“I told you not to get cute,” Case stated. He was showing Macy no mercy. “You’ve got two days to get me my money, and don’t worry about your wife. I’ll let Fatima know you love her,” Case stated slyly. “I’ll whisper it in her ear when I slide my dick up in her tonight.”
Hearing those words set Macy off as he lunged for Case, injured and all. The chair toppled over, and Case laughed loudly and obnoxiously.
Case walked over to Macy and kicked him in the stomach then gathered himself, dusting the wrinkles out of his designer suit. He exhaled loudly as he turned to Aries.
“Don’t let this nigga out of your sight. I want somebody on him at all times,” Case stated. “I’ll let you know when it’s time to put in that work.”
Aries had been sitting back watching the entire thing. “Once this is over, you and I are even. I won’t owe you a damn thing. Are we clear?” she stated with authority.
Case stepped closer to Aries, completely attracted by her femininity and intrigued by her gangster all at the same time. “If you had the right man in your life, you wouldn’t even be in this position right now,” he said, throwing out bait to see where her head was.
She scoffed and raised an arched eyebrow. “Don’t even. You’ll just embarrass yourself,” she advised. Aries hated Case, and under any other circumstances she would have loved to make him her target, but he had her between a rock and a hard place. She was indebted to him; therefore, he had the upper hand, and that fact was common knowledge between them.
He nodded his head, taking her rejection in stride, and then left the house. Case was fully confident that Aries could handle the job, and he walked away with no worries, knowing that soon enough Macy wouldn’t even be a factor.
Chapter Eleven
Edris rolled down Rodeo Drive looking for a man the streets called Chicago Larry. Edris knew that his old associate controlled the strip and its whores. Although it was 2011, he somehow found a way to be a successful pimp. Anything that went down on the strip, Chicago knew about it or had something to do with it.
Edris scanned the block as he slowly cruised down the avenue. He hoped that he saw one of the candy-red Cadillacs that Chicago was known to drive. Chicago Larry had pimped hard throughout the city for years. Edris knew that the underworld of prostitution started and ended with him. Edris didn’t know where to begin looking for the hooker who stole from Boomer, but he knew that finding Chicago was a good start.
Edris pulled into the diner that Chicago was known to post at. Edris slightly smiled when he saw the candy-red car parked toward the back. “Bingo,” he whispered as he parked the car.
A sense of urgency overcame Edris as he maneuvered his rather big body out of the car. He knew that he was playing with borrowed time and his boss’s life depended on if he could get the money back. Edris walked into the small diner, and it was empty except for a couple of waitresses who stood behind the long counter. Edris immediately spotted Chicago sitting at the back table with an Asian young lady.
Edris made his way toward him, and as he got closer he noticed that the lady across from Chicago was giving him a manicure. Chicago was a very tall man with a slim build. He had a neat Caesar haircut and wore an Italian-cut suit, a far cry from the stereotypical pimp. He looked more like a stockbroker than a seller of women.
“Well, you don’t say,” Chicago smoothly said with his light voice.
“It’s been a long time,” Edris said as he held out his hand. Chicago stood up and locked hands with Edris as he embraced him.
“Well, welcome to my office. Have a seat, big man. I know you here to talk about something. I haven’t seen you on the strip since you used to run packs for Macy,” Chicago said as he displayed his huge gap in his two front teeth.
He looked down at the girl who was once doing his nails and whispered. “Okay, baby, time for you to get back out there,” he said as he looked outside onto the street. Just as quick as the words came out of Chicago’s mouth, the girl had hurried out to walk the track.
Chicago watched as his girl went out the door and then focused his attention back on Edris. “What’s on your mind?” Chicago asked as he sat down.
Edris sat down across from him and wasted no time telling him what was going on. “Look, a short while ago someone got robbed by a hooker. That somebody who got robbed happened to be Macy’s son. You hear anything about that?” Edris asked as he looked deep into Chicago’s eyes, trying to read him.
