The Heist (23 page)

“No, don’t leave me!” She grabbed at him, but he slipped out. Sasha backed away from the door until her back pressed against the rear wall of the closet, behind Kumar’s hanging clothes. Her terror was so real it felt like a second skin, cold and tight, preventing her from escaping its grip. Then she heard the gunfire: one, two, three, four rounds. Putting her hands to her ears, she crouched low. She concentrated on one thing, keeping the thought of Kumar being hurt from the front of her mind. That didn’t work because after the gunshots came the laughter, mean maniacal laughter, growing louder and closer.

The closet door was kicked and splintered. Trixie, the crazy blonde with a Mohawk, slithered inside. Sasha rose slowly. She would fight the bitch to the death to stay alive. That truth was either on her face or evident in the way her fist clenched because Trixie went wild. She screamed like a banshee, an unearthly shrill sound that challenged Sasha’s confidence.

Then she attacked.

She started hitting and kicking with all her might, driving Sasha back down to the ground. No mercy. Her nails were like talons slicing at Sasha’s face and hands as she tried to protect herself. Trixie kept going. She snatched Sasha by the hair and dragged her across the carpeting out of the closet.

Sasha kicked and bucked with little effect, but she didn’t give up. She clawed Trixie’s hands. She yanked at her wrists, causing the woman to lose her grip and fall forward. Without delay, Sasha rolled and kicked out at Trixie’s knees, causing the crazed woman to howl in pain and collapse. Sasha got to her feet and ran for the door. Just before reaching it, Trixie leaped on her back. The added weight was too much. Sasha buckled and went down, face first. She hit the floor violently enough to cause blackness to temporarily cloud her vision.

Trixie grabbed her hair, and then banged Sasha’s head into the floor. “Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!” the psycho sang, riding Sasha’s back.

But Sasha wasn’t going to let it end there. Her anger took control as she twisted and bucked, expending energy she didn’t think she had. Finally throwing Trixie off enough to roll over to her back, she didn’t run, she went on her own attack. She pummeled the madwoman with her fists, bloodying her nose. Trixie retaliated by scratching and clawing at Sasha’s face with her razor-sharp nails. Sasha had to draw back. It was the advantage Trixie wanted, and she charged her again. This time Sasha was ready. She kicked both legs out and Trixie was thrown. The side of the crazed woman’s head connected with the edge of the dresser.

The crazy witch slumped in a dead heap.

It was over. Bleeding and spent, Sasha looked at the woman, unsure of what her stillness meant. She kicked at her leg but Trixie didn’t move. Putting her hands to her mouth, she stifled her own screams.
Have I just killed someone?

The door flew open again and three angry Goths charged in. Two of them grabbed her by the arms. Sasha fought and cried, but they managed to drag her out of the room while the other tended to Trixie. In the open loft, she was thrown across the floor. Crying and trying to make sense of it all, she lifted her head and wished she hadn’t. Her heart broke at the sight of Kumar. He was on his knees, the gun he once wielded pressed to the back of his skull. There was no hope. They were going to die.

Casper appeared in a long black flowing trench coat that swept the floor with each step. In silver-tipped boots, he walked silently toward her. His face was ghoulish, his lip paint cracked by the snarl he gave her. “Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky…” Casper hissed.

Then he looked at his Clan. “Where’s Trix?”

The third person, a man, came out carrying her lifeless body. Sasha could see Casper’s face drain of the little blood it had left. He stormed over and took his lover into his arms. His cries were bizarre and womanly as he whimpered and licked the blood on the side of Trixie’s face. Everyone remained silent, watching Casper's hysteria. Then his head snapped around; he fixed those dead eyes on Sasha and she believed his murderous intent.

“Sasha, run!” Kumar yelled, seeing the threat before she could. “Run!”

She jumped up and ran to the door, but was caught by other members of the clan. They dragged her back whimpering. Casper approached and slapped her, so hard it split her lip.

He collared her, lifting her from her feet. “You killed my Trixie, you bitch!” he spat, spittle sprinkling her face.

“No…it was an accident.”

“Really? An accident?”

“Yes, it was an accident,” Sasha pleaded.

Casper’s face split into the devil’s smile. “Well, this won’t be!” He ripped open her shirt to bite down hard on her neck. Sasha’s screams tore through the apartment. Kumar, unable to stand anymore, broke free but was quickly caught. The door flew open. Men with guns charged in. A blow to the back of his head by the butt of his own revolver knocked him flat. Then there was chaos. The men with guns just opened fire. Casper dropped her and she fell to the floor with her arms over her head and neck.

