Thin Ice Read online

  Ian grunted slightly as his mind continued to race. Thankfully of the four messages that were left Giovanni had been the officer to respond on three of them. The one he’d missed, they’d sent a rookie and Ian had easily bluffed his way through without search or even citation.

  “Shit Giovanni,” Ian replied. “It could be anyone, hell I got a lot of haters,” he finished as the officer nodded his understanding.

  “Well I brought a copy of the last recording,” Giovanni offered pulling out the mini cassette recorder.

  “Maybe you might recognize the voice,” he told Ian before warning him that the caller was trying to disguise their voice.

  Pushing play Ian listened intently to the message and frowned slightly. There was definitely something familiar about the voice, he just couldn’t put his finger on it yet.

  “Hmm, can I keep this?” Ian asked as the officer nodded.

  “It’s just a copy I made,” he told Ian as he finished his beer and rose to leave.

  “Be careful Ice,” Giovanni warned once more. “Things ain’t like it used to be, new people, new agendas,” he added as Ian again nodded thoughtfully and thanked him once more.

  After the officer was gone Ian turned the recorder on again. He listened carefully once more, still thinking the voice was familiar but the owner yet continuing to escape him. I’m gonna figure out who this is dammit, Ian thought angrily as he formulated how he would kill them once he did.

  *****

  Kaitlyn was at her end. Ice’s latest stunt was taking her cell. Now she had absolutely no way to communicate with the outside world. I should just put this chef’s knife thru his damned chest, she thought fleetingly. Her captivity was a variable Kaitlyn hadn’t counted on, but she had to find a way to overcome it. Tell him what he wants to hear, her mind told her as she sucked her teeth stubbornly. Kaitlyn hated to be told what to do, or how to act, though if she wanted to get out of this trap she’d better get over that real quick. Sighing deeply she made up her mind to give Ice the performance of a lifetime when he came home. Kaitlyn had to sell him on her love and fidelity and make him believe she wasn’t going to leave him ever.

  Sighing deeply she headed upstairs and found her sexiest nightie. Rolling her eyes and sucking her teeth again softly, she turned and headed back down the stairs to the kitchen. She would make them a romantic dinner, shower and put on the nightie before Ice got home, and make them martinis. I’ma screw this joker so damned good, he gonna swear my pussy is platinum, she thought and chuckled aloud. Kaitlyn thought how much she still enjoyed sleeping with Ice, but why wouldn’t she? In her mind he was simply a living vibrator. Ian had good sex and she loved getting a nut, so it worked out perfectly, she mused, seasoning the steaks and preparing them for cooking. I’ma get outta this bitch, and then I’ma finish what the fuck I started, she thought again wrapping the potatoes and putting them in the oven. Kaitlyn made the Caesar salad and put it in the fridge. She took down the dinner rolls and laid them out on the baking pan to stick in the oven later. For desert she made walnut brownies, she planned to top with the vanilla bean ice cream in the freezer. Satisfied things would go the way she wanted, Kaitlyn headed upstairs to the shower.

  *****

  Ian arrived home to find the house alive with aromatic fragrance from the steaks and potatoes. “Hey,” Kaitlyn greeted him clad in the sheer black nightie.

  Ian looked her over appreciatively before returning her greeting.

  “Wassup baby,” he replied sweetly, kissing her lips softly.

  What’s up with this, he thought behind the neutral mask on his face.

  “I made us Martini’s,” Kaitlyn told him, handing him a chilled glass.

  “This is good,” Ian replied honestly after tasting the apple flavored elixir. “What’s the special occasion,” Ian asked watching her closely.

  Kaitlyn sighed deeply. “Ice,” she began, looking directly into his eyes. “I won’t lie, I was mad as hell about you lockin’ me up at this house,” Kaitlyn told him as Ian continued to watch her wordlessly. “But I finally stopped being stubborn and realized how very much you must really care about me to go to all this trouble,” she told him, growing silent for a few moments. “So, I just wanted to say I’m sorry,” Kaitlyn began again. “And to show you how much I really do want to be with you,” she finished as Ian smiled slightly and kissed her again, passionately.

  “I’m glad to hear that, KiKi,” Ian told her calmly as they sat on the couch together. “I have something to show you,” he told her once again as Kaitlyn shrugged slightly and told him okay.

