The Syndicate (22 page)

Navy's mouth fell open in shock. He stared at Jojo then dropped his head in shame.

It was then that Uncle Snap spoke up while I stood between both young dudes. “Chill out!” he shouted breathing in and out.

When I saw his Mason jar ready to fall, I dropped low to catch it from breaking, making it in time. As I held it like a football in my palm, being careful with it, I shifted on my knee where I kneeled and looked up at my uncle in confusion at his sudden rage.

The old man walked past me then stopped and abruptly turned to reach a hand out as a means to help me up. Though we all had been living in agony over Mama's death, it was clear that we forgot how close Uncle Snap was to Mama. I suddenly felt ashamed. Grief and agony made the whites of Uncle Snap's eyes turn red while he spoke.

“This house was a refuge for you all. Claudette had her reasons in shaping you all to step in her world, but the real reason why she chose you all was to help you all and heal you all. All of you came from the same types of backgrounds. She and I saw a lot of shit in the streets, but it was because her husband dealt with these very same demons that she chose you all.” Taking the jar, he walked with it and gently set it near Mama's pictures.

“You all were just little boys and girls suffering physical, sexual, spiritual, emotional abuse. Scrapping and fighting. None of us, including you all, had a chance in life. Claudette, her old man, and I knew what that was like and chose to use our street smarts to pull us out of our hell. Claudette fought to do the same for you all so, Jojo, my boy, you started out with good intentions that turned a situation bad.”

“I'm sorry, Uncle. She called me asking for help. I thought I'd make it to Mama on time. I'm sorry,” Jojo said, hurt.

My palms ran down my face. “You did what you thought you should. It's not your fault, Jojo.”

“If I had left her alone though—” he started.

“Then you'd be hurting over her dying and not getting your answers,” Navy solemnly stated. He moved back to where Jojo was, pulled him up by his forearm, and wrapped his arms around him. “I'm sorry, baby brother. I'm sorry. I know how that goes, and I was just . . . I am just angry.”

I watched Jojo slowly wrap his arms around Navy and they hugged it out.

“Claudette only wanted the best for you all. I know she's not mad at your choice, Jojo, not at all,” Uncle Snap said.

Walking up to him, I whispered my own apology to him, and he gave me a nod of understanding. We moved to the side to give Jojo and Navy some minor privacy to patch things up and I exhaled.

“I know this isn't the time, but I need to move forward and hit up the next phase of my removal plan. We don't have time to be idle on that end. Mama wanted to be a force of nature; well, I gotta be that, Uncle. I know you think that I'm being reckless, but there's a method to the madness.”

Bowing his head, Uncle Snap's jaw clenched then he blew out steam. “Yeah, I get that. Been in this game too long not to get that, but I still say in your force of action, keep smart. Not all the old ways are bad, nephew. Not all the old ways need to be erased; respect the past so you can do better in the future.”

“I'm trying to do that. Trust in me, a'ight? We have to be moving, and remind them that Mama's legacy isn't gone. That's why I went after the Irish like I did. I had to for her, and I had to for Cory and Inez. Their deaths can't be in vain. None of this shit can be in vain. So we move on to the next phase. A'ight?” I clapped a hand on his shoulder and locked eyes on him.

“What did you do?” he asked me again.

My shoulders slumped in defeat as I gave in with a gentle sigh. “I used only what was owed us and it was given freely in honor of Mama's memory and what y'all lost in the past.” Uncle Snap's eyes widened, and I gave him a hug like the son he always wanted. “I had to do it and do it without you. This was no disrespect to you, on my word. Everything I do, it's with reason and to be steps ahead of everyone else just like Mama. Trust that.”

“Shit, nephew. Shit.” He held me tight and stepped back so we could look at each other like the bosses we were.

Shit was hard, and the pain was real, but this needed to happen. We now had to share this with the family and prepare for more pain.

After our talk with Jojo, the week ticked by slowly when we spoke to everyone about Jojo's truth. It was hard for the rest of the family on top of our grief over Cory and Inez, but we all vowed to focus and give them honor. So it went like this: we all stood in the parlor dressed so clean that it would put many fashion houses to shame. I looked around my family. Emotion was high that I knew that any one of us could break down in tears at any second at mention of Mama, Inez, and Cory. I decided to talk around that and bring in some minor business beforehand.

I walked up to where Shanelle was fixing Jojo's outfit. Baby brother stood in all white from head to toe. The only color he wore was his red bow tie. Red was one of Mama's favorite colors. We all were readying for the memorial we had put together for Cory and Inez.

“Everyone. Before we head out, I want to lay out some clear guidelines, now that we're running the Syndicate. This is not perfect, again, I'm still learning our places, but for now, what I need from you is simple,” I started, looking around at everyone's faces.

Uncle Snap, in his all white but wearing a red cap, came from where he stood on the stairway talking to one of the Forty Thieves on his cell phone. They were going to be our escorts to the memorial. He gave me a respectful nod of support and put his cell away.

“So everyone can know the roles I'm giving out is congruent with the Syndicate's growth and what I'm learning as leader. So, yeah. Melissa.” I glanced at my sister.

