Thin Ice 4 - Resurrections (4 page)

*****

“Thanks girl,” Jaleesa told Kaitlyn softly, now wearing the clothes she’d brought for her. Kaitlyn smiled and hugged her tightly again.

“
Let’s get the hell outta here,” she told her as Jaleesa chuckled slightly and followed her lead.

“
It’s good to be out of that box,” Jaleesa remarked as Kaitlyn grunted her agreement. “It’s so fucked up KiKi,” Jaleesa said out of the blue after they’d been riding in silence for a while.

“
What,” Kaitlyn asked.

“
I didn’t want him dead,” she replied wistfully. “I just wanted a divorce and him to stop hitting me,” Jaleesa said quietly as Kaitlyn sighed softly.

“
I know Tweety,” she replied sweetly.

“
I’ve hurt my kids so much,” she began again as the tears came and cascaded down her face. “I took their father away, devastated their lives, now I’m in a jail cell,” she continued sobbing deeply now.

Kaitlyn didn’t interrupt, allowing her to purge and cleanse.

“
Mama says she’ll take care of them,” Jaleesa told her, finally spent and speaking quietly once more.

“
I know she will, Tweety,” Kaitlyn returned.

“I told her not to bring them to the prison, ever,” Jaleesa threw out.

“
Don’t you want to see them,” Kaitlyn questioned.

Jaleesa sighed deeply and told her she never wanted her children to see her in a steel cage, locked up, or shackled.

“
What do I say to Rondé when he asks why can’t mommy come home,” she threw out of her 2 year old.

Kaitlyn understood, but that was a huge sacrifice Jaleesa was making.

“
I’d rather them just forget me and live their lives, try to be as normal and happy as they can be,” she added.

Again, Kaitlyn held her tongue and said nothing. She knew Jaleesa was raw from her time in jail and she hoped that she would change her mind now that she was out on bail and could spend time with her kids.

“
Can we go to the house first,” Jaleesa asked.

Kaitlyn frowned slightly but nodded her understand, taking her to the home she and LaRon once shared.

“
I’m okay, KiKi,” Jaleesa told her when they drove up and Kaitlyn was about to get out.

“
I need to be alone for a while,” she added as Kaitlyn continued to regard her.

There was something very off about her best friend right now, but she didn’t want to push.

“
OK, but you call me the minute you’re ready to leave,” she admonished as Jaleesa smiled.

“
My car is here and I can drive,” she reminded her friend.

Kaitlyn smiled and told her okay, but please call.

“
I promise KiKi,” Jaleesa told her getting out and waving as she walked to the front door and let herself it.

Kaitlyn sat in the drive a few moments more, her gut gnawing at her. In the end she sighed deeply and put the car in reverse, backing up and heading for her own house
.

4

Creeper and Pirate arrived in the Bayou and headed directly for Avery Rehabilitation hospital located some twenty miles outside the city. Arriving at the large beautifully landscaped property they searched for and successfully found a parking space. Creeper took in the lush green of the precision manicured lawns. The building itself was state of the art in architecture with all the arcs and open ceilings it boasted. Turning and following the signs directing them to the entrance, they entered the facility and approached the reception desk.

“
Hi, can I help you,” the nurse asked, giving Creeper the once over.

He saw the slight smile and knew she liked what she saw.

“
I hope so,” he replied giving her a sexy smile.

Pirate almost laughed watching his friend work his magic. Feeling eyes, he turned his attention to the other end of the desk and found another nurse watching him intently. She smiled slightly when their eyes met. Pirate smiled back and sauntered over to where she stood. The men spent the next twenty minutes bantering back and forth with the two ladies, before obtaining the information they needed, getting directions, and heading for the wing in question.

“Girl damn,” Charneese, the first nurse remarked to her co-worker. “That man is fine as hell, six plus feet of sexy ass sexy,” she murmured as Alethia, the co-worker agreed.

“
And his friend, the same damned thing,” she told Charneese.

“
Figures though,” she remarked as Alethia nodded.

“
Yeah, Miracle is sexy, so shit figures his friends would be too,” Charneese noted as the two women went back to their jobs, contemplating the time the men promised to spend with them later tonight after their shifts were over.

Creeper and Pirate were still chuckling as they boarded the elevator and headed to sub level one.

“
That was too easy,” Pirate threw out as Creeper laughed and agreed.

“
You know how we do,” he replied as Pirate nodded.

“
You gonna fuck her later,” he asked, referring to Alethia.

“
Nah, but she can suck my dick if she wants,” Pirate told him as Creeper chuckled. “Yeah, Lila would fuck your ass up,” he added as Pirate agreed telling him he knew Tamiya would do the same.

“
Right,” Creeper laughed as the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

They found the room with ease opening the doors quietly and entering. Looking around they at first thought the women had sent them to the wrong place, until Pirate tapped Creeper and wordlessly pointed. They watched as the woman continued her work, head bobbing up and down in a familiar rhythm, the man calmly holding it in place as he leaned back, eyes closed enjoying her service. The scene played out for the next twenty minutes until the man groaned slightly and relaxed. Not missing a beat the woman rose, wiped her mouth, and pushed him toward the aquatic pool for his workout. Finally noticing the two men present, she blushed slightly. Looking up the man dismissed her, regarding the two men in front of him silently.

“
Are you lost,” he asked calmly never stopping his exercise or taking his eyes from the two men.

“
No, I think we’re in the right place,” Creeper replied as the man grunted and waited on him to speak again.

“
I hear you’re a miracle case,” Creeper continued. “Bet there are a few people who wouldn’t be all that happy to know that though,” he threw out as the man sighed slightly and shrugged.

