TYCE 6 (13 page)

“We got it Jax, now I’m gonna go for a swim…you wanna join me?” Rachael sat up on the bed and looked at her boss.

“Naw, I got some work to do.”

She sighed. “All work and no play makes Jax a dull boy but suit yourself.”

Rachael sprung up from the bed and felt four eyes hone in on her exposed ass cheeks as she walked her G-string clad ass toward the door. Despite Bishop’s hunger pains, and Jax’s no nonsense attitude; they two men still couldn’t ignore the tempting view of a woman’s bare ass. They watched her grab a towel off the back of a chair and they continued to gawk until she finally exited the room. Once she was gone, Jax kept staring at the world outside his window in deep thought while Bishop devoured his food like he was in a prison cafeteria.

This was the calm before the storm; soon the shit would hit the fan and blow 25 million directly at them.

The sun was gone and night had set in over the Sharpe household. The dinner dishes were in the dishwasher, the food was put up, the kitchen floor was mopped, and one million dollars was spread out all over the table on top of the place mats. Daniel sat across from Kenya as husband and wife both stared at the pile of cash. The look on Kenya’s face spoke loudly as she uttered low calculating words in the quiet kitchen.

“That’s a million dollars right there. A million freaking dollars Daniel. Tax free, untraceable and ours for the taking. We have to at least consider keeping it.” Kenya rubbed the tip of her pointy nose.

“At what cost? You want me to lose my job? The department takes this kind of shit seriously. I can’t take this money, what if someone finds out about it?”

“Kenya wisped her blunt cut bangs away from her forehead. “And who’s going to tell on you? Huh, you think the person who wants you to walk away and take this money is going to walk into the police station and confess to bribing a police officer? I don’t think so.”

“I took an oath Kenya, I’m a detective in the robbery division, I have a job to do…a duty.”

Sharpe put his forearms on the table.

His wife shook her head. “Did you know sin is sin. No sin is greater than another in the eyes of the Lord. Adultery or murder it doesn’t matter, it’s all the same.”

“What the hell does cheating or killing someone have to do with what we’re talking about now?”

“Everything, you said you have a duty, a job to do right?” She looked at him in the eyes.

“Yes I do, you’re absolutely right.” He shook his finger at her.

She put her wrists together. “Ok, then turn me in.”

“What?” Daniel frowned as his wife stood up from her chair.

“I said turn me in. I drink and drive every other Friday after I meet Sheila and the girls for Margaritas at Rosa’s Cantina on happy hour. I buy 200 Demerol pills from my drug dealer. I take half each month and sell the rest to Kelly and Nancy who are on the PTA with me, and I pay our car insurance with the profits. I’ma drug abuser and a drug seller. We have full coverage on both our cars because I sell drugs, and you know all about it detective.”

He sucked his teeth. “That’s different and you know it.”

“Not in the eyes of the law it aint. So be a cop and arrest me.”

Sharpe sighed deeply. “Sit down, it’s not the same. You’re comparing apples to oranges. We’re not dealing with that.”

Kenya leaned on the table. “You know what we
are
dealing with Daniel? That money is not the only thing that came today. You want to know what else we got sent to us today? You don’t have to answer me because I’m going to tell you anyway. We got a nine hundred dollar bill from the Los Angeles Water and Power company. I got a late notice on the pay day loan you took out to cover the car note last month. I put my last 40 bucks in the gas tank, and the bank has started foreclosure proceedings on the house. And since 30 percent of your income is already being garnished for Jamie’s medical bills we can’t afford food. I tried to get food stamps but it seems you make too much money to qualify for assistance but not enough to feed your family. I’m sick of eating hamburger helper and making meals that stretch for two and three days. We had to cash in change to fix the starter on my car last week. And you want to talk about your job. Between my disability payments and your partial pay checks…we are maxed out. Mathematics don’t lie…we are dying financially.”