She was off near the door, staring out of the window in thought. Standing with her ankles crossed leaning against the corridor wall, she wore a body-contouring white dress with red heels. Her hair fell over her shoulders in soft curls with a large brimmed hat upon her head.

When she looked my way, I continued. “Lissa. As we already told you, and we all know in this family, you're mad good with crunching numbers and money. We're going to be trusting in you to go over Mama's account info, insurance, and whatever else moneywise to make sure we are good financially. So, your office will be out of the club that we have you running as our clean cover. Good with that?”

Melissa pushed away from the door. “I got it. I mean, that's what I'm good for right? And you don't need any more problems so the family will be protected.”

“Thank you, baby girl,” I said watching how slightly off she sounded. “Whatever work you do, we will always come around and keep you safe as well. Which leads to security.”

Exhaling, I turned my attention to Lamont. He sat on the armrest of one of the old, big wingback chairs in the parlor. His gaze seemed to be focused on Mama's picture, as I moved his way. He wore white jeans that were slightly baggy, held by a red belt with a big buckle that he tucked his white button-down shirt into.

“Monty,” I said to get his attention while reaching out to rest my hand against his shoulder.

“Yeah, Von? What up?” He turned to look at me and I could almost view the ghosts that reflected from his eyes.

I understood it; today was a difficult day. “Monty. You've been this family's protection for years. You know how you love to fight right?”

He laughed as I did, then nodded. “What about it?”

“While you do your training to box, this is what I need from you. As of today, you are the manager of the Forty Thieves. Right now, I know I won't put it all on you. You have to learn the ropes of what it'll take as well as train with them. But check it, as you learn with me, I want you to eventually be my head of security. Cory would have shared that with you but . . .”

“Yeah, I get it and this is dope. I'll learn what I need to make sure you're secure and they learn my type of style of fighting, brah,” Monty reassured me.

“I appreciate you, fam,” I said, reaching out to give him a brotherly hug and squeeze of his shoulders.

“Naveen and Jojo.” I let go of Monty then walked up to our two youngest members of the family. Navy stood on the opposite side of Shanelle.

He sported white kicks and a similar outfit to Jojo. His long hair was pulled up on his head in a bun, and the red he wore was the watch on his wrist. “You two are our hearts, the babies with gifts that can serve us well. But, for now, I just need you both to finish up school. Once that happens, I'll introduce you both to the rest of your roles okay? Just trust in me on that and I promise. I got you both.”

“It's cool,” Jojo said shrugging. “You got us on the Mist design anyway.”

“Yeah, I have some mechanics to tweak with it anyway,” Navy added with a slightly unsure tone to his voice.

“Much appreciated then,” I said giving them a warm smile.

Shanelle came my way when I turned my attention to her. I took her outreached hand, then I leaned down to kiss her. “Baby, you know the deal. You're my right, but since you're mean with the guns, I'll need you to work with Monty in regard to weapon distribution. I also want you to look in on the other legal businesses Mama had like you did with the club. I want you to put your business savvy to good use and figure out how to take more of our illegal activity and make it legal. On top of that, I need you to pick up where Inez and Cory would have been, but we'll figure this shit out as we go. For now, everyone, just know, we are all we got. We can't keep breaking like we are; otherwise, the enemy comes in and destroys all that Mama worked for with us.”

“Damn right,” Uncle Snap chimed in from the back.

He signaled to me that it was time to go, and I turned to glance at Mama's pictures. “We lost so much. I haven't held us down like I should, but at the end of the day here we are. Let's go honor our family and show the love Inez and Cory needed.”

As we finished handling our family business, it then led to our memorial for Cory and Inez. We all stood side by side in white staring at the smiling faces of Cory and Inez, next to Mama's picture. Uncle and Mama were right. Our intentions were good for all three of them, but in the end it had turned foul. As I laid my flowers out for my lost family, I wished that there were some Irish left so that I could personally pour their blood over the graves before me in revenge.

Things weren't perfect in our lives, but we were getting better. There wasn't a day that went by I didn't think of Cory and Inez. I missed them both, but Inez's words that I only cared about Javon stung. There was a strong churning in my stomach each time I replayed her words because I was guilty. I was so in love with Javon that sometimes he was the only person who mattered and, in that sense, we'd failed our younger brothers and sisters. It would never happen again; that I was sure of.

“So how are you, sis?” Melissa asked me. She looked at her watch then glanced at her cell before looking back at me. She had been busy setting the club up and, I had to admit, she was doing the damn thing. The grand opening was in two weeks and she had shit set up so perfectly neither Javon nor I could find anything to complain about.

I was at the stove, cooking Mama's famous fried chicken. Jojo and Navy were off doing whatever teenage boys did. Monty had been seeing that chick from Rize heavily. Javon and Uncle Snap were out handling business with the Syndicate. We were getting back to business.

I smiled at Melissa. She was dressed in all white, looking like the business owner she was. Although she was smiling, there was something eerie about the moment. I got a strange sense of impending doom while looking at her and I didn't know why.

