by Glenn, Roy
"Martin told Chang that you were quite charming, in addition to being very beautiful."
"I have to remember to thank Martin for the compliment."
"Right. You just finish packing. The limo will pick us up at noon."
At noon when Chang, along with Mei Ai Bao and Xiang Yong picked them up in front of the hotel, the rain had intensified along with wind gusts coming from the east. They got into the stretch limousine. "This is nice," CeCe commented. "You might want to pick up one of these too."
"I own two funeral homes. I got a fleet of these," Black whispered.
They arrived at Cristóbal’s house on the island. It was located in McLean’s Town, which was about forty kilometers outside of Freeport. It was the farthest settlement on the east end of the island that could be reached by a road that consisted of two roughly-paved lanes. The winds were stronger on that side of the island as the storm approached faster than anyone had anticipated.
"Thank you, gentlemen, for coming in all this weather," Cristóbal said when he opened the door. "Please come in. I know you are anxious to hear what I have to say."
Chang leaned close to Xiang Yong. "Remain here," he told his bodyguard before going inside.
Once everybody was inside, Xiang Yong waited outside, alongside one of Cristóbal’s men. He took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. He found a place to make himself comfortable where he could see the road leading to the house.
Inside the house, lunch was served and after awhile Black, Chang and Cristóbal went into another room to talk. Kevon, CeCe and Chang’s assistant, Mei Ai Bao, were asked to wait along with two of Cristóbal’s men.
"Cuba has been oil hunting, not always successfully," Chang began as they entered the room.
"This is true," Cristóbal said and took a seat behind his desk in front of French doors. "However, as you know, with discovery of oil field’s revealed within five miles of Cuba’s northern coast, we expect yields which could exceed forty percent of Cuba’s total production," Cristóbal said.
"How much is that?" Black asked.
"I’d say roughly seventy-five thousand barrels per day of heavy crude. Oil companies from China have already begun talks with Cuban energy officials about investments in deep-water operations."
"I am well aware of this fact, Cristóbal," Chang said and looked impatiently at his watch.
In the living room, CeCe and Mei Ai Bao chatted while Kevon stood outside the room. CeCe excused herself from the conversation and walked up to one of Cristóbal’s men.
"Where is the bathroom?" she asked. The two men looked at each other. "Bath—room," CeCe said slowly and a made a motion with her hands. One of the men pointed, and she walked off in that direction.
"What you may not be aware of is that the north Cuban basin holds a substantial quantity of oil: ten billion barrels of crude and ten to twenty trillion cubic feet of natural gas. This creates an opportunity for foreign oil conglomerates with offers of production-sharing agreements."
Chang took a deep breath. "You tell me things that I am already well aware of. And frankly, it does nothing to change my mind on this matter."
"I am sorry that you feel this way," Cristóbal said and pushed a button on his desk.
"I agreed to meet with you today out of respect for Clemente. But unless you have something new and profitable to share with us, I’m afraid this meeting will be a short one," Chang said.
Outside the house, one of Cristóbal’s men approached Xiang Yong and motioned him for a cigarette. When Xiang Yong stood up, the man covered Xiang Yong’s mouth and shoved a knife in his stomach.
"Clemente was an old fool who had outlived his usefulness." Cristóbal removed a gun from the desk drawer and stood up. "That is why I killed him," he said and shot Chang.
Cristóbal turned the gun on Black; he hit the floor quickly and took out his gun. Hearing the shot, Kevon burst through the door and was immediately shot twice in the chest. Black fired at Cristóbal, but he was able to escape through the French doors.
In the living room, one of Cristóbal’s men shot Mei Ai Bao and started toward the office while the other went after CeCe.
She had just come out of the bathroom when the shooting began and quickly went into one of the other rooms and hid under the bed.
Black got to his feet and went after Cristóbal. When he made it to the doors, Black could see him running and fired at him, but missed. Black came back inside and saw one of Cristóbal’s men standing over Kevon’s body. He looked at Black and both men fired. Black hit him with two shots to the head, but felt pain and burning in his stomach.
He kicked the gun away from Cristóbal’s man and knelt down next to Kevon. He checked for a pulse. "Good-bye, my friend," Black said and closed his eyes.
Black picked up Kevon’s gun and went into the living room. He saw Mei Ai Bao’s lifeless body slumped over on the couch, but no CeCe.
"CeCe!" he screamed and went looking for her.
Black opened the front door and saw Xiang Yong’s body. "Damn." He looked around to see if he saw her and went back inside. Knowing that there were at least two more of Cristóbal’s men as well as Cristóbal himself, Black moved through the house slowly.
Cristóbal’s men separated and began going room to room looking for CeCe. One had just checked a room and came back into the hall when he spotted Black. But Black saw him first and let loose with both guns. The man went down. Black took his gun and shot him twice in the head with it before moving on.
"CeCe," he called again, but got no answer.
Though he tried not to think about it, his mind drifted to thoughts of Cassandra. He couldn’t let another woman die because he wasn’t there to protect her. He gripped his guns a little tighter and continued his search, hoping that he wouldn’t find her dead.
