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and good information from the underground black market that they deal in.”
Vernon sits back on the step and gives a heavy sigh.
“Joe, why you doing this? You been fucking around with Chase or something?” Vernon puts his cigar back into his mouth.
“Naw, Vernon. I kissed her one time, but I never had her, dawg.”
“Yeah, right. That’s bullshit, Joe!”
I rub my right eyebrow and look Vernon in the eyes.
“Vernon, I’ve never lied to you, man. I’m not gonna start now.”
“Whatever, dude. This is fucked up. No wonder your wife is pissed. You’re willing to lose your woman over this? Has this been cleared with Commissioner Wayne, Joe?”
“Agent James is clearing it with him. I go pick up my car from the impound at FBI headquarters on Sunday.”
“What about your dad?Your pops can go any day now.
Are you willing to deal with the guilt if he passes before you get back? You know that would kill your mom.”
“Why are you bringing that up, Vernon?”
Vernon walks up to me and takes his cigar out of his mouth, standing so close that the sweet tobacco on his breath hits me in the face.
“Because these are the facts and this is real, Joe. A lot of people will be affected if something happens to you. Have you even thought of your children? Have you checked out everything? Something just ain’t right about this case, Joe. You’ve got a lot to lose, if this stuff goes wrong.” Vernon grips my shoulders and stares deep in my eyes.
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“What about Chase, Vernon? Should I just sit back and do nothing and let her die?”
“Let the FBI handle it, Joe.”
I grab the back of my neck. “Vernon, you don’t understand. I already took the case. Agent James gave me fifty thousand dollars for front money. It’s upstairs in my dresser drawer. I got to do this.”
“Return the money, Joe. You don’t have any obliga-tion to her.”
“I’m a cop, Vernon. Chase needs me and I owe her.”
“We’re both cops, asshole.” Vernon says pointing his stubby finger at me. “Well, I see you’ve got your mind set, so fuck me and what I think. Right, partner?” Vernon shoves the basketball in my chest, looks at me, shakes his head and walks to his car and drives off.
Vernon has never acted like this. Will our friendship ever be repaired? I turn to go in the house and Sierra is in the doorway with tears in her eyes. She must have heard the whole thing. I sit on the steps and put my head in my hands.
I have to trust my gut feeling on this, but I’m hurting so many people I love in the process. Am I that selfish?
Why am I willing to sacrifice so much? It’s my job and I owe Chase my life and she would do it for me. This has been the hardest thing I’ve done, and yet, it will be harder explaining this to my mom and dad. My dad is dying of cancer, and I will use all the resources possible to get back to Kansas City as fast as I can.
I’ll have to call St. Louis Slim and Mo-Mo to set up a meeting. They’ll have my back even though St. Louis Slim still hasn’t gotten over our last argument, but I know he won’t hold that against me. At least, I hope not.
Chapter 4
Chase wakes up, looks around and realizes she’s in a hotel room, sore all over, with the sour taste of con-gealed blood in her mouth. She struggles to rise from the bed and wonders how they got her in there unconscious. Did they walk her through a lobby, or did one of Dread’s henchmen pay one of the hotel workers so they could sneak her up a back entrance, on some freight elevator away from any suspecting hotel guests?
By the Italian furnishings, she gathers that this place is very expensive. It must be a suite. Shadows move under the door. Television noise and conversation can be heard from the next room. Her room is dark, but the shades are pulled back enough for the moon to gaze in.
She remembers her mom calling the moon God’s night-light. It sheds enough light for her to find her way to the bathroom without tripping over her overnight bag.
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Chase pulls her bag into the bathroom with some dif-ficulty, closes the door, and without thinking, switches on the light. She’s immediately blinded by the bright fluorescent lights that illuminate the oversized area.
When her equilibrium and sight adjust to the lighting, she’s surprised that her encounter with Brutus didn’t leave her as badly bruised as she’s feeling.