“I can tap into my pension to help us stay afloat.” Sharpe lowered his eyes.

“Yeah, and then when you’re 65 years old we’ll be right back in the same boat because you spent up all your retirement fund. Take the money honey. The world will still be jacked up and there will be plenty of crime for you to fight but I tell you what…we’ll be better off.

“Look, you’re asking me to walk away from one of L.A’s most notorious under cover gangsters.”

Kenya touched his hand gently. “No, I’m asking you to put your family in front of your job for a change.”

Daniel looked at the pile of money and then he looked up at his wife’s pretty brown face.

“Look, let me sleep on it. Put the money back in the box and we’ll talk about it in the morning; is that alright?”

“Yeah, I can give you that.”

“Thank you babe…and by the way, nobody makes hamburger helper taste as good as you do.”

“Kenya chuckled lightly. “That’s because I season it with love.”

Diamond day had finally arrived and I was amped. As usual my crew was in pro mode and we descended on the crime set ready to do what we did best. I for one stayed ready so I didn’t have to get ready. So I could have pulled off my plan on a Wednesday morning, with a hangover, and a tooth ache.

The secret location for the underground jewelry showcase literally was underground. It was being held in the basement of an abandoned thrift store. It was the perfect place because it was isolated yet enough in the mix so a crowd of cars didn’t stand out like a pumpkin in a strawberry patch. There were two ways in and out of the joint. Blacked out double doors in the front and a roll down bay door that was used for deliveries once upon a time were the entrances and exits for the space. However, the huge bay door was only partially raised up for ventilation so everybody was filtering in through the front of the building and making their way down stairs to the lower level.

Sway and Dallas were posing as shoppers each doing their separate thing yet they kept their eyes on one another. Me and Peck were behind a glass booth setting up a retail spot right next to Franco. I had paid good money to occupy the spot right next to the mark. But no amount was too much when it came business. I had to pay to play.

“There are two dudes backing him up.” Peck set the cash register on the counter and whispered to me under his breath.

“Yeah and two more standing across the aisle. Did everybody copy that?” I asked.

My whole crew was wearing ear pieces so I was double checking if we all were communicating properly.

“I see em.” Sway said.

“I hear you baby.” Dallas checked in.

“I gotchu bro, one, two, three, four little Indians.” Sabrina’s voice came over the tiny speaker. She and Angelique were posted up outside in a Suburban.

“Everybody look alive cuz Jax jus’ pulled up in the front. The holice scanners are clear but ya’ll got company comin’ in fast from the front. You all copy that? Jax is comin’ in fast.” Angelique spoke quickly.

Everybody sounded off letting the crew know the equipment was working perfectly. It was show time…it was time to go to work.

             
I watched Franco unlock the handcuff around his wrist which was attached to the handle of a black brief case. His booth was next to mine and I saw the men on his security detail perk up when he set the case on the clear glass counter. He then set a small bag on the counter and pulled out a 50 power jewelers’ loupe with an LED light built in, and a diamond slash moissanite electronic tester. Those were two essential tools needed to sell diamonds, especially to a person who was unfamiliar with stones. Moissanite was a rare mineral that was a dead ringer for a real diamond in every way. Unless a person was trained to examine gems or had a machine to test them, a moissanite stone would fool them every time. He made brief nervous eye contact with me before he flipped open the lid revealing the magnificent rocks inside. I saw that they were sectioned off and organized according to size, cut, and shape. Some were ready to mount into a setting while others were in their raw natural state. The set up was just like Quiana said and the count looked to be accurate as well.

“We got eyes on the prize.” Peck let everybod
y know what we were looking at.

I saw Jax, Bishop, Rachael, and another short stocky Latino looking dude walking quickly down the stairs. The main selling area was like a huge rectangle with various vending booths along the walls. There were over 50 vendors and I was one of them, or at least I pretended to be in order to get close to the diamonds. One security guard was stationed at the bottom of the steps, and as soon as Jax was in arms reach he hit him in the back of the head with the handle of a gun. The man dropped to his knees instantly and Jax swiftly relieved the man of his weapon which was
tucked away in a side holster.

