Family Reunion (21 page)

Manny let that sink in and with a sigh, he said. "If I only knew where she escaped them. If she would have only come back to Webster Fields." Manny mentioned out loud. It was then that Mike looked up, an angry expression on his face. "How? How was she to do that? Come back to what – at Webster Fields!? I didn't want to go back…why would she? Back to see you with Miss Katherine! How in the world is a Negro woman going to safely travel anywhere?”

“
She wouldn't have even known how to find her way back! From the moment she was snatched and brought to this godforsaken country against her will, the majority of her life was spent on Webster Fields ... as your-..." Mike grit his teeth cutting off his next words, his arms stiffened as his fist balled tight. With a lump in his throat and tears in his eyes he left the room. Manny sat staring at the closed door.

Joe noticed the need to leave him with his thoughts and quietly did so. For Manny, fear was growing and he couldn't help but wonder as the slow progress in Lena's search was being made, how - would they find her? Mike had been right, it was impossible for a Negro woman to travel safely. If there was even a small possibility that she had tried to return to Webster Fields, had someone interfered as she made the attempt? He couldn't help it, the brothels came to mind. Lena was beautiful. Was she even now in the hands of some madam? Manny's head went into his hands in his position of worry as rape, torture, cruel enslavement, prostitution and even death might have been her fate. These thoughts plagued him. He looked up to find his hands shaking; sweat beaded his brow as he found himself looking towards the liquor tray. He closed his eyes,
'No! I won' t , I won' t do it, God…please...where is she? Where is she? And … will I be able to handle it when I find out where?'

Three hours later, deep in the night, a clue to that question was dragged forcefully upon the ship by Leon. The loud scuffling noise awakened Manny where he had fallen asleep on his desk. It also awakened Mike, Gaitsu, and Maria. Mike told his wife to go back to sleep, he would see what was going on.

Before Manny could get around his desk to investigate, his door was thrown open by Leon who was pulling behind him a white man a little older than himself, his height, but of slighter build with dark brown hair, hazel eyes and moderate features. Both of them looked as if they'd been in one hell of a fight but the man Leon was dragging was in far worse condition.

"Leon! What in blazin' hell!? Who is this!?" Manny asked a little shaken to see him actually roughing up a white male, dragging him around the ship like an un-cooperative child. As for the man, Manny could care less, he knew that if Leon was dragging him, there was good reason, however being seen doing this by others could endanger his life.

"I'll tell you just as soon as I get him seated.
Sit
– you cowardly twat!" At that moment Mike and Gaitsu entered the room. "What is going on!?" Mike asked. "Gaitsu, will you please make some coffee and bring it back right away?" Leon asked as he shoved the man in the chair for the second time.

"Rise from this chair again you-…"

"Alright
, alright, alright!" The man threw his hands up to guard his face and head, afraid of being struck again by Leon. "Then don't move again!" He ordered, tired, sweaty, at the end of his patience.

"Leon?! Who is this?" Manny asked again.

"Have a seat Manny, you too Mike, you're going to need it." Leon inhaled deeply several times. Catching his breath he walked to Manny's liquor tray, poured himself a whiskey shot and drank it fast and straight, then turned back to a gaping Manny and Mike.

"I found this character at Mattalaine's on South end-..."

"Mattalaine's? What was he doing there?" Manny asked, aware of the bar being primarily frequented by black men. "He happens to be a regular every Thursday night, drinking up the place, Mattalaine explained to me. You see, he lives at South end. He has set himself up and hidden away with a black woman there."

"What does that have to do with us?" Mike asked, confused.

"Let me finish. You see, he's hiding away because if he didn't, the one and only Mr. Derek Greyson would have had him done in, as he did Pearson and Casey, the two men responsible for taking Lena. Here before you sits one of the very men who took care of her when they snatched her from Jackson."

Manny's heart immediately reacted, pounding so intensely he felt his temples throbbing. Mike felt his gut knot up as he rose from his seat and made a move toward the captive. Leon blocked him, warning as he saw it coming. "Oh no you don’t little brother, sit down - let me finish! And let him tell the story! Mike! Sit – down - please!" Leon repeated as Mike stood in place, glaring with deadly intent at the man who sat swaying as he wiped blood from his mouth. He was drunk and unsteady, barely keeping his seat.

"Mike do as he says
, sit down. Now is not the time for it."

Mike looked at his father, took several deep breaths and backed away. Tension was coiling in his body like that of a deadly snake on the edge and about to strike, he stood flexing his hands, opening and closing his fist. This man had been with those who had taken his mother and did God only knew what to her, he wanted to tear him apart. Knowing this, Leon would not move until Mike had backed away.

"Go on Leon." Manny invited, watching his son, gearing up as well for a possible struggle of keeping Mike off the man.

"As I was saying, this is the very one who held her captive and helped to care for her. As was planned, I went and dropped conversation openers about the Princess and the treasure. He blurted out that he had almost been killed because of that Princess.”

“
I won't go into some of the other things he said, it's hard enough for Mike to keep still. Listening to him, the more convinced I was that he was a key to finding her."

"You broke my...broke my fuckin' nose!" The man slurred.

"Well Franks, if you don't start talkin', that ain't all that's gonna be broken." Leon warned as he bent over the man.

"I - I ain't sayin' nawt ... you hear! Nawt’t’tall! Till you pay me what you promised!"