A slight bruise swells on her right cheek and her lip is a little swollen on the right side, as well. She’s glad her arm blocked her face. Too bad it didn’t block the cuts on the inside of her mouth. She runs her tongue around her mouth to check for any loose teeth. They’re fine.
Brutus could have hurt her worse, and she counts her blessings that he considers her a friend. She’ll have to let him make the first move next time. It was silly for her to get caught in the air. She knew better.
Her face has a light coating of dust, as do her hair and clothes. She pulls some straw from under her shirt and suddenly feels weak-kneed as she thinks of Agent Smelley swinging from that rope. At least Dread didn’t burn his body as he did all the others. She pushes the tears back and vows to get even. She has to be smart and keep a cool head.
She must contact her superior, FBI Agent Royal James, and let him know of her position.
She looks around the gold-toned bathroom with the oversized French marble Jacuzzi, bathtub and vanity. By the wall, off from the freestanding shower is a wall phone. Thank God for hotels. Chase is surprised when the information on the phone reveals that they are in room number 1611 at the Downtown Hyatt Regency hotel in Sioux City, Iowa. She looks out the door to Vincent Alexandria
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make sure no one has entered the room. She pulls out her cell phone and mutes the sound. She carefully dials Agent James’s cell-phone number.
It rings two times. “James here.”
She whispers into the phone. “This is Chase.”
Agent James’s pitch rises immediately. “Chase, are you all right? Where the hell are you? We’ve got to get you out. We believe we’ve found Agent Smelley. He’s been burned.”
“James, I fear for my life, but I’m okay. Agent Smelley was not burned. He was killed in Nebraska. His body is in a red barn that’s on a deserted dirt country road near Freemont, just off Highway 30. Dread killed him. He cut him up something awful.” Her voice breaks.
Agent James pauses for a moment. “Chase, we thought we had Smelley’s body here. Some poor bastard has been burned to a crisp and he’s about the same size as Smelley. You’ve got to get out of there.”
“That was Officer Paul Novesell. He double-crossed Dread on a drug bust and tried to keep part of the money for himself. If I see the opportunity, I’ll get out. They have someone watching me constantly. There are at least six men with Dread at all times.”
“Joe is on his way to help you get out. Just hang tough and stay alive until he can get to you. Where are you?”
“Thank God. I’m in Sioux City…” The door to her room opens, and she flips the phone shut and shoves it in her panties. That is one place they won’t search.
Dread enters the bathroom. He has on a black leather shirt-and-pants outfit with red snakeskin boots and belt.
His eyes become slits as he canvasses the room suspi-74
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ciously. Chase tries to put on the best mean and tough face that she can muster.
“You see what Brutus did to my face? I feel like shit and I need to take a shower. Do you mind?”
Dread walks up behind her and wraps his arms around her body as he pins her to the vanity. His penis bulges against her behind. They stare at each other in the reflection in the mirror.
“Yes, I mind! I didn’t mean for you to get hurt, but you made my boys look bad, no? Oh, you excited me da way you handled yourself. I just want to make sure that you’re okay, and I ask for your forgivenes
s, dear.
Can’t we make passionate love and make up?” Dread presses harder and harder against her, his breathing growing heavier.
He places his hands on her buttocks and starts to grind. As his intensity gets faster, Chase pushes back, turns to face him and slaps his face. “I will not be treated like a twenty-dollar whore, Dread. My body is sore all over, I’m dirty and not in the mood to be mauled or man-handled!”
Dread throws his hands up in a surrendering motion while giving her an amused smile. “Please excuse me.
You’re right. I am beside myself. I will leave you to get dressed. We have another meeting in three hours. That should give you time to freshen up and get dressed.”
Dread adjusts his penis in his pants and gathers himself.
He slicks back his jet-black hair, wipes the sweat from his brow, adjusts his clothes and takes a deep breath.
