Evil in Hockley

by William Buckel

  “Hello.”

  “Mom and the girls are looking good don’t you think?”

  “Yah, Lenea they are. What do you want?”

  “Nothing much. Joe’s packing up and going home. Without uncle Sal to back him he’s a tiny bit shaky. You know you’ve created a hell of a problem for poor Joe. Sal was the one sending him the goods. No Sal, no product.”

  “I feel sorry for him. I’d be glad to meet with him and permanently help him escape his dilemma.”

  “I’m sorry but I can’t arrange that. I’m still working for him and now his first priority is to kill you. He’s upped the anti like I knew he would. You’re a growing equity, like money in the bank, growing with interest every time you make a move. You’ll make me a rich woman some day Harry. I’m glad I didn’t kill you sooner.”

  “Always glad to help a friend, Lenea.”

  “You’re such a sexy man. Ever think about taking on a partner?”

  “I like to work alone.”

  “I thought so. Well, Harry it’s been a gas but I do have to go. To help an ailing acquaintance.”

  She hung up.

  She used a different phone every time but not a disposable. Always someone else’s. Like the last time the caller ID was Sal’s. She was in his house when Harry killed him. Not only that but she walked off with his phone.

  She was like a ghost and moved without being seen.

  Impossible.

  Talk about raining on his parade. Lenea had managed to do that again. He could only do his best so he went back into the street and caught the lead float. The smiles had not yet worn thin and all four women waved as folks cheered. He was moved by the spectacle until he answered his cell. He made a mental note to never acknowledge the damn thing if he was having a good day.

  It all ended at dusk. Not too soon for him.

  Chapter 28

  The women talked up a blue storm all night long as they changed and took baths. One man and four women might be a dream to some but Harry was feeling the burden more and more with each passing day. Each one expected some form of notoriety, an appeasement of some sort. It was difficult to sort out because it changed from day to day, times four. Four times infinity is just too much for one man to sort through in an average lifetime. Or a short one.

  It was a late night after the previous one when he only managed two hours sleep. They finally went to bed and he kissed Sandy then passed out. As he was losing consciousness he heard her say,

  “Oh, really Harry.”

  Her voice was laced with disgust.

  Breakfast was like a beehive in apple blossom season. The women talked non stop and Harry didn’t even try to get a word in. They were content when he nodded the occasional time. Shelley still wore the colourful mask covering her bandages. Although she couldn’t see, what the mask looked like, she appeared more comfortable with her eyes shielded. She reminded Harry of a painting he’d seen of Marie Antoinette.

  After breakfast he couldn’t believe his ears.

  Marie said,

  “Shelley wants to talk to you about Jarrod.”

  Harry asked,

  “What do you remember about the days before his death?”

  Shelley was quiet a few seconds then said,

  “I’m sorry about Jarrod. But I don’t know much about him.”

  “He was seeing you. Why?”

  “We were friends. I think I was his first love years ago.”

  “I need to know why he was seeing you the weeks before his death?”

  She was thinking and her lips twisted as though she was about to cry.

  “If I tell you then you’ll blame me for his death.”

  “Shelley you couldn’t have killed him I know that.”

  “Well not directly, but maybe indirectly.”

  “What do you mean? Look, I won’t hold anything against you. I think it was Joe who killed him.”

  “Joe was there the night Jarrod died.”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  “I did because I was with him, at his house.”

  “Did you tell the police?”

  “Yes.”

  “Anything else?”

  Harry could see Shelley was holding back.

  Finally she said,

  “All right I’ll tell you even though when I’m done I know you’ll think the worst of me. But if it helps…”

  “It’s all right. Go on.”

  “You know that we girls sold Joe’s products to customers, right?”

  “Yah, I did.”

  “Well Jarrod bought cocaine from me.”

  “What? Jarrod never used.”

  “He did Harry. I’m not lying.”

  Shelley was upset.

  “It’s all right I’m not calling you a liar. Was he dating you or seeing you in any way?”

  “No, he had someone else.”

  “Who?”

  “I don’t know. I just know.”

  “How?”

  “A woman knows. There was a perfume scent on his shirts. Always the same one.”

  “Did you love Jarrod?”

  “Of course but I never expected to land someone like him. He was a success and I was a whore.”

  “Anything else you can think of?”

  “Joe didn’t kill him but Joe was pissed off at him for some reason. I only know because one night I heard him say, ‘Not that fucking Jarrod again.’”

  Harry said,

  “Maybe Joe had him killed. Any of this ring a bell Karma?”

  Karma shook her head then said,

  “Nothing, sorry Harry. I kept Joe at a distance. He wasn’t my type. I guess that’s one of the reasons I kept close to Tony. I thought if I had a guy then he’d stay clear of me.”

  Shelley said,

  “I know that for a fact Karma. Joe said if you weren’t such a good whore he’d kick the shit out of you. He didn’t like your independent ways. Said you were a stuck up bitch. That’s Joe. If you didn’t like him then there was something wrong with you.”

  Harry said,

  “All right I’m just thinking out loud here. Jarrod was buying drugs from you. Joe didn’t like him. You weren’t involved but you think someone else was.”

