by Roy Glenn
So it was decision time.
Keep digging or go to Paris with Jada?
One thing that she was sure of, one way or the other, Max was done. It was bad enough that she was putting her life in jeopardy, but it was selfish of her to include Max in her madness.
And it is madness, Carmen thought.
Max had a wife and a family. She could never forgive herself if something happened to Max because she didn’t know when to let go.
And I guess that answers my question.
With the decision to stay and keep digging made, Carmen needed to decide what she was going to do next. She knew that the answer to that question was at Enzo’s Palace. That was where she needed to go next, but before she went there, there was somewhere else that Carmen needed to go.
“Peninsula Hotel.”
Carmen wasn’t the only one who was deep in thought that night. Jada stood in the window of her suite at The Peninsula Hotel, and she too was thinking about what she needed to do next. Not only did she have the situation with Carmen on her mind, but Chanté had dropped a bomb on her with the news that Detective Bautista had and informant on the inside of The Family.
After dropping off Chanté, Jada canceled her appointment and went to J.R.’s hoping that somebody could tell her where Rain was recovering. Not knowing how deep the penetration was, Jada understood that phones were out of the question, and she needed to speak to her in person. When Jada arrived at J.R.’s, it was closed, so she resolved herself to wait until later in the evening and try again.
So, she waited.
But Jada wasn’t waiting alone in the suite. Not only was Fantasy there, so were Simone, Victor and Nesmith. And knowing that she was going to be in the city for a while, Jada had sent for Caprice, her personal assistant. She had just arrived from Nassau, so the atmosphere in the suite was somewhat festive.
Since Jada wasn’t able to speak about it, and was clearly distressed by it, she chose to stay in her room by herself until there was a knock at the door.
“Yes.”
Caprice opened the door. “Carmen is here to see you.”
“I’ll be out in a minute.”
After glancing in the mirror, Jada came out in the suite to greet Carmen. As soon as she came through the door, Carmen started walking toward her. She grabbed Jada by the hand. “We need to talk,” she said and literally dragged Jada into the study before shutting the door.
“I have so much to tell you; I don’t know where to start.”
“Start with telling me that the police aren’t going to charge you with murder.”
“No.” Carmen laughed a little, and only because she chose to be in good spirits about it.
“Good,” Jada said and relaxed a little.
“They might charge me with manslaughter.”
“Not good.” And just as quickly as it subsided, the tension returned.
“That’s what the station’s attorney seems to think.”
“Then perhaps you need another attorney,” Jada said, but thought that wasn’t the solution. “What really needs to happen is that I need to tell the police that I shot him.”
“No, Jada.”
“Yes, Carmen. I cannot, in good conscious, allow you to be charged with something that I did.”
“I understand that, but we are not there yet, trust me.”
“Okay, but I still think you should seek independent counsel. He is the station’s lawyer; his job is to protect their interests and not yours.”
“Believe me Jada, the meeting I just had with my managing editor thoroughly convinced me of that fact.”
“Good.”
“But, Jada.”
“What?”
“I met a man,” Carmen paused. “Well, I didn’t actually meet him,” she said and told the story to Jada. “He just kinda showed up outta nowhere and saved me from that man.”
Jada laughed. “He’s your bodyguard, Carmen.”
“I don’t have a bodyguard.”
“Yes you do. Don’t you remember me telling you that you had a bodyguard?”
Carmen’s beautiful face suddenly became distorted.
“When?”
“It was a couple of years ago, before I skipped the country,” Jada giggled.
“Like the common criminal you are.”
“I may be a criminal, but I will have you know I am far from common.”
“Whatever.”
“Anyway, that particular day, we were going shopping and you had come to pick me up at the Kimberly Hotel. You had just commented on how cute Victor was…”
“Isn’t he,” Carmen said.
“And you said that it must be nice to have a cutie follow me around all day.”
“This is starting to sound familiar.”
“It should. I told you that Mr. Black was at war, and that you couldn’t be foolish enough to think that you didn’t have one too.”
Carmen thought about it and remembered thinking that Jada was right. You just gotta love that man, Carmen now remembered saying at the time.
“I remember that. But I thought that was only temporary,” Carmen said, and Jada just looked at her like she should have known better.
“We are talking about Mr. Black here,” Jada said.
“Yeah.”
“You see Victor is still with me.”
“Jada, let me tell you the man is fine. Tall, sexy chocolate brown skin, and he has these deep penetrating eyes,” Carmen said.
“I know.”
“You know? What do you mean, you know?”
“I met him.”
“So you knew I still had one and you didn’t tell me?”
Jada tipped her head to one side and smiled. “I met him outside a diner one night.”
“He was there?”
“I imagine he is always there, Carmen.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. But that means …”
“That he’s here somewhere now. Yes, Carmen, yes it does.”
“Wow,” was all Carmen could say and thought for a minute about what always there meant and how she felt about it. Since he saved my life, I guess I appreciate it.
“Since it’s obvious that you’re in investigator mode, I’m going to assume that we’re not going to Paris.”
“Yes we are, Jada West. You and I are going to Paris. Just give me a day or two.”