He blows her a kiss as he pulls the bathroom door shut. Chase puts her ear to the wooden door just long enough to hear the bedroom door close. She goes into Vincent Alexandria
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the bedroom to make sure he has exited. The room is vacant. She can still hear the men laughing and talking in the other room.
She falls upon the bed and breathes a sigh of relief as she retrieves her cell phone from her underwear and tries to call Agent James back. His line is busy. She tries two more times and returns the cell phone to her purse, frowning. He should have been expecting her to call back. She tries to convince herself that he’s contacting Joe and letting him know she’s at some hotel in Iowa.
Two hours later she finds herself in the back of the black sport utility vehicle with Dread sitting next to her. They are to meet with one of Dread’s supporters.
Dread usually doesn’t get involved in the collection of money that is owed, but in this case, he explained that Iowa police officer Charles O’Brian has been skim-ming the profits in the amount of forty thousand dollars in the last two months. Dread wants to make an example of this guy.
An example for Dread always ends up with someone being killed. He is serious about his money and loyalty.
Chase hasn’t met this O’Brian guy, but he has to be a fool to steal from Dread. If she’d known how sinister this guy was before she took the case, she wouldn’t have gotten into it. She hates being in these situations where Dread is handling his business; they’re more like executions than examples.
She stares out the SUV’s window into the starlit, country night and wonders about her fate. She opens the window a bit and breathes in deeply of the cool, sweet, country night air and almost forgets the danger. She 76
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says a silent prayer that she will come out of this assignment alive.
They pull into Moville, Iowa, a small and rustic town.
It looks like Mayberry—the town in the old Andy Grif-fith TV show. A big oak tree grows in the middle of the town square as they pass the jailhouse. All the homes have white picket fences.
Is Otis in his cell, drunk, with his cow grazing behind the jailhouse? Are Barney and Andy inside drinking coffee and explaining life lessons to Opey and Goober? They quickly pass through the tiny town and pull off on to a road that leads to a sprawling field. Chase spots the Sioux City, Iowa, police vehicle as they pull up beside of it.
“Chase, you stay here. I’ll be right back.” Dread kisses her on the cheek, and before she can answer, he gets out of the car with Brutus, Weasel and Ronnell.
Officer O’Brian gets out of his police cruiser with his palms exposed as he greets Dread. O’Brian is on the overweight side with a carrot top and freckles that cover his broad face. He looks like he could have played football at one time, but gave up his dream and settled for fried Hostess Twinkies, two at a time. The buttons on his one-size-too-small shirt cling to their threads as his huge belly protrudes, and you can see his protective vest in the gaps between the buttons.
He stands about five feet, ten inches, with a childish face and stubby fingers. Dread looks disgustedly at him.
Chase lets her window down so she can hear the conversation. The night air has dropped at least twenty degrees, and puffs of vapor appear from their mouths as the men speak.
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out to this deserted place alone. She surveys the area.
Something moves just beyond the clearing. The high three-quarter moon illuminates the surroundings.
The tall prairie grass, about three to four feet high, dances in the night wind. She pulls out the Smith and Wesson .44 magnum pistol that Dread keeps in a secret compartment behind the backseat armrest and grabs two bullet clips. Checking the clip in the gun to make sure it is full, she slaps it into the handle and then pulls the slide back, loading a bullet into the chamber.
Chase reaches up and turns off the dome light, then pushes the car door ajar, just in case something goes down. She tunes back in on the conversation between Dread and O’Brian, but remains on high alert, survey-ing the landscape for any intruders.
Dread is smiling while grabbing the back of his neck.
Always a bad sign. He only does this when stressed.
“So, O’Brian, I haven’t taken good care of you for handling my Iowa accounts?”
“Yes, Dread, you have. Very well. I have your money right here.”
O’Brian opens his uniform shirt, which reveals his bulletproof vest. He pulls three stacks of cash from underneath it and hands it to Dread. Dread looks at Adam, another Nebraska police officer, who handles the books for his organization. Adam, a white guy with blond hair and a medium muscular build who looks a little like Ben Affleck, takes the money, fingers through it quickly and shakes his head. Then he steps back with the other three men, Clark, Christopher and Damon, who have all traveled together in the silver SUV that is parked off to the side.
