Beginning of an Eclipse (SIN CITY HEAT SERIES PREQUEL)

by K, S

  He lay there staring at her, and when her lashes fluttered, he tensed. The nurse told him that the movements were involuntary and normal for patients in a coma, but Darrell preferred to think she was aware of what he was saying.

  “Roni? Baby? Can you hear me?”

  Roni’s eyes moved beneath her closed lids again. Yes. Yes I can hear you. She thought she said the words out loud, but apparently she didn’t because Darrell continued to softly talk to her.

  Why was she in a hospital? What was wrong with her?

  Suddenly, Roni felt a warmth invade her body. Slowly, she managed to open her eyes. She weakly looked around the room. Hearing Darrell call her name again, Marcus and Bryan hurried to the side of the bed. Roni’s lids felt so heavy, but she forced her groggy eyes to slide to each of them before her gaze settled on Darrell. A tear slowly trailed down the side of her face. Although his own eyes welled with unshed tears, Darrell kept a confident smile on his face and told her he loved her.

  I love you too…

  Roni tried her best to convey that to him. Then her eyes fixated on a light mist forming at the end of her bed. What…? She had to be hallucinating.

  Frank??

  But as she continued to stare at it, she was able to make out the translucent image of the husband she’d loved so much. Although his form was not solid mass, she knew it was him. The burly outline of his body looked the way it had before the cancer appeared and ravaged his once robust frame. By the time death claimed him, he’d been little more than skin and bones. He smiled at her and held out his hand.

  Roni tried to shake her head. She wasn’t ready, but all of a sudden, her eyes rolled back and her body violently and uncontrollably began to convulse.

  Darrell’s arms tightened around her. “Roni…! Roni!” He looked at Marcus with an expression of pure fear. “Marcus, what’s wrong?!”

  Several doctors and nurses rushed into the room, pushing Darrell out of the way and ignoring his shouts and demands to know what the hell was happening. Suddenly, the heart monitor flatlined.

  "Code blue! We have a code blue! Get the crash cart over here!! Now!"

  Instructions were rapidly tossed out as the emergency staff frantically worked to keep Roni alive. CPR was administered for several minutes before defibrillator pads were placed on her chest area.

  “Clear!” the doctor yelled out. Seconds later, an electronic impulse was sent through her body. After the shock was delivered, the doctor checked Roni’s pulse and breathing. Shaking his head in frustration, he eyed the monitor then delivered another shock.

  Darrell stood helplessly to the side, hands resting on top of his head as he looked on in shock and disbelief. This had to be a dream. But it wasn’t because the last words he heard the nurse mutter before Marcus pushed him out of the room destroyed his world.

  “She’s gone.”

  Per her wishes, Roni’s body was cremated and a small, private memorial was held because she hadn’t wanted a large, drawn out service. She always said she preferred a celebration and wanted her friends to remember her the way she was in life. Not death.

  Darrell arrived at the church early. He stood in front of the hand-cut mother of pearl urn which held her ashes. A large photo of her rested on a stand beside it. One of Darrell’s favorites. Slipping his dark shades off his face, he couldn’t help but smile as his eyes studied every inch of the picture.

  “You have to be one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen in my entire life, Veronica Simone Winston.”

  Swallowing hard, he reached inside his pocket and pulled out the engagement ring he’d bought but never got a chance to give her. Lifting the lid of the urn, he dropped it inside. After several long minutes, he brought two fingers to his lips then touched the plaque which had her name inscribed on it along with a prayer.

  “Goodbye, baby. Rest in paradise. I love you.”

  As with her memorial, Roni had left instructions that the execution of her will be done quickly. Two days after her service, Darrell and Bryan sat in front of her lawyer’s desk as he went over the terms of her will.

  Darrell’s body was there, but his mind was not. He’d initially refused to come, but Bryan had convinced him to honor Roni’s last request.

  Her last request?? He still hadn’t processed the fact that he would never see her again, never hold her. Touch her. Darrell shook his head. He couldn’t do this.

