blonde. She swept his feet out from under him. He fell on his face.
“Detective Davis,” said Lyssop, “are you alright?”
She grinned, “Never better.” She hauled Krikov to his feet. Blood was streaming from his nose.
“Sign the paper, Mr. Krikov. After we get you for murder and kidnapping and wire fraud. And your own government is unhappy about your little Ponzi scheme.”
“What is this Ponzi?” asked Krikov.
“You take money that new investors give you, you give some of the money to old investors as interest payments, and pocket the rest for a company that doesn’t really exist,” said Ace.
“Give the motorcycle man a prize,” said Detective Lyssop. “If you ever get out of our prison system, the one with no air conditioning in Louisiana and yes, we still have chain gangs working the fields and highways… with big guys named Bubba in the shower, you get to go back to Russia. Oh, and we’re a death penalty state, too. Lethal injection.”
“You do not scare me,” said Krikov.
“Good,” said Lyssop. “I’m not that scary. The woman who just repeatedly took you down, Detective Davis, she’s real scary.”
He gestured toward Smash.
“Take the little gangbanger to lockup. And yes, we’re looking at reducing your sentence because of the wire,” he said. “Martinez, take off his wire.”
Smash cuffed Egypt and took him to Detective Martinez to have his wire removed, then out the back door; the same door Egypt had previously run out of chasing an escaped Pavel.
“Where is my son?” demanded Krikov.
“You will never see him again,” said Ace. “That’s why you killed your wife in a limo in broad daylight. She was getting too fractious. You thought you were picking up your son. You also did it to terrify Pavel into doing whatever you wanted, correct? Take her back to the plane, say she fell asleep in the car, carry her in, throw her body out over international waters.” He sighed deeply and ran his face over his hands. “And I lost a good friend today, thanks to you. Dimitri is dead, and that’s on you.”
Krikov spat out blood, “You can prove nothing.”
“Don’t need to,” said Lyssop. “We have you on camera from there to here, only you and the driver in the car. No one else could have killed her, and we can get fingerprints from skin these days.”
Officer Champas took one arm, and Davis the other. A huge man bigger and taller than the door opened it, and grabbed Krikov by the neck, and guided him to the waiting patrol car.
“Come over here,” said Lyssop to Ace. He pulled up something on his cell phone. “Give me that paper and the pen,” he said.
He laid the paper over what was on his cell phone, took the pen, and traced over what was on his phone. He handed back the paper and the pen. “Everyone see Krikov sign the paper?”
“Yes, boss,” said a Hispanic man holding the wire he had taken off Egypt and inspecting it. Two other guys nodded.
“Go,” said Detective Lyssop to Ace, “I’ll fax you something to sign later.”
Ace smiled. “I’ve got a woman to marry,” he said. “Any jewelers you wanna recommend?”
“A woman named Smitty has a shop called All Pawn about ten blocks from here. Tell her I sent you for the titanium engagement ring. It has a sapphire.”
“Nice,” said Ace. “You’re a real, good cop.”
Lyssop smiled, “You’re a real-good biker pain-in-the-ass. Get out of here, will ya? I got paperwork to do.”
Ace left, the last rays of the sun turning cream and gold out over the water. He walked up to the berm, crossed the causeway, and watched the sun set in fire and gold. He got on his bike, and went to see a woman named Smitty about a ring.
Smitty was in her sixties, a cigarette in her mouth; her skin a mass of wrinkles. She wore a teal top and shorts.
“Hey, motorcycle man,” she said. “You here for guns?”
“No,” he said. “A detective named Lyssop said you had a sapphire engagement ring.” She nodded, took it out of the case, and slid it over.
It was a simple band with a round sapphire in the center. “Be a little big on her, but I got some tape,” he said.
She laughed, then coughed a deep smoker’s cough. “Strange idea, but go for it. A hundred.”
He smiled and said, “Got any wedding bands like it?”
“Sapphire studded, no, but simple titanium, yes. Hundred fifty.”
