The Corner II (21 page)

The three of them agreed to arrange to meet with Lucky and Bone. They’d set the meeting to take place after the funeral. Chavez puffed on his blunt and the smoke rose in front of his face as he spoke. “We’ll see who pays their respects to Senor Fuentes and who doesn’t. We’ll see who is sincere and who isn’t, and that will give us a little insight on what putas killed the boss. I haven’t put in any work lately. I think them black fuckers think we’re getting soft. I think I need to raise the hairs on their necks.”

Carlos shook his glass of rum and coke, and the ice cubes made that clinking sound. “Just chill until we have better info on what happened,” Carlos said before he sipped.

Chavez pulled hard on his blunt then passed the blaze to Fernando as he took the fifth of Patron to the head. He coughed, “I hear ya, holmes, and I guarantee.”  He took another swig of the expensive tequila. “When I find the fucker who took Senor’s life, I’ma take theirs, slowly.”

Fernando took the blunt from his lips and passed it back to Chavez telling him, “I’m wit ya.”

*     *     *

Lucky hung up the phone from Carlos. It was only he and Frank in the office. He had sent everyone home. Noonie and the gang had arrived after they’d left the club. Lucky spoke to them for a moment but then sent them all home besides Frank and Jamel. Jamel was outside the office at the bar sipping on a brew talking to Ducet’s Creole ass. Lucky liked the young killer, Jamel, who always hit what he aimed at so he’d at times keep him around when he wanted to feel a little secure.

“What’s he talking about?” Frank asked as he set his Chicago Sun-Times down beside him on the wine colored leather couch.

Lucky grabbed the fifth of Martell and poured himself a shot. Frank raised his glass to let his long time friend know that he needed a hit. Lucky poured saying, “That muthafucka says he wants to meet. Us, him and Bone.”

“When is he talking about?”

“The day after his old man's funeral. Whenever that is.”

“He’s just trying to get a feel for who hit his old man. You ain’t going alone, are you?”

“Nah, he agreed that I could bring a soldier. That we all can bring one.”

“Who you taking?”

“Don’t know. Might be that youngin’ out there,” he said as he pointed at Jamel. “He’s reliable and in case shit happens, I don’t want Ant or Noonie fucked off.”

“I don’t want shit happening to you,” Frank said as he rubbed his dark bald head. Something he did when he got a little worried.

“Don’t worry; from the way Carlos was talking I think he thinks Bone’s the one who hit his old man.”

Frank lit a Kool. The cigarette dangled in his mouth as he voiced his opinion. “That crazy fucker is too stupid to plan a hit on someone of that magnitude. He’s a gorilla and brute force is his expertise.”

“We know that, but they ain’t thinking like that. They sitting over there wondering what their next move should be and Carlos has taken over as head of the family, and that’s the reason why I gotta pay my respects and go to this sit-down cause I don’t need any problems with him.”

“You right. I’ma get with my contact with the police and see what they know.”

“Do that and whatever you hear, no matter how minor you may think it is, ring me.”

“Not a problem.”

*     *     *

Leading the convoy to the cemetery was a black Lincoln Navigator with six heavily armed men. Behind their lead vehicle was the funeral home furnished Cadillac that drove the immediate family to the north side gravesite and behind it was the hearse carrying the body of the beloved Senior Freddy Fuentes. They sky was overcast and it was crisp out. It also looked as if it was going to rain. The long trail of cars seemed as if it would never end. A lot of people wouldn’t be able to make it to the gravesite. It was just too many family, friends and people who had come in contact with the legendary Senor Fuentes for them all to be able to pass by the body of the Don and throw a red stemmed rose on top of his coffin after it was lowered into the grave. An endless line of people passed by Carlos and LaTanza to hug or shake and kiss Carlos’ hand and to hug LaTanza and tell them that it will be okay—that the putas were going to pay. Lucky, Frank and Anthony were able to make their way through the crowd. Eyes were glued to them. Two tall, muscular Cubans in shades and suits stepped to them keeping them from walking toward the tent that the family was under. Lucky had already advised Frank and Anthony to be cool, follow his lead and most of all to chill no matter what happened. With all the Cuban, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans and Columbians they had no way of making it out if shit got funky.

