by D. Camille
Together they worked the dining chair until they both sat spent and breathless. Lance rubbed her back slowly as she gently held him against her breast.
“I have to plan another date for you,” he told her quietly.
“Just as long as it doesn’t end like the last one.”
Lance looked into her eyes. “Khayla Imani, I love you.”
Khayla slowly traced his lips with her finger. “I love you, my King…please be safe.”
“I got it under control and Corvus will cover my back…this time.”
*********
Corvus looked at the text he’d received from Lance this morning and prepared to put in some work. Lance’s text instructed Corvus to pick him up at noon. He’d wanted to get Khayla occupied first and knowing Lance, he’d probably wanted to get a taste of Katydids before he hit the streets. Corvus didn’t blame him though.
He turned his attention back to his plate and smiled. As he dug into the delicious food, his father joined him in the kitchen.
“Boy, don’t you have a house? Several of them in fact?”
Corvus smiled. “I can’t get Momma to come and make me breakfast at my place.”
“Your Momma shouldn’t be making you breakfast at this place,” George complained. “Don’t these young women today make breakfast?”
Corvus frowned. “I don’t let these females cook for me. They only allowed to feed one appetite.”
George shook his head. “I don’t want to see you in my kitchen first thing in the morning.”
“I’ll eat in the dining room then,” Corvus agreed.
“Your Momma has your ass too spoiled,” George told him heading to grab a plate to sample the food his wife had prepared. “No woman is going to put up with you.”
Corvus grinned. “Any woman that’s lucky enough to get me, will gladly get up and make me breakfast…in bed.”
George filled his plate after giving Corvus a look. “Where is your Momma?”
“She was meeting with Tauri’s grandmother about some baby shower stuff.”
George rolled his eyes. “Oh hell…” He took a seat. “Those two are going to kill each other over this baby.”
“Rion has a lot on his hands with those women.” Corvus laughed. “And he’s in the midst of starting his professional baseball team.”
“It’s what he wanted,” George commented.
“Five babies! My brother is out of his mind.” Corvus ate some more of the food from his plate.
George laughed. “Your Momma can’t wait.” He looked at Corvus. “What about you?”
“What about me?” Corvus asked looking over at George.
“Are you planning to settle down and have some babies or are you planning to remain your Momma’s baby all your life?”
“Hey, I’m not ashamed that I’m so lovable.”
George paused and changed the subject. Corvus was a project all on his own. He was successful and smart as hell. He was also greedy as hell and spoiled. George had come into Rion and Corvus’ lives when they were little boys, and since the beginning they had become his sons. He loved them just as if they were his own.
“What’s going on with Lance?” George asked.
“We’re taking care of some things today. He sent me a text to pick him up,” Corvus explained.
George nodded. “You got this under control? We’re not trying to be at that hospital again.”
“Locked and loaded.”
“Let me know if you need anything.” George told him.
Corvus smiled. “Thanks Daddy.”
George reached over and touched his son’s head. “Be careful out there.”
“We learned from the best,” Corvus said giving George a look. Few knew George Shaw’s true background; everyone simply knew him as the owner of the chain of African Bookstores.
“What did I teach all of you?” George questioned.
“Clean and concise…play time is over,” Corvus recited.
George nodded. “You’re dealing with snakes, cut the heads off...”
“…And burn the bodies,” Corvus finished.
The two men finished their breakfast before Corvus left to meet up with Lance.
*********
“What you going to do?”
Another voice answered. “I need to get out of town because Lance and the Negus are going to kill me.”
“Damn, he’s out of the hospital now. He’s about to go on a rampage.”
“You think I don’t know that?” The voice got angry.
“Why the hell did you shoot him?”
“He was going to put two and two together eventually!”
“I should’ve never got involved in this shit!”
The voice shouted. “Don’t punk your ass out now!”
“You never liked him. He tried to help you out and you still wanted to kill him.”
“All I know is that you better keep your damn mouth shut! You know what happens to snitches…” The voice warned.
“You better just worry about Lance coming down on your ass!”
The voice huffed. “He has to find me first…”
*********
Corvus arrived at Lance’s house and let himself inside.
“Yo Lance! I’m here,” he called out.
Lance appeared at the top of the stairs. “Hold up, I’m on my way down.”
Corvus frowned. “Is Khayla up there?”
Lance smiled. “Nah, I sent her to work.” He disappeared and Corvus waited.
“I’m ready,” Lance announced when he returned.
Corvus looked him over. “You up to this?”
Lance nodded. “It’s time. I can’t let shit like this ride too long.”
The two men climbed into Corvus car and he turned to Lance. “Where we going?”
Lance sat back with his arm in the sling. “To the gas station, then to get Mike.”
“You know where he is?” Corvus asked surprised.
“I know where he’s going to be,” Lance responded. “…because he thinks it’s where he’ll be safe.”
Corvus looked at Lance. “Okay, let’s ride.”
Chapter 10
Lance and Corvus arrived at the gas station then proceeded inside. Corvus looked at the spot on the floor where’d he seen Lance’s unresponsive body and stopped.
