Brick (Double Dippin') (26 page)

Anya had wanted to handle Kaymar Crawford on her own, but she realized that she needed Brick’s help. His guidance.

Fact checking was necessary before she got Brick involved. Using her iPad, she did another online search for Kaymar Crawford. This time she searched the Philadelphia Sex Offender’s registry. Voila! There he was. Kaymar had an updated address in West Philadelphia.

This was a game changer. Brick grew up in West Philadelphia. He knew every inch of the area. Brick would be able to quickly find out the killer’s favorite places, be it the basketball court, a neighborhood park, the corner bar…wherever. Brick would find him.

And if the creep was hiding inside his crib, Anya knew that Brick would find a way to lure him out. He’d toss a grenade in that piece—blow it up. He’d smoke that killer out, if he had to.

The display of sparkling weaponry Tayshaun spread out was impressive. No one would imagine a rundown crib in a housing project was a stash spot for such a high-tech arsenal.

There was every kind of firearm imaginable. An assortment of handguns, assault rifles, knives, and explosives. Tayshaun had survival weapons Brick had never imagined using, like the turbo crossbow with brass inserted arrows and the high-powered slingshot with steel ball bearings.

“What this? It looks like some James Bond shit.” Brick picked up a futuristic-looking gun.

“That’s a digital revolver, man. It comes with a custom wristwatch. The watch sends a wireless arming signal to the gun. It won’t fire without the watch. That baby costs fifteen stacks.”

Brick put the gun down. It was out of his price range, and too high-tech.

Brick studied the selection of guns and picked up a lightweight .22 revolver.

Tayshaun frowned. “Whatchu gon do with that? That gun ain’t got no power.”

“It’s a gift for a friend,” Brick replied.

“Most females like to carry semi-automatics nowadays.”

Brick didn’t say anything. Tayshaun was fishing for information. He perused the weapons and noticed a cell phone mixed in. “You selling cell phones, too?”

Tayshaun laughed. “That’s a stun gun. 4.5 million volts. Good decoy, right?”

Impressed, Brick nodded. “Yeah, I want that piece.”

Brick was hype. He felt like a kid in a candy store. He wanted everything on the table, but his budget only allowed for a select few killing tools.

“You got it.” Tayshaun placed the fake cell phone next to the revolver.

“Check out this two-toned nine-millimeter. Chicks say this piece is sexy.”

Brick gazed at the pistol briefly. But it was the collection of shiny blades that really drew his attention. Knives, swords, axes, and hatchets. This was the kind of shit that got his adrenaline pumping. He couldn’t take his eyes off of a long, beautiful sword. Damn, he wanted that joint just for the hell of it, but how would he look walking around with a sword. That’s the kind of shit niggas getting long paper like to display on their walls. People don’t take swords out on killing missions.

Brick pointed to an Asian-style knife with a ferocious curved blade. “What’s this called?”

“Don’t get me to lying, man. Do I look like a ninja? I just sell this shit to people that are into knife-fighting.” Tayshaun looked at his watch. “We gotta speed up this transaction. Did you bring the rest of that paper you owe on that ID?”

“Yeah. I gotchu.”

“Aye, then pick out the rest of the shit you want; I gotta keep it moving.”

Brick made his selections. As an afterthought, he threw in the high-powered slingshot.

“You hunt?” Tayshaun asked, nodding toward the slingshot.

“Nah, man. I like this joint. Keeping it as a personal toy.” Brick put all of his new possessions inside his duffle bag. Smiling, he headed for the front door.

Tayshaun met Brick’s smile with a serious expression. “Yo, man, I tell this to all my customers… If you get jammed up with any of that shit, you’re on your own; I can’t help you. Understand what I’m saying?” Making his point further, Tayshaun gesticulated excessively. “You don’t know me; I don’t know you. We ain’t never met! You dig? So don’t come back around here, and don’t send nobody to see me, ’cause I don’t fuck with everybody!”

“Chill out, Taye. You getting all worked up and paranoid for nothing. You know I ain’t no snitch.”

“I’m just saying, man. Making sure we got an understanding.”

Tayshaun cracked open the door, and stuck his head out. His eyes suspiciously scanned outside before opening the door wide enough for Brick to exit.

Brick had dropped a small fortune on the ID and the weapons. At two hundred dollars each, the battle hatchet and the small pack ax were the cheapest items in his new collection of killing tools.

Back in Jersey, Brick stopped at a liquor store and picked up a bottle of champagne. The next stop was a bakery, where he
bought a small chocolate cake. Finally, the Party Store for a shiny bag and tissue paper.

Leaving his tools in the trunk, he entered the motel room with the gift bag, cake, and champagne.

“Happy Birthday, Anya,” Brick greeted.

“How’d you know?”

“I have my ways.” He’d actually seen the exact date stored in Cash Money’s phone. Dude was waiting for Anya to collect that dough from her lawyer.

Anya’s eyes surveyed the packages. “Is all that for me?”

“It sure is, birthday girl.” He put the cake and champagne on the table, and handed Anya the gift bag.

“It’s heavy.”

“Look inside.”

She pulled out the tissue paper and lifted the gun from the bag. “Wow.” She stroked the barrel. “This is nice!”

“I thought you might prefer something lightweight. Easy to handle. The barrel is five and a half inches. You wanted a long barrel, right?”

“Yeah.” She nodded her head thoughtfully.

“It’s a .22. Small holes.”

“That’s perfect. Thank you, Brick.”

Brick looked her in the eye. “Are you ready to do this?”

