Chapter 55
“So, nothing can be done?”
“Have you heard a word I’ve said?” Napoleon asked.
“Huh?” Lucas said, feeling nervous and guilty at the same time. He had betrayed Johnnie and Napoleon. He felt bad about what he did, but he wanted to see Marla again. He enjoyed the sexual excursion a little too much.
“Still thinking about that gal of yours?” Napoleon asked.
“Huh? Uh, yeah, yeah,” Lucas said, wondering why Napoleon hadn’t questioned him about what he’d seen at the pool. He wanted to ask him about it, but thought, why bring it up? If he doesn’t say anything, why should I?
“Don’t worry, Lucas, my man. When we get you all dressed up, she won’t be able to resist you; especially after you get a few bucks in your pocket.”
“You really think so?”
“I know so. Here,” Napoleon said, handing him a brand new, crisp one hundred dollar bill. “Show her this and she’ll be putty in you hands. Money is the one thing a woman can’t get enough of.”
“She’s got her own money, Napoleon. She doesn’t need mine. I need my own so that when we go out, I can pay like a real man should. I just want her to respect me as a man that doesn’t have to depend on her to pay for everything.”
“I understand. I wish Marla had her own money. That way she could get the hell outta my life.” He paused for a second. “She’s got her own money, huh?”
“Yeah. She’s even got a stockbroker.”
“A stockbroker?” Napoleon repeated.
“Uh-huh.”
“This must be some widow who inherited a small fortune from the insurance, huh?”
“Naw, she’s only sixteen,” Lucas said, proud to be her boyfriend at that moment. “She’s real smart, and she’s the prettiest, the sweetest, and the most giving girl in the world.”
“Really,” Napoleon said skeptically. “Bring her by the club tonight. I’d like to meet her.”
Remembering her rendezvous with Earl, Lucas said, “Well, her mother was killed a few days ago. And she’s got family in town. Maybe another time.”
“Her mother isn’t Marguerite Wise, is she?”
“Yeah. How did you know?”
“Read it in the Sentinel. The papers say whoever did it must have been pissed as hell. If they catch him, he’ll be black. If they don’t, you know a white man did it. If a white man did it, and if he’s rich, he’ll be untouchable by the authorities. If he’s Joe Blow, the police can do something, but you won’t find a jury to convict him.”
“So, nothing can be done?” Lucas asked.
“I didn’t say that. Something can be done. We just have to be careful. We have to plan our strategies. But first we gotta find out who did it, then we determine what the fallout will be if we kill him.”
“Fallout?”
“Yeah, you know . . . the consequences. There are consequences to everything, Lucas.”
Lucas nodded his head in agreement. Then he remembered what Marla said. ‘Napoleon doesn’t have any friends.’ It doesn’t make sense. He’s being a friend to me. He’s given me a job, put money in my pocket. He’s taking me shopping. And how do I repay him? By having unnatural sex with his wife. What the hell did I do? Damn, that’s fucked up. But what can I do about it? I can’t apologize for it. And she wants to see me again too. Fuck it! I’m never seeing Marla again.
“Let me check with Johnnie, Napoleon. Maybe you can meet her tonight.”