Episode 4: Dirty Money Dirty Deeds, Book 4

by Nico Jackson

  Sam leaned toward her. “That price is still on your brother’s head,” he said softly.

  “I didn’t rob you, he did. I will not clean up behind him again. I buried him once, and I can do it again.”

  Sam tilted his head to one side. It had been a long time since someone had refused him. “Jay told me you don’t take any prisoners.”

  “Bobby made his choices. He’s part of the reason I’ve had so much trouble. I’m over paying his debts.”

  “Do you know where he is?”

  “No. I’ve talked to him once. I told him I didn’t want to hear from him again. Excuse me, please. I need to powder my nose.”

  The men stood when she did. Sam watched as she walked away. “You weren’t kidding. She’s no joke.”

  “Nope.”

  “Did she mean it?”

  Jay chuckled. “If she said it, she meant it.”

  “Thought you were over-selling her. She doesn’t seem scared.”

  “Nope.”

  “I’m not playing, Jay. I want her to work for me.”

  “I know you’re used to getting what you want, but she’s tired of getting arrested. Can you blame her?”

  “You’re right. I am used to getting what I want. Tell me something, son. Why are you in her doghouse?”

  “What makes you think that?”

  “I take note of everything around me. I can see she’s not feeling you.”

  Jay sighed. “I took care of something she said she would do.”

  “Personal or professional?”

  “Personal.”

  “So you took it off her timeline and put it on yours. What you did was show her you don’t trust her. Let me give you a word. I stayed happily married for over twenty years because I lived by two rules: I never did anything I’d have to lie about, and I paid attention to what made her happy. Tell her how you feel, give her some space, and pay attention next time. I thought I taught you better. If that girl can know who I am, look me in the eye, and politely tell me to go to hell...” Sam tapped the table with his finger. “She’s strong, I’ll give her that.”

  Jay grunted. “Yeah, she’s no weakling.”

  “You don’t need a partner who’ll take it easy on you. You won’t grow. You need a woman who’ll call you on your bullshit. She seems like the type.”

  “You noticed that, huh?”

  “She could have tried to cut herself a deal with the cops. She didn’t. That says something.”

  “She’s loyal.”

  “And strong willed. She’s tough, but I can change her mind.”

  “Don’t hurt her, Sam.”

  “I don’t hurt civilians. You know that. She’s not in the game. Now that brother of hers is a different story.”

  “He should’ve stayed dead. It would have been easier on her.”

  Sam swirled the whiskey in his glass. “She looks okay.”

  “She’s putting on a good face, but she’s hurting.”

  “He should not be drawing breath right now.”

  Jay looked Sam in the eye. “I don’t have a problem with it, but she has to decide.”

  “Sounds like she already did. Or is she calling my bluff?”

  Jay thought for a moment. “I think her head knows what has to be done. Her heart is another matter.”

  “Fair enough. I’ll hold back until she gives the word.”

  Kendra returned. Jay and Sam stood when she reached the table. Jay pulled out her chair and helped her get settled. She put her napkin on her lap. The server brought dessert plates and coffee. Sam waited until he had walked away before he spoke.

  “You’ve given me your final answer? You won’t work for me?”

  Kendra took a forkful of cheesecake. “No, sir. Respectfully, I will not do it.”

  Her face was calm, unbothered.

  Sam waited a beat. “I do have a favor to ask. Strictly legal.”

  She met his gaze. “I’m listening.”

  “I have a daughter, she’s younger than you, but you remind me of her. She’s engaged, and she wants to have her wedding reception at the Motor City Yacht Club. We haven’t always been close, and that’s my fault. We’re getting along now. I want to make it happen. I know you’re a member and you would have to sponsor it.”

  Kendra took another bite of cake and washed it down with coffee. “Why would I do that? Your business helped tear my family apart.”