Casper removed his guns, his mouth covered in her blood, and he started firing back. The rest of The Clan members went on the attack, running blind toward the gunmen. They had no weapons. They were picked off easily as others continued to try to protect their boss. Sasha blinked and glared after the fleeing image of Casper with the small pouch of Raspberry Stones as he leaped from the window back into the night.

The sulfuric smell of gun smoke filled her lungs, hot shell casings dropped all around her. She looked to Kumar lying on the floor and blinked once more.
Is this it? Is it over for us both?
Then she saw a figure standing over her. It was just a shadow, as darkness began to move over her thoughts. He said something and lifted her up into his arms. Then she passed out.

***

Kumar woke. He touched his head where the pain was most intense and his jaw clenched. Opening his eyes, he found the room in a perpetual spin, forcing him to close them just to reclaim his balance.

“Kumar?”

He heard her voice, above him. That was when he realized his achy head was cradled in the cushion of her lap. Her touch was soft and loving as she lightly soothed the side of his face. “Are you okay?” she said sweetly to him.

“Sasha?” he asked, turning. He could see her clearly now. She had a large bandage on her neck. Her diamond-shaped eyes shimmied with tightly guarded tears.

“You’re safe. We’re safe,” she told him, nodding, trying to reassure him.

“What? Where?” He moaned then tried to rise, but fell back into her lap.

“Don’t move, just wait. I heard them say they’re sending for a doctor.”

“Who?”

“Lee’s people, I guess. They came and saved us. We’re going to be okay.”

“The diamonds?”

“Gone, I think. I believe Casper got away.”

“Your neck, what…?”

The door opened. Two men walked in and this time Kumar
did
sit up. He recognized one of them immediately: the man Lee referred to as
Mr. Clean
. Kumar reached for Sasha’s hand and held it.

“You two okay?” The balding older man spoke.

“Yes, we are,” Sasha replied.

He smiled. “My name is Jamison, Lee sent me.”

“My place?”

“It’s handled. Though I wouldn’t recommend returning to it.”

Kumar exhaled. He was nervous over the implications. His green card didn’t exactly cover murder. Jamison looked to his assistant and nodded. “I’m told this was The Clan that attacked you?”

“How did they know where to find us?” Sasha asked.

“Apparently, CJ was detained. They tortured him until he gave you up.”

“Is he dead?” Kumar asked.

Jamison looked him in the eye and that was all the answer he needed. “The doctor is here. He wants to see you both. Then we’re moving you to a place where you can relax comfortably. Clothes and everything else will be provided.”

“Until?” Kumar asked.

Sasha’s gaze bounced between Kumar and the man before her. He didn’t crack a smile. “Until Lee returns.” He rose and walked out.

“What’s going on, Kumar?”

“Don’t worry.”

“I think I killed somebody. I did, I killed her.” Sasha groaned, putting her hands to her head. Kumar put his arm around her, then brought her to his chest, holding her tight.

“You did what you had to.” He saw the doctor enter. “Hey, let him look at your neck, and the scratches to your face. ”

“What’s the needle for? she asked.

The doctor stepped over and drew back the bandage. “It’s a human bite that can get infected. I’m sorry, but this will hurt.”

Kumar held her hand and kissed it. “I'm here, I got your back no matter what.”

***

“You need to eat,” Sasha told him, coming out of the kitchen with two plates. It had been two days and staying with him in the private suite was heavenly. They binged on junk food and watched movies. They made love even in their weakened states and lay with each other in contented silence. But she knew today would be different. Soon her sister would return and things between the two of them were bound to change.

“Kumar!”

He came out with a towel around his neck and low hung Bermuda shorts. “What’s this?”

“Lunch!” She smiled.

Kumar went to the table. Sasha scooped salad on his plate, then hers. She then gave him a healthy portion of spaghetti.

“So
Chocolat
comes back soon? I hear in two days?” Kumar asked. Sasha just ate in silence. “You ready to face her?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“You’ve had a choice from the beginning, Sasha. More of a choice than any of us.”

Sasha chewed then swallowed. “True, but I made it. Now I have to own up to it. I plan on owning up to it.”

