Black 01 - Black Rain (7 page)

“See, that’s why I don’t like playing with you. You cry worse than Magic Johnson when he was playing.”

“Now, why you got to be hatin’ on Magic?”

“Why are you lying, saying I fouled you when I blocked your shot clean?”

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“Joe, why don’t you just walk over there and get the ball. We’ll shoot the mystic ball to see who’s lying,

’cause you know the ball never lies,” Vernon reminds me.

The mystic ball is how we settle arguments and bad calls. The person who makes the bad call is challenged to go to the free-throw line and shoot. If he makes it, the call was a good one. If he misses, the verdict is that he was lying through his teeth.

I retrieve the ball and throw it to Vernon, who has already placed himself at the free-throw line. He bounces the ball three times and lets it fly. The shot is all net. It goes straight in.

“Liar, liar, pants on fire! I told you, you hacked the shit out of me, and you know the mystic ball never lies!”

“Whatever! Your ball, Vernon.” I throw Vernon the ball out of bounds, and damn if he doesn’t make the next eight shots in a row.

“Fool, I told you to try and hold me and play some defense. You don’t believe the legend,” Vernon says, grinning from ear to ear.

“Dude, I let you win. Shut up!” I say, laughing. Then my laughter dies.

“Vernon, I need to talk to you.”

Vernon frowns, “This about you and Sierra?”

I place the basketball between my legs, sit on top of it and look up. “Yeah, but it has to do with you, as well.”

“Joe, is this gonna be one of those cigar moments?”

A cigar is something Vernon has to have when he’s about to hear something he isn’t going to like.

Vernon rubs his well-manicured hand over his close-cropped head. “Yep, you might as well go get it now, Vernon.”

66

Black Rain

My friend gives me a curious look and heads to the driveway for one of his cigars. Vernon always puts a cigar in his mouth when he’s nervous, serious or about to get violent. I know my partner and he’s not going to like what I have to tell him one bit.

Vernon strolls back up the driveway, takes a seat on the step leading to the back door of the house and places his cigar in his wide mouth. He never lights it, he just chews on it. “All right, boy, you got me out here. What’s on your mind?”

I get up and throw Vernon the ball, which he places under his arm. I pull up one of the lawn chairs and sit across from him.

“Vernon, Chase is deep undercover on a case that involves dirty cops killing drug dealers for money.

They’re also killing cops who try to get out of the organization. Chase has gotten in next to the head guy, some Cuban named Dread Cattanno. He’s a police sergeant for the Nebraska Police Department. He’s been under suspicion for a while, but they haven’t been able to bust this guy. Agent James gave me the case file. He also has reason to believe that Agent Smelley is dead.”

Vernon leans back on the steps and his brown skin seems to get darker as his eyes narrow. “Damn, Joe. This sounds like some serious shit. If Smelley got his cover blown, Chase is on borrowed time.”

“Exactly! So, something has to be done. And fast.”

Vernon scrunches up his wide nose. “Joe, what the hell we know about Nebraska?”

“Vernon, it doesn’t stop there. This guy has got connections and is operating in Oklahoma, Iowa, Nebraska
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and Kansas. They call it a black ring. Dirty cops killing drug dealers to get rich.”

“What’re we gonna do for backup? We won’t know what cops to trust and who’s dirty. I know a few guys in the other departments, but not good enough to rely on their information.” Vernon twirls the cigar in his mouth.

I decide not to tell him about the fifty thousand finance money, to be spent as front money for the case, I have more than that in the bank, but I don’t want Vernon to get the wrong idea. And I can’t let him think that he’s in on this. I can put my own life in jeopardy, but not Vernon’s. Not this time.

“Vernon, Agent James asked me to take this case and I agreed to. Solo! I’ll be leaving Sunday.”

Vernon starts to laugh. “Stop fucking around, Joe.

You never know when to take things serious.”

“But, I
am
serious, Vernon. I can’t ask you to do this.

Chase and I have history, and I owe her my life.”

Vernon stands with the ball under his arm, bites down on his cigar and then grabs it out of his mouth. “
We
got history, Joe. I’m your partner, remember? I owe you my life and my wife’s. How you expect to do this alone?”