  Sam leaned toward her. “All due respect, I never forced any powder up anybody’s nose. I never sold heroin or crack. And I’ve done things for the community. Your brother made his own decisions. You were raised by the same woman, and you didn’t go down that road. If you want to blame anyone for his problems, blame your dumb ass daddy. I don’t mean to insult you, Kendra, but if your father hadn’t tried to outsmart everybody around him, your family’s life wouldn’t be what it is. Besides, I’m out of the business. I’d rather have my baby girl’s respect.”

  She held his gaze, never flinching. “I’m not sure Isaac hasn’t taken me off the membership.”

  “You’ll do it?”

  “I think I can work it out. We’ll have to do prep work, though. Your image needs rehabilitating. You’ll need to follow my instructions. I know this crowd.”

  “I will do whatever you say, you have my word.”

  Kendra nodded. “I’d like something in return.”

  “Name it.”

  Kendra told him what she had in mind, and Sam nodded. “I can do that.” He reached across the table and shook her hand. “We have a deal, then?”

  “We do.”

  Sam grunted. “You chose a hell of a woman, son.”

  Jay smiled. “Don’t I know it.”

  3

  Bobby slid into a booth at the back of the Last Chance Bar. It wasn’t his usual place, but it was close enough to where he lived. He had managed to talk an old girlfriend into taking him back, and she was renting a house. She had a young son, but the boy was well-mannered and didn’t bother Bobby. It would do until he could testify against Uriel Vasquez. Avery had told him to lie low until then. He was even getting an allowance and a break on his probation.

  Who said snitching didn’t pay?

  The barmaid came over to take his order. She was his type -- thick and curvy. She had smooth mahogany skin. She was average looking, he thought, but she would do.

  She put a paper coaster on the table and set down a glass of water. “What can I get you?”

  “How much is tap beer?”

  She held up three fingers. He nodded.

  “Be right back.”

  He was sitting facing the door. It was something his father had hammered into him. Keep your eyes and ears open. Know where everyone is. Know what they’re doing.

  He grinned at the barmaid when she returned. “What’s your name, beautiful?”

  “Ebony. You gonna run a tab?”

  “Please.” Bobby tried out his best flirty smile. He was a handsome man, and the smile usually worked.

  Ebony didn’t bite. “You need anything else?”

  “No, thanks.” Bobby picked up his beer and took a tiny swallow. He didn’t have much money; he was going to have to make it last. He wanted to stay out of the house as long as possible. Patrina was okay, but she was getting on his nerves. She didn’t understand he wasn’t a house cat. Cooking and cleaning wasn’t him. He didn’t understand why she was pressing him about the house being messy when she got home from work. He thought if he let her miss him, her attitude would get better.

  “It’s an easy job, I tell you. Big Sam will pay.”

  Bobby’s ears perked up when he heard the voice in the next booth. He leaned back so he could hear better. The partitions between the booths were high, so his neighbors wouldn’t know he was listening.

  “Okay, talk,” another voice said.

  “We pull a trailer from the yard. We drop it where Sam says. “

  “Seems too easy,” the second voice said. “Why would he pay so much?”


  “He’s got beef with somebody named Jay. Jay and his bitch own the shipping yard now. Sam’s not happy. He feels like they outplayed him.”

  “What’s in the box?”

  “Video games and televisions. Shit that moves.”

  Bobby leaned back more. If Sam wasn’t happy with Kendra and Jay, he could play that to his advantage. He listened as the two men talked about their plan. They wouldn’t get the container for another three days. He pulled a pen out of his pocket and wrote down the name of the shipping company. He finished his beer, put four dollars on the table, and left.

  Patrina started in on him as soon as he walked in the door. “Where have you been?”

  “I wasn’t gone that long.”

  “You need to start doing your part, Bobby. I came home and the house was a mess. You need to pick up your shit. Would it kill you to put the dirty dishes in the sink?”

  He threw a hand at her. “Get outta here with that. I can always go somewhere else.”

  “Go, then. I don’t need you here.”

