Chapter 59
“Then lead the way.”
It was about 10:20 when Johnnie came out of the Savoy. Benny spotted her and ducked, hoping she wouldn’t look in his direction. She would certainly recognize his car. In her haste, Johnnie didn’t see him, even though she looked right at him. She got into the Oldsmobile and pulled off. Benny took a swallow from the bottle of beer he purchased in Trudy’s and patiently waited for Earl to exit the building.
Ten minutes later, he saw a white man coming out of the same door Johnnie had just exited. Assuming it was Earl, Benny got out of the two-toned Monterey and approached the man walking in his direction. Benny leaned against the car and waited until the man was close enough to see his face. After seeing him at his mother’s house many times, he recognized Earl immediately. He was a little older and a little heavier, but it was still the Earl Shamus he knew years earlier.
“Hi, Mr. Shamus,” Benny said, remembering that was what he liked to be called.
Earl stopped in his tracks. His eyes narrowed as they strained to see the man’s dark face in the moonlight. The man looked very familiar for some reason, but he couldn’t quite put the face and the name together. As he got closer, Earl slowly began to recognize the man.
“Benny?” he said hesitantly.
“That’s right. It’s me, Mr. Shamus. Benny.”
Suddenly, hundreds of images flooded Earl’s mind. He remembered Marguerite sending the young man outside with his little sister on many occasions. He also recalled the profound loathing he’d seen in his eyes as he left their home. He didn’t think much of it at the time, but now, in a quiet, dark parking lot with no Whites around, Earl was terrified. He could see the same unabated hatred in the young man’s eyes.
The glare on Benny’s face caused Earl’s stomach to churn as fear overwhelmed him. Benny continued looking into Earl’s eyes, waiting for just the right moment to begin the assault, waiting for that moment when a man knows he’s overmatched and there’s nothing he can do about it. He wanted Earl to know before the actual beating began that he was going to beat him senseless. Then it came, the moment of inescapable truth; the moment of impending doom; the moment when a man’s life flashes before his eyes. Suddenly, without warning, Benny threw a vicious left hook to Earl’s flabby body that dropped him to one knee.
“Did that hurt, Mr. Shamus?” Benny asked, taunting him. “That musta hurt. That’s the kinda body shot that’ll break a muthafucka’s ribs.”
Still on one knee, gasping for air, Earl tried to talk, but couldn’t say anything because the wind was knocked out of him.
“Oh, you need some air, huh?” Benny asked, pulling him up. “Didn’t you know I would find out what you did to my sister?”
Benny hit him in the stomach again. Surprisingly, Earl didn’t go down this time. Instead, he doubled over and grabbed his stomach. He turned to try to run away but he didn’t have the energy. Benny lifted his right leg and shoved him head first into his Cadillac. There was a loud thud when his head hit the passenger door. Disoriented, Earl crumbled to the ground like a house of cards. Benny went over to finish the beating, but Earl started whimpering like a wounded animal.
“What’s wrong, Mr. Shamus? Lost your nerve? It’s different dealing with a man, ain’t it?”
“What do you want, Benny?” Earl finally asked, gasping.
“When you say your prayers tonight, be sure and thank God you’re white. That’s the only reason I don’t kill yo’ good for nothin’ ass. I got a wife and son now that need me. But if I find out you hurt my sister in any way, I’ll be back. And being white ain’t gon’ save yo’ ass. You understand?”
Earl, nodded. Benny stood Earl up, brushed the dirt off his suit and straightened his lapels. “There you are, Mr. Shamus. All nice and pretty again,” Benny said in a butler’s tone. “Which one of these cars is yours?”
“This Cadillac.”
Benny laughed a little and said, “So, I was parked right next to you, huh?” He grabbed Shamus by the arm, escorted him to the driver’s side of the car and opened the door. He waited for him to get in, then he closed the door.
Benny looked into the car. “You have a good evening now, Mr. Shamus. And don’t forget our little talk. I know I won’t.”
Shamus nodded his head and drove off.
Unknown to Benny, Sadie arrived at the hotel and parked. She’d seen the whole thing between Benny and Shamus. She got out of the car and walked over to him.
“I saw what you did to Earl, Benny.”
“You did, huh?”
He could tell by the twinkle in her eye that what she’d seen was a tremendous turn on. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her forward, then he kissed her forcefully.
Sadie found the strength of his embrace intoxicating. It had been so long since she was able to feel this good from an embrace. She liked Santino and he took care of her and their children, but she needed to be out with a man, if only to a hotel. Benny put his powerful hands around her small waist and lifted her onto the hood of his car. He kissed her again. Sadie could feel herself slipping deeper and deeper into the moment of their carnality. Having reached her point of surrender, she pulled away and said, “So, did you get a room?”
“Yeah, baby. I got a room.”
“Then lead the way.”