“How’d it go down?” Corvus asked.
Lance walked in and looked around slowly. “I came in…Jamal was behind the counter.” He pointed in that direction. “I asked where Mike was.”
Lance walked toward the counter. “He told me he hadn’t seen him, then Mike walks out from the back.” He turned toward the door leading to the office. “I pulled my gun on him asking why he called me.”
“What did he say?” Corvus questioned.
Lance shook his head. “Something about he wanted me to see something.” He turned back to the counter. “Jamal pulled the piece behind the counter and aimed at Mike.”
Lance looked over at Corvus. “I told Mike to stand by the counter because I didn’t want a gun to my back.”
Corvus watched as Lance leaned over the counter looking around. “Mike called me from this phone, so how in the hell had Jamal missed him?”
“It was late, why was Jamal even here?” Corvus asked suspiciously.
“He said Karen called in and asked him to cover for her,” Lance explained.
Corvus frowned. “Aren’t they supposed to let you know that?”
“Yeah…” Lance walked back to the spot he was standing on the night of the shooting. “I was standing here when I called you. I knew something wasn’t right and I needed some back up.”
He looked over at Corvus. “The alarm sounded that the door was opening. I looked up and saw the gunman. I dropped my phone and pulled my gun.”
“No customers that night?” Corvus asked.
Lance shook his head. “Empty.”
“This place is never empty,” Corvus commented.
“I know.”
“Shit Lance, what the fuck is going on?”
Lance looked at the counter then back at the door. “Khayla said she saw two boys running from the building shortly after the shots.”
“One of Mike’s friends?”
Lance shook his head as that night materialized clearly before his eyes. He looked at Lance in horror. “Shit! I gotta get that boy. Let’s go!”
Corvus watched Lance hurry out of the station with his arm in the sling. He followed, locking the doors behind him and jumping into the driver’s seat.
Lance turned to him with his phone in his hand. “I’m calling Khalil,” he informed him.
Corvus started the car and shook his head, because calling Khalil meant shit was about to go down for real.
*********
Khayla had left Lance’s house this morning after helping him to get dressed. To say she was worried about him was an understatement, but she knew that Lance could handle himself. She was surprised when she’d received a call from Chief Green asking her to come to the station.
Khayla sat outside the door of the office waiting for the Chief to call her inside. She looked up as Mac opened the door and welcomed her.
“Hello Khayla,” the Chief greeted.
Khayla smiled. “Hello Mac.”
“Please come inside and thank you for coming.”
Khayla walked in and took a seat across from the Chief’s desk. Mac took her chair before smiling at her.
“I need to talk to you about Lance,” Mac began.
“Do you have someone in custody?” Khayla asked.
Mac shook her head. “No, unfortunately no one is talking…including Lance.”
Khayla looked at the Chief. “And you wanted to talk to me about that?”
“Khayla, if I’m going to solve this case, I need information.”
“What kind of information do you think I have Mac?”
Mac gave her a look. “Lance trusts you more than anyone next to the Negus. What has he told you about the night of the shooting?”
Khayla sat up. “Mac, you and I go way back but you know I would never betray Lance’s confidence.”
“Not even to save his life?” Mac asked.
Khayla looked away. “He says he’s taking care of it.”
“I can help him Khayla,” Mac implored.
Khayla looked back at Mac. “If he needs your help, he’ll call you.”
“So you’re not going to help me?”
“I trust Lance and I’m not going to interfere. Someone tried to kill him, and he has every right to deal with whoever has done this,” Khayla told Mac.
Mac sat back in her chair. “I hope that this all works out the way he’s planned Khayla, or we may have a disaster on both of our hands.”
*********
Lance had Corvus drove to a vacant house on the east side in a deserted area.
“Wait in the car,” Lance instructed.
Corvus frowned at him. “Hell nah! Ain’t no way in hell I’m letting you go in there alone.”
“It’ll scare him if we both come,” Lance explained.
“Then he’s going to be a scared ass today.”
Lance shook his head. “Don’t shoot the boy, Corvus.”
Corvus gave Lance a look. “Then he’d better not do anything to get shot!”
“He’s a kid…” Lance began.
“Who possibly tried to kill you. I’m not trying to hear that Lance,” Corvus protested. “Let’s just get his ass.”
Lance sighed. “Just watch my back.”
Corvus nodded and waited for Lance to open the door. Both men had their weapons out with Lance using his good arm to hold his in front of him. They reached the door where two boys with guns on their waists stopped them.
“What’s up Negus?” one boy asked.
Lance looked at Corvus then at the two boys. “Is he here?” he asked them.
The boy nodded. “No blood right?” he questioned Lance.
“No blood,” Lance agreed and Corvus frowned.
The boy turned to the other. “Go get Mike.”
After giving Lance and Corvus one last look, the boy obeyed and went inside the house.
“Sorry about what went down Lance,” the boy told him. “You straight now?”
Lance nodded. “I’m straight.”
