Thin Ice 3 - Armageddon Page 6

  “Hey wassup Mook,” Tariq greeted him walking in at that exact moment.

  Tae stopped walking and Mook saw her turn and sit at the empty table she stood next to when Tariq entered the club. Sighing softly Mook chided himself as his mind told him he should be thankful that the fates had intervened when they did. Pushing all thoughts of Tae from his mind, Mook began to listen as Tariq spoke telling him about Ian and their efforts to this point.

  “So, no forwarding address,” Mook asked. “No record of who picked him up when he was released, nothing,” he added as Tariq sighed deeply and told him no.

  “Let’s go to the office so we can really talk,” he told his friend and partner as they both rose. Walking by the table where Tae continued to sit, Mook couldn’t help but cast a glance her way. She looked into his eyes as he and Tariq passed, giving him a sly wink. Mook smiled faintly and turned away, following Tariq into the office as the man asked him if he wanted a drink refill.

  Settled and out of Tae’s sight, Mook began to relax and truly get back on track with the business he was here to handle. He was going to have to do something about the woman and quickly before things got out of hand. In the years he’d been with Kim there had been temptation sure, but never had he been as attracted to someone else, besides Kim, than he was to Tae at the moment.

  “I got Jaron and Mace checking into some leads for me,” Tariq told Mook bringing him back once again to the present.

  “They still hanging’,” Mook asked of the two men.

  He hadn’t given them serious contemplation since everything went down in Mississippi with Tate.

  “Yeah, they’ve proven very loyal over the years,” Tariq replied as Mook made known his understanding.

  “I sent them to Louisiana,” he told Mook who frowned slightly.

  Tariq explained. “Cardale was in Louisiana,” he told him calling the facility by name. “When they released him, Ice didn’t have any money, nothin’,” he went on as it began to make sense to Mook.

  “So you’re thinking he didn’t go far,” Mook threw out as Tariq nodded.

  “So I have those two turning over stones and dropping questions,” he finished the explanation.

  “What if he’s here,” Mook threw out asking the unspoken question.

  Tariq sighed deeply and frowned.

  “Yeah, I thought about that,” he told Mook, pouring himself a shot, alerting his friend how tense and stressed his boss really was about Ian being a free man.

  “If he’s here, KiKi’s on his list, trust that,” Tariq returned after sipping the liquor.

  Mook grunted and nodded his agreement.

  “Does she know,” he asked looking Tariq directly in the eye.

  “No,” he replied calmly. “KiKi thinks Ice is dead,” he told Mook as the man again nodded his understanding.

  Tariq continued without prompting, explaining the remark.

  “When we came back that night, she never asked,” he told Mook. “I found her crying softly a couple days later, putting the necklace he gave her in a small container and locking it away in her small fire safe,” Tariq went on. “I knew that she was grieving and I didn’t correct her assumption,” he finished as Mook told him he understood.

  “Well, we have to be prepared for that possible situation,” Mook told Tariq as the man sighed deeply and poured another drink.

  “Yeah, I know,” he replied simply as Mook decided not to push and left the conversation alone, joining Tariq by taking a shot of his own.

  *****

  Ian entered the house and immediately picked up the hint of perfume. Peyton’s up to his old tricks, I see, he thought smiling as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a coke. Ian stopped at the bar the kitchen contained, placing the glass on it and grabbed the Crown that was under the counter. He finished mixing the drink as he heard the door open down the hall. Ian waited wanting to get a look at the woman Peyton had managed to ensnare and bring back to the house.

  “Wassup Ice,” Peyton greeted him cheerfully as he entered the kitchen.

  “Not a lot Peyton,” Ian returned still bemused. “Looks like you’ve had a good morning,” he added giving the man a look.

  Peyton laughed loudly as he grabbed a beer from the fridge and opened it.

  “Yeah, real good,” he said simply as Ian again smiled.

  “Is she still here,” he asked finally, letting Peyton know he wasn’t an idiot.

  Smiling again Peyton took another long drink from his beer, burping, before answering the question.

