When I first saw Kyle’s boat, I thought it was spectacular enough to live on, but I never thought for one minute I’d actually find myself living on it. What other choice did I have, though? I couldn’t shack up with him and his family. He was starting to act a little strange lately, talking to himself and snapping at people for no reason, and I could also sense tension between him and Lisa. I wasn’t sure whether I was the cause of it, but I was certain my being there wouldn’t help the situation any. When I told Kyle that I was going to stay at a hotel until I could take back my house, he offered up his boat. Now it had been two long weeks of staying at the marina.
If all went well, I would be back at my house soon enough. I was actively pursuing my plan to get Cassie out of there.
“I changed my mind. I’m gonna go with option two,” I said into the phone as I stood overlooking the deck.
“Cool, but it’s going to cost you ten grand,” Mr. Bigg said sternly. “So there’s the matter of you getting it to me so we can get the ball rolling.”
“What do I need to do to get the five thousand to you?” I asked. “Should we meet back at the bar?”
“Dude, are you trying to play games or something? What’s with this five thousand shit? Did you not hear me say that option two will be ten grand?”
“I heard you, but I figured it was five up front and then the remaining five once the deed was done.”
Mr. Bigg let out a sigh. “I swear to God if folks don’t stop watching these crime dramas… This ain’t no TV show. This is real life. You want your wife taken care of, then it’s going to cost you ten grand—up front.”
Perhaps I had watched Law & Order one too many times. On not one of those shows had I ever seen anyone pay a hit man the entire fee up front. “I give you all the money up front, then what kind of reassurance do I have that you’re going to handle it?”
“Reassurance? Man, do you want your wife dead or not?” Mr. Bigg sounded eager to spill some blood, and that awakened something that I had buried deep inside—it was my conscience.
I was starting to feel remorseful for something that hadn’t even happened yet. I could only imagine how I was going to feel after Cassie was killed. “Yes, I do, but first I want to know how it’s going to happen. I don’t want her to suffer badly or anything like that.”
“You know what, dude? I ain’t got time for this shit. When you’re ready, and I mean really ready and not just talking about doing it, give me a call.” He was fed up with me.
“Okay, okay. Don’t hang up. I’ll get you the money.”
“What money?” I almost shit my pants when I turned to see Kyle standing there.
“Man, you scared the shit out of me.” I fumbled the phone in my attempt to end the call and put it away.
“So, who was that on the phone?”
“No one,” I replied, looking down to make sure the call was ended before I slipped the phone in my pocket.
Kyle stared at me for a moment, then stepped onto the boat. “Al, I’ve been knowing you for years. Something is going on, and apparently it has something to do with that phone call, because you’re avoiding my question. So what is it?”
“Nothin’,” I said weakly.
Kyle stood there staring me down. “Look, I know this situation with Cassie is pretty bad, but not as bad as your situation with Rose. I mean, what could be worse than your fiancée killing your mother?”
Kyle was trying to reason with me, but reminding me about Rose just intensified the fire within me. “It doesn’t matter which bitch was worse. The point is, I’ve been taken advantage of my entire life, and I’m not ever gonna allow it again.”
“I hear you,” Kyle said. “You’ll figure this out. You’re a lot stronger than you think.”
“I’ve already figured it out,” I replied.
“Oh yeah, and how’s that?”
“Let’s just say that Cassie is going to have a little accident, and Mr. Bigg is going to see to it that things don’t turn out so well for her.”
Kyle’s face fell. “You’re hiring a hit man to kill your wife?” he asked. “Where the hell did you even find this Mr. Bigg?”
“I met him when I was in jail. He told me he hangs out in a bar called Joe’s over on 132nd, so when Cassie pushed me too far, I just went over there and found him. Did what I had to do to get my mother’s house back.”
Kyle shook his head, looking disappointed. “Come on, Allen. This is crazy. I know you. This is not who you are. You can’t do this.”
I looked him square in the eyes and said, “I don’t have any other choice. She’s taken everything from me. Now it’s time something gets taken from her, even if it means her life.”