  “I know, Harry. I know. Lipstick on his collar and perfume not after shave or cologne. A woman’s perfume. It smelled like one I wear sometimes, ‘Morning Mist.’”

  “How much was he buying. He wouldn’t deal, would he?”

  “Oh no, single dose stuff only.”

  “All right, he was seeing someone and buying for her. Is it possible?”

  Shelley nodded then said,

  “Sounds like something Jarrod would do for someone he liked or loved.”

  Harry didn’t say anything but he expected Shelley to identify the guy holding the smoking gun or in this case the one who pushed Jarrod off the road. He tried not to let his feelings show but Shelley must have sensed his disappointment.

  She said,

  “Sorry Harry but it’s all I know.”

  “It’s all right. We’ll find the mystery woman. She’ll know.”

  Chapter 29

  Lenea had a decision to make about Harry. And that was whether to kill the man or not. Alive he would do more damage and the price would escalate. A new mob boss would soon replace Bejenco and product would again flow bringing in more money and therefore driving the price for anyone that interrupted business higher. And Harry was a definite intrusion.

  The problem was that Joe Sharky had raised the price on Harry’s head to almost the quarter million mark. That would tempt other contractors. She could eliminate the competition as they appeared making Harry seem even more invincible than he already was. But alas, sooner or later as the competition grew someone else would kill Harry and reap the reward she had built.

  Unless she could get Harry on board with her.

  And how would she do that?

  Prove that it would be to his benefit to join her.

  She had used his mother’s
skull to track him so she did so again. Energy flowed between his mother’s bones and her son. She could feel that energy and follow it like a flashlight beam. He was walking down the street past an alley where she was hiding. It was dark so no one would see her. Lenea chanted known words into his mother’s mouth: her skull of course then kissed it for good luck. Harry sank to his knees but before he passed out she grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and dragged him deep into the alley. She kicked in the door that led to a basement under an abandoned store.

  Both she and John, her older brother, now dead, had lifted weights since they were young. That extra strength allowed her to do more rigorous tasks than most women could.

  She leaned Harry against a wall in semi darkness then found a light. She turned it on and shut the door. She bound his hands in front of him and his feet as well then again whispered words into his mother’s skull. He groaned and woke.

  Lenea was dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and wore a loose jacket. She cleared a spot on the cement floor then sat, legs crossed before him. He was staring at her and if looks could kill then she’d be a goner.

  “We meet again.”

  “What the fuck do want now Lenea?”

  “To talk and deal.”

  “No deal.”

  “You haven’t heard it yet.”

  “All right, it looks as though I don’t have a choice.”

  “You’re looking for your brother’s killer right?”

  “Right.”

  “I’m building a retirement fund. I’m an entrepreneur Harry.”

  “You already told me that. How do I fit in besides being your victim?”

  “First of all, do you know the price Joe’s put on your head?”

  “Surprise me.”

  “Two hundred thousand.”

  “I’m not worth it by a long shot.”

  “You’re too modest. Well let’s say we collaborate and drive the price higher.”

  “How?”

  “We kill more bounty hunters.”

  “How does that help me? In the end I’m still dead meat.”

  “You get to find out who killed your brother and I won’t kill you. I’ll actually help eliminate the men hunting you.”

  “What if it’s Joe I’m after and I kill your money man.”

  “Oh no, that’s one thing you can’t do is to kill Joe. Not until after I cash in.”

  “The only way you can cash in is if you kill me.”

  “Not true. If you appear dead that’s all I need. You have to play the part of a corpse let’s say for a day. I disappear and you get Joe.”

  “So how do I appear dead?”

  “Harry, that’s an insult. You’re cruel. Have you not seen what I can do?”

  “And I’m supposed to trust you to not kill me when the price is right. I’m supposed to believe that you’re only going to put me to sleep like Snow White.”

  “Trust Harry.”

  “I killed John Dean, your brother. What happened to revenge?”

  “John and I had our thing. But life goes on long after the adventure of living is gone. He provided for me and I know would want me to do this. Killing you isn’t the answer. Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

  “We’re still not past the trust issue, Lenea.”

  “I could kill you now but I’m not.”

  “No good. If I was worth a million I’d be dead meat.”

  “Well Harry, any ideas on how we get passed our only barrier?”

  “Yah, Karma puts me to sleep and wakes me.”

  “Oh Harry, silly boy. She wouldn’t know how.”

  “Then teach her and we’ll do a practice run while I’m still only worth two hundred thou.”

  “I’ll have to think about that. I think we can work through this somehow. So I’ll tell you something I wasn’t going to reveal unless we made a deal. Joe is a little pissed that you’re still walking the streets and I’m not able to stop you. So he offered the Baxter Brothers, Barry and Neal the two hundred grand to snuff you out. Neal is a marksman and works long range. Up to half a mile away from what I hear. Barry does close up stuff but mostly just sets up the mark for his brother.”

  Lenea brushed off her pants and played with her jeans. Harry knew she was building tension into the scene. He didn’t say a word waiting for her to come to the point. She finally did.