  “You just missed her,” he replied grinning like a Cheshire cat.

  Ian smiled and changed the subject asking where Seth was.

  “He went back to follow Tae again,” Peyton told him as Ian vocalized his understanding.

  “What’s the next move,” Peyton asked as Ian pulled out his cell.

  He needed to make a few calls and set up and few things before they went out this evening.

  “Did you check on Rebecca,” Ian asked Peyton giving him a new look.

  “She’s fine, having the time of her life,” he replied as they both laughed.

  The woman was on a boat in the middle of the ocean, enjoying an all expense paid, 14 day cruise. Ian figured that was enough time for Dixon to get him the information he needed. This time he wasn’t taking weeks or months to secure what he wanted. Ian was going to war in the next few days and his first order of business was killing LaRon for taking his brother’s life. Thinking of Ryan made Ian melancholy all over again. He’d seen his brother’s son in the flesh a few times at his private school. When Ian secured the monies from their hidden accounts, he’d immediately set up a trust account for Ryan II, and had an attorney he retained present it to Caramel so she wouldn’t be suspicious. Now she would be able to care for the child properly. He’d found out she worked long hours at a convenience store to make ends meet. Ian was impressed she hadn’t gone back to prostitution to support them.

  “Dixon better hurry up and get what we need,” Peyton said aloud breaking Ian’s thought.

  “He will,” Ian replied knowing how much the man loved his mother.

  Calling him from his cell, Ian greeted the bodyguard when he answered.

  “Do you have what I need,” he asked sharply.

  Dixon sighed deeply and told him yes.

  “Good, we’ll meet tonight,” Ian replied as Dixon again told him that was fine.

  “Is my mama all right,” he asked carefully, no wanting to set Ian off.

  Sighing deeply Ian assured him Rebecca was fine. “And she’ll stay that way as long as you do your part and don’t get any crazy ass ideas,” Ian warned coldly.

  He could hear the defeat in the man’s voice as he quietly replied he wouldn’t.

  “See you at 10:00PM and don’t be late,” Ian threw out disconnecting before he received a reply.

  “You seen KiKi again,” Peyton ventured to ask, not sure if he’d get an answer or cursed out.

  Sighing deeply Ian replied he hadn’t.

  “I hafta wait for the right time,” he replied simply.

  Peyton shrugged again before speaking.

  “But won’t killing off Deuce raise some flags,” he threw out as Ian smiled slightly. “Probably, but not for her,” he replied cryptically.

  Peyton frowned slightly but said nothing else, choosing to leave the kitchen and return to his room. Alone again Ian continued to brood thinking of all the dark and painful things he planned to do to LaRon before he killed him.

  6

  Jaron and Mace were hanging out near the riverfront, enjoying the scenery as well as doing a little snooping. They watched the people as they boarded the huge riverboat preparing for yet another tourist run. The grand vessel contained three decks and was sporting a freshly rendered red, white and blue paint job. Mace chuckled watching the exited children as they tugged on their parents hands to hurry and get aboard. Their interest was also peaked by the rumors they’d heard about the DuBois family and their
new houseguest.

  “There they go,” Mace whispered nudging Jaron.

  Turning in his friend’s direction he saw the couple. They’d been following Corey and Gabrielle most of the day.

  “That fool is trying’ hard ain’t he,” Jaron remarked seeing them enter yet another boutique.

  The man had been shopping with the woman almost all day.

  “Right, and still won’t get no booty at the end of the day,” Mace added as they both chuckled again.

  Taking her in, Jaron had to admit Gabrielle DuBois was one sexy woman.

  “How we gonna get anything outta her,” Mace asked as Jaron continued to brood, thinking about the exact same thing.

  Tariq had instructed them to do whatever was necessary to get the information he needed.

  “We need to step to her while she’s out,” Jaron said aloud as Mace agreed.

  In the time they’d been snooping, they’d found out the DuBois brothers had quite the reputation for being violent.

  “I still haven’t seen either brother,” Mace remarked as Jaron agreed.

  “I don’t think they’re here,” he added.

