Chapter 27
While Boogie was out of commission, the last thing he needed to worry about was the money or the businesses. And Bentley was making sure of that. He always thought his job as the right-hand man was stressful, but filling in for the king surpassed the stresses of his regular duties. It wasn’t just making sure that everybody paid their dues. It was keeping in contact with those who hired them for major heists and assigning the best people for the job, and then making sure those people paid their dues. It was guaranteeing that each of the businesses was running flawlessly and that the employees were taken care of. When a day was all said and done, he was beat. It gave Bentley a newfound respect for his friend.
That day was collection day. Before he could head over to Staten Island, he had one more stop in Brooklyn. He pulled in front of the apartment building and parked on the street. He instantly recognized the two guys standing by the stairs. Shotta and Deuce were Boogie’s younger cousins and a fresh 20 years old. They were brothers but not twins. Shotta and Deuce’s father was who some would call a rolling stone all the way up until he was paralyzed in a shoot-out gone wrong. Deuce was brown skinned while Shotta was light, and they both inherited their father’s silky-smooth hair. Shotta wore his in a braided man bun on top of his head, and Deuce rocked long straight backs.
They were handsome young men and dressed like they were always ready to pose for the Gram. But the worst thing a person could do was judge them based on their exterior. They were hungry and would be the first to let anyone know that love and notoriety were the last things on their mind. Boogie recognized this in them and put them in position to eat. Not only did they watch one of Boogie’s biggest stash spots, but they also reported the comings and goings on the block.
“Wassup, Bentley.” Deuce was the first to greet Bentley when he approached them.
“Y’all good?” Bentley asked and slapped hands with both young men.
“Just bein’ cool how we be cool. You know how it is.”
“Fa sho. What’s the word?”
“Everything is straight up there. Everybody been puttin’ in that work on their jobs. Droppin’ off that paper on time. Apartment 220 today.”
“That’s what I like to hear.”
“Ay, Bentley man,” Shotta said, rubbing his hands together, “when is my cuz gon’ put us in on the real action?”
“Y’all not eatin’ good standin’ right here?”
“I mean, this shit is cool, but a nigga is ready for some real work. You know what I mean? Send me on a mission.”
“You think you’re ready for a big heist?”
“Is my last name Tolliver?”
“I don’t know, nigga, is it?” Bentley asked and laughed. “You niggas could have your mama’s last name or some shit.”
“Chill yo!” Deuce laughed too. “But for real, son, I’m with my bro on this one. We’re ready to make some real paper. Put in a good word for us to Boog.”
“A’ight, little niggas. I’ll think about it.”
“Man, come on.”
“That’s the best I can do right now. Plus, everybody is a little tied up right now.”
“Everything straight with cuz? We ain’t seen him on the block in a little second.” Shotta didn’t try to hide the curiosity in his tone.
“Yeah, everything is good with bro. He’s just tied up like I said. That’s why I’m here handlin’ business. I’m finna go up and safety the stash. All that shit better be there, too.”
“‘All that shit better be there, too,’ head-ass nigga,” Deuce mocked him.
“Ay, I’m the same head-ass nigga you’re askin’ for favors,” Bentley reminded him before walking past them and into the complex.
He went up the stairs to the second floor and to apartment 220. Boogie’s system with that stash spot was flawless. The apartment that the money was placed in rotated among four apartments inside the building. One was on top of the other on either side of the building. Hidden in the walls of each apartments was a chute in which money and guns could be sent up or down in case of a raid. When he walked in, the money was already waiting to be moved on the table in the dining room. He nodded his head in greeting to the men sitting on the couch smoking out of a back wood. Not having time to count the contents of the bag, he just scooped it up and left. He trusted Deuce and Shotta, so he was positive there wouldn’t be an issue. They were loyal.
“I’ma see y’all next week,” Bentley said to them when he reemerged from the building and headed to his car.
“Ay, Bentley! I almost forgot,” Deuce called out when Bentley was tossing the money in the trunk.
“Wassup?”
“There was a motherfucka who came by here a few days ago lookin’ for Boogie.”
“He came here?” Bentley made a face. Nobody knew about the stash spot except the people who were supposed to know about it. “You knew him?”
“Hell nah. I ain’t never seen the nigga before. He was just askin’ about Boog.”
“Did this nigga have a name?”
“Nazareth or some different kind of shit.”
“Did he say what he wanted with Boogie?”
“Just that he needed to talk to him and get some business squared away.”
“A’ight, well, you let me know if he comes back around here.”
“No doubt.”
Bentley got into his vehicle and drove away. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. He didn’t like what he had heard one bit. Who was in Brooklyn asking for Boogie? It couldn’t have been Louisa. Zo and Caesar had already handled that problem. But if not, then who? He had to push the thought out of his head for the time being or else it would drive him crazy. Plus, he was a firm believer that what was done in the dark would inevitably come to the light.
Bentley’s last stop was on Staten Island. The meeting place was an old coat factory that was still in business. It was built in the sixties and was owned by Bosco’s family. Some could call it the heart of the operation. It was the first business to ever wash their money. Now that Bosco was dead as well as his brother Eduardo, appointed to fill their shoes was Matteo, their younger brother.
Bentley didn’t mind doing business with him. He wasn’t power hungry like Bosco, stupid like Eduardo, or annoying like Stefano. He just liked business to run smoothly and stay running smoothly. Matteo had been trying to get in contact with Bentley for a couple of days, but he just had so much on his plate. They were finally able to set up a meeting time, and Bentley was just there to see what was so urgent.