“Yeah. I’ve been waiting a long time.” Nervously, Anya bit her bottom lip.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’ve been thinking. After this is finished, I’m out of here. Relocating to Mexico. I spoke to my lawyer today, and he said it’s going to take another ten to fourteen days for the money to clear.”

“Baby, that’s your money. You don’t have to give me reports on that.”

“I know. I’m just saying… I know that I slowed you down from handling your business—”

“No, you didn’t. I still don’t have all the info I need.”

“Well, I want you to know I can help finance the trip to Miami, if you can wait a couple weeks.”

“Nah, I’m good. I can’t wait that long. After you handle your business, I’ma leave you with enough paper to hold you until your money comes through.”

Anya bit down on her bottom lip, worriedly.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t think that I can handle it alone.”

“I wasn’t going to let you. I gotchu. I’m there. Where’s the mufucka living?”

A look of relief washed over Anya. “Well, I thought he was staying at his parents’ house on Olney Avenue, but I looked him up on the Sex Offender’s Registry today, and I discovered he moved to West Philly. I did a Google search. The street he lives on is near Forty-sixth and Market.”

“I know the area well. I’ma put some feelers out on ol’ boy first thing tomorrow.”

Brick picked up the ice bucket. “Going to the ice machine; be right back.”

After he closed the door. Anya picked up the gun and stared at it, feeling a mixture of fear and exhilaration. And sorrow. What those two monsters had done to her mother was unspeakable. Imagining her mother’s last hour on this earth caused Anya unbearable grief.
An eye for an eye, and I’m not backing down! Kaymar Crawford is as good as dead.

A
fter celebrating her birthday with chocolate cake and a champagne toast, Anya and Brick lay in bed naked, watching a movie together.

Brick sat with his back supported by the headboard; Anya lounged in the space between his legs, her back pressed against his brawny chest. His arms circled her waist, Every so often, he nuzzled her neck, kissed her cheek before returning his attention to the TV that was mounted on the wall.

For Anya, this was the sweetest moment of her life. Basking in the comforting warmth of Brick’s body heat, she closed her eyes. She felt completely secure. And loved.

“Are you falling asleep?” Brick asked.

“No. I’m enjoying the moment. This is the happiest I’ve been in a long time. I know it sounds corny, but I want this moment to last forever.”

Brick murmured a sound. “I could restart the flick if you want to…you know…to extend the moment,” Brick said with a chuckle.

“Aw, you’re mean. Making fun of me because I’m a romanticist.” Laughing, Anya twisted her body slightly so she could look at Brick, face-to-face.

“I was only messing with you. I’m about to really extend the moment. I want you to turn back around and close your eyes.”

“Okay.” Smiling, Anya obliged. She heard rustling as he reached
beneath the pillow, and then blindfolded her with a necktie. “Oh, this is freaky.”

“Shh. No talking.” He put the rim of her glass to her lips. “Take a sip.” He turned the glass up, careful not to spill any of the champagne. “Is it good?”

“Real good. It tastes different…it seems more sparkly with the blindfold on.”

“Want some more?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Let’s change positions.” Brick repositioned Anya, guiding her movements until she was seated with her back against the headboard. He sat next to her on the edge of the bed.

He picked up the glass. “Ready?”

She nodded. He gently brought the mouth of the glass to her lips. She took a deeper sip, and champagne trickled down her chin. Reflexively, her hand went up to wipe away the dribbling liquid.

Brick clasped her wrist. “I gotchu.”

She could feel his face close to hers. She flinched when his tongue mopped the dribbling champagne from her chin. “Oh, Brick,” she murmured.

“You like that?”

“Yes,” she whispered hoarsely. Her senses were heightened. She could hear the sound of something swishing in the glass that Brick held. “What are you doing now?”

“No questions. Now be patient. Lemme do this.”

Anya’s flesh prickled in excitement as she braced herself to be doused with more champagne. But instead, Brick placed something close to her nostrils. “Sniff.”

She inhaled deeply. “Mmm. What is it? Smells like fruit…with a hint of chocolate.”

“Open up.”

Anya parted her lips for him. Brick inserted the tip of something soft and moist. “Bite it,” he said.

She bit into a chocolate-covered strawberry laced with champagne. Greedily, she pulled the remaining portion from his fingers and slowly chewed, moaning softly. “How’d you hide that from me?”

“Ah, you don’t know about my stash spots.”

Anya smiled as she chewed and swallowed.

“There’s chocolate on your mouth, baby.” Brick wiped her lips with the pad of his thumb. His touch was sexually charged. Her moist mouth parted. She imagined parting her vagina and inviting his dick inside.

Brick inserted a chocolate-smudged thumb into her mouth. Hungrily, Anya sucked his thumb until she’d cleaned it.

Thoroughly aroused, her chest rose and fell. She gave a soft gasp as the chilled champagne suddenly trickled over her breasts.

Brick tortured her aching nipples with the hot lash of his tongue.

“Fuck me, babe,” Anya’s voice was rough with need. She looked into his eyes, detecting a mixture of savage lust and a soft tenderness.

Brick laid her down upon the pillows, breathing deeply as he positioned himself on top of her. His chest pressed against hers. His lips covering her neck. The heat of his hard body made her whimper and writhe with need. The heavy masculine scent of his skin was unbearably arousing.

Rolling her hips, she invited him to enter her.

“You ready for me?”

“Oh, God, yes.”

Bending slightly, he swiped her pussy with a finger, and brought her flavor to his lips. “Mmm, so sweet, baby,” he mumbled, panting with need.

“Brick, I need you,” she pleaded hoarsely. Arching her hips
while struggling to part her thighs wide, she urged him to plunge deeply.