“No, can’t say that I have. That shit been all over the news though. His son got killed in the hotel, right?” Chicago asked, but he already knew the answer. It had been on the local news nonstop ever since the body was found.
“Yeah, unfortunately,” Edris said as he dropped his head and shook it from side to side. Edris was also playing a role because he knew who was responsible for the killing.
Edris looked at Chicago once again and continued, “You see, some money came up missing and it needs to get found ... and needs to get found soon,” Edris said as his voice got more threatening with each word. The intensity in his eyes displayed his seriousness.
“Dig this. I don’t know anything about no whore with stolen money. Shit, if I did, I sure wouldn’t be on this here strip pimping. Believe that!” Chicago said as nervousness was evident in his voice.
Edris noticed that little sweat beads were forming on Chicago’s nose and his voice was becoming shaky. This automatically threw up red flags with Edris. The fact that Chicago claimed he knew nothing about stolen money made Edris suspicious. Edris knew Chicago, and the fact was that he pimped and pimped hard. Edris was not going to believe that Chicago didn’t know anything about the entire situation.
“Okay, playboy. If you hear anything, give me a call,” Edris said as he reached into his inside pocket.
Chicago Larry tensed up as Edris’ hand slipped into his coat, and his eyes grew big as golf balls. Edris slightly smirked and pulled out a business card. “Here is my card,” Edris said as he dropped the card on the table and stood up. He shook Larry’s sweaty hand and left the diner.
Edris knew that Chicago knew more than what he was telling him, but Edris was determined to find out what Chicago was hiding.
Just as Edris exited through the door, Chicago quickly reached into his jacket and pulled out the cell phone. He waited for a response as he nervously kept his eye on the door, hoping Edris would not return. Chicago grabbed a napkin off the table to wipe the sweat from his face as someone answered the other end.
“Dig this. Pack up all our shit. We are leaving a little bit earlier than we planned. Bitch, I will be there in ten minutes. You betta be ready in five,” Chicago said just before he hung up the phone and took a deep breath. He thought that he would have more time before he had to flee town. The hooker who stole the money from Boomer was his bottom girl, and he was the one who told her to rob her client. He didn’t know it was Macy’s son until everything came out in the news. His popularity in pimping actually worked against him in this case, and Edris knew exactly who to look for when something went down on the strip.
Chicago waited a good five minutes and then headed out the door. He was about to head home, get the money, and get out of Dodge. He knew what Macy was capable of and didn’t want any part of his wrath.
Macy felt his leg numbing up and his stomach began to have shooting pains. He looked over at Jordan, who sat in the chair across the room watching television. Macy tried to maneuver himself in a more comfortable position as he grimaced and bit his bottom lip.
“Yo, let me use the bathroom. I got to piss,” Macy said as he grabbed his crotch. Jordan looked at the door and then back at Macy before he hesitantly responded.
“I’m not supposed to let you move from that spot,” Jordan said, almost as if he were pleading with Macy.
“What am I supposed to do, piss my pants? Come on. Let me just go take a leak. You can go with me,” Macy said as he noticed that his words were convincing the naïve thug.
“Okay, but
we have to make it quick,” Jordan said as he hesitantly grabbed the keys off of the television stand.
Just as he stood up, Harlo came storming through the door. “You ain’t going anywhere, fam. Chill out trying that slick shit. You can handle your business in this,” Harlo said as he tossed Macy an empty soda bottle. Harlo had been listening from the other room and came to stop a potential bad situation.
Harlo grabbed Jordan by the arm and pulled him to the side. “What the fuck are you doing, man? You can’t let this mu’fucka out of your sight. Don’t let the tie fool you. That nigga is a cold-blooded killer. You are being too soft right now,” Harlo whispered harshly as he squeezed his partner’s arm tightly.
“I just was going to let him use the bathroom, that’s it. Why you bugging?” Jordan said, not fully understanding the mistake that he was about to make.