“I’m proud of you.” He winked and continued to eat.

Sasha stared at him. “I didn’t want to bring this up but I have to, Kumar.”

“Okay?”

“That night in your place, when I showered.”

“Yes?”

“I was going through your cabinets. I…I found a bag, a man’s bag.”

Kumar stared at her. Sasha smiled sadly. “It had things for heroin use.”

He looked down at his food. Picking up his glass of tea, he drank it then cleared his throat. “You’re wondering if it’s mine?”

“Yes, I am.”

“It is.”

Sasha felt visibly stricken by the truth. She stared at him in disbelief. He didn’t appear to be a junkie. Far from it. And if he was, heroin was the worst of them all. “Kumar?”

“Remember I told you that I was friends with your father?”

“Yes.”

“Well, he was the one that helped me get clean. He adopted me as a sponsor.”

“Pops? Pops wasn’t a drug addict, he was an alcoholic.”

“There’s no difference, Sasha, addiction is addiction. And for men like me and Pops, we had to find ways to hang on. AA wasn’t an answer, so we kind of took care of each other. Lee made sure we took care of each other. He introduced me to Pops. After he learned of my talents with computers, he gave me a job and Pops gave me sobriety.”

“Heroin? How did that happen?”

“How does it ever happen?” He shrugged and continued to eat. Sasha nibbled her food as well, not sure how to continue. They ate in silence for the next few minutes and then he finally sat back.

“Before Lee found me, I ran with a pretty bad crowd in India,” he started.

“Okay.”

“I started taking opium at around thirteen. Everybody did it. The men I served didn’t care about my addiction. I had no one to answer to. Lee isn’t like that. He’s an honorable man.”

“Lee? Lee doesn’t know honor.”

Kumar frowned. “You’re wrong. Lee takes loyalty very serious. He lives by the code that we all have to respect. He is the most honorable man next to your father you will ever meet.”

“Whatever,” Sasha mumbled.

“I did a job that was for Lee. He asked to meet me. He explained who he was and what he wanted. Two days working for him, he sniffed me out. The third day Pops arrived. They had a talk with me. Explained the nature of things, things you don’t know, Sasha, things about this business you should never know. Lee gave me a way to take care of my family, and Pops gave me the strength to let go of my burn for smack.”

“How? Pops didn’t know a damn thing about sobriety.”

“He did, he just chose to ignore it,” Kumar said.

Sasha wanted to cry. Why couldn’t Pops have saved her and Michelle the way he mentored and saved Kumar?

“Then why do you keep that bag? Why keep it close if you are clean?”

Kumar sighed. “How can I explain it to you? How?”

Sasha pushed back from the table and rose. Walking over, she stopped before him, taking his hand and leading him away from their meal. “Come with me.” They went and sat on the sofa. She wanted to understand. If they were going to be together, then she had to. “Just talk to me. I can handle it, help me understand.”

“Every day I wanted to get high; every night I wanted to get high. I have to face that. Deal with it. The minute I pretend it’s not a reality is the minute I find myself justifying my addiction. So I keep it. The ugly truth: the monkey on my back, he's there to keep me sober. When I look in that bag, I don't remember how good it felt. No, all I see is the dope sickness that comes with the high. I see the emptiness. The dead feeling I have inside. It keeps me sober. It’s my method.”

“I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”

“Pops was a good man, Sasha. He was like a father to me, too. I want you to know that.”

Sasha smiled. “I believe you.”

Chapter Twenty

“Comin’ out! Bet those hard ways. How about the C and E? Hot roll comin’, play the field. Any mo’ on yo?” the stick man called. Eddie flicked his wrists, his fingers spread and the palm of his hand opened, allowing the dice to roll. Two red clear cubes hit the end of the green- carpeted crap table and fell over to display seven. Lee observed Eddie's every move.

“Winner seven! Line away, pay the don’t! Sorry, Mr. Cumminskey, you’re out,” the stick man announced, pulling the dice and lifting the lost bets. Lee frowned when the smug smile spread over Eddie's lips before he sipped his whiskey. It was evident that Eddie believed himself beyond reproach. Lee sneered. Cumminskey had made a big mistake by making a play for his woman under his nose. Since Pops set him up in front of these men, Lee’s authority was always put to the test. Eddie stepped away. He scanned the players and game tables. He dropped his whiskey glass on a passing tray. Lee had a clear view of him in the poker room.