CHAPTER SEVEN

BAMBI

 

What was Race thinking? I had to blink my eyes several times because I couldn’t believe that she allowed a stranger into our home. Yet there I was, sitting on my recliner across from a woman who claimed to be a police officer. She had credentials and even a marked car out front of the house but something didn’t feel right. Years in the military taught me to respect my instincts and they were going off majorly.

As I stared at this bitch, Race stood next to the door and Denim sat on the same couch as the unwanted visitor.

I could tell she had a recently blackened eye, no matter how much makeup she painted on.

“So have the police found a suspect in the burglaries?” I asked looking her up and down. Examining each of her features so that I could remember details later. “Or is he still at large?”

She turned her head towards me, allowing her hair to fall down the front of her right shoulder. “We have a few people in mind but we aren’t certain they will lead to an actual suspect. These things could take days or even weeks to solve.” She looked around the living room and at the tops of the walls.

Maybe for cameras.

They were all over the place but out of view.

“Can I offer you any more water?” Race asked.

The woman who introduced herself as Mellvue Harper raised her frosted glass and said, “No. I still have some.” She took a large sip. “But thank you anyway.”

“If you don’t have any suspects why are you here?” I questioned.

“Mainly because I wanted to alert the other people in the neighborhood. These are very dark days and one must always be careful.”

“I agree,” I smiled. “You never know who or what you’re dealing with. Some people are more deadly than others.” I stared deeply into her eyes so that she knew that the threat was real.

She crossed her legs and looked at me slyly. “I concur.” She paused. “The sad part is that most deaths can be prevented.”

“Oh?” I responded sarcastically. “Please explain.”

“Well since most murders are committed by a killer who knows his victim well, one would have to ask himself what could’ve been done to prevent it.”

“And your theory is?” Denim asked.

“Well for starters, bringing in a mediator can always lead to a resolution but ridding relationships of greed can also do wonders. Because if both parties were willing to share and be fair, the world would not be full of envy.”

“Some things are not meant to be shared,” I explained, referring to Mitch. “And some parties are going to have to understand that.”

She looked into my eyes and the smile vanished from her face. She blinked a few times and said, “Who really knows why people kill. Or rob for that matter.” She shrugged. “I’m simply telling everyone in the area to be cautious because something dark is coming.” She looked at Race. “And you must be careful in the future, darling. Because you really can’t let just anybody into your home these days.” She looked down at her designer jeans and white top. “I’m dressed plainly and all I had to do was flash you a badge and I was able to enter. If I were the enemy, I could’ve attacked.”

I looked over at Race who looked away from me. The unwanted visitor was right and we all knew it.

“Well we appreciate you letting us know,” Denim said. “And we’ll make sure our family is aware too. So that we can be ready to defend ourselves if need be.”

She stood up and shook all of our hands. I observed her professional manicure and then her makeup and hair. There wasn’t a thing about this bitch out of place. She belonged to a rich man and I had a feeling that one of the Russians turned her loose.

“It was nice meeting you, Ms. Arkadi,” I said with a grin. I took a guess on which brother she belonged to. And by the look on her face, I figured I guessed right.

Her eyes widened and she looked as if she saw a ghost. “What did you call me?”

“Mellvue,” I responded. “What did you think I called you?”

She flapped her eyes a few times and cleared her throat. “You ladies have a good night,” she said before walking out. “I’ll be in contact.”

I strutted over to the window by the door, pushed the cream curtain to the side and watched her get into her car. “I guess you know by now she’s with the Russians,” I said still staring out the window. When she was out of view I turned around and faced them. “What were you thinking, Race? What if she would’ve killed one of us?”

She walked over to the sofa and flopped down. “She said she was a cop, Bambi. And since we deal drugs, I figured we’d let her in to prevent any trouble.”

“Race, get your head out of your fucking ass! We don’t have to let nobody in here, cop or not, without a warrant! What is going on with you lately?”

“Nothing, Bambi,” she pleaded. “And I didn’t know she was with the Russians until you called her Arkadi’s name,” she said leaning against the wall. “I’m sorry.”

“Did you find the specialized killer I asked for?” I asked. “Because his first job will be killing that bitch.”

“With all of the men we have, I can’t think of a single one who I would trust with this responsibility. But I promise on everything I love, the Kennedy name too, that I will find someone. I will not let you down.” She paused. “Again.”

“Race, if you can’t do what needs to be done, then perhaps you don’t need to have a firm position in the business.”

“Bambi—”

“Bambi, shit,” I yelled. “Get it together, Race. Now! This family needs you!”

I saw a tear hang in the corner of her eye but she wiped it away.

“Why would the Russians send her in here?” Denim asked returning to the subject. “If they knew where we lived, they’d just blow the bitch up. Not send in some trophy wife.”

