“Good thing we cuffed you. Looks like you was trying to escape,” Jeff said. “Look who joined the party.”

  Bobby walked in with Sade and Anton cuffed together behind him.

  “What you gotta say now, Eric?” Jeff said with a smile.

  Sade and Ton both looked at one another in total shock as I lay on the floor cuffed to the desk.

  “I can tell by your reaction, kids, that you have a lot to catch up on, so me and my partner here are going to let you three discuss it. We’ll be right outside the door, if you need us,” Jeff said.

  “Aren’t you going to take these things back off?” I asked.

  “No. We wouldn’t want you all trying to kill each other before we have anything. You just stay right there on the floor.” Bobby released Ton and Sade from their bracelets of captivity.

  “What about them? Why you letting them out they cuffs?”

  “Why, Mack? You scared something might happen to you? You deserve it. But we’re right outside the door. Everything will be fine. Maybe they can talk some sense into your ass.”

  After they walked out and closed the door, Ton and Sade continued to just stare at me as I struggled for a comfortable position.

  Silence consumed the room for the first ten minutes, until Jeff stuck his head through the door. “I don’t hear you guys celebrating. Cheer up, Mack. It’s a party.” He closed the door again.

  “You’s a foul dude, man,” Ton said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “You done did a lot of people dirty.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I ain’t never done nobody dirty that didn’t deserve it.”

  “Oh, so I deserved it?” Sade said.

  “You fucked yourself, Sade. You know if you would’ve told me what was going on, I would’ve came and got you.”

  “You left me to rot in prison and moved another bitch right on in when you was sure I wasn’t getting out.”

  “You hear a lot of shit when you get locked up, Mack,” Ton said. “You hear a lot of shit.”

  “So what you getting at?”

  “Why you never warned me that Coke wanted me dead? Then, to top it all off, you was given the order to take me out. What you got to say on that?”

  “Nigga, I say you’re still here. I had plenty of opportunities to take you out, and I never did. I jeopardized my own life, looking out for yours.”

  “Did you jeopardize your life looking out for me? Where’s my money?” Sade said.

  “That money is spent. Had investments to make.”

  “Investments? With my money?”

  “Our money. You was living in my house. It’s our money.”

  “Your house?” she said. “You don’t own shit, but the fear in your heart. Everything you are and have is because of Cocaine. That’s his house, his money. You still riding around in his truck, acting like you put some money into that? You are a fraud.”

  “That sounds real funny coming from somebody who traveled all the way out of state just to kill they mother just because you can’t get over a fucked-up childhood. I told you before to just let it go. And you, Ton, you acting all high and mighty. Niggas done told me how you was bad-mouthing me and just waiting to take my spot, you and that faggot-ass Gordy.”

  They took turns shooting accusations and threats at me.

  “I hope it all was worth it, Mack, I really do,” Sade said. “You didn’t even at least try to write me. Didn’t ask no one how I was. Nothing. You never loved me.”

  “If you ever loved me none of this would be going down now. Y’all both got my name in your mouth based on some shit y’all got caught for. I ain’t had shit to do with y’all mistakes.”

  “That’s how you gonna look at it, man,” Ton said. “After all we did together? As many times as I had your back in the most fucked-up situations?”

  “Did I tell you to smoke those cops? Sade, did I tell you to kill your moms?”

  “Did we tell you to start snitching?” Anton said. “The word is already out. How you think Coke got them niggas to run up in your spot? He gave that order. And know what else? Those two dicks outside, they know it. They been playing you for a fucking ass. They’re gonna make you take the fall for Cocaine.”

  “How they gonna do that, when everything points to him?”

  “Not everything. Not Stan. Not his grandmother. Not the robberies. Not the White Castle video tape you and Gordy is on.”

  “Payback is a bitch, Mack. I told them everything I know about you.”

  “If they know so much, then why I ain’t in court somewhere being convicted?”

  “Because they want you to work for them or take the fall. They’ll make it look as if you’re the mastermind behind the whole operation. That means you’ll be charged with conspiracy and double homicide for putting the hit out on those pigs.”

  “But you did it.”

  “Doesn’t matter. Wouldn’t have happened if the order wasn’t given.”

  “Naw, naw. Fuck that. I ain’t doing nobody’s time but my own. I ain’t kill Stan. Joi did the shit. I ain’t never kill nobody.”

  “What you mean, you ain’t kill Stan?”

  “I lied. Joi let that nigga have the lead. She hated him, wanted him gone, so she shot him.”

  “So you been misleading muthafuckas all this time? You hear this nigga, Sade? So Gordy wasn’t being paranoid when he was trying to always pull your card?”

  “Gordy’s a hater. Even if I did do the shit myself he’d still find a reason not to like me. That’s just how some niggas is.”

  “When this is all over with,” Ton said, “we can’t never be cool again.”

  “That already was the first thing on my to-do list when you got bagged.”

  “I can’t believe I wasted a portion of my life fucking with you,” Sade said.

  Jeff stuck his head back in the door. “You guys all getting along?” He sipped from a Styrofoam cup full of steaming coffee. “I know how rowdy things can get when the brothers hear there’s a party.” He looked down at me. “Anybody get through to this knucklehead yet?”

  CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

  COCAINE

  I figured siccing Jeff and Bobby on Mack would make them take their eyes off of my ass for a while. It was just the time I needed to go to the Hamptons and pick up my shipment.

  I rented two vans that night, before me and my men left, but I wasn’t going anywhere until I handled some shit with them. I stepped up on the stage inside Phenomenon and turned on the microphone, so nobody could say they missed something. “Gentlemen, what’s happening?”

  They all gave nods and chanted, “Chilling.”

  “I’ll get right to what I gots to say. Anybody feeling a way about that bitch-ass Mack getting what he deserved . . . because I know a number of y’all got real close with him in my absence? Heard he was doing all types of crazy shit, and y’all was backing him. Even managed to get your pockets a little fatter. I’m not gonna go through a whole lot of changes trying to find out who got what. All I need to know is if any nigga in here still wanna roll with Mack, raise your hands.” I said to one of the wolves, “What about you? You in or you out?”

  “I’m good where I’m at,” he said.

  “That’s good. Is everybody else good?”

  “Naw, duke,” another wolf said, “I ain’t good. Mack’s my dude. I thought y’all was tight like fam.”

  A couple more bitches participated in the treason and walked out the door. What was left was all I needed to get my business done tonight.

  It was about one a.m. when we pulled up into the long driveway of the country club in both vans. The others drove their cars. There was a big billboard sign in the spacious front yard. I read the sign, “Charlie’s Krackers—This is the place.”

  Three of my men came with me to the side door entrance. A small metal plate slid across and opened from the middle of the door.

  “Password,” a voice said through the opening.

  “Bohemian.”

  The door went through several phases of mechanisms unlocking and finally opened.

  The fat honky said stared at me and my men up and down. “What is your business here?”

  “I’m a friend of Craig Dudley . . . from D.C. I’m looking for Dan.”

  He stared for a moment longer before stepping back so we all could enter. Inside on the walls was framed pictures of championship golfers. Three old-style ceiling fans silently spun, circulating the cigar-smoke-filled room.

  A white man in a white suit walked out from a back room. He was eating a piece of chicken. “Solomon,” he said, extending his free hand.

  I applied a firm grip. “Call me Cocaine.”

  His people stared at my people, and they returned duplicate looks of dislike and trust.

  “So how long you’ve known Craig?”

  “Doesn’t matter. You’ve been paid, right?”

  “Yep. All you have to do is pull them vans around back then off you go.”

  “All right. Let me see what I’m working with, before I just throw some shit up in my vans.”

  “No problem.” Then he said to the bartender, “James, get these gentlemen anything they want.”

  We walked out through the back door of the country club and went out around back.

  Dan pulled out a key and slipped it into the groove of the door’s lock. “You’re going to make back triple what you paid me to make this happen.”

  “Oh, I already know that. Especially since I’ve gotten rid of my deadweight.

  He slowly pushed open the door to the dark room. Shuffling feet inside put me on alert, and I reached for my gun.

  “Whoa,” he said, pushing my hand down. “We just scared them. Relax.”

  I placed my gun back behind my waist and waited for him to find the light switch. I smiled when the lights came on. Huddled up together naked against the wall was twelve illegal immigrant South African girls ranging in ages twelve to fourteen. Dollar signs lit up in my eyes when it registered in their heads that I was about to become their new master.

  A couple of years back I’d heard through the grapevine that there was a ship that came into New Jersey carrying South African minors sold into slavery by their parents to make ends meet. They’d been in his barn for about three weeks. My white clients would pay top dollar to fuck just one of those young and tender beauties from the Motherland. I’d clean them up just like I’d done the rest of the hoes and put them straight to work. Best thing of all is, I wouldn’t have to do anything but feed and clothe them. I was gonna change the game.

  I walked over to one of them that was holding on tightly to the arm of what appeared to be her sister. I felt on her blossoming chest then smoothed my hand down her overdeveloped ass.

  She said something in her native language. I was guessing that it meant no.

  “She’s a feisty one,” Dan said, “but her apple is sweet as pie.” He stuck his finger up in her then licked it. “Mmm . . . so sweet. She’s an investment to look forward to. All of them are.”

  I watched him as he took pride in admitting his pedophile ways. Salivating from the corners of his mouth, he stared wide-eyed at each and every last one of them .

  “So how do I know these girls clean, man?” I asked.

  “Got all their medical records inside. They’re all clean.”

  “All right. Let’s get that going then so I can get these bitches out of here. They need showers and a meal. They looking a little malnourished.”

  “They’re all yours. Do what you want with them. Just get them niggers the hell out of here. Let me bring that paperwork out for you.”

  We put six girls in each van and wrapped their naked bodies with blankets. The tinted windows on the van prevented the wandering eyes of distracted, parkway drivers from looking in on our operation.

  CHAPTER FIFTY

  MACK

  It had been a week since I was kidnapped by these clowns. At the end of the day all they wanted me to do was testify and it’d be all over. We’d all go free, long as we did exactly what they said. They really was on some shady shit because they had picked me up for Cocaine, telling him that if he got the money thing right with them again then everything that was pending on us both would all fall on me.