  Both men were grateful for that small favor, not wanting to deal with the brothers at the moment and feeling they would get much more information out of Gabrielle.

  “You wanna snatch her or what,” Mace asked again.

  Jaron thought about it long and hard, sighing deeply finally and answering him.

  “We don’t have much choice,” he replied. “Time we ask about Ice she either gonna flip and tell us the truth, lie to us, or tell us but then call her brothers soon as we let her go,” he reasoned.

  “Hell yeah man, no doubt,” Mace replied. “Can’t snatch her off the street here though,” Mace began again. “Too many people and they talk too much.”

  Jaron again spoke his understanding still watching the couple as they left the boutique and began to walk again.

  “Perfect,” he whispered aloud almost to himself as Mace turned his attention to the couple as well.

  They were headed down a small alleyway right off the waterfront that led to yet another boutique, but the path provided adequate cover for what they were planning.

  Rising casually, the two men followed the couple into the alley. The sun was beginning to set and the shadows hung heavily inside the small cobblestone alleyway. Stealthily gaining on the couple, Jaron and Mace heard Gabrielle laughing as Corey continued telling her the story he was reciting. Giving each other a look they separated as if to pass the couple. Corey drew closer to Gabrielle, giving the two men space to get by when they suddenly stopped walking, one in front and one behind them.

  “Wassup,” Jaron threw out, looking directly at Corey.

  “What ya’ll wantin’,” Corey replied the drawl heavy. “Here’s my wallet,” he tried, pulling it from his pocket and handing it over.

  Jaron took the wallet, removed the cash contained and handed it back.

  “Thanks, but that ain’t what we want,” he replied turning his gaze to Gabrielle.

  “Leave us alone,” Corey told them trying to avoid confrontation.

  “Where are your brothers,” Mace asked standing behind them as Gabrielle jumped from the sound of his voice.

  Corey frowned slightly; annoyed they were being accosted because of the DuBois reputation once again. It was times like that that made him question his desire to be with Gabrielle at all.

  Gabrielle continued to regard the man in front of her, trying to recall if she’d ever seen him before. He wasn’t local, that much she knew from the way he talked.

  “Answer the question,” Jaron barked as Corey put his arm around Gabrielle pulling her closer.

  He would protect her of course, but again, he was tired of all the drama her brother’s illegal enterprises always seem to bring him. Corey had aspirations of running for political office and having in-laws like the DuBois brothers was definitely not good for his image. Still he couldn’t shake the deep and abiding attraction he had to their beautiful sister. It’s not her fault her brothers are criminals, Corey thought arrogantly as they continued to be held in the alley. He prayed someone would come through the path and interrupt their impromptu meeting, but so far, that wasn’t panning out.

  “What you want my brothers for,” Gabrielle finally spoke trying to stay strong and sound brave.

  Jaron smiled slightly seeing the fire in her beautiful green eyes as she spoke.

  “Not really them we’re interested in,” he told her still watching her closely. Gabrielle said nothing.

  Taking a deep breath and blowing it out slowly, Jaron nodded almost unnoticeably as the blow came swiftly to Corey’s back and he crumpled to the ground. Gabrielle gasped seeing the man on the ground grimacing in pain, before returning her attention to Jaron who was still standing in front of her.

  “What you talkin’ bout and what you want,” Gabrielle again returned the accent thicker now that she was visibly upset.

  “I wanna know where Ice is,” Jaron said simply as the surprise crossed her face and disappeared just as quickly, alerting him they’d finally hit pay dirt.

  “I don’t know no Ice,” Gabrielle lied.

  Mace kicked Corey hard to the gut as the man now struggled to breathe.

  “You’re gonna get your boyfriend killed lying to me,” Jaron told her plainly as Gabrielle blinked back tears.

  “Where is he,” he barked sharply making her jump again.

  “Leave us alone,” Gabrielle returned instead of an answer, earning Corey yet another vicious kick to the face.

  “Stop it!” Gabrielle screamed, attacking Mace, who easily subdued the small woman and held her immobile.