"Oh you'll talk alright...you know why? Because if you don't... I'm going to leave you in this room with the man you see behind me. Trust me, you'll wish you were back with Greyson again instead of with him."

"Did you promise him money for information Leon?" Manny asked, trying to control his own urge to throttle the man.

"I did."

"Then why did you beat him up and drag him in?" Manny asked, wondering why he had to be forced. "Because his drink has loosened his tongue, and I didn't like some of the things he was saying. Things I won't repeat. As I've said, Mike is barely under control as it is."

Manny could just imagine what the man might have been spouting under the influence of liquor. "So your name is Franks is it?!" Manny questioned brusquely.

"Yeah…Nigel – Franks. And I ain't tellin' no more till I get some money."

"Let me have him for a few minutes, just a few. He'll talk, and for free, I won't kill'im...I promise I won't." Mike sneered.

"Will you let me handle this?!" Manny snapped, growing impatient.

Mike took little notice. "If he doesn't start talking soon, I swear I'm going to start popping bones, from the least needed to the most needed."

"Who tha hell is he? What'd I - I do to
him
? You - you broke my fuckin' nose ... bastid!" Franks cried, swaying.

"Leon - make him talk - or get out of the way!" Mike warned again.

"Nigel Franks! Do you hear me!? I'm going to pay you what my man promised you. The more you tell, the more I pay…do you understand!? The more you talk, the more money you get! All about the Princess, from the beginning of what you know, up until you lost her! You hear me!? You understand!?" Manny asked.

"Hell - I hear! Uh'm pissed, not - deaf…he – he broke my fuckin' nose."

"Well let's hear it then Nigel, all of it!" Leon pushed as Gaitsu
entered with the coffee. "Thank you Gaitsu...here drink this!" Leon took the coffee and handed it to Franks.

"You broke my fuckin' nose, I'm in pain, gimme' a drink, I need a drink!" He whined.

"No more Nigel, here's coffee instead and Gaitsu will get rid of the pain after you talk to us." Manny stated fighting for calm. Nigel took the coffee, blew it, tasted it and grimaced from the strength of it but took another sip.

"Come on Franks, let's hear it, you've stalled long enough!" Leon coerced.

"In a min – minute…"

"From the beginning." Manny insisted.

Nigel took a deep breath and wiped the hair back from his forehead, "How much you gonna pay me-..." With bared teeth, Mike rushed by Leon to grab Franks up from his chair by the collar, He screamed out blocking his face, dropping the coffee. "Mention another word about money, and your only payment will be a chance to live out the rest of your life in - extreme pain." Mike bit out with the man held up to his face.

"Mike, set him down now, he's got the message loud and clear I'm sure." Manny ordered softly.

"Please…my nose, don' – don't hit my nose no more. I'm talking, I'm talking!" Nigel gasped. Mike pushed him away making him land back in the chair so roughly it almost tipped over.

"Talk! Now!"
Mike bellowed in his face.

"Greyson was payin’ me to - to follow Pearson and Casey ‘round as they look - look for her. They foun’ out after a long search that she was somewhere in the South. Th–they went t’as many plantations as there was in Alabama, then - then Mississippi. When they got to Jackson, they was a’proached by some lady in’a res’rant. She overheard’em talkin’ 'bout the Princess. She said - the Princess at my plantation – she work in the kitchen there. They plan’t’come to Vicksburg, where she say her plantation was an’wait – wait at a hotel there. She would sen’ the Princess to Okala and main, Casey and Pearson wait to get’er. But - she - she didn't show. She was missin’. Every one – lookin’ for’er. Couldn't find’er – they come back to Jackson, t’wait for me. Then, she just, showed up.” His revelations were interspersed with hiccups breaking up his speech. Another one broke in making him stop to beg, “Please, canna’ have jus’ one drink, my nose is hurtin' some powerful."

"Gaitsu give him a shot of whiskey for the pain." Manny ordered
sharply, feeling his anger rise again. He would never forget when he went to question Doris Campbell about Lena and how the old lady had raged and cursed him, giving her opinion about his
'Kept nigger whore!'
He shook his head thinking back. He had torn her restaurant apart and paid for it.

"Okay, you got your drink, now let us hear the rest!" Manny ordered.

"They foun’er - they, trick her in’ta comin’ to their room an’ jumped her, drugged-…"

"Mike!! Michael let him go!! Michale let – him – go!!"
Manny rushed from behind his desk to help Leon pull his son off Franks. "Don’ let’im hit me, don’ – my broken nose… ohhh – please - my nose!"

"That - was my mother - you fuc-…" Mike raged, tears flooding his eyes. "Mike calm down and let him finish!! You hear me – calm down and let him finish!!"

"That was – my mother!!" He groaned wanting to weep, the picture just drawn was more than he could bear. "Mike I know, but son we have to let him finish. Why don't you go back to your room until this is over?"

"No! I'm not going anywhere!"

"Then control yourself and listen! You understand me!?" Manny demanded. Mike unclenched his teeth as Leon held him with his father standing between Nigel and himself. Taking several deep breaths, Mike pulled his shirt from Leon's grasp and turned from Franks. He thought if he didn't look at him he could hold back from attacking again.

Chapter Five

With his arms stretched out before him, he braced himself against his father's bookcase, gripping the shelves for control. Manny was also incensed, but he had to maintain some control if he was going to learn what he needed to find out about Lena. With his attention back to Nigel, he coaxed him to continue.

"You keep’im away from me!" Nigel cried, frightened.

"Then talk ... finish this time."