He tried it on; it fit… miraculously. The woman’s ring was slightly smaller than the engagement band.
“That’s more her size,” he said, taking out a simple silver ring. “Exactly it, in fact.” He pocketed the ring he’d swiped from his girlfriend’s jewelry box. “I’ll take all three,” he said, sliding the wedding ring off his finger.
“Two fifty, all three,” she said.
“Two, and you get it right this second, in cash,” he countered.
She coughed deeply. “Fuck it, fine. Give me two C-notes.”
He handed over the cash. She put the rings in little boxes. He put all three in the inside pocket of his jacket.
“I need me some food before I ride,” he said. He slid out another twenty. “For the advice.” The money disappeared from his hand.
“Shrimp grits, best ever, three blocks that way, the Blue Shrimp Bar.”
“Thanks,” he said.
She was right. Those were the best damn shrimp corn grits he’d ever had. He hit up the restroom, paid, sent a text that said, “Got him!” to all of the Nighthawks still in New Orleans, and another text that said, “See you soon,” to his girlfriend Lily, and headed for Baton Rouge.
Reunited
Ace got the text about some sort of laser tag thing at a rest stop. He got a water and slammed it, and took off down the road.
He found Lily and Ivy standing in front of a trampoline that looked like a parachute filled with air. A little girl with jet-black hair and pigtails was the object of both women’s laser stares. He bought some drinks, and brought them to the ladies.
Lily walked into his arms. Ivy took the tray of sodas. He held her so close. Ivy kept an eagle eye on the girl.
Henry saw Ace with Lily. Inola had texted him about Dimitri; he decided not to tell the boys. Laser tag seemed like a better idea for traumatized boys.
“Ace’s here!” said Keiran, taking off his helmet and rushing forward.
Henry reached out and grabbed his arm. “Wait,” he said. “Watch.”
“Yes, Obi-Wan,” said Keiran.
“Who is Obi-Wan?” asked Pavel, taking off his own helmet.
“Good god,” said Keiran. “Star Wars? Apparently, we need to see a movie tonight.”
“Shh,” said Henry, walking forward very slowly so he could hear.
Ivy noticed it too. She put the tray down on the gate to the trampoline, and waved Grace over. The little girl slid off, and ran toward the waiting soda.
Ace got down on one knee, and fumbled in the inside of his leather jacket, and fished out a box.
“Wrong one,” he said. He fished out another one, and said, “Lily, you are incredible, you love me, you love my brother, and you tirelessly worked to help us find Pavel, who is now our kid… if you’ll take us. I promise to love you while we breathe and always respect you. I have to put Keiran and Pavel first, but you’re a close second. Will you marry me?” He opened the box to show the sapphire on the titanium band.
Ivy clutched her chest. Henry stood stock-still, his hand still on Keiran’s wrist. The boys looked on, helmets in hand, frozen. Even Grace noticed, her jaw wide open, her hand frozen in the act
of reaching for a soda on the tray.
Lily reached down, took the ring out of the box, and slid it on her finger.
“Too big,” she said, laughing through tears. “Is that tape?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Yes,” she said. He picked her up and spun her around, whooping.
Grace jumped up and down, clapping. Ivy beamed. Henry let go of Keiran and put his hands together. The boys unfroze, and pounded each other on the back. They rushed to put their guns and helmets and plastic armor back, then ran whooping toward Ace and Lily, who were now locked in a kiss.
Henry walked over to Ivy, and put an arm around her shoulder.
He stole a cola from the tray. “Looks like we’ll have two weddings,” he said.
“What?” said Ivy. “Oh, Gregory and Katya.”
“You need to see your daughter,” he said, looking down at the entranced little girl.
“Yeah,” said Ivy. “You ever thought about using horses for autistic children?”
Henry looked down at her and said, “Your place is too loud. The Chinese food is excellent, though.” Ivy’s apartment was over a Chinese restaurant.