“
Is that what you came to discuss,” he asked once more, still calm.

“
No,” Creeper replied evenly.

Finishing his exercise, the man rang a small bell and the nurse appeared again. After helping him out, drying and helping him dress they began to leave the room.

“
Are you two coming,” he asked, seeing them still standing in place.

Wordlessly, Creeper and Pirate followed, finally ending up in a huge suite on a private ward in the hospital.

“
The view is beautiful from here,” the man told him calmly. “So again, what can I do for you gentlemen,” he asked, turning and facing them.

Creeper noticed the slight impediment. It wasn’t bad really, only when he used words with the letter S or L was it very obvious.

“
Are you happy here, or do you have plans,” Creeper asked as the man smiled slightly.

“
Why would that be important to you,” he threw back instead of an answer.

“
Well for me, it’d be a wonderful opportunity, for you a chance to finish some unfinished business,” Creeper told him.

“
What business would that be,” he asked still regarding the two men.

“
Payback on the muthafucka’s that put you here for one,” Pirate answered.

Again the answer was greeted with a smile from the man.

“And you are,” he asked looking at them both.

“
I’m Creeper, and this is Pirate, he answered as the man nodded again.

“
It’s nice to meet you gentlemen, my name is Ice,” Ian answered smoothly.

Creeper and Pirate both smiled telling him they knew exactly who he was.

“
What made you gentlemen come and find me,” he asked curiously.

“
Jalen Bailey,” Creeper said calmly.

Ian gave him a dead stare upon the answer, making both men slightly uncomfortable.

“
How do you know Jalen,” Ian asked regaining his composure.

“
He asked me to find out about you and Ryan,” Creeper replied honestly.

“
Hmph,” Ian returned. “Where is he,” he asked as Creeper readily supplied the answer.

“
Can you get him here,” Ian again questioned.

Creeper told him he was pretty sure it wouldn’t be an issue.

“
Don’t tell him yet, about me,” Ian clarified.

“
Cool,” Pirate replied.

Ian regarded the two men, deciding he liked them.

“
I would love, as you say, to get payback,” he told them honestly. “But I’m afraid all my help is dead or in prison,” he replied as they smiled.

“
Ice we got all the manpower you need,” Pirate told him, Creeper agreeing.

“
Tell us what you need, what your next move is, and its done,” Creeper admonished.

Ian smiled again, pleased with what he was hearing.

“
There is a matter, very personal, very pressing, that I need clarified first,” he threw out as Creeper and Pirate replied they were all ears.

Sighing lightly, Ian gave them the information and told them what he needed.

“
You have a cell,” Creeper asked as all the men exchanged numbers.

Turning to leave they told Ian they were in town for the next three or four days, then headed back to Florida. He nodded and told them they would work out the details later as the two men bid him a good night and left.

*****

Jaleesa awoke still laying in the middle of their bed, clutching LaRon’s pillow. She’d cried herself to sleep when she came into the house and lay down. Sighing deeply she sat up and jumped as she finally saw the man standing in the shadows.

“
I wondered when you would show up,” she told him simply, scooting back until she was resting against the headboard.

The man said nothing, continuing to stand and regard her silently.

“
I hoped maybe, just maybe, you wouldn’t show up,” she continued to talking. “But in my heart I knew, I knew you would,” she finished quietly.

The room was cloaked in silence as neither spoke, but continued to watch the other. She saw him move finally, pulling out the .9mm and attaching the silencer.

“
She won’t ever forgive you, you know that right,” Jaleesa told him, still eerily calm. “She’s stubborn as hell and she’ll hate you for it,” she went on as he finished his task and walked into the light, looking right into her eyes now.

“I didn’t want him dead, Tariq,” she told him honestly as he continued to watch her wordlessly. “He had just finished beating my ass, again,” she pleaded. “What was I supposed to do, huh, let him beat the hell out of me some more,” Jaleesa asked, tears streaming now.

“
Street rules,” Tariq said simply as she scoffed.

“
Tariq, this is me,” she screamed at him. “Don’t treat me like some trick on the corner. You know what he did to me, on a consistent basis, you knew,” she accused.

“
You could have shot him anywhere Tweety, disabled him long enough to call me,” he told her as she sobbed loudly.

“
Tariq, in the middle of getting your ass whipped you don’t stop and say, now hmm, let me logically think where I can shoot this guy to get him off me,” Jaleesa yelled again. “You don’t fuckin’ do that,” she told him, calming slightly. “Tariq, honestly at this point it doesn’t really matter to me,” she began again. “My kids have lost me, just like they lost their dad,” Jaleesa continued looking into his eyes again, seeing anger and hatred. “But if you do this, KiKi will leave you, she’ll hate you and never forgive you,” she told him.

Tariq seemed to weigh her words for a while, before speaking again. “Plead guilty,” he told her calmly.

Jaleesa shrugged slightly and told him fine.

“
Call your attorney right now and tell him, tell him you want to plead guilty and to set it up,” Tariq barked, growing angrier she could tell.

Jaleesa picked up the phone and dialed a number, saying hello when it connected. “This is Jaleesa Johnson, I want you to change my plea to guilty,” she said calmly as Tariq continued to regard her.

“
Put the phone on speaker,” he told her.

Doing as he requested, Jaleesa continued talking to her attorney.

“
Are you sure Jaleesa,” he questioned, the surprise in his voice evident. “The best I could possibly broker would be a life sentence,” he told her frankly.

Never taking her eyes from Tariq, Jaleesa told him she was sure. Sighing deeply the attorney told her he would take care of it first thing in the morning when the courthouse opened. Disconnecting she continued to regard him.

“
I’m not going to tell her,” Jaleesa spoke answering his unasked question.