  He laughed. “You know you don’t mean that. How long has it been since you had a man?”

  She curled her lip. “Go to hell.”

  * * *

  Patrina sucked her teeth when she saw who was at the door. “Your daddy’s here.”

  Bobby came into living room. He had taken the first bite of a ham sandwich.

  “That ham was for Shemar’s lunch.”

  “Where I come from, the man of the house eats first.”

  Patrina rolled her eyes and stomped up the stairs. Bobby went to the door.

  “You didn’t even let him in! Fuck you, then!”

  Bobby opened the door. “Hey, Pop. Come on in.”

  Robert closed the door behind him. “You got another sandwich?”

  “This is the last of it. You want some water, or one of those juice box things?”

  “Nah. What’s on your mind?”

  “You in a hurry, Pop?”

  He flopped in a chair. “You said you have a plan. What’s on your mind?”

  “You talked to Kenny?”

  Robert shook his head. “She’s blocking my calls. I went by the house, she told me not to come back. She’s always been too big for her damn britches.”

  “She told me the same thing. We don’t need her, Pop. We can make it on our own.” Bobby took a huge bite out of his sandwich. “She thinks she’s smarter than me.”

  “She’s like your mother,” Robert said. “She didn’t know her place, either.”

  “This job will make us rich men. And we’ll be taking money out of her pocket. All we have to do is get a tractor, go over and get the container.”

  “Don’t we need ID or something?”

  “Can’t you get a fake CDL from your man?”

  Robert rubbed his chin. “It’s possible. I haven’t pushed a semi in years.”

  “I don’t know how to drive one. We can’t do this without you.”

  Robert’s eyes lit up. “We’ll need the container information.”

  “I have it. Those dummies in the bar said the container number. We have to move on this. They’re going to pick it up on Saturday. We get it Friday.”

  “We’ll be cutting it close. I’ll make the call, see what I can do.”

  “Big Sam wants the trailer. I can make a deal and give it to him.”

  “This just might work.”

  * * *

  Kendra heard her phone vibrate and picked it up. “Hey, Nick.”

  “What’s up, cuz?”

  “I just got back from the nail salon. The fundraiser is tomorrow.”

  Nicky sighed. “How’s that going?”

  “Everything’s under control.”

  “I don’t know how you do it, Kenny. You’ve got nerves of steel.”

  “Don’t you? I wouldn’t want a nervous surgeon cutting me.”

  Nicky laughed. “Funny you should mention that. I’ve got something to tell you. You’re talking to the new Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at Detroit General.”

  “Congratulations! When will you be back?”

  “I start in two weeks. I can break the lease here, but I need your help. I need to find a place to live.”

  “No, you don’t. Crash with me until you find a place. I have a couple of lofts in Midtown that will be available next month. If you like one, I can give you a decent price.”

  “That would put me close to the hospital.” Nicky paused. “So how are things with Jay?”

  “He’s giving me room to make up my mind. He told me he’s not giving up on us.”

  “I think he meant well. Do you think he’s really sorry?”

  “That’s what makes this so hard. It was fine, until it wasn’t. I need to know he isn’t going to flex on me. If I wanted another man to run my life, I could have stayed with Isaac.”

  “I hear you. Let’s get back to Jay. You need to give that brother a second chance.”

  “He asked me if he could take me to the ball. I agreed. You know it’s Isaac’s fraternity. This will be fun.”

  Nicky chuckled. “You think they’re going to get into it?”

  “We’re talking about Isaac, remember? He’ll take it as a personal insult. It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been apart. He still sees me as his property.”

  “I can’t believe him. He thinks he can do whatever the hell he wants, and you’ll just fall in line.”

  “Now do you realize why I was so angry at Jay?”

  “Of course I do. Why do you think I don’t mind being free and single? My life is simple. I don’t have anybody whining about the hours I spend at the hospital. I do my thing, hook up with somebody when I feel like it, then go about my business.”