  “Aside from various charities, the bulk of Veronica’s sizable estate was left to Bryan. However, Bryan has asked that three-fourths be signed over to you, Darrell.”

  Barely listening, it took a moment for the lawyer’s words to register. “What?” He looked at Bryan and shook his head. “No.”

  “Darrell, she would’ve wanted-”

  “I said no. I don’t want it. Donate it to charity, give it away, do whatever. But I don’t want it.”

  “Darrell, just listen-”

  Cutting him off, Darrell turned to the lawyer. “Is there anything else you need from me?”

  The lawyer appeared to be taken aback and a little flustered by Darrell’s reaction. “Well, did you want to know how much…”

  Darrell leaned forward. “Did you not hear me?” He slowly enunciated his words so that there would be no doubt as to what he was saying. “I said I don’t want it. Now if that’s all…”

  “Darrell…”

  Bryan called his name, but Darrell stood up and walked out without acknowledging him or the lawyer. Once in his car, he started the ignition, but before he could pull off, his cell phone rang. He knew it was Marcus. Bryan had probably called him the second Darrell walked out. Since Roni’s death, the two of them had made it a point to see that he wasn't ever alone for very long.

  Well, the task ahead of him would have to be done alone. He didn’t want to involve either Bryan or Marcus in what he was planning. Darrell threw the cell phone in the seat when it stopped ringing.

  The moment Roni died, he said goodbye to the man he was. He knew he’d only become that man because of Roni anyway, and she was no longer here. It was time to deliver on the promise he’d silently made to her when he sat by her bedside during the final hours of her life. It was time to take care of the people responsible for her death, and who had now turned his existence into an empty, living nightmare.

  Chapter 16

  Luther turned the collar of his coat up and ducked his head as he walked past the motel clerk. He looked the other way and pulled the bill of the black baseball cap low about his brow. The clerk kept his eyes on the television until after Luther passed then picked up the phone and dialed a number.

  “He’s on his way up.”

  He disconnected the call and reached into his pocket to pull out the wad of green bills. Smiling, he counted out the Benjamin’s again, one by one.

  More than I make in six months, he leered. Not bad.

  Stuffing the money back into his pocket, he turned back towards the television. Whatever happened in room 433 was none of his business. He’d been paid very well not to see shit, speak about shit, or hear shit. He spared a brief thought regarding Luther’s fate.

  Poor bastard.

  Luther stepped over the wino sprawled in the narrow hallway that led to his rat trap of a room. Even now, damn near broke and hiding out, he looked down his nose at the conditions he was forced to live in. As he inserted the key into the door, he wondered again: How had he gotten to this place in his life?

  He had only been trying to protect Roni, to get that thug Monroe out of her life once and for all. It wasn’t his fault that idiot had killed Roni by mistake. If it had been Monroe, no one would’ve blinked an eye. As it was, his face was plastered everywhere. Television, posters in Vegas airports and bus stations…he was practically a prisoner in the city. He couldn’t use his credit cards or ATM card because he knew it would lead the authorities directly to him. He’d rented a room in a filthy motel right outside of town with what little money he’d been able to get his hands on - and it was running out
fast.

  He stepped into the room and quickly bolted the door. He hated this place! He hated the pathetic occupants even more, but the crime ridden neighborhood was the only place he could afford. He had to get the hell out of here.

  There had to be a way out!

  Luther threw himself down on the dirty sofa and looked around in disgust. The bedroom in his house was bigger than this entire room. He couldn’t believe his life had come to this.

  His stomach let out a loud growl, reminding him that he hadn’t had a meal since breakfast. However, he would hardly call the bologna and stale bread sandwich he’d consumed breakfast. His stomach roared again as he thought about his favorite meal of succulent lobster tails with garlic butter, meat so tender it melted in his mouth, followed by a dessert of creamy chocolate mousse cheesecake and the best wine money could buy...

  “‘Sup Thorpe…”

  Luther jumped up off the sofa and looked around in shock at hearing that voice. Monroe! He must’ve been hiding in the bathroom. Luther backed up to the other side of the tiny room, which was nowhere near far enough away.