  Ian handed her the same envelope Carlos had given him earlier. Sipping his martini, Ian never took his eyes off her as Kaitlyn opened the envelope and began inspecting the contents. Kaitlyn was furious as she looked at the pictures Ice had given her. It was taking everything in her not to react, knowing Ice was watching her. This lying sonofabitch, she thought behind the mask as she looked at the pictures of Tariq and the woman he was with. There were pictures of them holding hands, hugging, kissing, even one of them making love. I bet he paid a pretty penny to get this shot, she thought of the love making photograph. Kaitlyn was past furious. She saw nothing but red, Tariq’s blood, as she held the pictures knowing he was with this woman. He never loved me, she continued to think taking a deep breath and throwing the photos on the table, willing herself to finally look Ice in the eye again.

  “Was there a point to showing me these,” she asked calmly as Ian finished his drink and put the glass down.

  “Thought you’d like to know, that’s all,” Ian returned equally as calm.

  “Hmph,” Kaitlyn replied. “Well okay thanks,” she continued. “But I could care less about that ,” she told him never taking her eyes from his own. “Are you ready to eat and enjoy our evening now,” she threw out as Ian smiled.

  “Yeah, let’s have our dinner,” he replied, satisfied that any feeling Kaitlyn may have had for Tariq died when she saw the photos.

  Kaitlyn was still fuming as she made their plates. I’ma kill his ass for lying and playin’ me, she thought of Tariq. Truth was it hurt like hell that this other woman was getting the love that should have been hers. Your fault, her conscience threw at her. What the fuck was I supposed to do, she threw back. Ice hadn’t really given her much choice, and she stayed with him to keep Tariq safe. And what did that bastard do, Kaitlyn continued to think as she put salad into the bowls. He called me a bitch, told me to fuck off, and replaced me, she finished and pulled herself together putting the meal on the table, smiling her best smile at Ice and sat down to eat.

  *****

  “Hey Landon, how’s it going man?” Ben boomed in his ear.

  Landon smiled widely. He’d never been so happy to hear from someone as he was right now.

  “Hey man!” he returned excitedly “They told me you weren’t due back till later in the week,” he told him, happy they were wrong.

  “Well, I supposed to stay gone, but you know me” he laughed and Landon joined him.

  “I need your help Ben,” Landon told him growing serious.

  Ben asked him to elaborate.

  He’d been working on confirming the information Landon had given earlier and securing the necessary warrants, agents, transports and the like. What in the world has him so rattled, he wondered reeling his thoughts in, listening closely as the man began to speak.

  “So you don’t know where she is now?” he asked Landon after his explanation of Kaitlyn’s surprise visit and her state of mind.

  Ben had to admit he was feeling slightly uneasy himself knowing Ice’s history.

  “I know she’s still here in Georgia, but I don’t have the resources to research the things I asked you about,” Landon told him.

  Ben took a deep breath and thought about what his friend was asking. It was just dangerous and Kaitlyn could end up getting hurt. He’d warned Landon it could be risky.

  “OK, let me see what I can find,” he told him and Landon sighed lightly.r />
  “Hang in there and I’ll call you as soon as we get a line on it,” Ben told him again and Landon told him he would.

  “Thanks again Ben,” he added and disconnected.

  Please let him find her before Ice hurts her again, Landon thought worriedly. Things were about to go down and he had to make sure Kaitlyn wasn’t a casualty. Ice was crazy and Landon didn’t put it past him to hurt Kaitlyn or use her as some sort of bargaining chip to save his own sleazy skin.

  25

  LaDonna was smiling to herself. Today was the day she would finally get her revenge. She’d had to wait two long weeks because she could never catch Tweety alone. I’ma get that ass today, and then I’m getting the fuck outta here, she thought. LaDonna had managed to talk one of her regular johns into helping her escape with the promise of being with him and becoming his live-in girlfriend. Of course he didn’t know LaDonna planned to double cross him, and she wasn’t talking. She continued to observe Tweety finish up the cash receipts and put the money in the safe. Glancing around LaDonna saw all the other girls had gone to their rooms. Al and Chino were outside doing a last sweep of the grounds for the evening. Your help is gone bitch, LaDonna thought acidly, rising and stealthily making her way to the outer office door. When Tweety came around the door, LaDonna was going to drive all eight inches of the butcher knife she held into her chest.