  Jaron walked to her, standing close enough to feel her heart racing as Mace’s arms enveloped her.

  “If you don’t answer my question this time, I’ll kill him,” Jaron told her plainly. “And when me and my boy are done with you, you’ll wish you were dead,” he added for good measure now looking her directly in the eye. “I’ll give you 10 seconds,” Jaron told her evenly, producing the .10mm from his pocket and unlocking the safety.

  *****

  Kaitlyn smiled to herself as they hit the city. She hadn’t been to Louisiana in some years, especially not on business. Tae was entertaining herself as usual singing along with the CD as the smooth sounds of R&B filled the car. For the woman to be as violent as Kaitlyn knew she could be, Tae had that soft, sweet, romantic side to her as well.

  “Wake that diva up,” Tae barked glancing in the rearview and seeing Jaleesa sleeping.

  Kaitlyn chuckled as she reached into the backseat of the truck and woke her bestfriend. “We’re here,” she said simply as Jaleesa stretched and rubbed sleep from her eyes.

  “I know your lil happy ass wanted to wake me up,” she groused at Tae, rolling her eyes as both women burst into laughter.

  “We got to handle business and your ass is asleep,” Tae returned as Jaleesa smiled herself this time, joining the joke.

  “I need some food,” she threw out as Kaitlyn voiced her agreement.

  “Shit, ya’ll know a sista is always down to eat,” Tae added as they all laughed again, driving into the French Quarter and stopping at the famous seafood restaurant they’d Googled.

  “Mmm, it smells good on the damned outside,” Jaleesa remarked as they all laughed again getting out.

  Standing outside the truck and stretching, the three women made sure the truck was secured, their weapons were in their purse and their lipstick was on straight before heading inside and being seated. Kaitlyn was still inhaling all the wonderful scents wafting through the air as Tae ordered herself a margarita and Jaleesa asked for a wine spritzer.

  “Something for you ma’am,” the waitress queried as Kaitlyn continued taking in the restaurant.

  “Crown and coke,” she replied as the young woman smiled and left to get their drinks.

  “What you having’,” Tae asked Jaleesa.

  Shrugging Jaleesa re
plied she didn’t know yet.

  “Where are we meeting the contact,” Kaitlyn asked as they all perused the menu.

  Tae replied they were supposed to connect in another couple hours.

  “They’ll hit me up when they’re in place,” she replied as Kaitlyn nodded thoughtfully. The waitress returned moments later and placed everyone’s drink in front of them. Asking if they were ready to order, the women replied in the affirmative and gave her their desired choices.

  Sitting and enjoying their drinks once more, the women were all lost in their own ponderings as the sound of soft jazz began filtering through the restaurant. Kaitlyn was thinking about her being here and the reasoning behind it. She thought about the lies she’d told Tariq about the trip and how she was deceiving him. That man loves you so much, why are you doing this to him, her pesky conscience was back. Kaitlyn took another swallow of the drink, letting the alcohol float slowly down her throat. It wasn’t that she didn’t love Tariq, because she did. She loved him without hindrance. The problem was her. Kaitlyn felt empty. There was a gaping hole inside her psyche since her daughter was ripped from her life. Tariq tried. She had to give him that. There was absolutely nothing he didn’t give her; no place he didn’t take her. He spent endless hours trying to help her feel better and get over the pain, but he didn’t understand the depth of the loss for her, Kaitlyn continued to brood. Because you felt the losses spiraling out of control, her mind warned as Kaitlyn frowned slightly. She could never admit to Tariq how hurt she was that Ian was dead. Of course she didn’t want anything to happen to her husband that fateful night he and Ian squared off, but Kaitlyn had prayed all night that some other way could be found. She didn’t understand why she couldn’t let him go. She’d cared deeply for Ian at one point and he’d been good to her of course, but by now she should have been able to stop hurting. All the losses are still too fresh, her mind again tried to excuse. Kaitlyn wasn’t sure what the reasoning was, all she knew as being back in the game gave her a reason to smile again, to laugh again, to simply live again.