by B. M. Hardin
I wanted to know what amount of money could cause him to lie to me, hide his secrets from me, and probably somehow cause of his death.
Searching for a little while, I looked all over for a safe or something but I didn’t find one.
Then I stopped to think about it.
Drake wouldn’t have left it here.
Not if Daddy knew about this place.
No matter what Daddy thought, Drake didn’t truly trust anybody but me.
Drake was far too smart and he always thought ahead.
The money probably wasn’t there at all.
I looked around at other things in the house for a while.
He had clothes there.
Food, hygiene products and more.
Every room was furnished.
Things were lying around as though he’d left in a rush.
What was all of this all about?
Why hadn't he told me about this house before?
Finally I headed out, and as I walked to the car, I saw that the old woman, peeping at me through her blinds.
Once she noticed that I’d spotted her, she moved away.
Getting into the car I wondered about her and this house.
What had Drake been involved in that was so bad that he had to have a whole house that I didn’t know about?
I was starting to think that there was more to the story and to his death than I could even imagine.
And for the most part, I was afraid of what the truth might actually consist of.
And why had he wanted me to come here?
There had to have been a reason that he’d told Daddy to send me there if something ever happened to him.
My thoughts consumed me as I headed back to the city.
I didn’t even notice that I was pulling up at home, until I was sitting in the driveway.
I hadn’t been back to the house since the night that it had happened.
The night that Drake was murdered.
My feelings were all over the place as I stared at it.
Of course I would never live there again, but I needed to go in and grab a few things for Krissie and I.
It was broad daylight so I was sure that it was probably safe to run inside and that nothing would happen to me.
It was a Saturday so most people were home and there would be plenty of witnesses.
I grabbed the car handle but for some reason I couldn’t open the door.
My mind started to play tricks on me as I stared at the porch at some kind of ghostly visual of Drake.
He was smiling at me but I started to cry.
I missed him so much already and I still had a life time to go without him.
Krissie had been asking where he was and I didn’t know what to tell her.
I didn’t know how to explain to her that he was dead.
She was so young; she wouldn’t understand.
I didn’t even want her at the funeral remembering how she’d acted at her mother’s.
Eventually I knew that she was going to probably forget about Drake too, just as she had slowly started to forget her mother.
It would be up to me to tell her the truth.
Now I was actually glad that we’d gone through the process of me actually adopting her and officially making her my daughter.
It made things easier in the long run.
The transparent image of Dray faded as the wind rustled the leaves on the trees.
I thought about all of our summer days that we’d spent together for some reason; especially as kids.
We’d shared so much time and space together.
So many secrets.
I thought about our first kiss and the first time that he put that thang on me.
I thought about all of the fun that we had way back in the day and how no matter what, I’d always stuck by him.
He’d always been troubled, but I wished he had never gotten involved with trying to be some kind of dope boy or drug dealer, or whatever they called it these days.
He could have been poor. We could have been struggling.
And I would have still loved him the same.
I would give anything to hear his voice one more time.
I would give away every dime that we had just to hear him call my name.
My head started to hurt as I tried to hold back more tears.
I couldn’t help but be angry.
And I was angry at Drake.
This was somewhat his fault too.
Whatever the reason was, Drake had no business being a part of the mess.
Had he had gotten out years ago like he’d promised he would still be here.
But I couldn’t help but wonder what he’d done.
What did he do?
Who did he do it to?
Why had whoever killed Drake?
Knock. Knock.
I jumped as Kane knocked on my car window.
I grabbed my chest as he pulled at the door knob.
I tried to lock it, but he’d already opened it and took a seat on the passenger’s side.
“What are you doing here?”
“You drove by me and I started following you.”
Why was he so damn crazy?
“Why?”
“To make sure that you were safe. I could tell that you were headed here.”
I stared at him.
“Well you can go now. I’m fine.”
“No you’re not Moe. You’re crying. You want a hug?”
“Hell no. Not from you.”
“Why do you have to be so mean?”
“Because I don’t like you Kane. Or did you forget? Wait a minute, you didn’t forget anything. You were faking it all along.”
I rolled my eyes as Kane smirked.
“You want to know what I think?”
“No. Not really.”
“Well I’m going to tell you anyway. I think that your father might have had Drake killed.”
I looked at him as my heart started to beat faster and faster.
“Why would you say that? He told you that?”
Kane shook his head.
“No. But I know your father.”
“What does that mean? You can’t just walk around accusing people of murder with no proof Kane.”
