Thin Ice 4 - Resurrections (3 page)

“
Ain’t no great loss Jalen,” she told him haughtily. “You’re broke, you’re a bartender with no future at a broke down club,” she continued to insult him. “Shit, the dick ain’t even good, short and boring,” Penny threw out as Jalen jumped in her face.

“
Get the fuck outta my house you tramp,” he told her, spitting on her at the end of his sentence.

Penny swung at him again as he blocked the blow. Turning she grabbed her purse knocking over everything in her path as she stormed out of the door.

         
Sighing deeply Jalen didn’t even bother to try and pick up after carnage. He settled back onto his couch and continued watching the game.
I sure hope Creeper can get me some answers,
he thought as the commercial blared into his psyche. He’d tried approaching his mother again, but as usual she told him she had nothing to say.
“What do you mean nothing to say,” Jalen flared. “This is my damned life we’re talking about, and I want to know about my brothers.” His mother had given him a look then, like she wanted to say something, but thought better of it. “You have no brothers,” she replied sternly. “How many times do I have to tell you that,” she finished and said nothing more.
Fleetingly his thoughts returned to the present, to Penny, and apologizing to her. “Fuck that,” Jalen said aloud.

He needed a change of pace, a new face to look into. He thought about the crack she made about his lovemaking and frowned deeply.
Guess it wouldn’t be good considering all the trains making stops at that station,
Jalen brooded as he decided he needed to take a trip and grabbed his new laptop from the hiding place under the sofa. Booting it up he began to scout locations, looking for sun, quiet, and easy sex.

*****

          “
Good evening Mr. Marks,” Abigail greeted him.

Robert frowned slightly. He hated to be disturbed at home once he left the office.

“
Yes, Abigail,” he returned not trying to mask his irritation.

“
I apologize for disturbing you, but there was a call for you,” she told him as Robert asked her who it was.

“
All right, thank you,” he returned, managing to keep his voice even. “I’ll take care of it,” he added as Abigail told him that was fine and bid him a pleasant rest of the evening.

Robert headed directly to his bar and made himself a drink, pouring a double shot, and throwing it back before heading into his home office.

         
Robert went behind the large white oak desk and sat down in the oversized desk chair, pulling a set of keys from his file drawer. Opening the drawer and withdrawing what he was searching for, Robert picked up his cell and dialed.

“
Hello, this is Robert Marks,” he told the party when they answered.

Sitting and listening intently for the next twenty minutes without comment, he finally disconnected and opened the file in front of him, pulling out the bottle of scotch he kept in the other file drawer and pouring himself yet another double shot.

         
Robert sighed deeply beginning to read the documentation in front of him as his mind spun and his heart raced.
I will maintain the confidence and preserve inviolate the secrets of my client, and will accept no compensation in connection with a client's business except from the client or with the client's knowledge and approval,
Robert’s mind threw at him from the oath he took upon becoming an attorney. Sighing deeply yet again, he took one last drink and returned to the task at hand.

*****

         
Creeper was making one last run by the traps and decided to stop at one of the fried chicken places, wanting to grab something quickly and go home. Standing in line he unintentionally listened in on the conversation of the two women in front of him.

“
I don’t know why people find it so hard to believe in God and miracles girl,” the portly woman told her friend who clucked her tongue and agreed with her.

Creeper could tell they were tourists from the dress and mannerisms.

“
Right now, at the rehab I work at, we got this man who is sho nuff a miracle,” she continued talking as Creeper sighed lightly.

“
I’m telling you girl, who else but God could have saved that man,” she went on. “Twelve bullets to his body, hitting 2 major organs, and a shot point blank in his head,” she told her friend, tweaking Creeper’s interest now. “And the only thing wrong with him is a slight limp and a bit of impaired speech, honey don’t you tell me Jesus ain’t real,” she added as her friend threw in a hallelujah behind her statement.

         
Creeper was genuinely intrigued now. “Excuse me ma’am,” he inquired as she turned her attention to him.