  Kendra laughed. “Maybe I should adopt that lifestyle.”

  “We both know you’re not built for that. And it would work better if you weren’t in love with Jay.”

  “Am I that obvious?”

  “I hate to break this to you, but it would be obvious to someone who doesn’t know you as well as I do. A blind man could see how you two feel about each other. I could tell when I was there for Bobby’s so-called funeral. And speaking of Bobby, where is that fool?”

  “I have no idea. I told him I never wanted to see him again.”

  “I can’t blame you for that. He’s taken trouble to a whole another level.”

  “Oh, it gets better. His father came by the house to plead his case. Like I have anything for him. If I never see either one of them again in life, it would be a good thing.”

  “I have to run,” Nicky said. “I have a surgery at the top of the hour. I’ve got to go scrub.”

  “I thought Tuesday was surgery day.”

  “It’s a special case. I just wanted to tell you the news.”

  “That is good news. I’ve missed having you here.”

  “Me, too. Detroit won’t be the same with both of us there.”

  “Okay. I’ll call you after the ball and give you the play-by-play.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way. Love you, cuz.”

  “Love you more.”

  Kendra disconnected the call and put the phone on her desk. Nicky had always been logical when it came to men. Maybe she had a point.

  4

  Big Sam arrived about fifteen minutes after Jay and Kendra. Kendra knew Sam had a preference for young women who looked fresh off the pole, and she was relieved to see that he had followed her instructions to the letter.

  Sam’s date was a full-figured, elegant woman of about fifty. She wore a classic black cocktail dress, and her makeup was not overdone.

  She was a queen, and she knew it.

  She strode in holding Sam’s arm with a serene look on her face. Sam was beaming. His tuxedo fit well. Custom-made, Kendra thought. Jay stood and shook Big Sam’s hand.

  Sam leaned over and kissed Kendra’s cheek. “You look lovely tonight,” he said.

  “Thank you, Sam.”

  Sam smiled. “I’d like to introd
uce my friend Emma. This is Emma Jordan.” Sam pointed to Jay. “This is Jaylen Sinclair. I’ve known him since he was a pup. And this is his lady, Kendra Mason. Kendra was kind enough to give us this invitation.”

  Emma smiled. “Thank you so much for inviting us. I haven’t been to this ball in quite a few years.”

  Kendra nodded. “My pleasure. So glad you could join us.”

  Sam helped Emma with her chair, and sat beside Kendra. “Everything looks beautiful.”

  “They always do a wonderful job with decorations,” Kendra said.

  She couldn’t believe that she was sitting there trying to make small talk with Big Sam Bishop, one of the most notorious men in the drug game. To a casual observer, he looked like any other man there. Kendra introduced them to people she had worked with. Sam was well-read and charming, and she left Sam and Emma to chat with another couple. She went back to their table.

  Jay stood when she reached him. “Would you like to dance?”

  She hesitated for a moment. She wasn’t sure that she wanted to get that close to him. But it was a fast song, she wouldn’t have to touch him. “Sure.”

  He stood, held out his hand to her, and she took it.

  They walked to the dance floor hand-in-hand. She felt the same thrill that she had when they first connected. She felt herself loosening up as they danced. Jay smiled at her, and she threw her head back and laughed. It was one of her favorite songs, and she got into the groove.

  He laughed. “Look at you. Go on with your bad self.”

  Kendra had forgotten how much fun she and Jay had when they danced. They moved to the beat, never taking their eyes from each other. Then the DJ put on a slow song. Jay pulled Kendra into his arms. He was careful to give her space. As the song played, she moved closer to him.

  She loved his scent. He smelled fresh, like citrus and the ocean. The oil he used on his beard added an earthy undertone. Her body betrayed her. She moved closer to him. He kissed her ear and put his cheek against hers. His beard was soft, and she liked the feel of it against her skin. She had missed the feel of his arms around her. The way her body molded against his. He pulled her closer. Too soon, the song ended.