“Whatever you need, let me know.” The boy stuck out his hand and Lance took it. “I got you.”
“Good looking out. I knew you’d come through,” Lance told him.
The boy looked toward the house. “He’s in there scared as hell.”
The other boy returned with Mike in tow. When Mike saw Lance, he tried to turn and run but the boy pushed him to the door.
“What the hell are y’all doing? Y’all trying to get me killed!” Mike yelled as he was pushed outside.
The two boys went inside and closed the door leaving Mike alone with Lance and Corvus. He looked at the men with the guns and automatically put his hands in the air.
“I didn’t do nothing!” he cried.
Lance nodded. “I know Mike, put your hands down. I’m here to take you someplace safe until all of this is finished.”
Both Mike and Corvus looked at Lance in confusion.
“I know what happened. You called me because you were trying to warn me,” Lance explained.
Lowering his hands, Mike hung his head. “I never thought they’d shoot you.”
“It was supposed to be a staged robbery?” Lance asked.
Mike nodded as Corvus watched. “I heard them talking, saying that they was going to hit a lick on the station.”
He looked at Lance. “Jamal was outside covering the cameras when I called you. He didn’t see me on the phone.” He paused. “I thought that if you were there you would stop them.”
“Why didn’t you just tell me when I came in?” Lance questioned.
“I was going to, but Jamal was behind you saying he would shoot both of us, then he pulled out the gun and I was scared.”
“Why did you run?” Corvus asked.
“After Lance was shot, Jamal pointed the gun at me and let off a shot before I ran out the door,” Mike told him.
“Who was the other boy?” Corvus demanded.
Lance looked at his friend. “It wasn’t a boy…it was Karen’s ass.”
“What the fuck? Which one shot you?” Corvus yelled.
Lance looked at Mike who answered, “It was Karen.” Lance’s blood boiled now that his memory was confirmed.
“When I recognized her, that punk ass Jamal had the gun to my back. He told me to lower my gun and turn around and nobody would get hurt. I turned and she fired,” Lance completed the story.
Corvus blew up. “So this motherfucka been lying to us! Telling us imaginary got damn stories while you were lying in a hospital bed unconscious?”
Lance nodded angrily. “Now he’s looking for Mike because he’s the only witness.”
“I don’t know why he worried about a damn witness. His ass won’t see the inside of a court!” Corvus affirmed. “And that damn Karen! I knew her ass wasn’t right!”
Lance shook his head. “Ever since she wanted to hook up, and I told her I don’t operate like that with employees, she been acting real shady. I thought she’d get over it, but I guess she was still in her feelings.”
“To try to rob you and shoot you! Her ass is crazy!” Corvus shouted.
Lance turned to Mike. “Let’s go. I’m taking you somewhere until Jamal and Karen are taken care of.”
Mike looked at Lance. “I’m sorry. I would never do anything to hurt you. You the only one who’s ever given me a chance and believed in me.” He got choked up. “I thought you was dead man! I didn’t know what to do…”
Lance put his good arm around the boy. “I’m straight Mike. I’m sorry I put you in this situation. You shouldn’t have had to go through that.”
Corvus looked at the pair trying to calm himself. “It’s time to ride Lance.”
Lance nodded then looked at Mike. “You stay where I drop you off until I come back for you. Understand?”
Mike answered quickly. “Yes.”
The three piled into the car and drove to the destination that Lance had for Mike. He gave Mike further instructions as he got out of the car. Mike leaned inside the window talking to Lance.
“Jamal is a punk ass and he was kicking it with Karen. I’d see them together in the back room sometimes getting it in on your desk,” he told Lance. “He said if I told, he’d have some of his prison friends do stuff to me.”
Lance frowned. “Okay, go inside and do like I told you. You don’t ever have to worry about Karen, Jamal or his prison friends.”
Mike nodded. “I’m sorry again Lance.”
Lance directed him inside one of the Negus safe houses and waited until the door closed.
“Jamal or Karen?” Corvus asked.
“Jamal.”
*********
Khalil Lewis sat outside the address that he had been given. Lance had asked him to wait in the car until he and Corvus arrived but Khalil sat debating whether he should ignore Lance’s request and just go inside and take care of this lying bastard.
One thing Khalil hated was a coward and Jamal was both a coward and a liar. He’d known all along that Jamal’s story had been bullshit, he’d just been waiting for Lance to confirm it. Although he wanted to go inside, he decided to wait. He knew that this was personal to Lance and nobody handled street business like Lance…Jamal had certainly sealed his fate.
Khalil glanced out of the window surveying the few houses that remained on the block. This once used to be a street filled with beautiful homes where children played outside until the streetlights came on. Neighbors all knew one another and took pride in their homes and their city.
Now the block held two or three houses surrounded either by vacant lots or half-burned dwellings. Drugs and crime had infested the city many years ago, and it was going to take many years to return it to its former state again. The Negus were committed to doing just that, no matter how long it took. They refused to accept the status quo and vowed to make a difference.
