Chapter Four
It had been a long couple of days for Carter Garrison. Since Rain told him that she was pregnant and that he was the father, nothing had gone his way. At this point, she was barely speaking to him, and he had no idea where she was. He had been to J.R.’s, and to both her house and her safe house, and Rain was nowhere to be found. And now she wasn’t even taking his calls.
“It’s about business,” Carter said aloud as the call went to voicemail.
Black had tasked Jackie with finding out everything about Kojo and his operation. Kordell Jones aka Kojo met Johnny Boy in the yard while he was serving a fifteen-year sentence for murder and Johnny Boy was serving time for a parole violation. Kojo was telling his fellow inmates why he was in there. Johnny Boy, who was sitting on the benches nearby with some other Italians, heard what he said and told Kojo that he was in there because he was stupid. Everybody laughed, except Kojo of course. He had walked over to where Johnny Boy was sitting. Everything got quiet as all braced for a confrontation.
“Teach me not to be stupid ever again.”
Once again, everybody but Kojo laughed, but this time Johnny Boy wasn’t laughing either. Instead, he had said, “I like you, kid.”
The laughter continued, and Kojo walked away with his head in his hand, but the next day on the yard, Johnny Boy came and sat down next to him and told him why he was stupid. After that, Kojo became Johnny Boy’s student. Within a week, he had a lawyer working on his appeal and got his conviction overturned on a technicality.
After serving only four months of a fifteen-year sentence for murder, Kojo was back on the street a month after Johnny Boy. After only being gone for four months, Kojo was able to pick up where he left off, only now he had a quality product and muscle behind him. With the Curcio family’s boss, the late Big Tony Collette, wanting a greater presence in the market, he saw Kojo as an opportunity. But one thing stood in his way: the Caldwell Enterprise.
NYPD Deputy Inspector Cavanaugh and Assistant United States Attorney Dennis Allen, who each had been in Big Tony’s pocket for years, organized a task force, headed by Lieutenant Rachael Dawkins, to move the Caldwell Enterprise out of their way.
That effort got a big boost when Detectives Bautista and Dickerson dropped Hugo Peterson, aka Pistol Pete, in Lieutenant Dawkins’s lap. He had witnessed Gavin Caldwell and two women killing Greg Mac.
“One had on white leather pants and a floor-length coat, a blond wig, and big glasses. The other one had on a red floor-length leather coat and some tight-ass red booty shorts. And both of them were wearing bulletproof vests,” Pistol had told Lieutenant Dawkins, who had no idea that the women were Rain Robinson and Jackie Washington.
Rain found out about it because a member of Barbara’s crew, Jolina Booker, had been working task force detective Darius Hudson for information. She overheard him talking about it and called Barbara. She immediately called her captain. Once Jackie told Rain, she knew what she had to do to avoid The Family being dragged into their investigation: kill everybody who could place Rain and Jackie in that room.
Between the work of the task force and the engagement of The Family, the Caldwell Enterprise was dealt a blow that Butch Caldwell, who ran the operation from his prison cell, knew he couldn’t come back from. When the investigation came too close to Gavin and his sister, London, the decision was made to get out of the New York market and move his family’s business to Arizona. The first to go was Fredricka. She moved after she killed her husband when he became a task force informant. When the second of London’s girlfriends became a task force informant, London had her killed, and then she moved to Arizona as well. Gavin hung around long enough to oversee the move of the family’s financial service company, Anderson Montgomery, before he was gone too.
With its mission accomplished, and Angelo Collette now being boss of the Curcio family, Deputy Inspector Cavanaugh and Assistant United States Attorney Dennis Allen congratulated Lieutenant Dawkins on a job well done. She told them that although she was winding down the Caldwell investigation, she was turning her attention to Kordell Jones, who was positioning himself to fill the void left by the Caldwells. She knew that there was something funny going on when the lieutenant was informed that her task force was being integrated into the organized crime task force’s investigation of Rocco Vinatieri.