The showcase didn’t open for another half hour so the place was nearly empty. No customers were present in the b
asement market; just retailers.

“Everybody down on the ground now!” Bishop waived a gun in the air as he trotted down the middle of the huge room.

Sounds of terror and sharp high pitched shrieks echoed from the mass of people milling about as they shrunk their bodies down to the thin dark blue carpet. After Jax snatched the guard’s firearm, Rachael bound his hands and feet together with zip ties. Bishop and the Latino dude jogged toward Franco’s booth with the Latino thug holding his hand high in the air like the Statue of Liberty.

“He has a grenade!” One of Franco’s guards yelled. “Don’t shoot him! Don’t shoot!”

As Bishop ran past Sway, he got clotheslined and fell flat on his back. His head hit the ground but before he could regain his senses and fire off a shot, Sway kicked the gun out of his hands and started raining down blows on Bishops surprised face.

“Pin Rachael down! Force her back up the stairs!” I hopped over the counter and pulled my gun out.

Franco slammed his case shut and ducked behind his counter while his security guard stood over him with his gun drawn. The other two sleepers sprang into action. One focused on Jax while the other man trailed the man holding the grenade. Dallas fired her gun at Rachael as she stood up by the steps. Five quick shots sped her way one right after the other causing her to duck and scramble back the way she came. Dallas kept the heat coming as bullets pierced the steps just missing Rachael’s feet.

“Stay with the case!” I pointed at Peck.

I steadied my gun at the grenade wielding stranger as Jax ran up toward me with his own gun in hand.

“You move, he dies, and we all get blown the fuck up!” I yelled at Jax but kept my gun aimed at the short dudes head.

I noticed that the pin on the grenade was pulled out so the only thing stopping it from exploding was a tightly closed fist.

“I’m ready to die! Everybody stay down! You hear me?! I want everybody down!” Jax shouted at the room.

Peck took out his gun and pointed it at Franco’s body guards as the frightened man crouched down behind the counter below the waist of his hired protector. A few seconds later Peck shot both men standing behind the counter in their shoulders. Per my instructions, he didn’t kill them; he just took them out of the equation. Everything was happening so fast. Bishop was out of commission having been knocked out cold by Sway who was now backing up Dallas. The two of them were making sure Rachael was a non-factor which reduced Jax’s team from four to two. Peck and I only had to deal with a handful of people.

“Wooooo! You gotta cold white boy on your team! You ready to die for that case Tyce?” Jax grinned at me menacingly.

“Drop the weapon shit head!” A burly man approached Jax.

His wide eyes kept dancing back and forth between Jax, Peck, and me. He didn’t know who to cover. Before the man could react Jax put three bullets in his chest and laid the brave man down. Loud screams rang out after the man collapsed to the ground with a
blood soaked white dress shirt. Franco’s security detail was now down to only one out numbered man.

“Put the gun down man. You don’t wanna end up like your friends. You’re out gunned. Get on the ground before you get killed.” I nodded toward the floor.

Jax pointed his hammer at the Lone Ranger. “I would listen if I were you. I’ll give you three seconds to make up your mind before I put a bullet in it. One, two…”

The man exhaled, tossed his weapon several feet away from him, and laid down face first on the carpet. It had taken a hail storm of bullets but Franco’s team was diffused leaving only Jax, the grenade grasping stranger, and Franco for me and my team to deal with. I have to be honest…the grenade shit threw me off. Jax was right, I wasn’t ready to die for the case, and I didn’t want anybody on my team to die for it either. So, I had to play it cool and go against my natural born instincts to fight back.

Jax looked down at the subdued man. “That’s a good boy. Now as soon as your boss hands over the diamonds this will all be over. Gimme the case Franco! Stand up!”