Cristóbal’s man finally made it to the room where CeCe was hiding under the bed. She held her breath and tried to remain as still as possible. She had heard Black calling for her and knew he was coming for her. She just hoped that he would get to her before it was too late.
CeCe watched the man’s feet as he moved through the room looking for her. She closed her eyes when he stopped in front of the bed. "There you are, bitch."
CeCe opened her eyes and saw the gun pointed at her. She shut her eyes tightly, and then she heard a shot; then another. She opened her eyes and saw the man lying on the floor next to the bed.
Black turned the bed over and held his hand out to help CeCe get up. "Are you all right?" Black asked.
CeCe got up and threw her arms around him. "I’m okay."
"Come on. We gotta get outta here," Black said and dropped to his knees.
CeCe looked at him and saw the blood on his shirt. "Oh my god! You’ve been shot!"
Chapter Twelve
CeCe struggled, but was able to help Black to his feet. She draped his arm over her shoulder and helped him walk out of the room.
"Where’s Kevon?"
"He’s dead," Black said as he walked. He could feel himself starting to get light-headed, most likely from the loss of blood pressure. By the time they got to the door, he felt like his legs were about to give out on him.
CeCe could feel the weight of his body increase on her shoulders. "Hold on, baby. I’m gonna get you outta here."
As they got closer to the door, they could hear what sounded like more shots being fired. They stopped. Black took a deep breath and raised his weapon. "Get behind me," he said.
"It sounded like it was coming from outside," CeCe said, and they continued making their way through the house. Her breath got caught in her throat when she saw Kevon’s body lying in the doorway. She wanted to cry but she knew that she needed to be strong. When she saw Mei Ai Bao’s dead body on the couch, CeCe looked the other way and kept going toward the door.
When they reached the door, Black leaned against the wall and looked out the window. "Do you see anybody?" CeCe asked.
"No. But it’s hard to tell with all that rain. Wait here.
" Black opened the door and stepped outside with his gun raised. CeCe followed him out, having to step over Xiang Yong’s body. By then she was used to it and the sight of another dead body didn’t faze her as much.
"We got to make it to that limo," Black said. He started walking, but his legs were giving out, and he had to steady himself against the wall to keep from falling.
"No," CeCe said and took Kevon’s gun from his waist. "You stay here and save your strength. I’ll get the car."
"You know how to use that?"
"No, but it will come to me," she said and ran out into the pouring rain toward the limo.
Black kept his gun raised and watched as CeCe made it to the limo. She stopped in front of the limo and looked back at him. Then she moved around to the side, then around to the other side. CeCe opened the driver’s-side door and stepped back quickly.
When Black saw her running back toward the house, he knew that something was wrong.
"The driver is dead. All four tires are flat and there’s a big hole in the front."
"Cristóbal. That was what that shooting was," Black said and CeCe helped him back inside.
"What now?" CeCe said.
"Get the phone from Kevon’s pocket. Jamaica’s number is programmed. Call him and tell him to come get us."
"That could take a while, especially in this weather," CeCe said and pushed Mei Ai Bao’s body off the couch so Black could lie down.
"You got a better idea, now’s the time."
CeCe went to the office where Kevon’s body lay. She got down on her knees, exhaled and pulled the phone from his pocket. She hit the menu button, selected the phone book and scrolled to the Js. There above Jamaica’s name and number her eyes focused on the name that was listed before it.
"Jacara."
She looked at Black and wondered if the woman she’d met was the same one, and if she was, was she a friend of his or Kevon’s. She knew that since Black didn’t have a phone, he used Kevon’s all the time, but she knew this wasn’t the time to ask him.
She got up and went back to the living room, dialing Jamaica’s number as she walked. "What you say, Kevon?" he answered.
"Jamaica, this is CeCe. Black’s been shot, and we need you to come get us."
Jamaica stood up, grabbed the closest gun to him and started for the door. "Where are you?"
CeCe paused. "I really don’t know exactly, but we’re not in Freeport anymore."
When she got back to the couch Black reached for the phone. "Jay. We’re in McLean’s Town."
"—the fuck you doing way out there?"
"Getting shot. We’re in a house off the main road, just before you get to town. There’s a bar on the north road, the turn is just past that."
"I think I know where you talkin’ ’bout. I’m on my way."
"Hurry."
"How bad is it?"
"Just get here as fast as you can."
"Who shot you?"
"One of Cristóbal’s men."
"Who is that?"
"The Venezuelan I told you about. He’s probably heading back to Freeport by now."
"Me put the island on lockdown."
"Right; just get here," Black said. "Jay."
"Yeah."
"Bring a doctor," he said and ended the call then handed the phone back to CeCe.
"What can I do for you now?"
"You need to find something to dress this wound until they get here."
"Like what?"
"Look in the bathroom first, if you don’t find any first-aid stuff, look in the trunk of the limo."
CeCe checked the bathroom without success and then the limo. She came back empty handed.
"Find some clean sheets and a knife or scissors. And you’re gonna need a bowl of warm water," Black told her and she went in search of the objects.
When CeCe returned, she carefully unbuttoned his shirt and slowly peeled the blood-soaked cloth away from the wound. Black told her to cut a piece of the sheet, get it damp and clean around the wound. "Try not to touch the wound."