Therefore, Dawkins didn’t tell them that she had already placed a deep-cover operative inside Kojo’s organization. Her name was Veronica Isley. After serving two tours in Afghanistan, she joined the police force. Isley graduated in the top five at the police academy and was recruited by Dawkins for the assignment. After Isley acknowledged the risk, Dawkins decided not to bring her in. So now Isley was out there on her own with no support.
Since Johnny Boy brought Kojo into the business, Black had assumed that he ran a tight program. Jackie had Marvin and Baby Chris on it, but Carter thought that, in his position, he needed to be on top of it as well, especially since Ryder, the acting captain of his crew, and Truck, one of Kojo’s dealers, had a personal beef. Carter wanted to talk to Rain about it, but she wasn’t taking his calls.
He was the underboss of the family, so if anything came of it, he would handle the situation without her. That was what Black put him in that spot for: to step up and handle shit when Rain didn’t. He thought back to the day when Black invited him to Freeport.
“I want you to take Howard Owens’s place as captain of his crew.”
Carter had just gotten out of prison and was thinking about going legit and spending the rest of his life with Mileena. He knew that he had come to Freeport for Black to convince him to get back in. But Carter never expected Black to offer him the captain’s chair.
“You’re the only one I can trust.”
Carter accepted that responsibility. That was why he was there: his loyalty and dedication to Mike Black. It was that dedication that made him choose The Family over Mileena time after time until she had enough and walked away. Then Black asked him to be Rain’s consigliere. When he said yes, Carter understood that his role was to be a stabilizing influence for the young boss of The Family, but more importantly, that his role was to protect Black’s interest. That was why he was there.
With that newfound sense of clarity, Carter said, “Fuck her,” and drove to his spot, Romans, the pizzeria and sports-betting spot that Carter once again operated from. He had been running his crew out of the second office at J.R.’s, but once he and Rain started fucking, that was all they did when they were there. So he made the move back to Romans because he felt like she was blowing his mind with that insane pussy Rain was slinging. He thought for a while that was the reason she cut him off, but it wasn’t. All that did was give them another place to fuck.
As it always was when Carter walked into Romans, everybody wanted to shake hands or bump fists with the underboss of The Family. Some people wanted to talk to Carter about their issues, while others needed a favor. Some people at Romans just spoke so others would see them and know that Carter knew their name. However it went, it usually took about twenty minutes before he got to his office and was able to shut the door.
He sat down at his desk. It was in that room, on that desk, that it happened. Those days, he and Rain were hot for each other. They couldn’t get enough of the other, and any time alone was an opportunity to fuck some more. Her sex was incredible. Although Carter hated to admit it, Rain had pussy whipped his ass, and then she unceremoniously dumped him.
“But why? That’s what I can’t figure out. Why?” Carter said aloud. “Everything was going fine until . . .” Carter paused as enlightenment finally broke through. “Until Miranda.”
Although it was enlightening, it confused him even more.
“Having a threesome was her idea. It was what she wanted to do.”
After a shootout to cover their involvement in Greg Mac’s assassination, Rain was looking around at the carnage they’d caused and found herself in heat and wanting not only Carter but Jackie as well. Her mind had begun to wander.
I bet Jackie sucks the fuck out some pussy, Rain thought. But she quickly dismissed the idea because fucking both of her captains was a really bad idea.
Carter remembered being reluctant when Rain first suggested it to him. His first thought was that it was some type of girlie trap that he needed to be careful not to fall into as he had with Mileena. When she brought up the idea of them having a threesome with Yarrisa, Carter got excited about the idea because he had wanted to fuck Yarrisa for a while. Then Mileena flipped it on him. He could hear her angrily shouting, “Oh, so you do want to fuck Yarrisa!” It was a trap, and his falling into it was a big mistake. And Carter always tried to learn from his mistakes and never make them again.
But then he thought about it. If Rain Robinson said that she wanted to have a threesome, then Rain Robinson wanted to have a threesome, so he was down for it. They went to a club called Hang Ups, and Rain picked Miranda herself. And once Rain had firmly established, “I don’t eat pussy,” to which Miranda replied, “I do,” she looked at Carter. “And I love to suck dick.”