  “What are you…? How did you…?” He desperately looked around for some means of escape but the only exit was the front door, and Darrell was casually leaning against it smoking a cigarette.

  “How did I find you? See, that was always your problem. You underestimated me from the very beginning.” Darrell blew out a puff of smoke. “I guess we underestimated each other, though, huh?”

  “What do you want?” Luther’s voice cracked in fear. As soon as he asked the question, he could’ve bitten his tongue off. Of course he knew what Monroe wanted, had seen it in his eyes the day Roni got shot. “Monroe, Roni’s death was an accident. A tragic, misfortunate accident.”

  Darrell’s body tensed. “If you say her name again, I’ll shove my fist so far down your throat you’ll be shittin’ it for days.”

  Luther held his hands up. “Alright, alright. I only meant to say it wasn’t supposed to happen. Ro-” He bit off Roni’s name when Darrell took a step towards him. “She wasn’t supposed to die.”

  Darrell’s laugh was bone chillingly cold. “No. I was, right?”

  “She was always too good for you! She would’ve eventually seen that. You didn’t deserve her!” he spat out.

  Darrell took another step, then stopped and nodded. “I have a feeling you’re gonna get what you deserve. Real soon. I‘ve called the police and they‘re on the way.”

  Luther tried to hide his terror. Keeping one eye on Darrell, he opened the blinds behind him and looked at the window that was nailed shut. Darrell glanced around the filthy room. Roaches were crawling on top of the tiny table by the wall. A mouse ran up to him, stopped, then kept it moving.

  “Nice accommodations you got here, Thorpe. But then again, where you’re going it’s gonna make this place look like Caesar’s Palace. See, Roni had a lot of friends. A lot of important friends. Why do you think you can barely take a piss without looking over your shoulder?”

  “It wasn’t my fault! Your old buddy ‘from da hood’, Rakeem, jumped the gun. He saw your truck and just started firing! I tried to get his attention, but….”

  “Don’t worry about him. He’s gonna see me next.”

  “I…I want to make a deal! I’ll testify against him. He’s really the one you want. He pulled the trigger. I’ll cooperate with the police….”

  Darrell’s laughter was full of genuine amusement. “Luther, don’t worry about it. I got it covered. No, you’re goin' somewhere that’s gonna welcome you with open arms.”

  Luther could feel his heart pounding in his chest. “Wh-what are you talking about?”

  “They’ll love you in prison. And I do mean love you. Pretty ass muthafucka like you? Shiiittt. They’ll have you on the prison block in no time and have you sold to the highest bidder by the end of your first day there.” Darrell cocked his head to the side and looked Luther up and down. “You should go for two, maybe three cartons of smokes. And come nighttime - I’m sure your new husband will consummate the union over. And over. And over….”

  “Wh-wh-wh-what?” Luther was horrified. His entire body trembled at the thought. He knew all about the horror stories of prison, and knew Vegas had some of the most brutal ones in the country. He had no doubt, with Bryan’s connections he’d make sure he was assigned to the worst one possible.

  There had to be a way out!

  He vehemently shook his head. “I-I-I-I’m not going to prison.” He jumped when a siren sounded from the streets below. “Oh, God. I have to get out of here.” He looked out the window and saw a police car pull up with lights flashing. “They won’t take me in alive. I’ll kill myself first.”

  Darrell studied Luther intensely. Luther shivered at the cold gleam in his eye. “Funny you should say that.”

  “Wh-wh-wh-what are you t-t-talking about…” He quickly glanced out the window again. The policemen were getting out of the cruiser.

  Without answering, Darrell pulled out a clear plastic zip lock bag with a 45mm inside. He walked over to Luther and threw it on the table beside him.

  “I thought you might feel that way.”

  Luther eyed the pistol suspiciously. “What’s that for?!”

  Darrell shrugged. “I really don’t give a damn what you do with it. The choice is yours. Only you know what you can endure. And if it’s being passed around from convict to killer for the rest of your life….” Again Darrell shrugged. “’Sup to you.”