  “Here’s the thing Harry. I can spot him. I can feel the invisible beam of energy between Barry and Neal. Tiny as it may be I can feel it. Like a penlight on a foggy day a half mile away, I can feel it.”

  “Holy shit. I’m impressed all to hell.”

  “You’re being sarcastic Harry. And here I am trying to turn you into a millionaire.”

  “Stupid as he is Joe will get wise. Or someone in the organization will.”

  “No they won’t because none of those egomaniacs believe in my talents. They think I’m just a dumb broad good for nothing but a lay.”

  “So I’m supposed to believe in you?”

  “You’ve seen me in action, and you know what my mother can do.”

  “All right, Lenea. We’ve got a deal for now but we still have to work out the death thing.”

  “I’ll leave this knife and you can cut yourself loose.”

  “You do it. We’re partners.”

  “You might do something stupid that could get us both killed.”

  “Trust, Lenea.”

  He had a point so Lenea reluctantly cut the ropes. When she got up to walk away he swung both his feet hitting her in the back of the knees. She sprawled on the floor but was up on her feet a second later. So was he. Her hands were bleeding from scraping across the cement and her knees felt as though they’d been burned with a torch.

  “That’s for the headache you gave me.”

  She laughed then said,

  “You’re funny.”

  Harry could feel that behind the façade she was pissed.

  Chapter 30

  Harry had gone out to buy more ice cream when Lenea ambushed him. He finally made it to the store then home.

  “What took you so long?” asked Sandy.

  Harry decided he’d rather have a root canal than to discuss the arrangement he and Lenea had made. It didn’t make sense to him so how could he justify it to anyone else.

  If what Lenea had told him was true then there would be a shooter hunting him in a day or so. His only chance at survival would be to pick up on the spotter, Barry Baxter. His brother Neal would be within a half mile radius. Fat chance of a clean kill.

  Although he didn’t want anyone else involved or hurt he couldn’t leave. With a marksman hunting him he’d have no chance on the open road. Plus the probability of others in the car being hurt or killed would be high. Here he had a network of spies at his disposal. Maybe he could find out where the shooters were staying before they deployed themselves.

  “Anything wrong?” It was Sandy.

  “No, not more than usual.”

  “Then why are you sitting there with ice cream dripping in your lap?”

  He put the ice cream in the freezer then returned to the living room.

  “Marie, we’ll be leaving in a couple of days. I need to tie up some loose ends before I leave. I also need to speak to Pierre.”

  “Take all the time you need. I’ve never had such gracious company. I’ll call Pierre.”

  Pierre knocked on the door not five minutes later. He must have been watching the place. Harry left the house and walked along the street explaining his problem.

  “Their names are Barry and Neal Baxter, hired by Joe Sharky. I don’t know how to explain this but Lenea maybe hunting them as well.”

  Pierre laughed.

  “She’s a strange one. Known her since the day she was born. I like her but don’t trust her. She grew up in the French Quarter but also knows the city as well. She has contacts with the younger folk I don’t have. If she’s on your side you might stand a chance. The only guy more dangerous than a marksman is a bomber.”


  “Any word on who exactly replaced Bejenco?”

  “Yah, the name’s Guy Reso and I already know what you’re going to ask next. Does he have ties to Joe Sharky? He’s Bejenco’s cousin, so yes he’s part of the family. That’s how he got in. Most of Bejenco’s soldiers supported him. It was quickly done and only a few corpses wound up as alligator bait.”

  “You’ve just given me an idea. What if I move north a bit along the Mississippi to bayou country. That would equal the odds, wouldn’t it. I mean a shooter would be hampered by the lay of the land, the swamps, rivers, and trees.”

  “If that’s your plan then prepare. I’ll send you a guide, Gasbon. He’s ex military and has spent his life taking people on bayou tours. I’ll spread the word you’ve gone north to the bayou for an undetermined amount of time. I have a man that works at one of the unions. He sells information I want spread. They’ll think you’ve gone into hiding and they’ll surely follow. Word will reach Reso and from there to Joe Sharky. Then Joe will inform the shooters.”

  “That’s what I’ll do. That way it’s between me and them and no one else will get hurt. Except Gasbon. I don’t want him killed for my sake.”

  “He knows the bayou like the back of his hand. If someone’s on your trail he’ll know.”

  Harry returned to the house and told the others of his plans to go on a bayou tour.

  Sandy said,

  “I want to go too.”

  “Look Sandy, I never jumped on the float with you at the parade. That was your day. This is a guy thing. I always wanted to see the bayou, hunt gators and fish with a spear. I’ll take my chances with the poisonous snakes and spiders.”

  “Snakes and spiders?”

  “Yah Sandy, lots of those.”

  “Okay Harry, do your thing. We’ll be waiting.”

  She looked relieved that he didn’t take her up on her offer when she first presented it. Harry knew nothing frightened Sandy more than things that slithered or walked on more than four legs.

  Marie gave him a knowing look and nodded. She hugged him and whispered in his ear.

  “You’re a good man Harry.”

  Harry met Gasbon in a bar where they had a couple of get acquainted drinks. He was a jovial man who loved fine cuisine and bourbon on the rocks. Although a few pounds overweight he looked solid as a tree.