“
Yes baby,” she replied sweetly.

“
I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation,” he began as she cut him off.

“
Honey, you know God is awesome don’t you,” she threw out as he nodded and continued his sentence.

“
Where do you work,” he asked as she told him and he smiled slightly. “Wow, that is awesome,” he told her continuing to probe for information. “What’s this guy’s name, this miracle man,” Creeper pried.

“
Baby, I’m telling you the Lord is so awesome, with his miraculous healing power,” she went on as Creeper endured, trying not to roll his eyes at her theatrics. “Are you saved baby, do you know the Lord Jesus,” she questioned looking at him closely.

“
Yes ma’am, I do,” Creeper replied honestly.

He hadn’t been to church in ages, but he did believe in God.

“
His name is um, um, Lord what is that man name,” she was fumbling. “We call him miracle so much, I forget his name sometimes,” she told Creeper chuckling lightly. Deciding he would stop in the rehab center himself, he told her that was okay. The woman smiled graciously; glad to have been let off the hook.

“
Thank you for sharing that wonderful story,” he returned, getting his order and leaving the ladies to their business.

He called Pirate as soon as he closed the car door and updated him. The trip to the bayou had just gotten a whole lot more interesting.

3

Seth was giving orders and going over the plans once again. He was on his way to Atlanta to personally get Gabrielle and bring her back to St. Louis, by his side, where she belonged. The two fools who’d so badly botched the simple instructions to bring her to him months ago were rotting worm meal now, and Seth had surrounded himself with new, more competent, assistance. He’d sent a set of eyes to Atlanta months ago looking for the right moment for Seth to come in and reclaim his prize. C-Rod fit right in with the Atlanta sub culture and immediately began making headway in the various crews running through the city. He’d found out where Gabrielle was living now and that she was still with Jaron. Every time Seth thought about the man touching her, or being with her, his blood boiled. Still, he’d been patient and bided his time. Now that patience was paying off. C-Rod told him all about the nursing classes Gabrielle was taking and the school she attended. He also alerted Seth that Jaron brought her and picked her up daily. Seth wasn’t surprised; Gabrielle was never really into driving anyway.

Armed with information and a layout of the school they’d begun to plan. Now however a new opportunity had presented itself. One that Seth and Victor, his right hand and bodyguard, felt would be better. Gabrielle was starting clinicals in a week and would be at a large public hospital.

“
Everyone has their assignment and we’re packed up,” Victor told Seth walking into the room and disturbing his thoughts.

Seth regarded the big man and told him that was fine and they could leave in about an hour. Victor acknowledged his statement and left him alone once more. Seth checked his weapons, deciding that he would kill Jaron in front of her. Gabrielle needed to know that he was her only recourse, that she was effectively alone. Once he explained the fact they weren’t biologically related, she would come around and love him the way he loved her, Seth mused. His cell rang and disturbed his thoughts. He answered seeing C-Rod’s name on the ID.

“
Yeah,” he answered evenly.

“
Everything still on for the move,” he asked as Seth assured him it was.

“
We’re about to pull out now,” he told him.

“
Cool, we start clinicals in a week,” he threw back as Seth vocalized his understanding. That was fine, it would give them time to set up and put all the players in motion. Disconnecting, Seth put the Desert Eagle in its case.
Just for you Mr. Jaron,
he thought malevolently and turned toward the door joining Victor in the truck as they headed for the interstate and the Peach State.

*****

Kaitlyn was in the courtroom as they led her best friend in through a separate entrance. Jaleesa looked lost as she stumbled in the orange jumpsuit, shackled both hand and foot. She glanced around and Kaitlyn caught her eye, giving her a small smile. Jaleesa tried to smile back before turning her head and listening to the Prosecutor as he addressed the judge. Kaitlyn listened as they read the charge against her and wanted the judge to deny bail. Jaleesa’s attorney immediately sprang to his feet and argued against holding her without bail. As they bickered back and forth, Kaitlyn’s mind wandered. How in the world had they ended up at this juncture? She thought about the days of her and Jaleesa from the beginning, their hooking up with Tae and all the brick and armor they ran. The serious monies they made, and the lavish lifestyles they’d lived, made it all worth while. Now her best friend was facing the possibility of spending the rest of her life in a cell while her kids were left parentless.