Vernon doesn’t realize that is the very reason I don’t want him on this dangerous case. He’s like a brother to me and if something happened to him, I would never be able to face myself or his wife, Gertrude.

I rub my right eyebrow. “Agent James will assist me with cooperatives, and I was going to call on a couple of friends that grew up with me, like Pretty Kevin.”

“What, Joe, you’re going to trust your life with a pimp? What kind of crazy shit is that?”

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Black Rain

“Vernon, Kevin has given that life up for two years now. Why you always giving Pretty Kevin a hard time?”

I grew up and went to college with Kevin. He graduated and could not find a job that paid better than pimping.

He got caught up in the Missouri River Serial Killer case when his prostitutes started coming up missing and their dead bodies were found floating in the river. He was a prime suspect, but we ended up solving the case and Kevin was cleared. After that situation, Kevin experienced a major life conversion. He now is part-owner of Ebony Plastics, which is doing very well. The corpora-tion grosses over five million dollars per year.

“Joe, this ain’t about Kevin. This is about my so-called partner making decisions without me. That’s not how it’s supposed to work. Our partnership is about trust, honor and respect. Not selfish decisions that can get you killed. This is about
friendship,
man.”

“That’s why I’m not getting you involved, Vernon.

Man, Gertrude could never forgive me if something happened to you. Pretty Kevin can hook me up with Mo-Mo and St. Louis Slim. These guys love this kind of dangerous shit and I know they’ll have my back. They both owe me big-time, and it’s time for them to pay up.

Vernon, you know Commissioner Wayne isn’t going to let both of us do this. Look at the cases we already have open. You’ve got to stay and cover for me. You got to look after my wife and kids while I’m gone, man. Who else can I trust to do that, bro?”

“Joe, Mo-Mo and St. Louis Slim are going to get you killed. Both them fools are crazy and you know it.”

“Yeah, but both are very loyal and have friends in shady places all over the six-state area. I can get guns
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and good information from the underground black market that they deal in.”

Vernon sits back on the step and gives a heavy sigh.

“Joe, why you doing this? You been fucking around with Chase or something?” Vernon puts his cigar back into his mouth.

“Naw, Vernon. I kissed her one time, but I never had her, dawg.”

“Yeah, right. That’s bullshit, Joe!”

I rub my right eyebrow and look Vernon in the eyes.

“Vernon, I’ve never lied to you, man. I’m not gonna start now.”

“Whatever, dude. This is fucked up. No wonder your wife is pissed. You’re willing to lose your woman over this? Has this been cleared with Commissioner Wayne, Joe?”

“Agent James is clearing it with him. I go pick up my car from the impound at FBI headquarters on Sunday.”

“What about your dad?Your pops can go any day now.

Are you willing to deal with the guilt if he passes before you get back? You know that would kill your mom.”

“Why are you bringing that up, Vernon?”

Vernon walks up to me and takes his cigar out of his mouth, standing so close that the sweet tobacco on his breath hits me in the face.

“Because these are the facts and this is real, Joe. A lot of people will be affected if something happens to you. Have you even thought of your children? Have you checked out everything? Something just ain’t right about this case, Joe. You’ve got a lot to lose, if this stuff goes wrong.” Vernon grips my shoulders and stares deep in my eyes.

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Black Rain

“What about Chase, Vernon? Should I just sit back and do nothing and let her die?”

“Let the FBI handle it, Joe.”

I grab the back of my neck. “Vernon, you don’t understand. I already took the case. Agent James gave me fifty thousand dollars for front money. It’s upstairs in my dresser drawer. I got to do this.”

“Return the money, Joe. You don’t have any obliga-tion to her.”

“I’m a cop, Vernon. Chase needs me and I owe her.”

“We’re both cops, asshole.” Vernon says pointing his stubby finger at me. “Well, I see you’ve got your mind set, so fuck me and what I think. Right, partner?” Vernon shoves the basketball in my chest, looks at me, shakes his head and walks to his car and drives off.

Vernon has never acted like this. Will our friendship ever be repaired? I turn to go in the house and Sierra is in the doorway with tears in her eyes. She must have heard the whole thing. I sit on the steps and put my head in my hands.