“Grace,” said Ivy, looking down at the little girl. “You and your mom like Chinese food?”
“Yeah,” she said. “Doesn’t everybody?”
“I’m hungry,” said Grace.
“So are Pavel and Keiran,” said Henry.
“How do you know?” said Grace.
“They are growing boys,” he said. “Teenage boys are always hungry.”
The lip-lock ended, “Congratulations,” said Pavel.
“What he said,” said Keiran. He glared when Henry, Ivy, and Grace all burst out laughing.
“How about we go back to the hotel, pick up some jambalaya and some shrimp grits and…”
“Burgers,” said Keiran. “Big ones with cheese and mayo and onions.”
“I hate onions,” said Pavel.
“That’s because you’re weird,” said Keiran.
“Boys,” said Ace. “You’re ruining my vibe.”
Henry held out the car key. “I can fit Grace in her car seat, and two growing boys. I saw a burger place just up the road.”
“Shotgun!” said Keiran, and raced towards the car bipping from the alarm in Henry’s hand.
“Why do you speak of a gun?” asked Pavel.
“He means, he has called the shotgun seat, the one next to the driver in front.”
“He is strange boy,” said Pavel.
Henry put his arm around Pavel’s shoulder. “He’s even stranger with the head wound.”
Ivy took Grace’s hand and led her to the car, each one with a drink in the other hand.
“What do you want on your burger?” Ivy asked.
“I like chicken burgers,” said Grace. “So does my mom. Can we bring one back for her?”
“Of course,” said Ivy.
“And curly fries,” said Grace, swinging Ivy’s arm back and forth.
“Of course,” said Ivy.
Ace and Lily held each other, trying to crawl into each other’s skin.
“Damn, girl, I missed you,” said Ace.
She pulled away, looked into his eyes. “I am so sorry about Dimitri.”
“It gets worse,” he said. “I was literally behind the limo, on the road for about fifteen minutes, and in that time Alexei Krikov murdered his wife, Pavel’s mother.” He grimaced, “Tinted windows. He snapped her neck like a twig right in front of me, the bastard.”
Lily cringed. “Why?” she said.
“I think to intimidate his son into going along with whatever he wanted, and probably because Mommy found out about the machetes the kidnappers had. If she had found out her husband was behind the kidnappings, she might have set fire to his bed.”
“Pavel would have jumped out of the limo, or attacked his father,” said Lily. “It wouldn’t have worked.”
“The man didn’t know his own son,” he said.
“Tell me you got custody,” she said.
“Did,” he said. “Never ask about it.”
“Won’t,” she said. “Well, looks like Ivy and Henry have the kids. What do you want to do with our time?”
“I want,” he said, “to make love to my future wife.”
He decided to go the romantic route, to take the pain and fear of the last. He chose a slow ride up the river, where they found a small crab shack. They ate crab and drank lime drinks and laughed. They walked around, and he bought her flowers from a young woman with blue hair selling roses. He had her clip off the stem, and he put the rose in her hair behind her ear. He took her back to the hotel, and texted Henry that the boys were bunking with Henry, or to get them an adjoining room. He led her up, kissing her in the elevator.
They barely made it into the doorway before she had his clothes off. She reached under, sliding off his leather jacket and throwing it on a chair. She kicked off her own boots, and so did he. She pulled his shirt off over his head, then her own. Her breath quickened as she unhooked her bra and threw it in a corner. She unbuttoned his jeans, and slid them off his butt, grabbing its firmness and pulling him close.
He bent down, kissed her, and ran his hands up and down her back. She pulled his head down and nipped at his lip. She pulled down his boxers, and unbuttoned her own jeans and dropped them. She pulled off her own socks, as did he.
There was a chaise lounge in the room. Lily dragged him over to it, and pushed him down. She reached over to a drawer, and took out a silver packet. She put it in his hand, and began stroking his face, while he ran his fingers through her hair.
