Thin Ice 4 - Resurrections (12 page)

Mook told him he had, and that everything was on schedule.

“
Good, good,” Shells murmured as DeNoah arrived and entered the house.

They all sat down and began talking about the operations and everyone’s new role in it.

“
KiKi was fine when you left,” Mook asked giving him a look.

“
She’s at the gym,” DeNoah replied as they all nodded.

She spent at least two hours there everyday, so they knew she would be fine alone for that time period.

         
Mook told DeNoah he could go ahead and leave shortly after they finished the discussion on new territory Tariq was interested in. Once they were alone, Mook addressed Shells.

“
Got a call from Jacoury this morning,” he told the man as Shells paid rapt attention.

“
Said he gets a real bad feel for DeNoah,” Mook went on as Shells nodded and grunted slightly. “I wanna get your feel on it,” he threw out as Shells sighed deeply.

“
Him green as hell,” Shells replied plainly. “Even after all da years him spend wit Top, him still making amateur mistakes, ya know,” he went on as Mook sighed lightly, agreeing. “I say him need watchin’, there’s someting off there.”

Mook again vocalized his agreement. “I’ma make a call,” Mook began as Shells nodded, the unspoken understanding passing between the two.

Pulling out his cell Shells sent a text. Mook saw Tae pull up almost 30 minutes later. She didn’t get out of the truck this time, thankfully. After they left, Mook thought about Kim remembering he was meeting her for lunch today. He was swinging by to pick up Gabrielle so he could introduce the two women. Mook thought about the other issue they were facing in addition to the questions about Ian’s death.
Why won’t these crazy muthafucka’s all just die, shit,
Mook thought of Gabrielle’s abductors still being free and unknown. Sighing deeply, he grabbed his keys and headed out to get Kim.

*****

          “
Wassup Jacoury,” Trail greeted him as he entered the club.

“
It’s straight,” Jacoury replied asking for a coke and getting it. “Where that fool at,” he inquired calmly of David.

Trail chuckled slightly. “In the office sweatin’ bullets,” he replied as Jacoury smiled slightly.

Tyashia entered the club at that moment walking over to the bar.

“
Hey,” she greeted them both.

“
Wassup,” Trail threw back, walking away and leaving them alone.

“
You good,” Jacoury asked, looking into her eyes.

Tyashia smiled and his heart melted just a little more. “Yeah, I’m straight,” she replied.

“
You’re early,” Jacoury remarked.

“
I like to come in early, get my head together, make sure my station is straight and stuff,” she replied as Jacoury grunted slightly. “Well, you go ahead and do that,” he told her, taking and holding her hand as they talked. “I’m going in here and handle a little business with David, then you and I are going to eat,” Jacoury remarked.

Tyashia smiled again and quietly told him okay.

“
Cute,” he murmured of her shyness, kissing her cheek softly as he turned and walked away headed for the office and David.

          “
Wassup,” Jacoury greeted David evenly.

The man nervously returned the greeting fidgeting in his seat as Jacoury watched him wordlessly.

“
You got your shit packed,” Jacoury asked finally.

Swallowing hard, David opened his mouth and began trying to explain what Jacoury may have heard. He allowed David to spin his story, holding comment until the end.

“
So, you’re saying she was flirting, leading you on, then cried wolf,” Jacoury asked evenly.

“
Yeah, I’m tellin’ you Jacoury,” David began the lie again. “She was all over me, we kissed, she let me feel her up, then she wanna trip,” he threw out, confident his boss would believe him. Afterall, Tyashia had only started working there a few days ago.

“
Hmm,” Jacoury replied, pulling out his cell and sending a text.

Moments later a soft knock came at the door.

“
Come in,” Jacoury called out as the door opened and David’s mouth dropped. “Tyashia, I know you just started working here,” Jacoury initiated as David began nervously biting his nails. “But when I hired you, I had a good feeling about you, thought you were straight up, no bullshit, honest,” he told her as Tyashia remained quiet and listened. “So, I’m gonna ask you something and I need you to be honest and tell me the truth,” Jacoury went on as she told him okay and waited for the question.

          “
David says the incident I heard about the other night was just a big misunderstanding,” he told her. “He says you two were flirting all night, hugging, kissing, touching, each other.”

Tyashia frowned deeply at the end of his statement, interrupting him before he could speak again.

“
That’s a lie, and he’s a liar,” she replied angrily, glaring at David.

Jacoury almost smiled but managed to catch himself. She was even cuter pissed off, he thought as he returned his attention to David.

“
These stories aren’t gelling,” he told him calmly.

“
Jacoury, man, you know she gonna lie,” David tried. “She wants to keep her job, hell that’s why she was flirting in the first place,” he threw out.

Before either of them could react, Tyashia was in David’s face, knife to his throat.

“
Tell that lie again,” she hissed, furious.

Jacoury was astounded.
She must carry that shit all the time,
he thought of the weapon.

“
Say it,” she yelled at him.

David eyes were as big as saucers, looking to Jacoury for help.

Jacoury didn’t intervene, preferring to watch and let the scene play out. “So David, you stickin’ to that story,” he asked instead as David swallowed hard and said nothing. “That’s what I thought,” Jacoury said calmly, walking over and putting his arm around Tyashia’s waist and lifting her from the floor. “As much as he deserves it, I can’t let you kill him this time,” he told her calmly as she breathed hard, squirming to get down. “Stop,” he told her softly in her ear, kissing it gently.

Tyashia calmed and he put her down, taking the knife from her. “I’ll give it back to you later,” he told her, looking into her eyes now.

Nodding slightly, Tyashia rolled her eyes at David one last time before leaving them alone again in the office.

Jacoury turned to David and spoke. “You have 5 minutes to be outta this club, and if I see you in here again, I’m going to kill you, literally.”