“They fucking with us,” I explained. “They engaging us in a game of mental warfare before they attack. Besides, they want Mitch and until they know his whereabouts, they can’t get rid of us.” I paused. “We’re going to have to move to the bunker tonight. Even with the soldiers we have surrounding the perimeter of our house, it’s best to be safe than sorry.”

“I don’t feel like moving again,” Denim sighed as she pulled a blunt from her jean pocket and lit it. “Between my mother and Bradley, I’ve been stressed out lately. Moving right now is not on my agenda.”

I sat next to her. Ever since Bradley came home, we hadn’t had a chance to talk about how she felt. I wasn’t sure how she was handling having him back and dealing with not having Jasmine. Denim was tough but I could tell things were weighing on her and her mother wasn’t helping matters in the least.

“Can I do anything for you?” I asked honestly. “We haven’t had a chance to talk because every time I try to get with you, Bradley grabs you.” I paused. “Even though I understand the need for him to be around his wife, I miss us.”

She sighed. “Just you guys being here means a lot to me.” She looked over at Race.

“Is there anything else I can do to make things easier?” I persisted.

“If you can get my mother to wear some clothes around here, that would be a start.”

Race shook her head. “She walked in on me and Ramirez in our bedroom with that outfit on too,” Race said.

“Girl, your mother is a fucking mess,” I laughed. “The other day I came home and found her in my bed. I think she was waiting on Kevin and was mad when she got me instead. I read her a new ass before I kicked her out my room.”

“I’m so sorry, ya’ll,” she said between soft giggles. “If I knew where Grainger was she wouldn’t be here but she’s a wreck without having her around. Someone has to always be watching my mother.”

I bit down on my bottom lip and looked over at Race. She looked away. The guilt of knowing that Race and I killed Grainger bothered me daily, especially when I stared into Denim’s eyes. Denim and I may not have been blood related but I loved her like we were sisters and I hated keeping secrets from family.

Denim needed Bradley but if I told her that he gave the word to have her sister killed so she couldn’t testify against him in court, she would’ve been devastated. They fed off of each other and Denim had to be with him, especially with Jasmine gone.

After so much time, I thought Denim would be smart enough to know that Grainger was dead but she seemed to be holding onto hope that she was strung out and doped up somewhere. She may have realized the truth if Sarah wasn’t around.

I still remember the day Race and I murdered her.

Earlier in the week, we met with Bradley in the jail because he was locked up for raping Grainger. Although he denied doing it, I believed he did the moment I saw his eyes. But it wasn’t about judgment, Bradley was family and that was the bottom line.

In the meeting, he had one request for us…to kill Grainger.

Since Grainger was always more trouble than she was worth, Race and me put her out of her misery. And chopped her up in so many pieces she’d never be found whole.

“Listen, no matter where Grainger is, you deserve to be happy, Denim,” I said softly to her. “You do know that don’t you?”

She held her head down and a tear rolled down her cheek. She placed her hand over mine and looked into my eyes. “Not knowing where she is, that’s harder than anything. I really have to find her, Bambi. I have to!”

 

****

 

After my conversation with Denim, I got on the phone and called the east coast bosses. My family and me had to move again and I needed to know that the bosses had our back if it was time for war. We couldn’t fight the Russians alone. We needed manpower.

The only thing was, not all of them reported to me. Although a few got their cocaine directly from us, most received their work from Mitch. So I couldn’t make them do anything they didn’t want.

Still, I wanted to alert them that the Russians were moving in on the east coast and that if they were successful in killing us and getting Mitch, their cocaine supply would be cut short.

One by one, I made the calls and my disappointment grew with each contact made. Although some were nice, they each shared the same position…that the beef with the Russians was a Kennedy Kings issue, not an east coast one.

Frustrated, I walked out of my study, grabbed a glass from the cabinet and the vodka bottle from the freezer. Since I gave up sobriety, there were good days and bad days in my life. Sometimes I handled my liquor well and others I didn’t.

I had drunk days that were so bad that I would get up and everybody in the house would be mad at me. Half of the time, I didn’t know what I did wrong and after awhile they were used to it. As much as I wished I never picked up the bottle when Kevin disappeared, I knew there was no going back now. I was going to drink and my family would have to accept it.

After pouring three glasses and downing them all, I was buzzed. I figured I needed to call my husband to give him and update on Mellvue being in our home.

Sitting on the couch, I crossed my legs and dialed his number. After three rings, the phone picked up. “Kevin, you have a minute?” I sighed. “Something happened.”

Silence.

I heard someone moving in the background but I didn’t hear him respond. “Kevin, are you there?” I frowned.

When I pressed the phone closer to my ear I realized his cell was probably in his pocket and he answered by mistake. I told him over and over that shit like that was going to get him in trouble. I guess he didn’t give a fuck.

I was about to hit the end button but instead, I listened. Since we didn’t talk anymore, I was curious to find out what kinds of things he did when we weren’t together.

I got my answer.