Carlos nodded to his men. They let Lucky walk to Carlos, but the others had to stand pat. Lucky, who was dressed in an all black Stacy Adams suit, walked forward and tossed a rose into the casket. He took LaTanza’s hand and kissed the back of it before giving the grieving woman a hug. He then hugged Carlos and whispered in his ear how sorry he was for his loss. Carlos thanked him and ushered one of his bodyguards from his seat and told Lucky to sit. Frank and Anthony watched from the distance. Anthony saw how much respect Carlos gave Lucky even though they were in Carlos’ world at the moment. LaTanza, who was serving up a few fake tears, noticed the love Carlos was showing Lucky and that mouse on that little wheel in her head began to sprint. Her sick mind realized that her husband had been hit hard by the loss of his father and from all that has been going on and from what Fernando told her about the countless meetings he’d been in with Carlos and the others, it seemed as if Carlos was going to get soft with Lucky which meant getting soft with Slim and she couldn’t have that. Slim was too smart and he would eventually bypass Carlos and his family on the hustling food chain, especially with the ruthless, yet, smart Senor Freddy Fuentes about to be put six feet deep.

After the priest finished with prayer and Senor Fuentes was put to rest, Carlos talked with Lucky for a moment then left to be with his family. He’d told Lucky to make sure he was at the sit down and that he appreciated him paying his respects—unlike Bone. Lucky hugged him again and waited as all the Latin men and women cleared the way before walking back over to his men.

“What’s up, Lucky?” Ant asked. He’d stopped calling his father Pops out in public, a show of respect by keeping it on the same level as everyone else.

“That man is hurting and he’s going to be easier to deal with than his father,” Lucky told them as they walked toward Frank’s Escalade.

Frank said, “It’s something up with his wife. She was mourning, but I could tell she was trying to ear hustle what the two of you were saying.”

Lucky shrugged, “Probably ain’t much.”

Ant opened the door for Lucky. “So he doesn’t think we had anything to do with this, does he?” Ant asked.

“Nah, I don’t think so. He might be starting to think it was Bone trying to make a power play. He sort of hinted to it in so many words.”

Frank put the SUV in gear and drove off as drops of rain began to fall from the sky. He hit the wiper blades and turned the heat on low. “Well, we’ll know what the deal is once the sit-down is over with. Who are you taking with you?”

“Noonie, just in case I need to know what someone says in Spanish, and he’s the highest ranking lieutenant right now.”

“I hope shit don’t come to a head. It’s too much money to be made out in these streets,” Frank frowned and shook his head.

“Too much, but not enough to keep greedy men happy,” Lucky sadly frowned as he told him.

The Blocks Are Hot

T
he cold breeze blew off Lake Michigan cutting through the sweaters Lisa and Devin were wearing so they walked huddled together down Navy Pier. They had been to see a movie and now they were strolling down the Pier sightseeing. The two had been seeing a lot of each other, hanging out as much as they could. They would also hang with Shay and her man having dinner parties, going to sporting events and shopping. Lisa loved the countless nights of lovemaking. The first couple of times they indulged in each other’s body it was straight sex—making each other feel good, but then they began to feel passion in their hearts and that took the sex to lovemaking. Neither one of them ever said the ‘L’ word to the other, especially Lisa, who was guarding her heart. One thing for sure was she has forgotten about Terrance, but when they stopped in front of a food stand so Devin could get a Chicago style polish, the stop was all that it took for Lisa to bump into her old flame.