They left Hang Ups and headed for the hotel. Now Rain was barely speaking to him, but Miranda called damn near every day. The thought frustrated him, and he picked up the phone to call her again.
What happened to fuck her?
* * *
When the phone began ringing again, Rain picked it up and once again sent the call to voicemail. Since she found her cousin, Sapphire, safe and unharmed, they had been hiding out at Wanda’s safe house, and they were there for two reasons. Not only was her safe house better fortified and better stocked than Rain’s, but Carter had no idea where it was, so he couldn’t just show up when he felt like it.
They were hiding at Wanda’s safe house because somebody was trying to kill Sapphire. When Rain went looking for Sapphire at her apartment, a man had ransacked the place, and she had to fight him off. Until Rain could figure out who was trying to kill her and why, they were staying put.
The phone rang again, and Rain was about to send the call to voicemail.
“Why don’t you just answer it?” Sapphire asked because she was tired of hearing it ring.
“Because I don’t feel like being bothered with him.”
“Then tell him to fuck off and kiss your natural black ass. That’s what I always do.”
Rain laughed, and then she swiped to talk. “What do you want?”
“Really?” Her attitude frustrated him. “Where are you?”
“I’m fine.”
“That’s not what I asked you.”
“But that’s what I’m telling you.”
“When are you going to stop this shit and talk to me?”
“When are you going to stop fuckin’ around and tell me about Fantasy?”
There was silence on the line.
“That’s what I thought,” Rain said and ended the call.
“Baby daddy?” Sapphire asked.
“Yeah.”
“I know you didn’t ask me, but you know what I think,” Sapphire said as her phone began to ring.
“Saved by the bell.”
“I heard that, cuz,” Sapphire said, looking at the display. Seeing that it was her mother, she swiped to talk. “Hi, Mommy.”
“Not Mommy,” a male voice said.
“Who is this?”
“If you want to see your mother alive again, bring the drive to her house.”
“What drive?”
“Bring the drive to her house now or your mother dies. And come alone.”
“What drive?” Sapphire shouted, but he had ended the call.
“Who was that?” Rain asked.
“I don’t know, but whoever it was is at Mommy’s house, and he said he’ll kill her if I don’t bring the drive.”
“What drive?”
“I don’t know,” Sapphire said, and then she thought about it. “Wait a second.” She rushed out of the room.
“What?” Rain said and got up to follow her to the room she was staying in.
“I remember finding a drive on the last flight I worked.” Sapphire put her suitcase on the bed and opened it. “I thought that I turned it in but”—she paused as she riffled through the suitcase, looking for her uniform—“I guess I didn’t.” Sapphire pulled the drive out of the pocket.
“Whatever is on that drive, people are willing to kill for it.”
“What am I gonna do?” Sapphire asked and plopped down on the bed.
“We’re gonna save your mother, that’s what we’re going to do. Come on,” Rain said and went to get her guns and put on her vest. “Call Carla, Alwan. Tell her to meet me at her office. I got some shit I need her to do.”
When they arrived at the office, not only was Carla there, but Monika was there as well. When Rain’s aunt Priscilla first came to her about finding Sapphire, she had Carla investigate the place where Rain was told Sapphire worked, Overseas Air. At the time, she couldn’t find out much about them because they didn’t have much of a digital footprint, but she promised to stay on it and dig deeper. She was eventually able to tell Rain that Overseas Air was a front company for an Albanian mafia organization called the Troka Clan, but not until after Rain had burned the place to the ground. The Clan was engaged in the international trafficking of human organs, tissues, and other body products. Therefore, when she got the call from Alwan to meet Rain in the office at that hour, Carla thought that calling Monika, who was highly skilled in weapons and commando tactics, was a good idea.
“I need you to copy whatever is on this drive,” Rain ordered, handing the drive to Carla. “Then I need you to find out what the fuck is on there that’s worth killing over.”