“Uh, huh,” Jada said and thought about her promise not to leave the country. “A day or two it is. Well the very least you can do is buy me a drink,” Jada said. “I need to make a stop at J.R.’s, but after that, you’re buying.”
“I kinda gotta make a stop too,” she told Jada.
Jada looked at Carmen. “Since you’re in investigator mode, I think it’s prudent that I ask where you need to stop.”
“A place called Enzo’s Palace.”
“Enzo’s Palace? What possible reason would you have to go to that dump?”
“You know the place?”
“I used to be in that industry. Dancers drift from club to club, so I’ve known women who’ve danced there at one time or another.”
“Well, then, that makes you the perfect travel companion for the night.”
When the ladies arrived at Enzo’s Palace, Carmen promised that she was just going to have a look around to see if she saw Simpson. She needed to know about the flash drive he had given her and the significance of it.
While Carmen went off in search of Simpson, Jada sat down at a table to wait. Not knowing how long Carmen would be, she sent Nesmith to the bar to get her a drink. While he was gone, a man was passing by the table, but stopped when he saw Jada sitting there.
“Damn, you a fine ass mutha fucka. You dance here?”
“No.”
The man laughed. “Then you must be here to watch like me,” he said, and sat down next to Jada and tried to talk. This was truly the last thing she needed to deal with, a rude drunk. Jada simply ignored him at first, but he persisted.
“Go away. I really do not
want to be bothered.”
“Don’t be like that, sexy.”
While he continued talking, Jada looked around for Nesmith, but didn’t see him in the dark and crowded club. With so many things on her mind and really not wanting to be bothered, Jada reached in her purse, took out her gun and pointed it at his crotch.
“I did say that I didn’t want to be bothered, right?”
“You did say that,” he said as Nesmith returned to the table with her drink.
“Is there a problem, Ms. West?”
“Yes. Remove him.”
Nesmith grabbed the man by the shirt and pulled him out of the chair at the same time that Carmen saw Simpson come in Enzo’s and then he went in the back. She quickly headed for the door to catch him.
“The man that just went back there, Calvin Simpson, is there any way I could talk to him?”
“Sure, I’ll go get him and send him out.”
While the man went in the back to get Simpson, Carmen went back to the table to wait. She was just about at the table when four men came out the back with guns.
“Gun!” Mr. Nesmith yelled as the gunmen opened fire.
He quickly grabbed Jada and Carmen and then he shielded them with his body, as other customers ran or hit the floor. Although he was wearing a vest, Nesmith still took several shots to his arms and grazing’s to the neck and head in order to protect the ladies as they ran for the door.
Jada pulled out her gun, stopped and fired back. It gave Nesmith a chance to get out. They were just about out, when Carmen saw that her bodyguard had gotten into the firefight, she stopped to look at him.
Jada grabbed Carmen by the hand. “Come on, Carmen,” she said and fired a couple more shots. “So much for Paris,” Jada said, as they left Enzo’s.
Chapter Nineteen
The Four Kings was the name of one of the small clubs that they ran gambling out of for many years. Management of the spot had changed a few times over the years. After Rain, Jackie and Ryder killed Andrew Veasley and Frank Louis, The Four Kings had been taken over by Antonio and Renée Ford, who were killed by Wanda and she put Ayisha Diaz in charge of the place, “For the time being. But she was fucking Antonio behind Renée’s back, so maybe she’s not the most trustworthy person,” Wanda observed.
At the time, Rain wanted to put Smoke in that spot, but she needed him to handle other more pressing matters, so Ayisha Diaz stayed in that position until one night, a few months ago, when Wanda dropped in for a drink. As instructed, the second they saw Wanda come in the club, it wasn’t long before an apple martini was in her hand. And it wasn’t too long after when Ayisha Diaz was pushing her way through the crowd to get to her.
At first, Wanda was a little surprised to see her still there. She remembered Rain saying that she had somebody in mind to take over the spot. She assumed that Rain, or whoever she put in charge, decided to keep Ayisha around.
“How are you tonight, Wanda?” Ayisha asked as soon as she made it to her.
“I’m fine,” Wanda said, and headed straight for the gambling room. Ayisha was right behind her.
When she made it to the room, Wanda stopped and looked around. Not recognizing anybody, she turned to Ayisha.
“How are we doing tonight?”
“We are up ten percent over our projected numbers.”
Wanda looked at Ayisha for a few seconds without speaking. “I had no idea that you were still running things here,” she said, hoping that Ayisha would tell her otherwise.
“I’ve been here since the night you put me in charge of the house.”
“And who runs the gambling?”
“I do. You put me in charge, and I don’t trust anybody enough to handle it.”
“So you run the entire thing by yourself?”
“Yes,” Ayisha said proudly. She knew that after she got caught cheating with Antonio and not getting killed, she had to earn trust and respect.
“I see,” Wanda said and finished her drink.
“Did you want another apple martini?”
“No.” Wanda handed the glass to Ayisha. “I’m about to leave,” she said and left the spot. When she got in the car, Wanda told her bodyguard, Armani, to take her to J.R.’s. She had somebody that she wanted in that spot.
