Within the hour, the Lassiter family was gathered once again at the hospital. They were in the waiting area listening as the doctor explained Ms. Natalie’s condition. Ebony Sullivan, LT’s secretary was handling the many calls that were coming through on his cellphone. Grant was out front handling the press and Chief Williams was taking a report on the incident. Once the word got out about LT’s grandmother being ill the whole community showed up at the hospital. Many of Ms. Natalie and Mr. Green’s friends had been allowed to come in out of the seasonal heat. All others were asked to remain outside.
A few council members called to offer assistance, only Councilwoman Rivera insisted on being allowed inside. She made the mistake of accusing LT of a false claim in order to gain sympathy from the residents. LT did not have a chance to respond before Phire.
“Step out,” Phire ordered.
“Excuse you, Ms. Thang.”
“I got your Ms. Thang,” Phire retorted. “If you don’t get out of my face in the next minute, your thang is going to be shoved down your throat.”
“Sapphire.” Sally walked over to stand between Phire and the Councilwoman. “Do you think this is wise, Councilwoman Rivera? I don’t think a hospital is a good place for political drama. Do you?”
“Where is he, if she is so sick?” She glanced around. “I don’t see him in here.”
“He’s with his grandmother, where he should be,” Sally replied. “As for you, I do not see any reason for you to spill your venom here. Please leave.”
“Yes, please,” Phire emphasized.
“Now, would be a good time,” Opal added as Ruby, Diamond, Sasha, Leah, Denise and Cynthia stood behind her.
“Don’t make me put my hands on you.” Roc walked up behind her.
Councilwoman Rivera looked over her shoulder then jumped at the sight of the woman standing behind her. “Don’t you dare touch me. I will press charges.”
“That will not be necessary,” Joe interceded. “Chief Williams, will you please escort Councilwoman Rivera to her car for her own protection?”
Chief Williams walked over to the small crowd that had gathered. “I will be happy to.”
“I don’t need an escort.” She waved him off. “If I find out that all of this is a ruse you will hear from me and so will the press.” Councilwoman Rivera stomped off.
“Are you sure LT wants to stay in politics?” Sally asked. “It seems a lot to have to deal with people like her.”
Phire turned as LT burst through the door. “LT.” She ran behind him. “What happened?”
“You were right,” he huffed. “She was poisoned. I’m going to kick his ass.” He pushed past her, Grant on his heels.
As she went to follow him, Joe grabbed her by the waist. “Let him go, Sapphire.” He nodded to his sons.
Joshua, Luke and Matt ran out after LT.
“Dad, let me go,” Phire fussed.
“No. Let them handle it,” Joe stated. “You stay by his grandmother’s side. Timothy, go. Keep your brothers out of trouble.”
LT pushed a button in his vehicle. “Mac, it’s LT. If I give you a cellphone number can you locate the phone?”
“That would be a yes,” Mac replied. “Give me the number.”
LT gave Mac Lawrence’s cellphone number, then waited.
“How do you know it was Lawrence and not Lauren,” Grant asked from the passenger seat.
“Mr. Green described the man who came to the table to talk to them. It was Lawrence.”
“Think, LT. That is not proof. It’s the same problem we had with Lauren and Opal,” Grant suggested.
“Got it,” Mac’s voice filled the vehicle. “That phone is at a company called ESTY…”
“Thank you.” LT disconnected the call before he finished the statement. His foot pushed the gas pedal propelling them forward. “You may want to reconsider running for Mayor.”
“You planning on going somewhere?”
“No, I plan on killing that son of bitch,” LT declared as he screeched to a stop in front of the building. He jumped out of the vehicle, not paying any attention to the two men standing on the dock. Jerking the door open, LT did not bother taking the elevator. He took the stairs two steps at a time, his feet guiding him straight to Lawrence’s office. He burst through the door.
“You son of a bitch!” LT roared. “You poisoned my grandmother.”
A shocked expression on his face, Lawrence jumped up, pushing his chair against the wall. He tried to run, but he wasn’t fast enough. LT jumped across the large wood desk, tackling Lawrence to the floor. His fist pounding continuously into his half-brother’s face. “You came after my family. You’ve lost your damn mind. I’m going to help you find it.”
A hand grabbed LT’s arms, pulling him away from a now bleeding Lawrence.
“LT, come on, man, what’s wrong with you?”
The voice was not one he expected. LT turned to see Mint holding him. He pushed him off of him. “Get off of me.” LT went back over to Lawrence, dropped to his knees and continued pounding Lawrence in the face.
“Naw, man, this ain’t you.” Mint pulled him away again. “My co-worker called the police, man, you got to get out of here.”
Grant ran into the room. “What the hell?”
Mint pushed LT towards him. “Get him the hell out of here. The police are on their way. I’ll take this.”
“Like hell…” LT huffed as he tried to pull from Grant.
“No, LT. That’s enough.” Grant held him by the shirt collar.
Mint took a step back when Joshua, Matt, Timothy and Luke appeared in the doorway. “Y’all got to get him out of here before the police get here. There’s a back entrance through that door. I’ll hold this down.”
“Luke, handle clean up. Once the police take their report, get him to Adam. Matt, drive my car back to the hospital. I’m going to take LT’s. Timothy, hang around to make sure Mint gets out on bail. LT, you are coming with me.”
“I’m staying,” LT grumbled. “I know what I did was wrong. I’ll take responsibility for my own actions.”
“You will, just not right now.” Joshua looked at Mint. “You got this covered?”
“When Lawrence wakes up he is going to identify LT as the person who attacked him,” Grant stated.
Mint bent down and put some of Lawrence’s blood on his fist. “When they get here I’ll tell them it was me. Hell, they think all of us look alike anyway. With the way his face is beat in, he ain’t going to see straight for a few days.”
“I don’t want to owe you anything,” LT huffed.
“No strings here, LT,” Mint responded. “Look at it like a payback for all the trouble I caused you before. Get him out of here.”
Joshua and Grant pulled LT from the room. “Are you deliberately trying to stop the wedding and ruin your political future?”
LT glared at him. “No, but that son of a bitch tried to poison my grandmother. What would you do if that had been Sally?”
“Him and his business would cease to exist,” Joshua replied as he put LT in the backseat of his car. Grant took the passenger seat. Joshua jumped in the driver’s seat, then pulled off just as the first police car turned into the parking lot.