I felt gut punched when I heard his voice followed by that of a woman. “Kevin, stop playing,” the girl giggled. “You always talking shit but you never back it up. I’ma stop fucking with your sexy ass.”

“I’m serious,” he responded. “You…me wanting to pull this car over. Why you wear…dress?” I couldn’t make out a few of his words but I got the gist of the conversation. He was with a chick that he must’ve been so attracted to that he wanted to fuck her on sight.

I was trembling.

My heart hurt.

Kevin was mine whether I wanted him or not.

She giggled again and I was hoping he would say her name so that I could locate this bitch and have her murdered by night’s end. Because although Kevin and me weren’t together, I was still his wife and every bitch on the east coast knew it.

“Don’t talk about it, be about it,” she responded. “You already know I’m ready when you are. So let me see that chocolate dick.”

The phone must’ve been moving around because I heard some muffled voices and then suddenly things were clearer. He said, “Shhhhh.” I guess he took the phone out of his pocket and realized it was on. “Hello,” he finally said. “Bambi?”

Humiliated enough already, I hung up.

I tossed the phone on the couch, leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. What kind of life was this? Why was I even still in this marriage? I was rich and scared for my life. A mother and yet I felt childless. And I was married to a man who was making it clear that he didn’t want me.

I knew Kevin and I had problems but dealing with another woman while he still slept in my bed messed up my head. I know I was wrong for fucking his cousin but I didn’t have a choice. The nigga was blackmailing me. And I fucked him for family and to stay out of jail.

Playing her voice over and over in my mind, I was surprised how badly my feelings hurt. I wasn’t supposed to show emotion. I was Bambi Kennedy, of the Pretty Kings, and I was strong.

If all that was true, why did it hurt so much?

When my phone rang, without looking I knew who it was. My cheating ass husband. But in that moment I made a decision not to answer. If he wanted to carry shit like it was really over then all I could say was, let the games begin.

 

****

MELLVUE

 

After returning the marked police car to the warehouse, Mellvue took a shower at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and slid into her Versace dress and three thousand dollar heels. Back to her old self, she slipped into her silver Aston Martin and called Arkadi, her fiancé.

The sound of the phone ringing through the Bluetooth speakers filled the car as she glided into traffic. Speaking in her native Russian tongue, she updated him on the status of her mission. “I told you they would let me inside,” she said smiling brightly. “If only you let me help you more, your troubles would be over.”

“Lyubov Moya Mellvue, I didn’t doubt you once,” he chuckled.

She grinned and looked at her face in the rearview mirror. Using her pinky finger, she cleaned up the red lipstick that smeared toward the corners of her mouth. “But you said they were smart. That they may not believe I was a police officer and to respect the chorn. But you were wrong. They allowed me into their home and they believed everything I said. If you ask me, they aren’t so smart.”

Angry that Mellvue didn’t respect the Kennedys as viable threats, he snapped. “It would be as great a mistake not to take them as reputable threats as it would be to not take me as one.”

Remembering the times he beat her for insubordination, she clutched the steering wheel tighter and swallowed. “I didn’t mean to say things in that way.”

“And yet you spoke disrespectfully anyway,” he responded. “Should I remind you how to speak to me and then purchase you another set of teeth again?”

“No, dear,” she said in a low voice.

“Then let me be clear. You don’t get to the level they’re on in this business without having wits. And the moment you forget that when you come in contact with a Kennedy, you will die.”

Mellvue whipped her brown hair over her shoulders. She didn’t respect black people and she certainly didn’t think they were smarter than her. “I understand,” she said softly. “I merely wanted you to know that you have them right where you want them. All you have to do is make a move and end this war.”

“And when I deem that time to be right I will do just that. Now, who else was in the Bunke?”

“One woman with blue dreadlocks, another with a brown bob and some woman with long hair, fatigue pants and a scar on her face.”

“This woman with scar…was she also beautiful?”

“Yes, as far as niggers are concerned.” She paused. “Why?”

He laughed softly. “That was my sweet Bambi. You may not know this but I put that scar on her beautiful face myself. I wanted every day she woke up and looked in the mirror to be a reminder of me and Iakov.”

Mellvue caught his amusement and grew jealous. “No, honey, I wasn’t aware.” She gritted her teeth in an attempt to hide her jealousy.

“It’s amazing that with all the money she possesses she still hasn’t had the scar removed. I think she’s wearing it as badge of honor. She’s proud of scar as I was to give it to her. That’s mark of true soldier.”

Mellvue rolled her eyes. “So what are you going to do now, Arkadi? Attack?”

“We’ll make a move later. If Bambi was there, she’s smart enough to know who you are and that we are coming for Mitch, wherever he may be. I’m sure she’s packing the family up and moving them as we speak.”

“So why did you send me there?”

“I have my reasons. One of them is because I wanted her to know that she’s touchable. And that soon, very soon, their empire will crumble.”