I have to trust my gut feeling on this, but I’m hurting so many people I love in the process. Am I that selfish?

Why am I willing to sacrifice so much? It’s my job and I owe Chase my life and she would do it for me. This has been the hardest thing I’ve done, and yet, it will be harder explaining this to my mom and dad. My dad is dying of cancer, and I will use all the resources possible to get back to Kansas City as fast as I can.

I’ll have to call St. Louis Slim and Mo-Mo to set up a meeting. They’ll have my back even though St. Louis Slim still hasn’t gotten over our last argument, but I know he won’t hold that against me. At least, I hope not.

Chapter 4

Chase wakes up, looks around and realizes she’s in a hotel room, sore all over, with the sour taste of con-gealed blood in her mouth. She struggles to rise from the bed and wonders how they got her in there unconscious. Did they walk her through a lobby, or did one of Dread’s henchmen pay one of the hotel workers so they could sneak her up a back entrance, on some freight elevator away from any suspecting hotel guests?

By the Italian furnishings, she gathers that this place is very expensive. It must be a suite. Shadows move under the door. Television noise and conversation can be heard from the next room. Her room is dark, but the shades are pulled back enough for the moon to gaze in.

She remembers her mom calling the moon God’s night-light. It sheds enough light for her to find her way to the bathroom without tripping over her overnight bag.

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Black Rain

Chase pulls her bag into the bathroom with some dif-ficulty, closes the door, and without thinking, switches on the light. She’s immediately blinded by the bright fluorescent lights that illuminate the oversized area.

When her equilibrium and sight adjust to the lighting, she’s surprised that her encounter with Brutus didn’t leave her as badly bruised as she’s feeling.

A slight bruise swells on her right cheek and her lip is a little swollen on the right side, as well. She’s glad her arm blocked her face. Too bad it didn’t block the cuts on the inside of her mouth. She runs her tongue around her mouth to check for any loose teeth. They’re fine.

Brutus could have hurt her worse, and she counts her blessings that he considers her a friend. She’ll have to let him make the first move next time. It was silly for her to get caught in the air. She knew better.

Her face has a light coating of dust, as do her hair and clothes. She pulls some straw from under her shirt and suddenly feels weak-kneed as she thinks of Agent Smelley swinging from that rope. At least Dread didn’t burn his body as he did all the others. She pushes the tears back and vows to get even. She has to be smart and keep a cool head.

She must contact her superior, FBI Agent Royal James, and let him know of her position.

She looks around the gold-toned bathroom with the oversized French marble Jacuzzi, bathtub and vanity. By the wall, off from the freestanding shower is a wall phone. Thank God for hotels. Chase is surprised when the information on the phone reveals that they are in room number 1611 at the Downtown Hyatt Regency hotel in Sioux City, Iowa. She looks out the door to
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make sure no one has entered the room. She pulls out her cell phone and mutes the sound. She carefully dials Agent James’s cell-phone number.

It rings two times. “James here.”

She whispers into the phone. “This is Chase.”

Agent James’s pitch rises immediately. “Chase, are you all right? Where the hell are you? We’ve got to get you out. We believe we’ve found Agent Smelley. He’s been burned.”

“James, I fear for my life, but I’m okay. Agent Smelley was not burned. He was killed in Nebraska. His body is in a red barn that’s on a deserted dirt country road near Freemont, just off Highway 30. Dread killed him. He cut him up something awful.” Her voice breaks.

Agent James pauses for a moment. “Chase, we thought we had Smelley’s body here. Some poor bastard has been burned to a crisp and he’s about the same size as Smelley. You’ve got to get out of there.”

“That was Officer Paul Novesell. He double-crossed Dread on a drug bust and tried to keep part of the money for himself. If I see the opportunity, I’ll get out. They have someone watching me constantly. There are at least six men with Dread at all times.”

“Joe is on his way to help you get out. Just hang tough and stay alive until he can get to you. Where are you?”

“Thank God. I’m in Sioux City…” The door to her room opens, and she flips the phone shut and shoves it in her panties. That is one place they won’t search.