“Look, just don’t let that nigga out of your sight. I can’t leave you alone with this nigga for five minutes before you do some dumb shit,” Harlo said as he shook his head from side to side and unleashed Jordan’s arm.
“All right. Damn,” Jordan said as he sat back down in the chair and stared at the small television that sat on the stand. Harlo took a seat next to him and looked at his watch, wondering where Aries was.
Edris sat in the back of the parking lot and sank low in his seat. He had waited for Chicago Larry to exit so that he could follow him. Edris had a gut feeling that he would lead him to the money.
Edris had only been waiting in the parking lot for a few minutes, and just as he expected, Chicago came out looking nervous. Chicago didn’t notice Edris’ car parked in the back as he scanned the lot and then hurried to his Cadillac. Chicago started his car up, and so did Edris. Chicago smoothly slid out of the parking lot, unaware that he was being followed.
“What are you so damn nervous for?” Edris whispered to himself as he stayed two car lengths behind Chicago and tailed him.
Ten minutes later Chicago was pulling into the driveway of a single-family home. Edris parked three houses down and watched as Chicago hurried out of the car and flew into the house. Not even two minutes later, he was rushing back outside with two duffle bags in his hand and a whore following close behind.
“I knew it!” Edris said as he put the pedal to the floor, blocking Chicago’s car in the driveway. Edris pulled out his gun and hopped out of the car. It all happened so quickly, Chicago never saw it coming. Before he knew it, Edris had a gun in his face.
“What’s in the bag, mu’fucka?” Edris asked as he reached inside of the window and snatched the bag that rested on Chicago’s lap. The whore screamed at the top of her lungs as she held up her hands.
“Shut your bitch up before I send two through her,” Edris warned as he grew irritated with her yelling.
“Shut up, bitch!” Chicago said as he quickly glanced over at the girl. The girl almost instantly closed her mouth.
Edris peeked in the bag while still having the gun pointed at Chicago. Just as he expected, it was full of money.
“What do we have here?” Edris asked with a sinister smile.
“Man, I hit the lotto the other day,” Chicago lied as he let out a nervous chuckle. Edris almost instantly struck him in the head with his gun, making Chicago’s forehead split and bleed.
“Don’t fucking play with me. Now, where is the rest of it?” Edris said, knowing that it didn’t look anywhere close to a million dollars.
“Okay, okay. I put half of it at one of my bitches’ houses,” Chicago said.
He regretted staying in town and not splitting when he first got the money. His greed wouldn’t let him miss the upcoming Friday and Saturday. Those two days were his most lucrative, and he didn’t want to miss out on old some good old-fashioned trick money. Damn, he thought to himself as he shook his head from side to side in resentment.
Edris hopped into the back seat. He then put his gun to Chicago’s ribs. “Let’s go,” Edris said as he pushed the nose of his gun deeper into Chicago, making him feel the steel.
Chicago looked into his rearview mirror and put the car in reverse. He drove onto his lawn to move around Edris’ car and made his way to the spot where the rest of the money was stashed.
Aries knocked at Case’s door wanting to get things settled. She tapped her feet impatiently against the pavement and waited for the door to open. Moments later, Case answered the door with his shirt off and a blunt hanging from his mouth.
“We need to talk,” Aries said as she brushed past him and went to the middle of the floor. She was obviously frustrated and she was ready to end the fiasco that Case had her involved in.
Case took a long drag of his blunt and opened his arms. “What? No hello?” he asked sarcastically.
“Fuck you, Case,” Aries said as she pulled off her oversized designer shades. “Listen, I don’t know what type of sick game that you are playing, but it needs to stop. I got the nigga like you asked me to do. What else is it? I am not a muthafuckin’ babysitter,” Aries said, not liking the current situation.
“Just be calm. I need my money first and then you can off the nigga,” Case said nonchalantly as he puffed his weed-filled cigar.