  When Darrell turned and walked towards the door, he heard the rattling of the bag as Luther picked up the gun. Opening the door, he paused, keeping his back to Luther. “There’s only one bullet. Make it count.”

  Then he walked out. Luther’s hands shook so violently, he could barely open the bag. Then he looked at the door. Maybe he still had a chance to escape before…

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  “Luther Thorpe! This is the police! Open up!”

  Panicked, Luther froze. Once they took him into custody, it would be all over.

  But he didn’t have to let them take him alive.

  There was a way out!

  He stared at the gun. As the police thumped on the door again, he put the gun in his mouth before he changed his mind. Closing his eyes, he squeezed the trigger.

  Darrell walked past the clerk, and barely slowing down, slid an envelope full of cash towards him for the final payoff. The clerk reached for the envelope and stuffed it in his pocket.

  Stepping outside, Darrell waited. Minutes later, two police officers walked out of the motel. They looked at Darrell and nodded before getting into the police car and driving away. Without a word, Darrell got into his truck.

  One down. One to go.

  Rakeem was in heaven as he watched Precious suck, swallow, and slob his knob. When she'd approached him at the club and whispered in his ear what she wanted to do to him, he hadn’t wasted any time. She'd given him a preview of things to come in the car when she massaged and choked his meat until he forgot his own name.

  The minute they’d stepped into the motel room, Precious had him out of his clothes before he was aware of it. This freak even had a set of handcuffs in her purse. Rakeem had been a little leery of letting a bitch he didn’t know handcuff him, but before he was aware of what happened, he was buck naked and restrained on the bed.

  Trick betta be worth my time or I'mma beat her mu’fuckin’ ass!

  Rakeem writhed on the bed in anticipation as he eyed Precious. “That’s right, bitch. Look at that python. You ain’t neva seen nothin’ like that, have ya?"

  Rakeem was so busy talking shit that it was a minute before he noticed Precious was preparing to leave instead of taking her clothes off and crawling in the bed with him.

  “Hey. Hey, what you doin’….” Precious ignored him and opened the door to the room. She stuck her head out and looked around as if searching for someone. “Bitch, what the fuck is you doin’!” Rakeem looked up at the headboard and pulled at the
cuffs. "This some kinda joke?!”

  Precious gestured for somebody to come inside. “Bitch, come here! You don’t know who you fuckin’ wit!” By now, Rakeem was furious and struggling hard enough to break the headboard. “I will kick yo' got damn ass...”

  “Shut the fuck up. You ain’t gon’ do shit.”

  Rakeem raised his head to see who the deep voice belonged to. He laughed when he spied Darrell standing in the doorway, casually taking a pull from his cigarette and calmly observing him.

  “Well if it ain’t pretty boy Monroe! This one o' yo' bitches?”

  The same as he'd done with the clerk at the motel, Darrell slipped Precious a wad of cash, then held the door open for her to leave.

  “You’s a dead bitch when I catch you! You betta pray I don’t find you!” Rakeem yelled after her.

  Darrel closed and locked the door. “Nah. You the one who needs to start prayin’.”

  “Guess I'm supposed to be scared now.”

  Darrell threw a duffel bag on the chair and unzipped it. Ignoring Rakeem, he started taking out different items and placing them on the table. Rakeem continued to struggle with the cuffs, all the while taunting Darrell.

  “Oh yeah, I hear condolences are in order. Sorry about ya girl.”

  Darrell’s hand paused while pulling out the next item. He slowly turned his head to look at Rakeem. The grin dropped off Rakeem’s mouth when he saw the hammer in Darrell's hand.

  “What tha….” He finally noticed the rest of the items on the table. Tape. A large, sharp hunting knife. Cigarettes and cigarette lighter. Pliers.…a gun. “What the fuck is that shit?”

  Ignoring the dumb ass question, Darrell grabbed the gun and tape. He walked over to the television and changed the channel to a horror show where a woman was screaming as a man in a mask chased her with a chainsaw. He turned the volume up extra loud then picked up a chair and placed it beside the bed before straddling it. Crossing his arms over the back, he stared at Rakeem in silence. Rakeem glared back.