Chapter 29
When Boogie pulled into the parking lot of Big Wheels, it was a regular day of business for the establishment. There were cars parked outside waiting to be serviced, and mechanics running around, grabbing the things they needed. He honked his horn in greeting, and they all waved enthusiastically when they saw it was him. Boogie spotted Bentley’s car parked at the far end of the parking lot. He was standing outside and leaning on his car, waiting for Boogie. On his face was a pair of dark shades to shield his eyes from the sun. He also wore a pair of shorts and an open floral shirt.
“Ay, who the fuck do you think you are?” Boogie called out the window with a laugh.
“I been you for a hot second. I think I’m startin’ to smell myself!” Bentley called back.
“Yeah, a’ight,” Boogie said and parked next to him. He hopped out and dapped Bentley up before leaning on the BMW beside him.
“And I know you not over here talkin’ ’bout me! This nigga came outside with the fresh Versace!” Bentley exclaimed, popping Boogie’s collar.
“You know, the world ain’t seen me for a minute. I was tryin’a get my Rico Suave shit on like you, but Roz wasn’t havin’ it.”
“Ay, fuck you, a’ight?” Bentley laughed. “But fuck all that. You good? How’s the shoulder?”
“Shoulderin’.”
“Nigga, what does that even mean?”
“It means I’m good.”
“A’ight, I’ll take your word for it. It’s good to have you back in these streets,” Bentley told him.
“Hell yeah, it feels good to be back in ’em.”
Boogie took a look around him at the familiar sight and gladly inhaled the scent of car shampoo. He missed things he didn’t even know that he would ever miss. It was good being in his own neck of the woods.
“I ain’t even gon’ lie to you, Boog. It ain’t easy bein’ you. You made it look that way though. But this shit is a lot.”
“Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Everybody wants that power, but nobody thinks about what kinda work it brings.”
“Facts.” Bentley made a “whew” sound and shook his head and then grew serious. “How’s Roz doin’? She told me what happened with Adam.”
“I don’t know. She won’t talk about it.” Boogie shrugged. “She seems a’ight, but I know she’s not. And if she really is okay, there’s gon’ come a time where she won’t be. She’s not a killer. And I’ma regret lettin’ her do it for the rest of my life.”
“Nah, I know my sister. She gon’ be straight. And that was her cross to bear. Plus, I hate to say it, but with dealin’ with a nigga like you and havin’ somebody like me for a brother, that shit was bound to happen one day.”
Bentley’s words hit Boogie in the chest because he was right, no matter if he wanted to admit it or not.
“But anyway, let’s get down to business. Did Caesar tell you what happened with Louisa?”
“He told me a little somethin’ about it. He shoulda killed her though. Bitches like her never really know how to pipe down.”
“I agree. I don’t know what he was thinkin’ by lettin’ her go. If she comes back, we’ll be ready.”
“What else has been happenin’ out here? I know you didn’t call me here for that.”
“Somethin’ weird did happen. Somebody named Namir is out here lookin’ for you.”
“I don’t know any Namir. You sure?”
“He showed up at the stash askin’ Shotta and Deuce about your whereabouts.”
Troubled, Boogie furrowed his brow. Nobody was supposed to know about that spot except for the people who needed to. Bentley’s words put a sour taste in his mouth.
“Change the spot,” he said.
“Already on it. I think I know why he’s lookin’ for you though. You know the setup we got goin’ on Staten Island?”
“Yup.”
“Matteo told me some interestin’ things about the Bertolli family. Apparently, they weren’t the ones really callin’ the shots on Staten Island. Somebody named Nasir was.”
“Nasir Lucas?”
“You know him?” Bentley asked.
“I know of him. Caesar told me a story about him.”
“Well, this Namir dude is his son. And they aren’t too happy about us takin’ over their territory. Matteo said back in Nasir’s day, he was considered a dangerous man.”
“The Grim Reaper,” Boogie said under his breath.
The befuddled look on Boogie’s face showed how disturbed he was by the information, especially knowing that Namir had come to the stash house. He hadn’t thought anything of taking over Staten Island because he had been so sure that the Italians were the only ones he needed to conquer. He tried to recall everything Caesar had told him about Nasir. He said that he worked with the Italians, not that he was the boss.
“Where these motherfuckas been at all this time?” he asked.
“No clue about Nasir, but Matteo said Namir has been off travelin’ the world. He left Bosco in charge while he was on vacation.”
“So I’m sure he was pissed when he came back and found out Bosco was dead. And that means I doubt he wants words with me.”
“Hell nah!” Bentley agreed. “He’s gon’ move exactly how we would move if we were in his position.”
“He wants me to die.”
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The words were barely out of Boogie’s mouth when the bullets from a high-caliber weapon rang out. He and Bentley jumped out of the way just as Bentley’s car was hit by the gunfire. Boogie covered his head when the glass from the windshield fell from the sky like confetti, and he rushed to take cover behind the vehicle. He and Bentley met by the trunk of the BMW, guns drawn.
“They just shot my fuckin’ car up!” Bentley shouted.
Boogie peered around the car just in time to see a black McLaren doubling back to send more shots their way. The passenger side window was rolled down, and Boogie could see two armed men in the car. He looked past the shooter and got a look at the driver’s face. He didn’t recognize the man at all. The passenger was out the window aiming an AR-12 at the BMW.
“Fuck this!” Bentley shouted and stood up.
If he was rocking, Boogie was rolling. He stood up as well, and the two of them began dumping bullets at the McLaren. The shooter was able to get a few more shots off, and Boogie felt them whiz past his face. However, he and Bentley were a much better shot than he was. Their bullets made his body jerk before he fell out of the car and onto the pavement. Leaving him there, the driver sped off fast, and Boogie shot at the car until his gun clicked.
“Fuck! He got away!” he shouted.
“But he didn’t.” Bentley pointed at the man on the ground.
He was still alive, but barely. He didn’t look to be much older than them. His teeth were stained with his blood, and his breathing was labored. Even with that being said, he still managed to look up at them with humor in his eyes.
“Who are you?” Boogie asked.
“N . . .” The man tried to talk, but his breathing was labored. He coughed up blood and then tried again. “Namir is going to kill you for what you’ve done. There’s nowhere you can hide.”
Boom! Boom!
Bentley’s gun sang out the last two bullets in its chamber, striking the man in his chest.
“Ain’t nobody hidin’, nigga.” He spit on the dead body and turned his nose up.
There was noise behind him, and Boogie looked behind him to see what it was. Don Don, one of Big Wheels’ mechanics, came running out of the garage to see what had happened. When he saw the dead body and the car, he didn’t miss a beat.
“See, this is why we had to start offerin’ pickup and drop-off services to our customers! ’Cause of shit like this!” Don Don shook his head and turned back to the garage. “Ay, Pee Wee! There’s a body out here. And somebody come get Bentley’s car in the garage. Goddamn, they fucked it up!”
“Don’t remind me,” Bentley huffed.
“Y’all go on and get outta here. We’ll clean this shit up.”
Boogie didn’t need to be told more than once. He and Bentley got into his Lamborghini, which miraculously hadn’t been struck in the shoot-out, and drove off. He was reeling with anger. It seemed like he couldn’t get away from war no matter how hard he tried. But that was fine. It just made him stronger.
“What’s the move, Boog? That shit can’t fly.” Bentley bounced in his seat, hitting his hand with his fist.
“I’m callin’ an emergency meetin’. Now!”
Always play for keeps.