  Jaleesa finished her task and made sure everything was tidied up before she turned out the light and stepped out of the office door. Turning she locked the door and pocketed the key. Jaleesa turned to walk down the short hallway to the stairs and up to her room when the faint glint of light alerted her just as LaDonna lunged at her with the knife. Jaleesa threw her arm up feeling the blades sharp point penetrate her skin. Thinking fast Jaleesa kicked the woman between the legs bringing enough pain to drop her to her knees. No the fuck this bitch didn’t, Jaleesa thought as street came full blown and Jaleesa pinned her down, beating her in the face closed fist. She was so engrossed in killing LaDonna, Jaleesa didn’t even notice the light coming. Caramel screamed seeing the carnage. Al and Chino were just coming inside and ran to woman’s cry. Chino tried to grab Jaleesa as she slipped out of his grip and picked up the knife. To everyone’s horror she plunged the blade into LaDonna’s chest as the woman screamed in pain.

  Ryan strode by the two men standing helplessly and grabbed Jaleesa, lifting her off the limp woman.

  “Tweety,” he yelled holding her tightly as she continued to struggle, breathing hard, trying to get to LaDonna again.

  “Baby calm down,” he told her in her ear as Jaleesa finally began to come back to herself.

  “Calm down, lemme look at you,” Ryan told her as he turned her to him and looked her over.

  “Call Doc,” he threw out giving Al a look. “Sit down baby,” Ryan told her calmly.

  Her arm was bleeding profusely where LaDonna stabbed and cut her. Jaleesa didn’t even feel it she was so angry.

  “Is the bitch dead,” she asked coldly.

  Ryan glanced over at LaDonna and saw her chest slowly moving.

  “Close,” he replied as Jaleesa’s eyes narrowed.

  “Too bad,” she spat as Ryan continued to regard her.

  You better make sure you remind her who’s in charge, Ryan thought. Jaleesa was no joke and if he wanted to keep her under control he had to show her he was crazier than she was.

  “What you want us to do with her,” Chino asked carefully, referring to LaDonna.

  He himself knew how volatile Ryan was, and he knew the man wasn’t happy the two of them couldn’t control the situation. Jaleesa regarded Ryan as he watched the dying woman on the floor wondering when he’d gotten back.

  “What do you want me to do,” he asked Jaleesa.

  Sucking her teeth, Jaleesa sighed deeply. “Make the bitch suffer,” she told him calmly.

  “I can do that,” Ryan replied going over and kicking LaDonna hard to the side as she cried out struggling to breathe.

  “You always were stupid as hell,” Ryan told her lighting his cigar and blowing the smoke in her face.

  LaDonna was wheezing harder as more and more blood filled her lungs.

  “Go to bed,” Ryan barked at Caramel who obediently and hurriedly ran up the stairs without question.

  Ryan picked up the knife, his earlier thought of Jaleesa’s control returning to his mind. What he did next caused even Jaleesa to flinch. Ryan took the knife and rammed it, blade first, inside LaDonna as she convulsed violently. What the fuck, Jaleesa thought as Ryan continued to punish the woman, his face expressionless. Finally stopping he withdrew the knife and cleaned the flesh off that he’d cut out while he assailed her.

  “Here’s all your pussy right here, bitch,” he told the barely conscious woman. “Taste it,” he told her, packing the flesh in her mouth as LaDonna began to gag.

  I gotta kill his ass the first time, Jaleesa was thinking as the woman finally succumbed to injury and insult, heaving one last breath and voiding herself as she finally died. Jaleesa knew that Ryan would do something equally as demonic or worse to her if he caught her when she tried to run.

  “Come on baby,” he told her gently, helping her from the chair and up to the bedroom as the doctor finally arrived and attended to her arm.

  *****

  Tariq was looking at the woman like she was crazy. “What the hell, Sherene,” he asked still trying to figure out what was going on.

  “I wanna break up,” she told him simply, repeating her earlier statement.

  Tariq was totally confused. They’d been doing fine, no arguments, no drama, nothing. He met Sherene a couple weeks after burying Hasaan. She’d been a lifeline for him getting over his brothers death.

  “You said that already,” Tariq told her. “You just still haven’t told me why.”

