CHAPTER TWELVE
Kimmy pulled up into the horseshoe driveway of Madam Valerie’s house, killed the engine, closed her eyes, and said a prayer. She knew Madam Valerie had prior engagements and wouldn’t be home. Her being there wouldn’t draw unwanted or unneeded attention because Kimmy was always there anyway as if it were her second home. All the help knew she came and went when she wanted to. Kimmy took a deep breath and got out of her car, and she went inside, straight to the home office.
The door was never locked so she was able to turn the knob and go right in, shutting the door behind her. Kimmy’s heart was racing. For a few seconds, she stood with her back against the door, looking around the room. Valerie didn’t have any photos of family on the desk or hanging from the walls. She claimed she didn’t have any family to speak of so Kimmy never asked twice.
Kimmy went over to the desk and quickly looked at what papers and notes were on the desktop and she found nothing of great importance. She momentarily paused, paranoid that someone was coming. Realizing she was tripping, she then started checking the drawers to see if they were unlocked. None of them were.
Kimmy stood perfectly still, scanning the room. She saw what looked to be a manila envelope that was in between two books on the bookshelf. On a mission, she went over and pulled the envelope out. Luckily, it had already been opened. She took a folded paper out of the envelope and started reading it. The heading read DEATH CERTIFICATE FOR MACKEY WHITESIDE.
Kimmy couldn’t believe her eyes. “This old casket-face-ready, lying bitch.” Taking out her phone she quickly snapped pictures of the certificate. When she was putting it back exactly the way she found it, a housekeeper knocked on the door, startling her.
“Come back later! I’m on the phone!”
Kimmy heard footsteps walk away from the door. Making sure she had left thing as they were when she came in, Kimmy left with what she needed.
Without stopping anywhere else, she raced back to the loft. She couldn’t wait to show Rissa what she’d found. For years Madam Valerie had been keeping the fact that she had a brother a big secret. He must have been a real fuck up or she knew he was a rapist and didn’t deal with him the long way. Wow.
* * *
Rissa was pacing back and forth through the loft when Kimmy came home. She bum-rushed her before she got through the door. “What happened? Did you find anything? Was they on to you?” Rissa quizzed franticly.
“Bitch, calm down and have a seat. Fall back some,” Kimmy ordered Rissa.
“I don’t need to sit down. Just please tell me something I can live with,” Rissa cried.
Kimmy shook her head from side to side and gave Rissa her iPhone. Kimmy watched Rissa’s mouth drop wide open while she read the snapshot of the death certificate. It all made sense to Rissa now. Bobby killed her aunt and Madam Valerie’s brother. She never knew any of Mackey’s people or where he came from to even know he had a sister, let alone one who sold pussy for a living. All she knew was he was a piece of shit, sick in the head, who liked taking pussy. Rissa was glad he was dead so he couldn’t ruin nobody else’s life. She had no remorse, only hatred and vengeance for those who had a hand in killing the love of her life.
“This old ho had Rolling Earl kill my Bobby, but she couldn’t have known on her own that he did it.” Rissa closed her eyes and thought back to Goodhouse first interviewing her at police headquarters. “He asked me if I knew Bobby. I told him yeah, and he left it alone. Aw, fuck, Kimmy, that’s how the cop got on to Bobby.”
“How?” Kimmy was still trying to connect the dots.
“The day after the murders happened, Bobby and me was looking for his ID but we couldn’t find it. He was drunk as hell that night and lost it. We was hoping he didn’t lose it at the murder scene. But I guess he did.”
“And I’ll put my bank account on it that Goodhouse found it and sold the information to Madam Valerie ass. From what you told me, around the time him and her got killed I walked in on Madam Valerie offering Goodhouse a fat envelope full of money.”
Rissa was livid. “That scumbag-ass pig. If it weren’t for him Bobby would still be alive. I realize it now what he was hinting at when he came to the hospital, rubbing it in my face that he was in charge of Bobby’s murder investigation. He was telling me in so many words that he was the cause of Bobby getting killed and he knew the killer all along.”
Rissa started bawling tears of anger. Kimmy hugged Rissa, comforting her. When Rissa got her mind right she stood straight up, drying her eyes. Then she looked Kimmy dead in her face and said, “Bitch, you ready to be the queen? That washed-up, decrepit ho gotsta to fall, and them two lowlife, shit-eating snakes gonna follow.” Rissa vowed scorn and determination.
Kimmy put both hands over her face, contemplating. Rissa backed away from her and crossed her arms over her chest. “So, what’s it gon’ be? You said one day you gon’ to sit on the throne. Your time is now, Kimmy. Or you gonna wait around until she cross you, use you up, and throw you away?” Rissa was trying to convince Kimmy to ride with her because she knew she couldn’t bring them down without her.
Kimmy moved her hands from her face, looked at Rissa, and tilted her head to the side. “Bitch, let’s get it did. I’m tired of being run. It’s time I run some shit. Push comes to shove and it don’t go over clean, I got enough money put up to dip out and start over. A bitch can slang pussy anywhere. Ol’ girl done had me do some grimy shit to people I didn’t care to do, and them things always on my conscience. I think I’ll feel good and sleep better at night if I help knock the ol’ ho off her pedestal and wear her crown. You got a plan or naw?” Kimmy said with a smirk.
“Yup. I damn sure do,” Rissa announced, pacing the floor again. “Check this out: if we get her client list and the dirt she blackmailing people with, she powerless, right?”
“Yeah,” Kimmy agreed. “So that’s how we gonna do it; take all that shit. I can get it, too, right from under her nose. She trust me way more than she should, of course. That skank won’t know what hit her.” The scheming pair laughed out loud, sure of themselves.
“First we got to deal with the help: Goodhouse and Rolling Earl slimy ass. Without them, she weak. I’ll handle Rolling Earl personally.” Rissa wanted revenge. “Can you get to Goodhouse? He’ll see me coming a mile away.”
“Yup, sure can. I got to him once and fucked up his marriage. I’m sure he ain’t forgot what Kimmy cakes can do in such a way. If I call he’ll come running.” She giggled with a devilish smile. “We got to move on them both at the same time starting tomorrow. Then we’ll deal with Madam Valerie succubus ass in a major way she can’t come back from.”