Terrance, who was into a conversation with his fiancée, bumped right into Lisa. “Excuse me,” he said then noticed who the woman was that he’d almost knocked down. “Lisa,” he said shocked to have run into her. He’d talked to her every now and then but after trying to come over and see her a few times only to get rejected, he simply stopped. She told him that since he was engaged that they could see each other, but the late night drop byes couldn’t happen because it could turn into more than a hello and with him being engaged, that wouldn’t have been a good idea.

“Terrance, hi,” Lisa said, obviously shocked to have run into her former lover.

The two tried not being obvious as they checked out the other’s partner. Terrance was the professional baseball player, but Devin was just as athletically built and good looking. Lisa was fine and very good-looking in the face with a tight body. Terrance’s fiancée was pretty in the face, light-skinned, tall and slim. Lisa felt good knowing she had the better body.

“Hey, Lisa, how are you?” he asked nervously.

“Fine, um…oh this is Devin,” she said as Devin held his polish in one hand and shook Terrance’s with the other.

Not feeling threatened at all Devin said, “What’s up, man? I’ve heard so much about you.”

Wondering what Lisa had told him but keeping a poker face, he said, “All good, I hope.”

“Uh-um,” Terrance’s fiancée did the throat-clearing thing reminding Terrance that she was there.

“Oh, this is my lovely fiancée Brittney.”

Lovely, oh he’s laying it on a bit thick,
Lisa thought.

Devin and Lisa shook Brittney’s hand and she made it a point to let them notice her left hand that had the huge rock on the ring finger. Devin congratulated the two on their engagement and so did Lisa who tried not to show the hint of jealousy. Lisa made it a point to let Terrance know that Devin was her man by slipping the words
my man
into the conversation. Terrance didn’t seem to be phased by it. He stayed close to his fiancée and even grabbed a hold of her hand while the two couples talked. Devin wasn’t insecure about the situation. He knew about the history between the two and this was a meeting that was bound to happen. Better to get it over with now than later. They ended the small talk and went their separate ways. Devin put his arm around Lisa as they walked and didn’t say much. He decided to wait seeing as how he figured her former lover was on her mind. Hell, if it had been the other way around, he’s sure he would have had mixed emotions also.

*     *     *

Carlos sat at the head of the table dressed in black slacks, a charcoal grey sweater and Kenneth Cole dress shoes. His man, Rios, was with him sitting off to the side. At the other end of the table was Lucky, wearing a Stacy Adams suit but dressed down by leaving the tie off, and Noonie, who had on a Sean John suit minus a tie also. At the side were Bone and his cousin, Raynard. Unlike the other men who were dressed casually, they came in Timberlands and jean outfits—fitting for the thug in them. Lucky couldn’t help but to think how they were going to fuck up what Sammy had built.

They were in a house on the North side. It was a place where Carlos’ dad held the same type of meetings. It was on Carlos’ territory, and Bone didn’t want to attend the meeting but knew that it was in his best interest to. He liked meeting in neutral places or on his turf and would even meet in the parking lot of a restaurant or mall figuring that it was safer than sitting in the living room of some expensive house on someone else’s turf. But he knew he had to play things cool so he didn’t have both crews on his ass, and that meant they could team up and convince his supplier to cut him off seeing as how the two of them could pick up the slack.

Carlos walked in the room and spoke. “Would any of you gentlemen like a drink?”

Bone thought to himself,
this nigga ain’t but about thirty and talkin’ gentlemen shit like he’s some old Don.

“I’ll take a double shot of Martell,” Lucky told him then looked at Noonie.

Noonie ordered a double shot of Patron.

“Bone?” Carlos asked.

In his ghetto way he said, “Yeah, you got some of that bumpy face?”

Carlos stared at him, letting him know to order something else and to get with the program seeing as how he and his boy were slouched comfortably in their seat as if they were at the movies chilling with one of their hood rats. It was bad enough that they came dressed to a sit down as if it were some house party, but if that’s the way they were going to dress, so be it. But Carlos wasn’t going to let them disrespect him.

“Get them whatever gin and juice we have,” Carlos told the maid. “And Bone?”