He had to walk through the sales floor of the coat factory to get to the hallway that led to the offices in the back. At first, he was shocked that Matteo didn’t have his normal muscle standing guard, but then Bentley got to Matteo’s office door and understood why. The door was slightly ajar, and when Bentley looked inside, he saw Matteo with a fine young woman bent over his desk. The woman looked to be Italian as well with long, flowy hair and full, round breasts that jiggled with each of Matteo’s strokes.
“Oh, Matteo. Keep fucking me just like that so I can cum all over your cock. Yes! Like that!”
Her moans seemed to get louder and louder. She was so fine that Bentley almost stepped to the side and let Matteo finish handling his business, but then he remembered time was of the essence. He banged his fist on the door twice to announce his presence. Startled by the noise, Matteo looked up and saw Bentley standing there. He smiled big and spread his arms in welcome as if his dick weren’t still inside of the chick.
“Bentley! So glad you could make it!” His voice was cheerful, and Bentley looked away as he got himself together.
The woman rushed to throw her clothes back on and hurried out of the office with her head down. When Matteo was decent, Bentley stepped inside the room and shut the door behind him.
“Have a seat with me. We have business to discuss.”
Matteo motioned to a seat across from him at his desk, and Bentley eyed it apprehensively. He didn’t know what kind of freaky stuff Matteo was into. He examined the chair to make sure it was clear of any bodily fluids before he finally sat down.
“What did you need to meet with me for, Matteo?”
“I was actually hoping Boogie would be available, but he hasn’t been returning my calls.”
“He’s wrapped up right now.”
“I can understand that. But you are the next best thing,” Matteo said and then grew silent.
Bentley watched as the cheerful expression on his face turned into a nervous one. Matteo kept opening his mouth to speak but then would stop right before any words could come out. Bentley watched him do it a few more times before he grew impatient.
“Look, man. I have shit to do. So let me know why I’m here.”
“I’m sorry for my impotence. I just am trying to find the right words to tell you about the new problem we have.”
“Problem?”
“Yes. See, there were things about the business side of things here on Staten Island that Boogie never knew about. And it never seemed important to tell him since he did away with everything my brother had put in place.”
“Okay, so explain the problem.”
“When Boogie took over Staten Island, he was under the impression that he was taking it from the Bertolli family, because we in fact have overseen the territory for years.”
“You say ‘overseen’ like y’all were renting the shit or somethin’.”
“You can say that. The Bertolli family were the face of the area. Although my father, Benzino, was truly the mob boss they say he was, he was just the underboss.”
“And who was the big boss?” Bentley asked, his interest officially piqued.
“His name is Nasir Lucas. Years ago, when the pact was formed and Staten Island broke away from the other boroughs, he left.”
“Why?”
“No clue. My dad handled things here for him, but Nasir called the shots. Some people called him the Grim Reaper. He was a minacious man with a powerful backing, just like the Kings and the Tollivers. When Nasir’s son came of age, he started handling things hands-on in the island. And that continued up until the feuding started again.”
“So you’re telling me that Boogie thought he was takin’ Bosco’s territory, but really he was takin’ it from somebody named Nasir?”
“Yes.”
“And what has this Nasir had to say about it all? Because things have been real quiet around this way.”
“They may not be for much longer, and that’s why I called you here today. Nasir’s son paid me a visit. And I have reason to believe he’ll be looking for Boogie.”
“His name doesn’t happen to be Nazareth, does it?”
“What?” Matteo turned his face in confusion. “No. His name is Namir. And he’s as ruthless as his father. Not to mention he’s not happy about coming back to an empty well.”
“Well, if he’s lookin’ for an issue, he’ll find it fuckin’ with Boogie. Choppin’ down giants is what we do best.”
“I hope so. I just thought it was best that I let you know.” Matteo stood up to shake Bentley’s hand in farewell but received a crazy look back.
“Now you know just like I know what I saw you doin’ when I first got here. You need to wash them things!” Bentley shook his head and left the office.
He walked back out of the factory the same way he came and got in his car. As he pulled out of the parking garage, he called Boogie. When he didn’t answer, he called again.
“Ay, I’m at this social security office gettin’ shit squared away. Let me hit you back.”
“Nah, fuck hittin’ me back. Meet me at Big Wheels when you’re done with that. It’s important.”
“Understood,” Boogie said and disconnected.
Before Bentley put his phone away, he dialed Morgan’s number. She answered on the first ring, and from the loud music in her background, he knew she was at the Sugar Trap.
“Hello?” she shouted into the phone.
“You busy?”
“Nah, I just had to drag this drunk bitch off the stage. This ho fell off the pole!”
“Sounds like you might be a little busy.”
“Not really, just another day at the office. Hold on, let me go somewhere quieter.” Bentley heard a lot of movement before the noise in her background was gone. “Okay, I’m back. But yeah, I’m still trying to show my mo . . . Diana that she didn’t make the wrong choice by putting me in charge.”
“You can call her Mom. That’s what she is.”
“You don’t think it would be weird?”
“At first, yeah. But that’s gon’ pass. Y’all are bonded in a lot of different ways now.”
“You’re right. Then there’s the fact that she did make me rich as fuck overnight.”
“That’s nothin’ but love,” he said, grinning in traffic. “I was callin’ because I wanna spend some quality time with my baby. What you doin’ tonight?”
“Apparently you,” she answered seductively.
“That’s what I like to hear. I’m meetin’ with Boogie in a little bit. But after that I can order some food and be yours for the night.”
“I like that. Let me know when you get home.”
“Bet.”
He got off the phone smiling, but it faded once he remembered there was a new enemy moving around town. For all Bentley knew, Namir had too much information on Boogie’s operation. Especially if he found the stash spot. He wanted Boogie to hurry up with whatever he had going on because they needed to figure out the next play.
Don’t get caught lacking.