  Sherene sighed deeply and tried again. “Tariq, it’s just not working for me,” she told him as he continued to regard her.

  Sherene was a sexy woman. She reminded him very much of KiKi in height, and build, but their personalities were completely different.

  “What’s not working, Sherene,” Tariq wanted to know trying hard not to be angry.

  She wasn’t making sense.

  “Look, you’re a nice dude,” she told him as Tariq’s sense of dread deepened. “So I’m not tryna hurt you, but I’m going back to my ex,” she finished as Tariq scoffed.

  “You’re shittin’ me right,” he threw out.

  Sherene told him her ex-boyfriend was the worst. That he was abusive, a cheater and womanizer who couldn’t even keep a job.

  “No,” she replied calmly, picking up her purse and heading for the door.

  “You said he wasn’t jack,” Tariq threw out trying to keep her from leaving.

  “He got a job, he loves me, I love him, and we’re gonna work it out,” she finished with finality, opening the door and walking out leaving Tariq speechless.

  *****

  Sherene sighed deeply once she arrived at the parking lot. She felt really bad for hurting Tariq. He was honestly a very nice guy, but she had to worry about her own well-being.

  “Is it done,” Carlos asked leaning against his car at the other end of the darkened parking lot.

  “Yeah,” Sherene replied as he nodded and handed her the wad of bills.

  “That’s three grand like we agreed,” he told her as Sherene nodded her understanding.

  “You did good,” Carlos told her taking the woman in.

  She was fine as hell, and both he and Ice knew once she approached Tariq he wouldn’t say no.

  “Why ya’ll set dude up,” she ventured to ask.

  Carlos sighed deeply.

  “That don’t matter,” he told her, his tone letting her know not to ask again.

  “Yeah OK, well I’m out,” Sherene returned as Carlos reached out and pulled her to him.

  “You wanna make another grand,” he asked, his hands under her dress, rubbing her butt.

  Uggh, Sherene though
t as he waited on her answer. She guessed she’d better say yes, thinking she’d rather get paid for it, than have him take it from her.

  “OK,” she replied softly as Carlos smiled fully, opened his car door and told her to get in.

  *****

  Tariq was still trying to figure out why Sherene would go back to a loser like that. Man you have the worst taste in women, his mind threw at him as KiKi came glaring into his consciousness. Tariq sighed deeply thinking of the woman and how they’d parted the last time he saw her. It just hurt so much, he thought of her presence at Hasaan’s funeral. It only served to remind him of the nothing he had since his brother’s death. If I could just talk to her again, Tariq thought. He wanted to apologize to her. He never meant to hurt KiKi. She meant the world to him, still did, truth be told. She probably hates my ass right about now though, Tariq thought sadly once again.

  Willing himself to rise from the couch he headed to his bedroom and turned on the shower. Stepping under the steaming hot spray he thought about Sherene and KiKi. It hurt that Sherene left him yes, but it was nothing compared to the huge chasm that KiKi’s absence from his life left him with. Go look for her, his mind tried again. Tariq scoffed at the thought. He knew how KiKi was. She had a mean streak and once you’d crossed her that was it. But she loves you, his mind told him.

  “She used to love me,” Tariq said softly aloud, the revelation bringing a new round of crushing hurt.

  Exiting the shower moments later, Tariq went into the kitchen and grabbed himself a beer. He sat down and pulled his box of weed from under the couch and rolled himself a nice blunt. Turning on the TV he found an old movie that held his interest and kept his mind occupied. After his third beer, and his fourth blunt, Tariq finally accomplished his goal of shutting out the world as he drifted off into a deep, black, and dreamless sleep.

  *****

  Kaitlyn woke up alone again. She wasn’t alarmed. Ice often got up during the night and checked on his operations, went for a drive or the like. She rose from bed and quietly went downstairs. She heard sounds coming from the room he kept as his office and headed toward it. Standing right outside the door Kaitlyn heard the sound that almost made her scream aloud. “Where’s the money, bitch,” Kaitlyn heard Tweety speak. Clamping her hand over her mouth to keep any sound from escaping, she carefully peeked inside the semi-ajar door and saw a sight that lifted her heart and made it sing for joy. Oh my god, she’s not dead, Kaitlyn thought as the tears ran silently down her face.