“Who needs proof when you know the man that you worked for, for years, like the back of your hand? I know how he acts when he’s uncomfortable about a decision that he had to make that maybe he wasn’t too fond of. Like when he had those folks beat you up to make you lose the baby. He was all bothered and what not. It took him a week to start acting like himself again. I know him better than you do.”
What is Kane talking about?
I’d asked Daddy for myself and he swore that he wasn’t involved.
He had better not been lying to me.
Not this time.
“I’ve been his ace for years. Trust me, I know him. I could be wrong, but I don’t think that I am. Your father didn’t express to you just how dangerous he really could be. Of course it came with the job, but never the less, your father doesn’t mind taking care of business; one way or the other. I’m no saint, but I’m ten times a better man than your father has ever been. And even though they were both officially out when Drake was killed, something just gives me the feeling that your father was behind it.”
“What are you getting at Kane?”
“I’m just speculating.”
“Well don’t. Saying that my father killed my husband is one hell of a speculation.”
“Not really.”
“Get out of my car Kane.”
“What are you going to do? With the kids? You’re going to need some help. I don’t mind being a step-daddy,” Kane laughed and I became as hot as Hell’s fire.
“You have kids of your own.”
“So. I have room for yours.”
“Don’t you have your hands full with my sister?”
“Nope. I haven’t even touched her yet. I just enjoy making you jealou
s.”
“I’m not jealous.”
“Yes you are. You just don’t know it yet.”
“Kane get out!”
“What? What did I say wrong?”
Never!
I didn’t care if he was the last man in the whole wide world, Kane would never, ever, have me again.
He could marry Lee Lee for all I cared and I would even be in the wedding, wearing some ugly bridesmaid dress and all.
But you best believe that me or my kids didn’t need anything from him.
Not now.
Not ever.
“Did Daddy really give you his whole little operation?”
“Yep. But that’s only because he feels guilty for what he did to Naomi behind my back.”
My heart dropped.
“How do I know about that?”
“You accidently answered your phone the day that he confessed it to you. I was calling you, remember, and when you accidentally answered, I listened to the conversation between you two for a while. I heard what he said. But that’s neither here nor there. I’m telling you. He had Drake killed too.”
“Kane don’t assume that he done something to Drake. Drake and Naomi were two different people in his eyes. And sorry. I wanted a child, but I didn’t want hers.”
“I’m over that.”
Yeah right.
I could see that it bothered him.
Hell it would have bothered me too.
But Kane kept talking.
“The best way to get over an old love is to get under a new one. That applies to both of us you know.”
I smacked my lips and grabbed my purse to look for my pepper spray.
“Look okay, being completely serious. I’m telling you, I really think that he was involved. I think your father hired people to kill Drake.”
“If he did, why would you even be telling me this Kane?”
“As he said, loyalty is hard to find. I’d learned that the hard way about him apparently. Anyway, as I was saying. I overheard him finishing up a call earlier that day. I caught the end of the conversation, but just from what I heard, I’d tried to put two and two together and when it happened and once I thought about it, he could have very well been planning Drake’s murder.”
I was so confused.
“I saw you leave you father’s that day and trailed you to your house. Drake was already there. I sat out there for a while. I just wanted to see what was going to happen. Sure enough, a car pulled up, men jumped out of it as the car pulled off. I saw them go in, and a few minutes later, they came back out. The car that had dropped them off had just pulled back up, they jumped in and just like that, they were gone. Hell, I pulled off too. But I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened. I wanted to know what had happened. I knew that they’d gone in to kill. I guess I wondered if they had killed you. So I came back.”
“And you did nothing? You saw them and did nothing?”
“If I had, they might have gone on a rampage and killed not only Drake, but the rest of us too. But with no hiccups in whatever the plan was, they did what they were supposed to do and went on.”
I shook my head.
“Something just doesn’t add up.”
Kane exhaled as though he was getting frustrated but imagine how I felt.
He was telling me that Daddy could have killed Drake, or at least set him up to be killed and I didn’t want to believe it.
I’d asked Daddy and he’d sworn that he hadn't.
But Kane was probably right.
He probably did know him better than I did.
He knew the real him.
I’d only known the father that he’d pretended to be.
But after all of Kane’s games, lies, and because I knew how insane he could be, believing him would be all kinds of stupid on my part.
I couldn’t take Kane’s word either.
“I was out of commission for a while, being in the hospital and all. Of course your father knew that I hadn't really loss my memory but he was the only one for a while. Drake didn’t even know until after I’d left the hospital. But anyway, your father wanted me to be 100% before trying to make any kind of runs for him. Drake worked close with him during that time and picked up the slack. I was out of sight and out of mind for a little while. I don’t know if something went wrong during that time, but in my opinion, Drake had to be taken care of for a reason. He had to have done something wrong or something. That’s the only thing that I can think of. And your father was more than likely the man behind the plan. But what do I know right?”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Then don’t. It’s not really my concern. I just thought that you should know what I thought about the matter. Hell, he already dead anyway.”