“I'm okay. Could be better. Missing Cory and Inez,” I said.

She laid a hand on my shoulder. “Me too. Hey, remember the time Cory rubbed jalapeno peppers in Monty's underwear to pay him back for putting those grubs in his bed?”

I threw my head back and laughed. “I do. I do. That was the funniest shit! Monty thought some girl had burned him so he had Mama take him to the clinic.”

Melissa laughed with me. We were cracking up when her phone buzzed.

“Oh my gosh, yes,” she squealed. “Mama got in both their asses something good.”

I may have been laughing, but I had always been one to pay attention to detail. So when her eyes darted around like she was expecting something or someone to jump out at her, I took note of it. I was about to ask her what was wrong when Jojo came running in the house.

There was panic in his eyes as Navy came falling in right behind him. “They got Monty,” Navy cried.

My heart did a somersault and I tossed the towel I'd been holding then turned the chicken off. “Who?” I yelled. I grabbed my cell from the counter and dialed Javon. I'd been trying to reach him off and on all day. I needed to tell him something, but couldn't reach him. Anytime he was doing business with the Syndicate, he was hard to reach.

“The cops,” Jojo yelled. “He was turning into the neighborhood when they pulled him over. Navy and I were watching and they found drugs in his car and a gun,” he rushed out.

“What?” I yelled.

“And they coming here, big sis,” Navy added in a rush.

I didn't even have time to question him. He wouldn't have been able to respond anyway. Cops and federal agents bum-rushed the house.

Guns and assault rifles were shoved into all our faces. “Get on the ground! Get on the ground,” was shouted all around.

I yelled for Jojo and Navy to get down and do as told. Last thing I needed was a trigger-happy cop to kill one of them. I turned around to check on Melissa, only to find she was gone. All kinds of emotions overtook me in that moment. The main one being that she'd had something to do with this. I prayed I was wrong.

A cop had his knee in my back and it hurt like hell.

“Stand her up,” a familiar voice said. I knew it was Detective Monroe. Once the agent stood me up, I spit in his face.

“Fucking asshole,” I quipped. “I'm pregnant you piece of shit.”

Monroe stopped the agent from retaliating against what I'd done. “Calm down, Shanelle,” Monroe said. “That language isn't befitting of a lady.”

“Yeah, well you just stormed into my mother's home and then your fuck boys threw me on the ground while I'm pregnant so pardon me if I left the lady in me somewhere else.”

I was breathing hard. Jojo and Navy were yelling. Two agents snatched Jojo up and shoved him into a wall then stepped on his glasses. Jojo normally panicked when he couldn't see.

“Hey, you stepped on my fucking glass,” he yelled.

Another agent had Navy cuffed but snatched him from the floor by a handful of his hair.

“Leave them alone,” I said and tried to get away only for the agent who had me to snatch me back.

“Ms. McPhearson,” Detective Monroe said to me as he pulled out a piece of paper, “this is a warrant to search this house.”

I frowned. “A warrant to search . . . What the hell for?” I couldn't front like nervousness hadn't settled into the pit of my stomach. My mind thought about the secret bunker underneath the house.

“We have reason to believe this house has drugs in it,” he answered calmly then pointed to the basement door then upstairs.

Agents immediately headed for the basement and upstairs. It sounded as if they were tearing up the place. I looked at Navy, who hung his head; then I looked at Jojo. He couldn't see me that well with his glasses off but I knew he was trying to search for me by the way his eyes squinted.

“Drugs. There are no drugs in here I can assure you,” I said. I prayed that what I was saying was true. I knew Javon had already had all the drugs and money in the bunker removed from the house.

Monroe smiled a bit. “I'll be the judge of that. Oh and allow me to introduce myself properly. I'm Special Agent in charge, Andy Monroe. My partner is Special Agent Magoo Stillwaters and we've been investigating your little brother Jojo over there for quite some time now,” the man said then chuckled. “Sorry we had to pretend to be local cops. Part of the job ya know.”

I would say I was relieved to know it wasn't Mama or Javon being investigated, but my heart sank to the pit of my stomach knowing Jojo was the target.

“He has quite the operation set up,” Stillwaters said.

I wanted to spit on the dog-faced man. He annoyed me way more than Monroe.

“We found something,” an agent said.

Jojo groaned low against the wall. Tears were coming down his face. I knew when they had gone to the basement where his lab was that they would find something.

“No need to cry now, son,” Monroe said.

“Leave him alone,” I yelled.

“What is that?” Stillwaters asked the agent who had come from the basement.

“Looks like Ecstasy,” the agent answered.

“Those are mine,” I lied.

Monroe shook his head. “No, they aren't, Shanelle. Both you and I know that.” He looked at the agent who had been holding Jojo. “Put him in the car.”

“No, no,” I screamed.

“Let him go,” Navy screamed trying to move toward Jojo only to have an agent throw him to the floor.

“That makes two brothers arrested in one day,” Monroe said. “Did you know Lamont was involved with Jojo's business?” he asked. I scowled at the man who only smiled. “This would be a good time to call Javon and let him know he can call his lawyer now.”