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Dread claps his hands and laughs. “It is getting cold out here, is it not?”
“It’s been colder,” O’Brian answers as he buttons his shirt. His hands are shaking.
“Yes, colder. Cold can be an anomaly. Like when life is escaping your body, they say you feel cold all over.”
Dread looks O’Brian in the eyes. “Have you heard that?”
“No, I’m not much interested in dying or what happens to dead people,” O’Brian replies as he looks around at Dread’s men, who have formed a wide circle encompassing him. O’Brian’s eyes dart between the men as if he’s looking for an escape route. His eyes bulge with fear.
“No? Well, it seems you would be after thinking that you could steal from me, you fucking maggot.”
Dread snaps.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve always paid you on time,” O’Brian responds, taking a step backward.
Dread takes a step forward.
“No, my friend. To our calculations, you are about…how much, Adam?” Dread looks over at his accountant.
“Fifty thousand to this point!” Adam answers.
“Fifty-thousand behind,” Dread echoes as he turns back to the Sioux City, Iowa, policeman.
O’Brian points up at the moon. “Well, I guess all good things come to an end, and it looks like a good night for dying,” he says with a smirk.
This time Chase knows she hears something moving through the tall grass. She ducks down in the seat as several men pass the vehicle and surround Dread and his Vincent Alexandria
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men with their rifles and shotguns drawn before Dread’s guys reach for their weapons.
Chase weighs her options. Drive off and leave Dread and his men at the fate of the redneck countrymen? But, if Dread were to make it out of the situation alive… She also thinks of the good old boys shooting out her tires, and can only imagine what they would do to her before killing her. She plays the odds and decides to stick around and help out Dread and his men.
“Well, isn’t this cozy?” O’Brian says.
“You think I’m some kind of fool? Why should I let some fucking Cuban make all the money? I see it like this: I run this territory and get twenty percent off the top, or I get it all. There’s no negotiation, so you can just jump your Cuban ass back in your SUV and get your punk asses out of my town. I’ll mail you your money from here on out. You got a problem with that, Cubie?” O’Brian asks with his gun pointed at Dread’s scrotum.
Dread smirks as out of the corner of his eye, he sees Chase sneaking up on one of O’Brian’s men, gun aimed at his head. “Actually, yes. I do have a serious problem with dat.”
She pushes the magnum against the skull of the shotgun-toting hick. “Drop your weapons now or I’ll blow his brains out!” She orders.
Dread disarms O’Brian, to his amazement, and holds the gun to O’Brian’s scrotum. The other six men quickly drop their weapons and raise their hands as Dread’s men huddle them together.
Dread motions her over to him. “You never cease to amaze me. I’m sorry I doubted your loyalty.” He kisses her on the cheek and turns back to O’Brian. “See, it takes 80
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a woman to show you how to act, and she will be rewarded handsomely. Adam, how much we got there in cash?”
Adam quickly calculates the money he has already put in a black duffel bag. “About sixty-five thousand, boss.”
Dread orders, “Give it to Chase.” He turns to the aston-ished Chase and says, “That’s for you, baby, and I hope it makes up for the pain you had to endure for my mistrust.”
“It more than makes up for it, Dread. Thanks!” She replies as Adam hands Chase the dusty duffel bag.
Dread smiles and winks at Chase. “Okay, baby, can you go wait in the car for us? I think it’s about to get ugly around here.”
“Sure, baby,” she answers, feeling torn about the carnage that is sure to follow. She feels helpless and knows the incident has spiraled beyond her control. She throws the dirty black money bag in the SUV, but doesn’t get in. Her curiosity about what Dread will do to the betray-ers has gotten the best of her, and she will have to give an eyewitness account in detail of the deeds done, if the case ever gets to trial.
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