  Jeff and me went down to the first floor, where there was a door already open to the motel. Jeff pulled up a chair and had me sit at the foot of the bed. “Eric, you don’t mind if I use the name your mother gave you at birth, do you?”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “Whatever, man.”

  “Don’t you want to go home and take a long, hot shower? You’ve got to be tired of seeing our faces. Especially Anton’s and Sade’s. You know they hate you, right? Tell ya what, I wouldn’t want to be sitting in a room full of hate.”

  “Why you always start off with this mind-fucking shit, man? Just get to the fucking point.”

  “All right. Before I do, I’m going to do you a favor.”

  “Yeah? Like what?”

  “I’m going to remove those cuffs so we can talk like men. Try any funny shit and I’ll shoot you right in the head.” He stuck the key down into the cuffs lock. “Now I want you to talk to me about everything. We’ve been through this before. Let me help you help yourself.”

  “Talk,” I said, rubbing my wrists.

  “Cocaine is going down. Matter of fact, we don’t give a shit about you. But we don’t have enough solid proof to get something on him without witnesses. Once we have a conviction, you can take over where he left off. Long as you pay on time, we won’t bother you. You can pimp all the hoes you want to, but you gotta give me something on that fuckhead. I know you like that idea. No more looking over your shoulder.”

  “If I do this, and I’m not saying I am, will you really be able to get Sade and Anton off completely? I mean totally?

  “Eric, my man, scout’s honor.” He stuck up his two fingers.

  “Naw, not good enough. I wanna see the shit on paper and signed by the D.A.”

  “There’s one more thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Joi. We know she killed Stan, but who killed his grandmother? Somebody has to take the fall for that. Now if you can give us something else to overshadow that, then she can get off too.”

  “Yeah. Only thing is, Coke had her kidnapped. For all we know, she could be dead now.”

  “She’s not.”

  “How you know?”

  “We needed to question her again, so we set up the kidnapping.”

  “Go on.” I rubbed my chin in mad suspicion.

  “Coke’s men don’t really trust him anymore. They feel he’s getting too old for this. He wanted to know what she knows and paid us to send people up in there. He’s under the impression he still has us in his pocket.”

  “So those wasn’t his men?”

  “They were, but only in his mind. Everybody’s looking for a deal to save their own ass. They’ll testify in court that he had her kidnapped.”

  “So where’s she at now?”

  “She’s safe.”

  “How I know you not setting me up? Like, we all give you everything you need then flip the script on us?”

  “I like making money just like you. If you can keep up the good work you did in his absence, then there’s no reason why you’ll have to worry about that.”

  “Like I said, I want it in writing. For all of us.”

  “Not a problem. You just write down on this pad,” he said passing me the yellow lined paper. “Write everything. Between you and Anton and Sade, it should be enough to get a conviction.”

  “And I can go back to being the man?”

  “You can go back to being that nigger.”

  “I think I like the sound of that.” I smiled.

  “So do we have a deal, Eric?”

  “Yeah. Just one more thing though,” I said.

  “Anything for my nigger.”

  “Call me Mack.”

  “Deal. Shake on it?” He held out his hand.

  I momentarily contemplated my options once over then gave in. “Deal,” I said, shaking his hand.

  “My nigger.” He smiled.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

  COCAINE

  With Mack gone, everything was just about back to normal again. The building he went and bought behind my back was still running. Friday nights was still a big moneymaker at Phenomenon. I was home and back in the driver’s seat. I even started letting Cakes go out on the weekends to shop for new clothes with the other girls. The girls from South Africa wasn’t allowed to leave the house under any circumstances. Only my high-paying professional clients could touch them. None of them spoke a word of English, so it was easy to control them. And when they didn’t listen or a client complained about unsatisfactory services they’d be penalized with a severe ass-whupping. If one of them fucked up, then they all got beat. I used them to keep the house clean. Cook the meals for clients before they came. Yeah, that was my idea. Why not have some fried chicken and sweetbread out? Hoes and clients had to be hungry after all that fantasizing and fucking.

  “I don’t feel good,” Cakes said, dragging her feet across the living room.

  I was looking out the Venetian blinds. “You don’t look good either.”

  “I’m serious. Something’s wrong.”

  “Like what, Cakes? I don’t have time for this. It’s going to be a busy night.”

  “I need to go to the emergency room. I feel sick.”

  “Look, I put you back to work, so don’t start up with no bullshit. You working tonight from eight til two. This is what you wanted.”

  “I understand all that, but if I’m sick, I’m sick,” she said, rolling her eyes.

  “I really don’t give a shit how sick you is, woman. You my moneymaker. Make that shit happen. If you still sick tomorrow, I’ll take you to the doctor myself.”

  “Whatever, Coke. I’m going to lie down before I get dressed. Don’t say shit when one of the clients say I threw up on their dick.”

  “That’s the spirit. Do that freaky shit. That’ll keep ’em coming back.”

  I was already near the house phone, when I picked it up on the first ring. “Hello?”