“I’m on it,” Carla said and got to work.
“What’s going on, sunshine?” Monika asked.
“People who want that drive are holding her mother.” Rain pointed at Sapphire, and then she paused. “Oh, yeah, this is my cousin, Sapphire. That’s Monika and that’s Carla.”
“Hi.” Sapphire waved.
“Got it,” Carla said when she finished copying the data and handed the drive back to Rain.
“Thanks.”
“What are you going to do now?” Monika asked.
“I’m going to trade this drive for her mother.” Rain started for the door.
“Who you got with you?” Monika asked, walking alongside her.
“Alwan is with me.”
“Stop!”
Rain stopped. “What?”
“You’re going to fuck with the Albanian mob? Just you and Alwan?” She shook her head. “I’m coming with you. You too, Carla,” Monika said, walking away. “Give me a second to gear up.”
“Hurry up,” Rain said, thinking that she had no idea what she was walking into. Bringing Monika along was a smart idea.
Once Monika was ready, they left the office and headed for Aunt Priscilla’s house. The plan was for Alwan and Rain to drive Sapphire to the house, while Monika and Carla followed in the security van. They wouldn’t be able to have eyes inside the house, but with the equipment in the van, they would at least know how many people were in the house and where they were from their heat signatures.
“I don’t like it, sunshine. Sending her in there alone is a bad idea,” Monika said when they got to the house.
“I don’t like it either. But if we rush the house, they will kill my aunt. You got a better idea, now’s the time to tell me.”
“I didn’t know you had any family other than Miles,” Monika said since she didn’t have a better idea.
“My mother’s people.”
“All right, we do it their way.” She turned to Carla. “How many people are in there?”
“Three. Two in the front of the house and another at the back door.”
“Okay,” Monika began. “I’ll take the back.” Monika exited the van and started to walk away, but then she stopped. “We killing these fucks, or we letting them walk away with what they came for?”
Rain paused to think. “We’ll see how it goes. Go ahead, Sapphire. I’ll be right outside,” she said, and then she started for the house.
She let Sapphire get a little ahead of her, and then Rain started for the house behind her. Sapphire was scared as she walked to the house, but she was more scared of what they had done or might do to her mother. She opened the gate and walked to the door, surprised at how calm she was.
The people who are trying to kill you are holding Mommy, and you’re walking up here like you don’t have a care in the world, Sapphire thought. She was running on pure adrenaline as she got to the door.
Since she had one, she thought for a second about using her key, but that might get her or her mother shot. So Sapphire rang the bell and waited.
“I’m in position and standing by, sunshine,” Monika said over coms.
“Acknowledged. I’m out front,” Rain said. “The door just opened, and she went in.”
“Standing by.”
As soon as Sapphire was inside, the man slammed the door and put a gun to her head. “Did you bring it?”
“Yes, I have it.”
He grabbed her by the arm and walked her into the living room at gunpoint. As she came into the room, she saw her mother. She was standing in the middle of the room, gagged, hands zip-tied, and a gun to her head.
“Are you all right, Mommy?” Sapphire asked.
Her mother nodded her head.
The man hit Sapphire in the back of the head. “Of course she is all right. We are not animals.”
“Fuck that,” the man holding Aunt Priscilla said and pressed the barrel against her head. “Where is the drive?”
“In my pocket.”
“Reach for it slowly and toss it on the floor near me.”
With a gun still pointed at her head, Sapphire reached slowly into her pocket, pulled out the drive, and tossed it on the floor. When she did, the man holding her pushed her to the floor and picked up the drive.
“Thank you,” the other man said and shot Aunt Priscilla.
“Mommy!” Sapphire screamed as she fell to the ground.
He turned his weapon on Sapphire and was about to shoot her when Rain kicked in the front door and Monika came in the back door firing.
Rain’s first shot hit the man with the gun on Sapphire in the arm, and he dropped the gun right before Monika shot him in the back of the head. The other man fired a couple of shots at Rain, and he ran out the front door. As soon as he hit the porch, Alwan put three in his chest.