She kissed his forehead, his lips, his neck. She went lower, licking him from his throat to his navel. He groaned. She ran her fingers down his sides and his arms. She used her nails to lightly scrape his skin, and ran her teeth over his hips. He groaned louder. She grabbed his balls, and licked them, sucking one ball, then the other into her mouth. He moaned, his fingers clenching and unclenching in her hair. She scraped her teeth on the head of his penis, and he arched his back again. She held his balls in her hand and slowly stroked them with lust.
She took the condom from his hand, unclenching his fingers as he crushed the packet. She ripped it open with her teeth, slid the condom onto his penis, and took him inside her. He grabbed her ass as she rode him. She bent forward, kissing him, and slid her legs behind herself, riding him up and down from the new position. He groaned, cupping a hand behind her head, bringing her in for a kiss. She moved more slowly, making him ache with need. He let go, released, crying out as she rode him. She came into his neck, trying not to scream, running her teeth along his neck. She came in great, pulsing waves; in breathlessness.
They laid together, unable to move. He held her in his arms. She was finally able to roll off him. He staggered to the bathroom, disposed of the condom, cleaned himself up, and went back with a washcloth to clean her. He took a sheet and two pillows from the bed, and laid on his back on the chaise, with her draped over his side.
“You are the biggest dingbat in the world,” she said, looking at her ring. “Tape!”
He laughed, and kissed her. “Yes, but I’m your dingbat.”
“That’s right,” she said, turning into a puddle as he stroked her arm and her back. “And don’t you forget it.”
“Like I could look at another woman with you in the room,” he said. “I see your eyes, your lips, those thighs, and then I want you, right there, wherever we are.”
“Think we should take the boys camping?” she asked.
“Sure,” he said, “but we’re going to need a sound-proof tent.”
She smiled up at him, kissed him, and purred as he stroked her back, then easily went to sleep in his arms.
Funerals
Dimitri’s funeral was very small. With Gregory, a weeping Katya, Ivy, and Ace, who all went back to New Orleans to take his ashes after the autopsy. Gregory said some words, Katya said words in Russian, and Katya took his ashes.
&nb
sp; “Dimitri loved being at Lake Mead with us,” she said. “He liked to cook the marshmallows for Elena.” She wept fat tears as Gregory held her, his face a mask of pain.
They let Katya cry for a moment, and stepped away.
“He was a fool,” said Ivy. “He could have come to us.”
Ace gripped her arm. “You know I would have sold my own bike to help his sister.”
Gregory nodded and said, “He didn’t come to us, and we loved him. Elena will be crushed.”
“When are you telling Pavel?” asked Gregory.
“He’s on vacation, and his parents are dead,” said Ace. “I know I’m being an idiot, but I can’t punch him in the gut again. His dad killed his mother, and that’s enough pain for now.”
Gregory agreed, “You’re being an idiot, and he’s going to be pissed, but I get what you are doing.” He sighed and said, “Buy a plot and put a stone down. Take him there. Better goodbye than this sucky one, anyway.” He clenched and unclenched his fists. “He hurt my Katya with his betrayal, and for that I cannot forgive him.”
That same day, Lily and Henry came up with Keiran and Pavel. They all wore black suits. They had a memorial for Nadia Krikova, Pavel’s mother, and they took her body to the airport to go back to Russia. She would be buried in Russia at the cemetery of her favorite church. They would take Pavel there someday, but both Ace and Katya were worried that his father’s people would kidnap him. They had no backup and no allies there.
Pavel was a mess. Normally eating every two hours, he ate nothing the rest of the day; before, during, or after the ride back to Baton Rouge. He didn’t seem to want comforting, either, despite Lily, Ace, and Ivy’s attempts to help.
Henry finally pulled them aside. “Leave the boy alone,” he said. “Let the boys play stupid video games. He’s going to be in a world of hurt for years. Give him the time.” They backed off. The boys got into a video game war with their tablets, and the worried adults let them be.
“With friends, anything is possible.”
3
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