David didn’t need a second invitation. He grabbed his keys, his coat; the single photo on his desk and almost ran from the office, out the front door.

*****

          “
You look cute,” Mook told Kim as she got into the truck.

He loved her in skirts, though she didn’t wear them as often as he would like. The jean mini showcased the sexy legs and thighs he liked to wrap around his neck, Mook was musing as he looked her over again.

“
Stop looking like that,” Kim teased. “We don’t have time,” she added as he chuckled and told her she was lucky they didn’t.

As they drove Kim told him about Sean and school and that he was adjusting fine.

“
I knew he would,” Mook returned. “You going to see him this week,” he asked as Kim nodded.

“
I’ll take Gabrielle with me,” she told him as he smiled and thanked her.

“
She’s really a nice girl from what I remember about her,” Mook told Kim as she nodded.

“
You talked to Top today,” she asked causally.

Mook told her they’d touched base earlier today, but said nothing further. Kim sighed slightly. She really wanted to know just what was going on, but she knew Mook talking about it was going to be like pulling teeth.

         
Pushing it aside for the time being, she asked him to tell her more about Gabrielle.

“
I don’t really know that much,” Mook replied, telling her about the woman’s brothers both drowning and her association with Ian.

“
Damn, and Top is cool with that,” Kim asked.

Mook chuckled and told her that Gabrielle had nothing to do with that or with her brother’s illegal activities.

“
She’s really green about a lot of stuff Miss Kim, seriously,” Mook warned. “She’s grown yes, but she still is very childlike in some respects,” he added as Kim began to understand.

“
Sheltered,” she threw out as Mook nodded and told her exactly.

“
From what I get, the brothers did everything for her,” he told Kim. “She doesn’t drive; she doesn’t really get handling the household, like finance and stuff like that.”

Kim sighed lightly. “Damn, so if she didn’t have a man, she’d be lost,” she replied as Mook shrugged slightly and told her that was probably true.

Kim subconsciously made the decision to help Gabrielle become a bit more independent while they spent time.
It’s cool to have a man, but damn, be able to take care of yourself,
she thought behind the calm façade as they arrived at the complex and Mook entered the code to open the gate and let them inside to pick up Gabreille.

13

         
Jalen was nervous as hell. This was new territory for him and he wasn’t sure he could pull it off. Recalling his brother’s words however, provided much needed motivation.
“Its time for you to start earning some of this money you’re still lucky enough to be holding,” Ian told him calmly. “Simply think of it as collecting money owed to YOU,” he added before leaving him alone for the night.

“
Relax man,” Creeper told him, seeing the apprehension etched on his face. “We got your back,” he added as Pirate nodded.

Jalen smiled slightly, thanking them. It was reassuring to know he wasn’t facing this task alone. Still, could he actually do it, Jalen wondered as they rode. From the glimpse he’d gotten of Ian, and how he operated, the man was ruthless.
Is that some shit you’re born with,
he wondered, still not sure he possessed the ability to be as cold and aloof.

         
They arrived at the warehouse where he was meeting the contact. The trip had been entirely too short as far as he was concerned, but they were here now, so Jalen had to man up and do what he came for. Following Creeper and Pirate’s lead, he got out of the truck, holding the attaché case Ian had given him to deliver. They made the short walk to the warehouse entrance as Creeper and Pirate produced weapons and opened the door. Jalen swallowed hard and hoped he didn’t do something stupid like pee his pants and embarrass himself. He was mortified. The guns were real, and this wasn’t TV, his mind told him as they walked inside.

“
Wassup ya’ll,” Markell greeted them. “No need for heat, we’re just doing friendly business,” he added as Creeper and Pirate put their weapons to their side, relaxed.

         
Jalen looked the man over. He wasn’t a menacing figure at all. He was sitting but, Jalen assumed he wasn’t tall, and he certainly wasn’t a big guy. Very lean and sinewy, he had beady eyes, reminding Jalen of a rat. He thought about Ian’s summation of the man and his warning of his treachery. Deciding he wanted to get the deal done and leave, Jalen finally stepped forward into Markell’s line of sight.

“
Damn,” the man murmured looking right at Jalen.

“
Something wrong,” Jalen asked, knowing very well why the man’s face showed the surprise it now held.

“
Nah, sorry, you just look like someone else,” Markell replied, still somewhat shaken by the uncanny resemblance.

“
Hmph,” Jalen replied. “Let’s get to it then,” he added as Markell readily agreed.

He motioned as one of his boys placed their steel attaché case on the table, turning it around and showing Jalen, Creeper and Pirate, the dope contained.

“
Looks good,” Jalen returned as Pirate produced the switchblade and stepped to the case.

Jalen watched as Pirate cute a pouch, and tasted the product, using his finger. He nodded, giving Creeper and Jalen a look.

         
Markell smiled. “So, now the payment,” he told Jalen still watching him intently. Jalen calmly walked to the table and placed the case on it, then stepped back, just as Ian had instructed. Markell quickly opened the case, then looked up at Jalen, the fury on his face.

“
What the fuck is this,” he growled, still seated however, as both Creeper and Pirate’s guns were aimed directly at him and his boy.

“
It’s your payment,” Jalen replied trying to keep his voice from wavering.

“
What kinda bullshit you runnin’,” Markell asked again still furious.

“
I’m not running anything,” Jalen began again. “You gave us 250K worth of dope,” he went on, repeating word for word, what Ian had given him. “You owe me 250K, so I’d say we’re even,” he added as Markell frowned deeply in confusion.

“
What the hell are you talking about, I don’t even fuckin’ know you,” he railed, standing finally.

          “
But you know me,” Ian said evenly, stepping from the shadows where he’d quietly and invisibly entered the warehouse.