Thin Ice 4 - Resurrections (10 page)

Reluctantly he said okay, admonishing her to take his BMW. Shells told Tae he would give Tariq a ride and to go on with Kaitlyn. The two left and headed to Mardi Gras, entering and sitting at a booth tucked away near the emergency exit. Ordering two shots of Jose for herself, Tae asked Kaitlyn what she was having.

“
Crown,” she replied simply as Tae nodded and ordered it for her.

“
I’m still fucked up with this,” Tae admitted, the pain in her voice evident.

Kaitlyn told her she was too.

“
KiKi, hell, we been in the game a long time, but damn,” Tae murmured as Kaitlyn sighed again, knowing exactly how she felt.

         
Their drinks arrived and they toasted Jaleesa’s life and their friendship before throwing the shots back.

“
Something’s going on,” Kaitlyn told Tae as they began to talk.

“
Yeah, I know,” she replied. “Shells and Tariq have been talking since we left New York,” she enlightened Kaitlyn.

“
Hmph,” she answered, her mind twirling. “Tariq won’t tell me anything,” she told Tae as her friend nodded.

“
I’ll see what I can find out from Shells, but you know that might be as hard as getting it out of Tariq,” she threw out as they both chuckled.

“
Now what,” Tae asked, giving Kaitlyn a look.

Sighing deeply she closed her eyes a few moments, driving the tears back to where they came from, before reopening them and speaking again. “We slowly but surely live our lives and keep moving forward,” Kaitlyn told Tae earnestly.

“
I’ll drink to that,” she replied ordering them one last round before they headed home, eager to put this day far behind them.

*****

         
Jalen was still reeling.
He’s alive, my twin is actually alive,
he continued to brood as Ian once again came into the room. They’d talked briefly yesterday, but Ian had been vague about most of the questions he asked. Today Jalen hoped he would get more information.

“
How did you sleep,” Ian asked calmly, taking a seat across from him.

“
Pretty good,” Jalen replied looking into the man’s face.

Ian’s cell interrupted Jalen’s intended question as his brother pulled it from his pocket and answered it.

“
Yes,” he answered smoothly. “Excellent,” he said simply as the party on the other end relayed information to him. “Mhmm, I understand, just bring me what you have,” he told them before disconnecting and returning his attention to his brother. “I assume you have more questions,” Ian threw out as Jalen nodded he did.

Sighing deeply, Ian produced a manila folder and laid it on the table in front of them. “We’ll get to that,” he told his brother. “First things first,” Ian replied cryptically as Jalen frowned slightly, confused.

          “
You inherited a substantial amount of money from both mine and Ryan’s estates last year,” Ian began as Jalen nodded again. “Well, since I’m very much alive, at least half of that inheritance is now being reverted to my accounts,” he went on as Jalen continued to listen, not liking where the conversation was headed. “There is also the matter of me being the primary beneficiary of Ryan’s estate as well,” he told him as Jalen finally opened his mouth and interrupted.

“
So you’re taking all of the money,” he asked, a bit unsettled and upset by the sudden turn of events.

Ian smiled slightly and sat back. “That depends on you brother,” he said simply.

Jalen was confounded and it showed on his face as he waited for Ian to elaborate further.

“
You can earn this money, just as Ryan and I had to earn it,” he told him as Jalen swallowed hard and sighed deeply.

“
I don’t know anything about the street or whatever it is you do,” he told Ian, the aggravated edge to his voice.

         
Ian smiled again, took out a cigar and lit it. “I’m sure you don’t,” he replied, letting out a huge plume of smoke. “That’s where I come in,” he continued as Jalen listened intently. “I can teach you everything you need to know about our business,” Ian went on. “You are after all, family, and this is a family business that Ryan and I built.”

Jalen was still trying to grasp what his brother was saying to him. He understood completely that if he said no, he would be broke and penniless again. That was something Jalen never wanted to feel again. He’d enjoyed this last year of plenty. All his bills were paid, he was debt free. He’d bought a nicer used car, not wanting anyone to know exactly how well he was doing financially. Jalen could afford spur of the moment trips and luxuries he never could before. Now unfortunately it looked like he was about to lose it if he wasn’t willing to pay the price for keeping it.

          “
What do I have to do,” Jalen asked timidly as Ian smiled again.

“
Relax brother, I’m not going to make you kill anyone,” he replied as Jalen visibly relaxed. “Not right away anyway,” Ian added as Jalen tensed again. “First I’m going to explain to you all that I’m into, and then I’m going to tell you what I’ll be teaching you,” Ian told him as Jalen nodded.

“
Ian,” he began as his brother gave him his attention. “Can you tell me something else first,” he asked as Ian shrugged and told him to continue. “How did we all get separated, what happened,” Jalen asked as Ian frowned deeply and finished his cigar, putting it out in the ashtray and turning his attention to his brother.

           “
Our mother decided three children were far too many for her,” Ian told him calmly. “She said Ryan reminded her too much of our father, and keeping you over me, was simply luck of the draw,” he told him as Jalen frowned again.

Ian chuckled slightly before elaborating again. “Her sister looked at us in the bassinet and told her to keep you, that simple,” he replied.

Jalen heard the hurt though. Ian was extremely angry and he knew it.

“
I tried to kill her when we were 16,” he told Jalen again, matter-of-fact.

He nodded slightly. He’d learned that much, although his mother told him the assailant was unknown.

“
I hope that answers your questions, since I really don’t care to address that again, ever,” Ian told him, the tone leaving no room for argument.

Jalen shook his head again, letting it go. “So when do I start,” he asked instead.

Ian smiled and told him right now, as he opened yet another file folder and the instruction began.

*****

          “
Hey Trail, what’s up,” Jacoury threw out, addressing their bartender. He’d called to check on the club and last nights receipts.

