CHAPTER 17
They enjoyed steaks at Nobu and after a couple drinks, Eric, Kim and Tina walked out of the eatery. They waited for the valet to bring the Rolls Royce around.
“Where to ladies?” Eric asked when the Phantom’s Suicide door swung open.
“Oh, I don’t know. The night’s still young,” Tina smiled. “What d’ya think, Kim?”
Kim seemed deep in her thoughts and didn’t immediately answer. They got inside the car and Tina pinched Kim.
“Hey. What’s that for?” Kim asked.
“I’m waiting for your answer, bitch.”
“I’m so caught up with this car, I can’t even think right. It’s very nice. So this the Phantom, huh?” Kim asked as the retractable hood ornament popped up. “I got to get me one. You gotta lotta cute, nice cars, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I got a few toys,” Eric said, smiling.
“All I wanna know is where the party at?” Tina shouted.
“There’s an industry party happening. If it’s alright with you guys, we can go check it out,” Eric suggested.
Kim and Tina accompanied Eric to the party. All night he seemed in some kind of business discussion or money talk about a new deal. It was non-stop all day all night meetings with other producers of both film and music. Eric Ascot was the producer every artist wanted to work with. Needless to say it kept him busy.
“I guess you gotta work hard to make all that money. When does he enjoy himself?” Kim asked, sipping an apple martini.
“I ain’t here to be his psychologist. I’m trying to get rich like him,” Tina said with her eyes on Eric. “He’s our ticket out of all our worries.”
“But he’s a nice guy, though,” Kim said. “And he’s not bad-looking. He ain’t no criminal. You could tell.”
“Are you falling in love or what?”
“I’m just saying…”
“C’mon. Get back to the real business at hand, bitch,” Tina warned. “Don’t get emotional about all that other shit. It’s fuhgazy.”
Kim stared coldly at her friend. She turned and sashayed toward the bar. In a crowded room filled with record executives and actors talking business, Kim searched in vain for conversations. She settled down at the bar, enjoying her martinis. Later, Eric drove them home.
“You know a lot of people with money, don’t you?” Kim asked.
“I know my fare share. There are some people who I’ve always done business with and they introduce me to other people who wanna do business.”
“It’s a constant thing, huh?”
“It’s about creating business opportunities so I can hire people like you. Maybe one day you could run a business for yourself.”
“Why is that cab always following us?” Tina asked, looking around.
“My security wouldn’t fit in this car,” Eric said, checking his rearview camera.
He spotted the police cruising behind the Rolls Royce. Eric slowed at the light. The unmarked police car waited behind the cab with Big C in it. Eric was mentally prepared for their harassment. They followed the cab as Eric pushed the Phantom down to another red light. Again he slowed and checked the rearview cameras.
The stoplight changed and suddenly with flashing lights and screeching tires, the police car cut the Phantom off.
“These toy cops are so much fucking drama,” Eric said.
The cab pulled over and parked. Big C got out, leaned against the side of the cab, watching from across the street. He sniffed the lingering smell of marijuana in the air and realized the oddness of the situation, cops smoking weed. The occupants were moving fast with their guns drawn. They started slipping ski masks over their heads when Big C intervened.
“Hey Eric, get outta here. Them ain’t the fucking police!” He hollered, waving his arms and signaling wildly from across the street.
Big C reached for his automatic weapon. The two men looked at him, turned their guns on him and fired. Eric saw the flash of bullets and heard gunshots. Big C returned fire in their direction. Eric gunned the Phantom’s engine and peeled out.
“Ohmigosh! Oh shit! The cops. They shooting,” Kim screamed.
“Oh shit. That ain’t no po-po,” Tina shouted.
The screeching of the cab’s tires came as a surprise to Big C. He was momentarily distracted by the cab driver’s hurried departure without even collecting his fare. This split second reaction of Big C was all the time Eric needed to slip away. With a burst of speed the car was gone. It was also the time it took for a bullet to find its mark in the crouching Big C. He scampered for better coverage and another round caught him in the stomach.
“Keep your nose out of other peoples business!” One of the hit men shouted before racing off to their car.
“Next time, make sure da muthafucka don’t get away!”
They aimed but didn’t fire as they watched the smoke of the skidding tires of the Phantom. The car disappeared in the night. Eric was guiding it straight to the East Side highway and reached 110th street in no time flat. Kim was chattering nervously the whole time.
“It’s alright,” Eric said. “But I have to be honest with you, there are people trying to set me up and…” his voice trailed and Eric thought for a beat before continuing. “What I’m trying to say is, you don’t have to take the job if you think it’s gonna be—”
“No, no, we want the job. We from Harlem. What’s a few gunshots? I mean we’ll be safe inside,” Tina said.
“Why would they just...? Oh my God... I can’t be… I don’t know. Everywhere I go bullets flying. Thank God we’re out of danger. I hope you get home safe, Eric,” Kim said when they reached her home.
“Don’t worry about anything, we’ll be there tomorrow,” Tina said.
Both got out and went into the building. Eric peeled out and hit Central Park. He made it home with no further incident. He dialed but couldn’t get Big C on the cellphone. Eric went into the apartment and the lights were on. Josephine was in a negligee, sitting and watching television. She turned it off as soon as he walked in.
“Where have you been my love?” she cooed.
She watched him walk to kitchen and returned drinking a beer. Eric sat down and she jumped on his lap. Josephine wanted to care for him by giving him a relaxing massage.
“Daddy, you okay?” Josephine asked in a baby’s voice, causing Eric to wince like he was in pain. “We’re the only ones here. Let me take care of your any need,” she whispered. He glared at her. “Hey, I’m not the one causing you problems. All I did was to inquire about you because it’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”
Eric continued gulping his beer without saying anything. Josephine was off his lap, standing and frowning. Eric ignored her and got up from the sofa. He headed to his bedroom when Josephine moved to block his path. Eric stood face to face with her. Her smile was alluring and Josephine was grinding her hips like a stripper. She turned around and bent over, shaking her round behind. Josephine’s black thong clung delicately to her ass cheeks.
“Fuck you, Eric!” Josephine screamed as she turned around to see the back of Eric’s shaking head, hurrying inside his bedroom. “Oh, you don’t think I’m good enough for you, huh Eric? I hate you, I hate you!” she hissed and stomped off to the kitchen.
Josephine’s salvo wasn’t the only one in line to hit Eric’s tightening defenses. Kowalski was meeting with Kim and Tina. He had given them orders from the DA.
“You got to get this bag in his apartment,” Kowalski ordered.
“How the hell do you expect us to do that shit? Break in?”
“You figure it out,” Kowalski said, throwing the duffel bag at them.
“What’s in the bag?” Kim asked.
“Just get it into his apartment,” Kowalski said. “And this mission is over.”
“But how?” Kim asked.
“We’ll find a way,” Tina said. “And you do what I ask you to do, ahight.”
When Kowalski left, Kim pulled the zipper opened and peered inside the duffel. Her mouth dropped opened.
“I ain’t gonna do that shit!” she screamed. “That’s some foul shit. Nothing good’s gonna come out of this.”
“Yes, we’re gonna get off the cops’ list and we gonna be on get rich list,” Tina smiled.
“Then you do it,” Kim said, throwing the bag at Tina. She looked inside.
“I’ll do it, I’ll do it even if I gotta give up some ass,” she said.