“Yep, I guess him and Naomi will be maggot food lovers huh?” I said trying to make him feel as irritated by my remark as he’d just made me feel by his.
He was so inconsiderate.
“I guess so. So, can we be lovers too again?”
I pointed the pepper spray in his direction.
“Bye.”
He grabbed the car handle with a smirk on his face.
“By the way, don’t come to this house alone. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you too,” Kane said as if he actually cared about my well-being as he got out of the car.
He scurried across the street and drove away like a bat out of hell.
Taking his advice, I pulled out and headed down the street behind him.
As I drove away, I couldn’t help but wonder what if he was right.
What if Daddy was involved in what happened to Drake?
Why would he have my husband killed?
He knew how much I loved Drake, why would he take him away from me?
He’d already done enough.
Unsure, I entertained my thoughts and headed in the direction of my parent’s house.
I had a few questions more for that dear old Daddy of mine.
~***~
I cried as Drake disappeared into the ground.
I didn’t want to say goodbye.
I didn’t want him to go.
I just wanted him back.
Or at least I could go with him.
He had been there pretty much my whole life…what was I going to do without him?
Even when I was in prison, he kept me going.
Even though I didn’t know the bullshit that he was doing with Naomi and with the drugs, he still showed up to see me, every single visit, as though everything was okay.
He was the only one that had been there for me.
He was the only one that had cared.
And now he was gone.
And let Kane tell it, Daddy had taken him away from me.
“He didn’t deserve this. He was a good man,” Daddy said innocently.
I continued to cry and didn’t say a word.
“If I could have taken his place, I would.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“Sure I do. But at least he left you a good bit of money. You’ll never have to worry about anything again.”
Was he really talking about money right now?
I didn’t give a damn about the money!
But out of curiosity, I responded.
Wondering what Daddy would have to say next.
“I guess. The money that we have in the bank and the life insurance policy is enough to carry us for a long while.”
“No. He has far more money than that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Trust me. He has a lot more money than that stashed away. At that house.”
“Where? I didn’t find a safe or anything.”
I could feel Daddy staring at me even though I wasn’t looking at him.
“Well, I’m sure he left it somewhere. That’s why he gave me the address in the first place. So that you would be able to have access to all of the dirty money that he couldn’t take to the bank. And he had my instructions as well if somethi
ng was to ever happen to me to give to you. You’ll just have to figure out what he done with it. But let’s not worry about that right now.”
I cried even harder.
For some reason the money topic had rubbed me the wrong way.
Who asks about a dead man’s money at his own funeral?
It was as though Daddy was a little too concerned about it if you ask me.
I couldn’t help but wonder if Kane had been on to something.
But, no, it couldn’t be about money.
At least not with Daddy.
I was sure that he had enough of it of his own.
I was also sure that since he had the address he could have easily gone there and gotten the money himself, without saying a word about it or he could have simply never mention the secret house to me in the first place.
“Kane told me to give you his regards by the way. Kane is disturbed Moet, but you seemed to have made some kind of lasting impression on him. I attempted to pry, just because of the issue with you and your sister, but he was pretty clear about what was going on with him and Lee Lee but he avoided all of my questions about you. But of course since he’s the boss now, and I don’t want either of you, Lee Lee included a part of that lifestyle anymore. But if you want my opinion, I think something strange is going on with your sister. She can’t seriously have a thing for him right? Knowing that you two had something going on. It’s just nasty,” Daddy said and kissed my forehead.
He started to walk away.
“Oh, but in a few days we can brainstorm and try to find what Drake did with his money for you. Maybe he moved it. If you don’t find it, don’t worry about it. I have plenty.”
If he mentioned that money one more time!
I just wanted Drake.
But no amount of money was going to bring him back to me.
I would truly hate Daddy with everything in me if he was responsible for Drake’s death in some way.
I was barely over the attack, but him killing Drake, or setting him up to be killed, would surely cause me to snap.
There was no telling what my mind would tell me to do that my heart didn’t agree with.
My hands might accidently switch a few of his medications or something, and we didn’t need another burial.
Not anytime soon.
But I would be beyond hurt and hurt people…hurt other people.
No one had ever loved me like Drake had, not even him, and I only hoped that Kane’s suspicions were wrong.
But the more and more I thought about it, I didn’t think that I ever wanted to find out the truth.