“
Wassup Jacory,” Trail returned.

He had been with them since they opened and they trusted him implicitly.

“
How was last night,” he asked as Trail began to fill him in. “Good, I like a crowd,” he told him as the man grunted.

“
Your manager up to his old tricks again,” Trail told his boss as Jacoury frowned, the sour taste quickly returning to his mouth.

They’d had to deal with David on a few other occasions when he got beyond himself.

“
What happened this time, Trail,” Jacoury asked, readying himself for the bad news.

“
He tried the new girl, Tyashia,” Trail told him, pissing Jacoury off.

“
What do you mean, tried her,” he asked, wanting specifics.

Trail sighed deeply and told him what he’d overheard as the other girls chatted among themselves.

“
He told her take a break, then he went in the lounge, tried to make her give it up,” Trail told him as Jacoury began breathing hard.

          “
He raped her,” he asked plainly.

Trail told him no, the girl was quite a fighter and ended up kicking him in the nuts. Jacoury chuckled as did Trail.

“
Serves his bitch ass right,” he growled. “Is she there yet,” Jacoury asked of Tyashia.

“
Yeah, she just came in about fifteen minutes ago,” Trail returned.

“
Call her to the phone,” Jacoury instructed.

He heard Trail call out for the woman and then her voice filling his ear moments later.

“
Hello,” Tyashia spoke timidly.

Trail told her it was Jacoury and she certainly hoped there wasn’t trouble. She wanted to keep this job.

“
You okay,” he asked sweetly.

She smiled slightly and told him she was fine.

“
Did David touch you, hurt you,” Jacoury asked again as Tyashia assured him nothing happened.

“
I wouldn’t go that far,” he threw out as she said nothing. “I’ll deal with him when I get back, but for now, you just do your job and be cool, okay,” he told her as she told him she would. “You and me need to talk too when I get back,” Jacoury told her, his tone soft and romantic.

“
Okay,” she replied quietly, smiling to herself of the interest in his voice.

“
Let me speak back to Trail,” Jacoury instructed as Tyashia told him okay and passed the phone off.

Jacoury told Trail to continue watching and observing and he would see him soon, disconnecting.

         
Brooding once he got off the phone, Jacoury decided he needed to go home this weekend and put everything in order. As the thought left his mind, Ramell entered the room, sitting on the couch across from him, turning on the TV.

“
Wassup, you got that look,” Ramell threw out regarding his friend.

Jacoury gave him a quick rundown of Trail’s details from last night.

“
Man, fuck, that dude just don’t get it,” Ramell said angrily. “She okay, he didn’t rape the damned girl did he?”

Jacoury told him she was fine, and said nothing happened.

“
Trail says she got a real good shot at his nuts,” Jacoury threw out as Ramell burst into laughter.

“
Good, nasty ass,” he replied as Jacoury momentarily changed the subject.

“
How long this DeNoah cat been with your cousin,” he asked as Ramell told him a few years from his knowledge.

“
What’s your deal with him,” he asked, wanting Jacoury to share his observations.

“
There’s just something not quite right there man,” he told his friend. “I mean, number one, he’s soft as fuck,” he went on as Ramell nodded his understanding. “But there’s just that desperation thing, like he’s tryin’ entirely too hard to be liked, to fit in, to pull off the act, ya know what I mean,” Jacoury finished as Ramell continued to think about what he said.

“
Maybe we should keep an eye on him,” he threw out as Jacoury agreed.

He then told him about his plans to go home for the weekend and check in at the club. “Yeah, that’s straight,” Ramell replied. “Get rid of David’s ass while you’re there,” he told him as Jacoury told him that was a given.

The two friends tuned in SportsCenter and watched, waiting for Tariq to call and give them the meet time. Everyone was anxious to settle the dust and move on with their lives.

11

         
All the men were getting acquainted with each other, talking in small groups when Tariq and Mook arrived greeting everyone.

“
Everyone introuduced themselves,” he asked as they all nodded they had.

“
Well this is Mook,” he told Ramell and Jacoury.

Shells, Jaron and DeNoah already knew who he was. Mook spoke to the two men and they to him. Ramell had a good feeling about him. Mook seemed to be a straight up dude and he definitely had that take no bullshit look about him. Glancing at Jacoury they exchanged looks, both on the same page. He could tell Jacoury felt the same about Mook as he did.

“
So, the first thing I wanna do,” Tariq began as everyone gave him their undivided attention. “I wanna make this run to the Bayou.”

Everyone murmured their agreement. DeNoah felt a bit uneasy. He had no idea what they were talking about.
Why does Top keep leavin’ me in the dark,
he thought but filed away for later.

          “
Mell, you and Jaron riding with me,” Tariq began again. “Mook is gonna run things here,” he went on. “Shells, I need you to be his eyes and ears, DeNoah I need you to continue keeping eyes on KiKi,” Tariq explained everyone their roles.

“
What about Gabrielle,” Jaron asked. Tariq nodded as Mook spoke finally.

“
Kim is gonna spend time with her, keep her under a watchful eye,” he told him as Jaron smiled and thanked them.

He knew Gabrielle wouldn’t suspect anything was up hanging out with another woman. He also thought it might give her some much needed female friendship.

“
Any other ends we need to shore up,” Tariq asked. “Jacoury, I didn’t mention you because Mell told me you had to go home and handle the business for a minute,” Tariq told him as Jacoury nodded in agreement.

“
What time you wanna pull out Top,” Jaron asked.

Tariq told them he was getting Kaitlyn settled once she came home after dropping off Tae.

“
I’ll call,” he told them. “Everyone needs to be ready to ride,” he added as Jaron shrugged telling him no problem, and Ramell did the same.

“
We locked,” he asked, giving Tariq a look.