The attorney’s were still bickering and Jaleesa was sitting with her head in her hands. Kaitlyn recalled the night of the shooting and her best friend calling her hysterical. Both she and Tariq had rushed over, finding LaRon dead and Jaleesa beaten, bloody, and in shock. Tariq had called an ambulance but it was to no avail. The police came shortly afterward and took her into custody. Thinking about it and Tariq’s reaction irritated her slightly. Kaitlyn was trying to understand his side of the situation, but surely he couldn’t think that LaRon cheating and then beating the hell out of Jaleesa on a regular basis was okay. When she asked him about coming with her to the arraignment, he’d given a vague implausible excuse not to.
Try and understand,
her mind told her once again as Kaitlyn frowned slightly. She really was, but he wasn’t making it easy. Tariq wouldn’t even discuss it. He wouldn’t tell her how he felt about any part of it. He had effectively shut her out and it pissed her off. Sighing deeply she returned her attention to the case.

“Bail is set at 150,000.00,” the judge ordered banging his gavel on the stand. Jaleesa glanced back at Kaitlyn who gave her a quick nod alerting her she would post it. They led her friend back out of the courtroom as Kaitlyn rose and headed out herself. She would make a quick stop at the bank and then return with the twenty percent required to get Jaleesa out. She didn’t notice DeNoah as he followed her casually, pulling out his cell and calling Tariq. Thankfully there was a bank branch in walking distance from the jail and courthouse. Kaitlyn made the withdrawal and headed back to the jail. She had to fill out a mountain of paperwork and pay the money. They told her it would take at least four hours to process before Jaleesa would be released. Thanking them Kaitlyn left the jail and headed back to the parking deck where her Benz was. Arriving she got in and checked her watch. She would head over to the mall and waste a few hours, making sure was back in time to pick her friend up once everything was said and done and she was released.

*****

Tariq was processing the information DeNoah had given him. He checked Kaitlyn’s account and saw the withdrawal moments later. He knew she would post the bail, so he wasn’t angry about that. Tariq sighed deeply knowing the entire situation could pose a problem to his marriage. He knew Jaleesa and Kaitlyn were like sisters and of course Kaitlyn would defend her to the end. Tariq on the other hand felt she had other choices than to kill LaRon and he was still angry about it.
She could have shot him in the arm, the leg, hell anywhere except the heart,
he brooded as he continued to sip the drink he’d made. Tariq also knew Kaitlyn would ask him to go to court with her again. He just didn’t see it. He didn’t see himself sitting in a court room as they raked his friend over the coals. They would of course bring up the abuse and use it to paint a picture of a man out of control who did nothing but drink and beat his chick everyday. The idea made Tariq frown deeply. He knew LaRon had issues, hell who didn’t, but he also knew the man had loved Jaleesa deeply and there was nothing he wouldn’t have done for her.

There was also the matter of filling LaRon’s shoes. There was only one other person he trusted like that; Mook.
I can’t ask him to uproot his family and come here,
Tariq thought to himself. Still after thinking about it for another few moments, he realized he had no choice. There was simply no one else seasoned enough, that had stood tall through everything, like Mook. He was loyal without question and Tariq definitely trusted him with his life. Picking up his cell he made the call. Mook answered on the third ring as Tariq made his desire known. He was still smiling thirty minutes later when they disconnected. Mook had accepted his proposition without hesitation. Tariq told him he would have one of the houses ready for them by the end of next week, and Mook told him that was fine. He would appoint, Train, his lead lieutenant to run the operation in Miami and he, Kim, and KiSean would be on their way. Thankful that much was settled, Tariq made himself another drink.
Now,
he began to brood once more.
What do I do about Tweety?