"I’ll try," CeCe said and did as she was asked.
It wasn’t easy for her. There was so much blood. She thought about the night she came into the living room and found Cash Money and two of his boys shot to death. That night she ran back to her bedroom, locked the door, and called the police.
"What now?" she asked.
"Cut a big piece of the sheet, fold it over and put it over the wound. Then cut a long piece, wrap it around me and tie it."
Once she was done, CeCe laid him on his back and tried to make him as comfortable as possible. All they could do now was, wait.
Chapter Thirteen
The wind began to howl and the house felt like it was shaking. The force of the wind shattered some of the windows. The next rush of wind took out the power in the house.
"We need to find a room or some place away from these windows," Black said as wind and rain rushed into the room.
CeCe helped him get to his feet. "There are no windows in the bathroom. Can you walk?"
"I’m okay. Let’s move," Black said and put his arm around her shoulder.
When they got to the bathroom door CeCe said, "Wait here." And she rushed into one of the bedrooms. When she came back, CeCe had a blanket with her. She helped him into the bathroom, folded the blanket, and laid it on the floor. Then CeCe helped him as he lay on the blanket. "The floor is cold. I didn’t think it was the best thing for you."
"Good thinking. Thank you."
Once he was comfortable, CeCe left Black in the bathroom to see if she could find some candles. When she returned, CeCe called Jamaica to see how much longer it was going to take before he got there.
"The doctor is with me," Jamaica told her. "But the storm, she bad, you know. It hard to see where we are driving. But we come. How is Mike?"
"He’s holding on. I did what I could to stop the bleeding and cover the wound. The storm blew out the windows here, and I had to move him into the bathroom."
Jamaica told the doctor what CeCe had just told him. "The doctor say try not to move him too much more unless you must."
"I won’t. We should be all right in here unless the hurricane gets worse."
"If it means anyt’ing to you, they are saying it’s just a tropical storm."
"No, that doesn’t mean a thing to me. Just hurry and get here."
"We come as best we can," Jamaica said and ended the call.
"What doesn’t mean a thing to you?" Black asked.
"That this is a tropical storm and not a hurricane."
"That does make a difference. Tropical storm winds aren’t as strong."
"Tell that to the windows."
"We should have checked the shutters and closed them before we came back inside."
"You want me to go out and check," CeCe asked, hoping he’d say no. Going back outside was the last thing she wanted to do. But if he sent her, she would go.
"Too late for that now, the damage is done. We should be safe from the weather and flying glass in here. What else did he say?"
"That he has the doctor with him. And I should try not to move you if I don’t have to. He said it was hard to see, but they’re coming."
"Did he say how far they had gotten?"
"No. You want me to call him back and ask him?"
"That’s all right. He’ll be here as soon as he can."
"You mind if I ask you a question?" CeCe asked.
"Go ahead. You’re gonna ask me anyway, whether I say it’s cool or not."
She was going ask him about Jacara, but then she changed her mind. "Never mind."
"Go ahead and ask me."
"How long was it before Cassandra met your mother?" CeCe asked, quickly thinking of something else she wanted to know.
"About three weeks, I guess."
"What? What did you say?"
"There go those pouty lips again."
"I guess you developed that little rule after you met her." CeCe said quietly.<
br />
"No. My mother has only met two women that I’ve been involved with. Cassandra being one, and the other was Regina."
"Bobby’s mentioned her a few times."
"Bobby talks too much."
"I told you, Bobby likes to talk to me. He’s just full of fascinating stories about the two of you. You two were together for a long time, so her I can understand."
"For a number of reasons, it took Regina five years before she met my mother, and that was mostly because I was walking down the street with her and we ran into my mother. I didn’t have much choice but to introduce her."
"Was Cassandra that special to you that she got to meet her in three weeks?"
"There was a good reason why they met so quickly."
"What was that?"
"My mother was a nurse and Cassandra needed her skills."
"What happened to her?"
"She was shot, and I needed someplace to keep her safe, with somebody I could trust and know that she’d be taken care of."
"Who shot her?"
"Some guy dressed like a cop."
"Huh? Why did some guy dressed like a cop shoot her?"
"You mean Bobby didn’t tell you?"
"No, that was one he missed."
"When we met, Cassandra was a player in the cocaine game. Back then, she went by the name Shy. The only one who called her Cassandra was me."
Black saw the surprised look on her face.
"I guess Bobby didn’t tell you that either."
"No. I’m gonna have to have a little talk with him about that too."
"Yeah, well, it makes me feel a little better that he’s selective about what he tells you."
"He never talks about y’all’s business or anything like that, if that’s what you’re talking about."
"That’s what I’m talking about."
"So, how’d she get shot?"
"Drug deal gone bad."
"That’s it? ‘Drug deal gone bad.’ I’m sure there’s more to it than that?"
"You want to hear the whole story?"
"We seem to have plenty of time."
"When we met, somebody was trying to kill her. She thought it was me for a while."
"Why did she think it was you?"
"I used to get credit or blamed for a lotta shit that went on those days."