“I am not a kidnapper. I am a killer. You are going way out of bounds with this one, Case,” Aries said as she placed her hands on her hips in frustration.
“First of all, you need to lower your fuckin’ voice in my house,” Case said as he put his cigar out in the ashtray and clenched his jaws so tightly that you could see his jawbone. Then he continued, “Secondly, I don’t think you are in a position to be making any demands. You are going to do what the fuck I want you to do, remember that. How would your husband feel if he knew you ... the real you? You can drop your accent and wear heels with fancy clothes all you want, but I know how you really are. You are hood just like me,” Case said as he stared intensely at Aries.
Aries hated to admit it, but Case was right. She had no other options but to play by Case’s rules. He was in a position to hurt her family, and she didn’t want to jeopardize their wellbeing.
Aries thought about pulling the gun she had in her purse and letting off two in Case’s head. He was clearly unstrapped, and she would end it all with that one kill.
“Don’t think about it,” Case said as if he were reading her mind. “If something happens to me, you better believe someone will be at your front door, killing your husband and son,” Case said as he smiled and tried to lighten up the mood by offering Aries a drink.
“I’ll pass,” Aries said as her trigger finger itched. She knew that Case had her number, so the only thing she could do was play by his rules.
“I just need you to hold the nigga there until that money comes up, and then after that, you can off him. Be patient, baby girl,” Case answered.
Case would never let Aries know, but he respected her gangster. He knew that her and her old squad were nothing to play with in their prime, and that was the main reason he once hired them.
Aries now had to sit back and play the waiting game. She stormed out and headed back to the house.
Chicago pulled into the small apartment complex that one of his whores lived in. “This is it right here. She lives on the third floor,” Chicago said as he looked up at the building.
“Okay, let’s go up,” Edris said as he held the gun firmly to Chicago’s rib.
Edris looked over the girl in the front seat. She was noticeably shaken up, and Edris didn’t have time to worry about two people while they went up and got the money. “You get your ass in the trunk!” Edris said as he hopped out, grabbed the keys out of the ignition, and waved his gun toward the trunk.
The hooker and Chicago got out of the car, and Edris quickly grabbed the girl and pushed her to the back of the car while still keeping a close eye on Chicago. The girl began to cry as Edris popped the trunk. Chicago quickly encouraged her that everything would be all right.
“Just get in there, baby girl. We will be right out. I promise,” Chicago said, not knowing i
f he was being truthful or not.
The whore gained up enough courage and hopped in the trunk. Edris immediately closed the door and pointed the gun at Chicago.
“Let’s go, nigga! Don’t try any funny shit either. I’m shooting first and asking questions last, just to let you know,” Edris added for insurance.
Chicago, with his hands still in the air, responded. “She should be up there,” he said as he looked up to the third floor where the light was on.
Edris walked behind Chicago and pressed the gun to his lower back. They headed up the stairs and reached the door. Slow music leaked from the apartment, so Edris immediately knew that somebody was in there. Edris’ mind began to race as he thought about what he potentially was walking into.
What if this nigga got goons waiting on the inside, Edris thought as Chicago knocked on the door. Edris dismissed the small amount of fear in his heart and knew that he had to go all out for his boss. He had to get the rest of the money or Macy would die.
Moments later, a female voice sounded from the opposite side of the door. “Who is it?” she said in an irritated tone.
“It’s me, bitch. Now, open the door!” Chicago yelled as he leaned into the door.
Seconds later the door opened and the sounds of smooth R&B came out of the apartment along with the smell of incense. A young black girl answered the door wearing nothing but an undersized silk robe. She held the robe closed with her hand as she grew a confused look on her face when she saw Chicago and Edris at her doorstep.
“Bitch, don’t just stand there like a deer in the headlights. Let us in,” Chicago said quickly as urgency was evident in his voice. Although he was being held at gunpoint, Chicago kept his pimp hand strong.
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