Upon arrival at J.R.’s, Wanda went straight to Rain’s office, where she was informed by Yarissa that Rain was meeting with her lawyer and didn’t wish to be disturbed.
“You’re welcome to wait in the VIP lounge,” Yarissa said nervously because she knew that Wanda could be difficult to deal with at times. She assumed by the look on Wanda’s face and the tone of her voice that this might be one of those difficult nights.
But Wanda surprised her when she smiled and started laughing. “You tell Rain when she gets off that dick, that I would appreciate an audience,” she said and started for the lounge, but then she stopped and turned back to Yarissa.
“And you tell Mr. Jeff Bezos that I expect to see this time on his billable hours report,” Wanda said with a straight face, before she busted up laughing and headed for the VIP lounge.
A half hour later, Rain came in. “Very funny.”
“What?” Wanda said innocently. “You didn’t want me to interrupt …” she paused for effect, “Your meeting,” Wanda laughed again and so did Rain.
Once Yarissa made a drink for Rain and refreshed Wanda’s, she left the lounge and Wanda wasted no time getting to her point.
“I thought you were going to put somebody at The Four Kings to replace Ayisha Diaz?”
“I was; I was gonna put Smoke over there, but that bitch cold making money. More than Antonio and Renee was making when they was running it and we not even gonna talk about what Andrew Veasley and Frank Louis was doing.”
Since she understood, better than most, the importance of making money, Wanda sipped her drink and said nothing for a second or two. “I just left there, and she said that they were up ten percent over there projected numbers for the night.”
“All business-like and shit.” Rain drained her Patrón and leaned forward. “I’ve seen that look before.”
Once again, Wanda smiled innocently. “What look?”
“That ‘I want something look’ on your face.” Rain stood up and went to the bar. “So what you want?”
“I want to give that spot to somebody.”
“Who?”
“R.J.”
Since R.J. felt intimidated at times talking to Black and his father had a tendency to treat him like a little boy, he would turn to Wanda for advice.
Rain smiled. “You wanna give The Four Kings to the Four Kings.” Not only was it the name of the spot, it was what R.J., Nick’s son Marvin, Doc’s son, Judah and R.J.’s friend, Pills had begun calling themselves.
“I do.”
“You think they ready?”
“Yes, I do. They’ve been running that floating game for years and doing well with it,” Wanda said. “But lately they’ve been having problems getting places to have the game.”
“So I've heard. Hotels say that they make too much noise and leave too much damage.”
Rain sat back in her chair and thought for a minute. Not only about Wanda’s sudden request, a request that she had every intention of granting, but about the fact that Wanda apparently had influence over the person that most likely will be the boss of the family one day.
“I tell you what, with everything that went on and most of it going on in his house, Sherman has decided to retire.”
“So I've heard. Do you and Mike have somebody in mind to make Captain of that crew?”
“Ed Weather.” Rain paused. “I’ll take The Four Kings from him and give it to Doc. Then I’ll tell him to give it to R.J.,” Rain promised. “With one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“That Ayisha Diaz stays and keeps running the gambling. Will that satisfy you?”
“Yes,” Wanda said, and it was set. The Four Kings took over control of The Four Kings.
Th
at night, Monique, the floor manager, walked up to Marvin. “Excuse me, Marvin. I need to speak with you.”
“Would you excuse me for a minute,” he said to the cutie whose ear he was in.
She kissed him on the cheek. “As long as you hurry back.”
“Whatever it is, it won’t take long,” Marvin leaned closer and said, Monique felt sick to her stomach. She shook her head as the cutie put a little extra shake in that ass as she walked away. “What’s up, Monique?”
“I think Sterling and them are rollin’ in here.”
“Where are they?”
“In the back, by the DJ booth.”
“Go to the gambling room and find Judah,” Marvin said, checked his weapon and headed in their direction.
Sterling looked like he lived a rough life all the way from birth, and from what the streets said, he had. His mom was a crack-head that did just about anything for a dollar, but that left Sterling with his father’s mother who, even though she did love him, had little tolerance for a knuckleheaded boy.
Once he started to come up in the game and was making plenty of loot, he gave his grandmother everything he could, while his mom, who had gotten herself clean, was forced to wait on whatever came her way. He was arrogant, brash, and would likely get himself shot; not because of the game, but because of his mouth.
“What’s up, Sterling?”
“Money Marv! My nigga! What’s up?”
“I thought we talked about this,” Marvin said.
“What you talkin’ ’bout, Money?”
“About you doing business in the club, Sterling. You know I can’t have that.”
Sterling stood up. “Look, Money, as much money as I spend in this bitch, shit, you should be glad that I even come up in here,” he said, and Marvin got in his face as Judah approached from the other side.
“I don’t give a fuck whether you come here or not, much less how much fuckin’ money you spending, I told you not to do business in here,” Marvin said as one of Sterling’s boyz started to reach for his gun.
Judah put his gun to the back of his head. “Is there a problem here, Marv?”
“No, ain’t no problem. My man here was just about to apologize for breaking house rules by trying to do business up in here,” Marvin said.
